Conference school::sports_memorabilia

    If you are going north on Route 3 (from Mass.), get off at Exit
    4.  At the end of the ramp, take a right; and then an immediate
    left.  Bishop Guertin is about 1/4 mile down the road on the right
    hand side.  Have fun!  It's one of the biggest shows in the country,
    and is held in September as well.
    
    
    Dave

    I think it should be Sept. 1.  Its this Saturday and its, FREE!  Thats
    the best part, doesn't cost a penny to get in, and its the best show of
    the year.  At least it was last year.  Have fun!!

    Rick, you forgot to claim your free '87 Topps miswrap wax pack, and I
    forgot to remind you. Tried to give the Saint one, but he wouldn't take
    it. Says he's got the market cornered on 87s and Pepsi Gedmans.
    
    Rick J.

    Guess I'll have to wait until next year to claim it.  How did you make
    out up there Rick J.??  Were the crowds heavy all day long??  I thought
    it was a pretty good show, I picked up some good stuff of the Mick, so
    I left real happy.  It was nice meeting you.
    
    

    Nice meeting you, too. I might have gotten to meet some other noters,
    but they had my name down as RON JacOnski.  To answer your questions,
    which may be of general interest, I thought the crowd was much smaller
    than last year, but I was in the cafeteria rather than the gym. Despite
    the signage, I think a lot of people don't know the additional tables
    are out there, or else they don't bother walking the additional
    distance.  I did okay, largely on the strength of selling an '85
    Donruss set and all the '85 Donruss waxpacks I brought. 88 and 89
    Fleer baseball packs also seemed to be in demand, though the guy set
    up behind me was offering 87 Fleer wax boxes at $175 and didn't sell
    any.  He also wasn't moving any of the older football cards in his
    case, even after he put up a HALF-PRICE SALE sign.  The guy also had
    some 1990 Score baseball cases, but the only way he'd sell you one was
    if you bought a case of Dick Tracy, too! Price for a case of each was $700.
    I sold a couple of Fielder rookies, but no Dykstras, a battered old '55
    Mays, and an off-center Boggs rookie. Older cards in general were not
    in great demand, it seemed.  People were trying to finish 1990 sets or
    stockpile Maas, Justice, etc.  The only celebrity to stop by my table
    (in addition to you guys) was Clark Booth (tv newscaster from Boston).
    My only complaint involves the '84 Donruss team sets I had out in
    plastic cases. This guy (with a wantlist in his hand) asks me if I'm
    selling them only as sets, and I say yes. He then procedes to open the
    different teams and examine each card (all mint, by the way), but
    naturally he dosn't buy anything, or even make an offer. Just makes me
    wonder what is going on in peoples' heads.  The kids seem more
    considerate than the adults most of the time. Oh well, it was mostly
    fun, and I'll probably do it again next year. 

    Glad you guys had a good day.  I also find the cafeteria dealers much
    more willing to deal, and there prices are BELOW book, rather than the 
    cut throat dealers in the main area, there prices are ABOVE book for
    the most part and they don't like to deal with you early on.  So I just 
    walk away from them.  That overall is a good show, with a good bunch of
    dealers up there, I enjoyed myself.

    
    
    	I went to the show also.  The only thing I wanted was a box of
    Score Series II.  I got one for $14 out in the main area which was
    pretty reasonable.  I can't comment on the cutthroat dealers, but
    this guy's prices were lower than most.  There were two other dealers
    selling these for $15 and another who was asking $17.  Having the
    competition in such close proximity kind of subtlely puts the pressure
    on dealers whose prices are way out of line.
    
    
    						Paul
    

    Uh, Roy, there's a guy in the next notes conference selling the '52
    Topps reprint set for $39.95 8^)
    
    D. Dung

    Unfortunately, he's a fictitious dealer. Seriously though, there was no
    call for the fellow to look at you as if you were canine excrement just
    because you brought this disparity to his attention. If he wanted to be
    competitive, you would think he'd welcome the information. On the other
    hand, maybe he paid $19 per set and dragged them to the show only to
    have the other guy undercut his cost.  Might as well leave them out in
    that case.  Later that day, or later that year, when dealer A's $16
    sets were long gone, dealer B's $23 sets would still be there, and
    looking damned good. 

    I agree with both Roy and Rick in the last few notes.  The dealer who
    had his sets priced higher did so for his own reasons.  Either he
    needed to get that price to make a profit or he was determined to sell
    the sets at book price.  Above all the dealer sets up at a show to make
    a profit.  After all isn't that what business is all about?  The dealer
    sets the amount of margin he expects to realize, in order to obtain
    that level of margin he must sell product at a profit.
    
    I also agree that no dealer has the right to treat a potential customer
    like dirt.  However, just because a competitor is selling the same
    thing for less does not mean you MUST do the same.  Usually people who
    set up at shows try to get a fair price for their goods.  You will
    always have the gouger and sleaze ball.  They are the unfortunate part
    of any business.  I still think the best part about a show (no matter
    which side of the table you're on) is the variance in prices around the
    room.
    
    Just like some dealers charge high prices for their goods, some also
    offer better deals when buying your goods.
    
    I know that shows are becoming more populated by sleaze balls on both
    sides of the table.  There are the gougers on the inside table as well
    as the dealers who are not set up at the show.  They come around
    thinking it's their right to get that hot card for dirt cheap.
    
    God, that's some ramblings!  I'm not sure it all makes sense but they
    are some thoughts from a person whose been on both sides of the table.
    If you've never been on the inside of the table at a show do it
    sometime.  It's an experience.
    
    joe  

    re .14
    
    Yeah, repacking is a drag, all right, but salesmanship only goes so
    far.  As I've said in here before, I think, if you mark something down
    below a certain point, people get suspicious and won't buy it.  Also,
    you may have brought stuff that people just aren't in the market for
    that day, no matter how cheap you're willing to part with it.  But
    onerous as repacking is, you're not likely to sell a $100 set for $50
    just to avoid the task.  As for the 100 @ 5% or 5 @100%, it's usually
    the latter for me, because I've rarely had the capital to buy 100 of
    anything.  Joe's right, Roy, you should set up at one of these shows;
    it's a real education. And sometimes it's even fun.

    
    So when is BG this year?
    
    -rjk

I'll be there, I'll be wearing my YAZ hat

    Where, pray tell, is BGHS?

    
    It's in Nashua, Cow Hampshire.
    
    BGHS is Bishop Guertin High School.
    
    It is the largest card show in New England.
    
    It is the card show where you can likely find what you've been looking
    for, and there's so many dealers and so much competition that you can
    great deals.
    
    It is an annual event that John buys coffee and sodas at 10:00 at the
    snack bar.
    
    -rjk

    Where is it located in Nashua
    
    Barry

    
    At Bishop Guertin High School!  8^)
    
    I believe it's exit 4, I always pull the directions out of the
    notesfile.  So they must be SOMEWHERE in this note.
    
    Let me go look ...
    
    -rjk

    
>>    It is an annual event that John buys coffee and sodas at 10:00 at the
>>    snack bar.
    
>>    -rjk


    Roy, if you and JOhn can't settle on a time, you can treat at 10,
    and John and treat at 11... How's that?

    I'll be there wearing my 'Vote for Mike Kelly for President hat....
    

    
    There you go.  Directions to BG.  They were in 8.1, but John pointed
    me there, and I thought they more appropriate in their own BG
    note.
    
    -rjk

    
    I'll be there, but not until noon, guess I'll have to buy my own
    refreshments.  Since it seems to be hat day, if I remember, I'll
    be wearing one of my redskins hats.  I'm also likely to be carrying a
    large orange binder (skins collection) and roaming in search of old
    football.
    
    Be sure to walk around and really shop your wax deals, in past BG
    shows there have been anywhere up to 10 "large" size wax delaers
    there, all fighting it out to be a buck under the other guy.  If
    you're so inclined you can also play one off the other and cut yourself
    a pretty good deal.  Make sure to check the aux area in the cafe,
    the last several BG shows there has been one large wax dealer there
    right as you walk in.  This guy had some great prices last show.
    The cafeteria can sometimes be the "bargain basement" of the BG
    show.
    
    jeff
    

    
    you won't miss me.  trust me.
    
    -rjk

    re -1  I missed you, but THEY didn't.....

Was anyone else there later in the afternoon?

They had just auctioned off a bunch of stuff around 2:30 and the guy doing
the talking announced that a 1969 Mickey Mantle white letter card was just
picked up off of one of the dealer's tables.  He asked that the person kindly
return the card and he wanted the other dealers to be aware of anyone trying
to sell one of these cards.  

It gave me a real sick feeling in the pit of my stomach!

Dan

    Sept 5th is the Fall edition  of  the Bishop Guertin High School show.
    Hours are 9:00-4:00, attendance free. There are 140 tables and usually
    lots of deals. Directions are in Note 170.28. Pretty easy to get to.
    I talked to Roy and he said he'll probably go and he'll buy the sodas
    and coffees once again ;-) I also called Tony Daniele and he said if
    he didn't have to work he'd probably go also. He lives in Springfield
    Mass so it's haul for him. Anyway, hope to see some of you other noters
    there. We usually meet around 10:00 at the snack bar. I'll be wearing a
    Florida Marlins jersey. See you there !
    
    John

    For all you noters who are going to tomorrow's show, Roy said he'll
    be going. See you at the snack bar around 10:00 if you do go.
    
    John

    regarding the card show MAR13 the advertisement in last night's 
    TELEGRAPH said $2.00 admission. the school went coed lastfall
    must be a woman thing.
                 paul

    Any other noters  going  this  Saturday ? I think last year someone had
    mentioned seeing something about an admission fee, but they didn't have
    one.  Anyway, -rjk will buy for any of the noters who meet around 10:00
    at the snack bar. Of course he doesn't know that he's buying yet.
    
    Hopefully UD Basketball Series II will be out by then.
    
    John

    
    Barring some great natural disaster (or a veto at home), I should
    be there by 10.  John, I still have a couple of TN holos for you
    from 93 UD baseball, will bring 'em along.  Also I owe roy a few
    dollars, so I need to be there to settle my debts ;-)
    
    I'll try and check the latest wantlists of anyone who is planning to
    attend, post or send me your latest, it's easier and quicker in person
    than via the US mail.
    
    jeff
    

    
    Jeff,
    
    Dan Mc and myself will be there, but we'll be leaving around 10:30.
    I have a bunch of cards for you also.
    
    John

    BG show is this Saturday 9:00-4:00. See you at the snack bar around
    10:30 if you go - rjk said he'll sodas  again  this year. Of course
    he can't get in here to deny it.
    
    John

    Some good buys at the show today - 1993 Studio for 30$, 1993 Leaf for
    30$,  Fleer Ultra Baseball  for  30$,  1993 Upper Deck FB for 29$ and
    more.  There was plenty  of  1993  Bowman  for 50$. Didn't seem to be
    moving at all though. rjk stiffed us for sodas ;-)
    
    A couple of things I found suprising  were 1992 UD Minor League Base-
    ball for 125$ a box  and OPC Baseball (not Premiere) for 55$ a box. I
    opened 3 boxes of the OPC Baseball  and  it  was  easy  to find a few
    weeks back.
    
    John

    
    Supposedly the OPC regular run was just 2000 cases.  Yawn.  The UD
    minor league set (92) has been annointed by some news organization
    as the card set of 92.  Yawn.  One guy was selling minor league
    sets for $35 with a holo throw in (hi beckett is $55).  The other
    buzz on OPC was that Dr. Jim was going to put it back in Beckett,
    so you know what that means... (or so the dealer line went).
    
    I thought it was a pretty good show, not overly crowded but I was
    able to find 3 older redskins I needed, although I'm starting to
    exhaust the same football dealers who come year after year to BG.
    Some haven't gotten anything new so they tell me 'you've already
    looked through those'.   Fleer basketball jumbos were popular at
    $55-$58/box, rookie sensations this year are a 24 card set with
    all the big rookies from last year (shaq, mourning, etc.)  I opened
    a box for $55 and got the shaq plus 4 others, people I spoke with
    have been reporting 5-6 sensations per box, will be a tough set
    to complete, not to mention expensive.
    
    jeff
    

    I bought boxes of OPC earlier this year  (see note 550).  Out of three
    boxes all total I couldn't make a set - didn't get a single checklist,
    Frank Thomas  or  Roger Clemens. I put them aside figuring no one will
    be interested in trading these.  Guess I'll have to pull them back out
    because I'm sure people will want them now that they're scarce.  Seems
    like most of the people doing cards nowadays will buy anything scarce.
    You could probably make a set of Famous Midwest Cow Manure Piles, tell
    everyone there's only 500 cases and people will buy it.
    
    As far as the UD Minor League Cards go,  they were nice, but I kind of
    liked the SkyBox AAA and AA sets more. Of course SkyBox no longer pro-
    duces minor league cards.
    
    John

    I got a box of Leaf II for $30 (guess it went to $25 by day's end).
    Man what a bad collation...
    
    Did get to see Jeff, Steve, Dan, Saint and Ric LeDonne... didn't have
    to rush to Fenway since the game was delayed an hour, but it could
    have been worse...
    

    when is the next outing at BGHS?
    
    Dick

    September ...