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Sunday, January 03, 2010

Card show trip - those who try to sell stuff to vendors

I made a token trip to a card shop and while looking through boxes of cards at a booth, I was seeing random people offering to sell things to the vendor - I'm surprised most vendors still look through people's crap, though the vendors are probably looking for some 'bargain buys' as well, so it kind of pays to give a cursory look when someone approaches with some cards to sell.

It seemed depressing to see someone being turned away
- the vendor does have a business and he has the right to be picky. However, am I going to be one of these collectors, expecting something of value, because I'd hoarded all sorts of cards?

It seemed like most of the guys had the wrong cards
- the wrong assortment of years and wrong types of cards, which seems depressing, when you hear someone say they can't take their cards because they are low-end, they aren't of desireable players, etc.

The vendor was patient with most of the guys, who mostly had junky cards from the 1980s through 1990s
- the vendor at the booth was pretty clear he was only buying collections with at least three or four key cards he can actually [make some profit, any profit on].

"Buy me lunch," one of the guys said, a little desperate just to get rid of what he brought.

"The sheets and binder are worth more," the guy at the booth said. "Than the cards inside."


Some guy even had a bunch of cards and random packs [seriously] he was fishing out of a McDonald's bag like a bunch of clowns coming out a clown car
- guy didn't look like he was all there and the cards he was trying to pawn off seemed of dubious quality.

To me, it was just all too sobering - it is better to be a true collector in it for the long haul, than someone who collects because he or she believes cards will be of 'any value.'

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:33 PM

    I think it's always been like this since I started collecting, but it's not often that you get to see such a graphic demonstration.

    ReplyDelete
  2. These guys need to discover eBay. Someone will at least take some of their stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've seen this kind of stuff at card shows. The last one I went to a guy was trying to sell some cards told a dealer that the cards sells for X (I don't remember the price) on eBay.

    The dealer said, well I can't buy it for that. You should sell it on eBay.

    Then, the kid said, well I'm too lazy for that.

    There ya go. Some people just don't want the hassle of selling on the bay.

    ReplyDelete

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