IMG_0934Mint Musings: Opening Impressions at the NationalTwo days of the 2015 National Sports Collectors Convention are in the books. Kind of hard to believe but as I noted a few weeks ago, that show day goes by fast. So far, it seems as if the bulk of the action has been coming in the earlier hours of the show, especially in regards to the pack redemptions.

Beckett and PSA were especially popular this morning as collectors raced to redeem chase cards for autographs and have their items authenticated and graded. If you’re planning on participating in either, I would recommend doing it first thing in the morning to ensure that you get what you need done.

As has become the case at the National, vintage items and sealed boxes have been very popular and have moved pretty well. If you ever wanted to have a large selection of vintage cards to choose from, then you definitely want to hit up the National. Whether it’s a few cards to finish off your 1977 Topps set or a 1952 FullSizeRenderMantle to anchor your collection, chances are you’ll find it here.

Heck, I’ve even seen some older packs of entertainment products. Truly though, that’s half the fun of the National. While the sports memorabilia is always cool, it’s the quirky stuff that makes it all the more memorable.

Pack redemptions have been pretty strong so far as well. Panini has had some impressive cards, including a Russell Wilson baseball card autograph today, pulled from their silver packs. I saw an Anthony Rizzo autograph come out of one of Topps’ Allen & Ginter redemptions. All in all, it seems like the companies have done a fairly good job with their pack redemptions this year.

There’s been a lot of cool memorabilia on display, especially from the auction IMG_1005companies. Heritage Auctions has some unique Sylvester Stallone memorabilia on the show floor. If you’re a fan of “Rocky” and plan on coming to the show, you definitely want to give their booth a look. Among the items on display, they have Stallone’s championship belt from “Rocky II”. In case you were wondering, the estimated price on it is about $200,000.

The overall mood at the show seems to be pretty good so far. Granted, it’s still early enough that there’s no telling what will happen. General consensus seems to be that business has been a little slow so far, especially for Chicago. Going into the weekend though, I wouldn’t be surprised if it picks up considerably, especially with sealed boxes. There’s a pretty hefty lineup of autograph guests too, which should make some interesting lines. I’m still not sure how or why, but former NFL QB Vince Ferragamo had a line that stretched from here to Terre Haute. Either way, the next few days should be interesting and certainly fun.

I’ll have another update for you on Saturday, hopefully with some good hobby news or at least pictures of some more cool pack pulls. If you’re coming to the show this weekend, safe travels and hope to see you here.

Mint Musings: Opening Impressions at the National (Day 1-2 Image Gallery)


Kelsey’s ability to bring hobby coverage to the mainstream sports fan as the producer of ESPN’s Mint Condition has been a true asset. GTS is happy to feature his thoughts on the hobby in Mint Musings. The opinions expressed are his and do not necessarily reflect those of GTS Distribution.
Kelsey Schroyer

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