Stamp Show Blues

We needed a stamp show fix so we attended the ASDA National Show in Manhatten yesterday..the very first dealer coming in the door had some great Argentina Antarctic base covers...other vendors had quality covers in the $4 to 12 dollar range...it was a good show..i picked up an early Canadian metered cover to display here on the SCF...but I always get the "i should have bought more" blues when I leave a show...considered the time and expense to travel..perhaps someday I will learn my lesson..but when immersed in all kinds of quality covers. I can not go in every direction !!

Sometimes the "shows" can overwhelm a collector. If you shop at only one store, you can usually browse and take your time to see what you like. When you have a multitude of dealers and/or collectors all in one place, you don't devote as much time to one table as you would ordinarily do in a one-on-one situation.

What always worries me at shows (maybe worry isn't the right word) is I'll find something I love at one table, and buy it, only to find a better one cheaper at another table. Often hesitant to spend too much money for fear of not having enough at the next table as well. Wouldn't it be great if all life's worries were so simple?

I'd love to have that problem. Last show I went to, I walked out with absolutely nothing, they had nothing I wanted at all and my want list was relatively long. My wife might have gotten $40 worth of stamps in total, but she was disappointed too. We took $400 in cash, figuring we could jump on an ATM if we needed more, we went home with almost all of it in our pockets.

It was just sad.

Last show I attended (and hep set up some stuff too, fun) I did not get anything but that was due more to me not having a good day health-wise than any lack of interesting things (for me) to buy or investigate or look at.

I just had to look for different places to spend my stamp money later on, like ebay.

It's amazing how little it takes to keep me happy stamp-wise. A packet of 100 or 500 stamps to explore and see if I find anything like the stuff I have read about (oh and tried to remember) on SCF is always fun if I can't find anything specific I'm looking for at the moment.

Has anyone run into this before ? The last show I attended I left with the attitude that it would be my last (It won't) due to the pricing the dealers were asking. I understand that they have travel expenses and what not but to ask 70% of catalog value for pieces that didn't deserve a high premium due to condition or catalog number, and not be negotiable ? They have to know by now that their main competition is ebay, Delcampe, bidstart...etc. I really expected they would compromise on a fair price, I offered 35% of catalog for a hinged 299 that was slightly off center and might grade out at VF was fair, I even went to 40% but the dealer held steadfast.

I attend a monthly show in Massachusetts and find that the prices, for the most part are still too high. There are two fellows that try to charge full catalog prices for everything! On the other end, several sell many things at face or a small percentage above face.

About two years ago. I went to a show at White Plains, and was sitting at a table were 102 cards were in the red boxes by country, I never went to this dealer before, but I did notice that the prices were a bit on the high side. I then heard the dealer arguing with a customer. and he was saying, "I always sell at 100 percent of Scott Catalog " When I hears this, the devil came out of me. I picked out about 150 102 cards from all different countries, and went to the dealer to pay. I then asked how much percentage does he take off the price on the 102 card. He starts hollering at me that its the price on the card. I then tell him to keep his stamps, and I tell him have a good time putting them back

Prices at stamp shows can vary...i don't know if dealers got the message that they were charging too much or what..most of the dealers at the Hotel New Yorker this week were charging 50 to 60 percent of catalog.....full catalog ? come on that would have to be brand new on the market mint never hinged Better Counries...not used or hinged unused stamps !!

Here in the United Kingdom my wife and I have been to many stamp / postcard/ antique shows and find the attitude of the sellers totally diferent.

At antique shows if you ask "is that the best you can do" in a pleasant manner and we have received discounts of 50% or more from selling prices, (normally 15% or so).

At postcard fairs as long as you have made a "substantial" purchase you might get 10% if lucky and only if you ask.

Stamp fairs discounts are rarely more than knocking off the change and it is not always the "done" thing to ask.... has not stopped me yet....they can always say no.

Once went to an antiques fair, (billed as the biggest in Europe....3,000 stall holders) and came away with a $5 item after spending $80.00 to get in and travelling 150 miles.

Best wishes,

Brian.

Normally I go to two kinds of markets, the temporary ones, held may be once or twice a year, attended by professional stamps sellers. There, prices are normally high, no question of asking for a discount; and, so, usually don't buy much there.

The other are the daily or weekly markets, that offer antiques, among which you can find stamps, cinderellas and books. Those are the ones that I enjoy the most. There, you can find good deals.

Anyway, currently, my best sources for my colections are Delcampe, E-bay and the Spanish "Todo Colección".

Hi

Here in Georgia I gave up going to any of the shows. Most of the dealers have hardly any Latin America material, especially Colombia and Ecuador, and when they do have material I don't need what they have. Once in a while a Florida dealer will attend but I rarely find anything. We used to go to Florex in Florida where Latin America material is more present but it is a long trip.

However, I will attend the APS show in January.

Jerry B

Jerry, the APS shows are always good..get to rub shoulders with a lot of fellow APS members..the dealers are on their best behavior..since Americas 99 in Orlando with have taken 5 or 6 mini vacations to APS shows...Orlando,Biloxi,Providence,Hartford and recently Charleston...i probably attended another but offhand I don't recall right now...

Hi philb

If you make the Atlanta show you'll have to give me a buzz. There are at least 2 other members of this board in Atlanta (I think we are the only three totally Latin collectors in Atlanta). Maybe we can make a fiesta.

Jerry B
APS 25+ years