Csda Stamp Show

It costs you $10 to get in before the masses. Therefore you get an hour before everyone else to get the so called choice items. No different than what most theme parks are doing now to avoid line-ups for popular rides.

It's sort of a toss up between spending the $10.00 to get in or using it to buy something like stamps. Do you know what hot items some collectors would be competing with others for that is limited in supply? I assume that the early bourse would benefit dealers who do not have a bourse there and who may want to buy material from other dealers before most collectors get to the show.

I went to the show on Friday, but I didn't find any of the stamps that I was looking for. There were a lot of collectors there looking for the Unitrade 2015 Canada catalogue which Unitrade itself was sold out of already. However, they were happy to find that some dealers still had the catalogue available for sale and they were able to buy it directly from some of the dealers there. I went back again on Sunday and I was able to find some of the stamps that I was looking for. However, I overpaid for one of them in bad condition from one dealer but I bought it because I needed it only to later find another better copy from another dealer which I also bought but for less. Why couldn't I have found the second dealer first? Such are the trials and tribulations of the philatelic hunt of hit and miss.

jogil, at least these are all members of CSDA and so you can contact them if you have any issues with any stamp.

I once bit the bullet to buy a nice stamp at a show. It was 7c brown Admiral stamp, NH with the line in N plate variety. It was well centered and I really thought it was worth the price I paid (more even).

Then I got home and looked at it again in better lighting (why are stamps shows so dark?) and found out it was very lightly hinged! Only visible in the correct light at an angle.

I of course was disappointed. Sadly, I have never seen the seller again and didn't get a card (if he even had one). Oh well, lesson learned.

I went to the show on Sunday, and found some nice early Niagara stampless covers. I go and I only buy what I can afford. I am trying to be more selective at these things.
Considering the number of dealers and the amount of 'stuff' to look through, I can't see the point of going early and paying $10 to get a jump on everyone else. What are the chances you're going to find that special something in just an hour.
Relax, and enjoy the ride, I say!

Were any of you there at the stamp show on Sunday when they closed earlier than 4 pm and some were upset?