Great American Stamp Show - Anybody Attend?

I attended Thursday and Friday. Great content (exhibits were very strong; good range of dealers; youth program seemed well defined albeit without a stamp collecting MB; speakers were interesting and educational; firs day of issue ceremonies were plentiful) and seems okay attendance wise. Some dealers had waiting lines for seats, but the floor never felt crowded. I'd say it was a great show, but still felt.like it was recovering from.Covid attendance issues

Perhaps this reflects the father's lack of interest in stamps. When I was a young collector in the 1970s, I used to see lots of fathers and sons at stamp shows. And yes, we had baseball cards then too.

I find it rather depressing that children at the sports card show were carrying around cases of expensive, slabbed cards. In fact, as a cigarette card collector, I find it depressing that anyone entombs cards - or stamps, of course - in slabs.

Day 2 -

Young ones soaking stamps! What better image is there?

Those are adults that identify as children.

Agreed. I think slabbing has ruined a lot of hobbies. It's one thing to have your stamps authenticated, where there is question, but for people to send in endless common stamps, just to get graded, that is foolish. If you're just trying to make a buck off of gullible buyers, you're a fool IMO.

That is especially true in a lot of hobbies where they encase things in plastic forever. Stamps haven't done that yet, but coins have, comic books have, sport and collectible cards have, video tape collecting has... I fail to see the point. I am not collecting a hunk of plastic. I care what's in the plastic. Since I never plan on selling any of the things that I collect, I don't need your ugly holder, thank you. I'd rather just have the stamp.

Sadly, at any show that I've been to in recent memory, where they have a children's area, the only people I ever see in there are 80-year old men pawing through mounds of stamps. I can't remember the last time I saw an actual child at a stamp bourse.

Try watching the video........

Day 3.

Thanks all for posting the videos and for the other comments on the show. I had been planning to attend for the entire show, then head to DC and Jersey to visit my kids and grandkids, so I was pretty bummed out that I couldn't go.

Oracle.....I spent 4 days there.....it was a great trip. The bourse was full of dealers that I haven't seen before. I would say about 50% were dealers I had not interacted with in the last 4 years.....so that was cool. Living in a stamp dealer wasteland I usually have to drive 70+ miles or more to attend ANY show and around here the same dealers show up at the same shows....so finding dealers out of the region was worth the train ride!!

I did notice more kids on the weekend and the weekend generally had much better attendance. These were the only photos I took and they were during pre show set-up. I ended up as a volunteer for a society and spent time at the booth as well as attending a few speaking presentations in separate rooms. The convention space itself was HUGE!! They had another show in a separate area during our event but it was on a different level so no conflicts.

The only negative I had was the "cashless" food vendor crap. I guess money is no longer valid.

I would say it was a success......

Nice pics. What day and time were they taken? I am sure cash cuts down on all sorts of issues.

My wife and I attended the show. Had a great time in Cleveland and also enjoyed the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum. I'd say 95% of typical stamp collector as discussed in other SCF topics (i.e. Winds of Change, Greatest Need). Bought a few nice items for my collection from various dealers. Met Matt Kewriga who was interested in seeing my Sperati Hawaii stamp. Overall, a great show. Still contemplating about next year in Hartford, CT. Some pics I took below.Note: Image taken of Inverted Jenny was approx 3 feet away from exhibit (closed off), therefore not the sharpest image, but nevertheless, actually have now seen one in person.