Chasing Ernie Banks rookie card, Bears and Cubs during long-awaited return to National Sports Collectors Convention
ROSEMONT, Ill.— Attending my first National Sports Collectors Convention in 32 years reaffirmed two things: the premier sports card event remains a massive, overwhelming endeavor; and most important, the hobby is embedded in my soul as a collector of all things Cubs.
As a contributor to Sports Collectors Digest, my friend, SCD editor Jeff Owens, invited me to tag along to The National to help with the magazine’s coverage of the big show. It was my second time at the event. The first was in 1993, when it was also held in Rosemont. At the time, I worked as a sportswriter at the Aurora Beacon-News, a suburban Chicago newspaper.
Looking back four decades ago, I remember vividly the endless tables of sports cards and memorabilia, which blew my mind.
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Nothing's changed on that front, as we all know in the industry. This year, for the first time in the dozen years it's been held in Rosemont, The National booked overflow space on the second floor for dealers and autograph sessions.
What stood out to me was the high-tech influence over of multiple “breakers” adorned video cameras and sparkly LED boards to open packs of cards, plus the multitude of teenagers armed with fistfuls of cash to buy and sell cards.
I observed one teen boy counting $100 bills like they were Steve Hovley commons; if you're of a certain age, you get the reference about the old Seattle Pilots outfielder that seemed to magically appear in every pack of Topps I bought as a kid.
Where did they get all that money?
That's what one National attendee wondered as he told a story to a group of us having dinner at a local pizza joint on Friday night.
The man recalled that his son pocketed $40,000 last year by selling cards under his father's nose. It wasn't until the elder's tax accountant started asking questions about undisclosed revenue that he realized the extent of his son's enterprise.
As a Cub and Chicago Bears fan, I went to The National with open eyes and an open pocketbook to a certain extent, guessing there would be a treasure trove of stuff in Chicago's backyard.
There were some amazing artifacts, extending from the framed black-and-white photo and autograph of Bears Hall of Fame running back Bronko Nagurski to a large 1913 Johnny Evers pin containing an image of the Cubs HOF infielder in the early 20th century.
I plucked some vintage Bears cards out of the bargain bins, including Chicago wide receiver Johnny Morris, who would go on to become a longtime sports broadcaster locally and a color commentator for CBS' NFL coverage. Morris retired in 1967 and still holds a Bears record with 5,059 career receiving yards.
My primary pursuit was of Ryne Sandberg's 1983 Donruss rookie card after purchasing his Topps and Fleer versions in March.
I saw one Donruss card on Wednesday night, the event's kickoff, marked at $40. It was priced too high in my opinion and I planned to circle back to the booth later in the show to try and get the seller down to maybe $20 to $30.
Of course, that was a rookie mistake on my part for being cheap. I didn't see another Donruss rookie for the next three days and couldn't find the dealer who had the one card I saw on opening night.
Then I turned my attention to “Mr. Cub” Ernie Banks, a Hall of Famer and my favorite player. I figured his rookie card would be well beyond my budget. Walking the halls, I saw an autographed 1954 Topps Ernie Banks rookie card priced at $2,500, which didn't give me much hope.
That was before I spied an unsigned Ernie Banks rookie for $450, which was the lowest price I had seen at the show, and more in line with what I was willing to spend.
Yeah, it carried a PSA grade of 1 MC (for miscut), ranked at the bottom in terms of condition. Looking more closely at the card, it didn't seem to be that bad, apart from a blemish on Ernie's left cheek and worn around the edges.
I passed on it the first time, but made a mental note of the booth, thinking that I most likely wouldn't spring for the card.
Things change. The more I roamed the show and thought about the relatively affordable price for a card with an estimated value between $349-$649, the more I enjoyed the prospect of owning a 71-year-old piece.
On Saturday, I returned to the booth and saw the card was still available. I was able to get the dealer to go down to $400, a fair price. The Ernie rookie was now mine. I consider it an investment, adding greater value to my collection of Cubs memorabilia.
“Ernie's market will always be strong, but this is a new world we live in now,” said Marcel Bilak, owner of Awesome Card Shop, where I bought the card. “These collectors, and this boom we have in the industry, it's all young people. Luckily ... the older guys are looking for Ernie.”
What's old is new again, thanks to The National. Thirty-two years later, you've still got me hooked on the hobby.
Don Muret