Memorabilia collectors flock to National Sports Collectors Convention in search of oddball items
The Donald E. Stephens Convention Center was jam-packed for five days as collectors roamed the show floor at the National Sports Collectors Convention looking to buy trading cards.
While vintage and modern cards were undeniably the centerpiece in Chicago once again, it was also clear many attendees had come looking for a lot more than just cardboard.
Amid a sea of bobblehead dolls and pennants, many hobbyists scoured tables looking for oddball stuff. Others even lined up for hours to get those unique items autographed.
“This year’s show has so many dealers and a lot of variety. It’s really great for guys like me who don’t really do cards, but prefer other stuff,” said Gene Smith, as he sifted through stacks of vintage pennants.
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While rookie cards get lots of attention with five- or six-figure values, longtime collectors sifted through boxes of decades-old yearbooks and game programs, Starting Lineup figures, and old ticket stubs.
Others were in the market for rarer items—with dealers selling everything from a Muhammad Ali-signed boxing ring bell for $2,500 to the back of a seat from old Yankee Stadium with a $200 price tag.
“It’s a little out of my price range,” Dick Bonville, who collects boxing memorabilia, said of the Ali bell. “Sometimes it’s just fun to say you were able to see such a unique item.”
The show had plenty of other rare items. Diane Bogar and husband Paul, Ohio-based dealers who specialize in hockey collectables, had loads of interesting items. Among them were Colgate Hockey Heads, which were issued in Canada by the toothpaste company during the 1971-72 season. The small, white-colored heads feature the likeness of such legends as Ken Dryden, Bobby Orr and Marcel Dionne.
“It’s funny that they were issued by Colgate because hockey players are known for losing their teeth,” Diane joked.
She said the heads, which fit in the palm of your hand, are easy to find at the Sport Card Expo in Toronto, but “not so much [in the United States].”
“I always say I like the weird stuff,” she added. “These are the types of things I like in my collection. It’s the things not everyone else has. This is the stuff I have on display—and the cards are in a box in the closet.”
Another item the Bogar’s had for sale that got plenty of questions was the NHL's Greatest Hockey Trophies. The complete set—featuring six small trophies, including the Stanley Cup, cards and a stand—were issued in 2003 by McDonald’s in Canada.
“Every week, you had the chance to get a trophy,” Diane explained, adding that the set is “not just about the Stanley Cup, but other trophies that maybe one of your favorite players also won.”
PERSONAL TOUCH
The corporate area, a section anchored by such big names as Fanatics and Upper Deck, also had its share of rare items. Auction houses like Heritage had rows of display cases with atypical items. Several of the most interesting memorabilia pieces up for auction was a pair of boots worn by Hulk Hogan, who died on July 24 at age 71, during his WCW and nWo days during the late 1990s. The estimate on the boots was $30,000.
Another big draw at this summer’s show was the TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion, which featured a who’s who of the sports world. Fans stood in line for hours with photos, cards, balls and jerseys in hand to get that personal touch from their heroes. Others really leaned into the weird stuff, getting all kinds of things autographed.
Ryan Mroz, who made the short drive to the show from Arlington Heights, Ill., with his son Jack and daughter Madison, appeared before Nico Hoerner with a giant baseball card of the Chicago Cubs infielder for him to sign.
Mroz said they picked up the card at the Cubs Convention earlier this year because Hoerner is Jack’s “favorite player by far.”
“The card was a gift for him. It’s now going to go in his room, where it’s going to take up almost the whole wall,” he said. “It’s really special.”
Other athletes were also asked to sign weird things. Former New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia, appearing at the show as a signer for the very first time, was asked to sign a ceramic orange. He was asked to inscribe the words “Vitamin CC” above his signature.
Sabathia happily obliged. He wasn’t alone. Another collector approached Sammy Sosa with a limited-edition cereal box of Slammin’ Sammies—issued in 1999 to commemorate the slugger’s 66 homeruns that season. Upon seeing the box, the former Cubs star said, “Wow!”
Asked about the box afterwards, Sosa flashed a big smile and said, “I sign everything!”
Clemente Lisi