OT: What are the biggest/best Sports Card/Memorabilia shows in North America?

[smithdatura]

I'm much more of a funny book guy, and am far more familiar with the better cons devoted to comics around the U.S. and Canada, but really don't have as much knowledge about the shows with the same type of scope focusing more on cards/player appearances/memorabilia.

 

Can any of you boardies help me out/link me to some of the bigger, more established/longer-running events you know about? I'm looking for the types of events that run over the course of a weekend with several 50+ dealers present, have multiple athletes appearing, etc.

 

I found this one in Baltimore that seems pretty impressive, but would take any and all other legitimate suggestions:

 

National show

 

Thanks in advance!

[Pirate]

maybe the beckett boards can help?

[october]

I found this one in Baltimore that seems pretty impressive, but would take any and all other legitimate suggestions:

 

National show

 

That show, The National, is the biggest in the US as far as I know, so a good place to start. It runs in a different city every year and is huge.

[lambfan68]

The National is the biggie. It is the SDCC of the sports collecting world.

[aardvark88]

The National is the best by far. They have some 60s non-sports cards in boxes too.

[smithdatura]

Thanks! So there's no Wizard World-type promoter of sports/memorabilia shows, I guess, promoting events annually with a reliable reputation, or a C2E2/SDCC-type annual show in a set location for cards and memorabilia?

 

That whole side of the collecting world seems definitely less organized than things on the comic front, unless it's just my lack of familiarity with those type of shows that suggest as much...

[AnastasiasCollect]

The National is the biggie. It is the SDCC of the sports collecting world.

 

I'm a huge sports and memorabilia collector as well and I'd have to agree the National Show is the biggest and the best in my opinion.