Westmoreland Shopping center sports card show sees strong yield as hobby’s
When the pandemic hit, sports card collector and seller Joe Tucci expected sporting activities cards to dip in appeal.
Instead, the contrary took place.
“We obtained stimulus checks and also everybody entered,” stated Tucci, from Robinson. “… The leisure activity took off.”
Tucci was just one of dozens of sellers profiting of the pastime’s post-pandemic boom Saturday at Hempfield’s Westmoreland Shopping mall, which organized its annual Sports Cards & Collectibles Program on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The program has actually been put on for over a decade by Greensburg- based Joe’s Sports Cards & Collectibles.
Collectors of every ages crowded the mall’s Facility Court to buy cards and also various other sports memorabilia.
Tucci, that considers himself to be even more of an enthusiast, started marketing cards around a years earlier to earn money to buy more cards. He offers on ebay.com and at programs such as this one.
Sales have been up considering that the pandemic hit, he said.
Jay Knapp, an enthusiast and also seller from Moundsville, W.Va., agreed.
Knapp markets older memorabilia, which attract an older demographic. Several older people didn’t have much to do when the pandemic hit and also couldn’t leave their residences, so they went back to the leisure activity, Knapp claimed.
He kept in mind that older collection agencies often have different reasons for getting cards. While lots of more youthful enthusiasts want specific players’ cards, older collectors frequently want to complete collections, he stated.
Knapp, that started accumulating cards in 1961 as well as selling them in 1989, just markets cards at programs like this one. He appreciates experiencing sporting activities memories at shows.
“You get to meet various people and tell stories,” he said. “You obtain guys around my age that inform stories concerning the ’60 Pirates, ’71 Pirates, ’70 Steelers. Everyone has a story.”
Tucci likewise appreciates the interactions at programs like this. Though he said sports card popularity is waning after the historic pandemic rise, the pandemic still developed many enthusiasts who won’t leave the leisure activity anytime soon.
Between 2019 as well as 2020, ebay.com reported a 142% surge in trading card sales.
Tucci added it’s amazing to see youngsters take passion in sports cards.
Liam McGuire as well as Anthony Pepe, middle schoolers in the Norwin College Area, attended the show for the first time on Saturday. Both kids started collecting cards when they remained in elementary school.
McGuire and also Pepe both acquired cards at the show– though McGuire made clear: “the inexpensive ones.”
Maddie Aiken is a Tribune-Review team writer. You can speak to Maddie by email at [email protected] or using Twitter.