The doors have officially closed on the 46th National Sports Collectors Convention in Rosemont, Illinois, and it is safe to say this was our biggest and best year yet!
From taking in thousands of new consignments and giving away incredible cards to welcoming special guests and talking strategy with collectors, the COMC booth was buzzing all week long. Whether you could not make it to Chicago or found yourself swept up by the packed show floor, here is a look back at some of the biggest moments from COMC at The National.
“Road to The National” with Jason Galleske
We love seeing our users thrive, and Jason Galleske provided an absolute masterclass in flipping through COMC. By sending COMC his $0.75 to $10 cards that wouldn’t move at physical shows, selling them on the platform, and converting that store credit into massive show hits (like turning a stack of $3 Frank Thomas cards into a Chipper Jones Auto), he essentially funded his entire National inventory. He started the show with six fully loaded cases of grails and, by Day 2, he was nearly sold out!
Hobby Talk with Card Ladder’s Kristina Thorson
During Friday’s live Hobby Talk, Kristina Thorson, COO, CFO, and Co-Founder of Card Ladder, joined COMC Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer Tim Getsch and SVP of People & Operations Vanessa Williams to discuss what is ahead for both companies, emerging trends across the hobby, and the cards they were personally hunting for at The National.
Hobby Royalty Stops By
Longtime COMC user and hobby legend Dr. James Beckett stopped by the COMC booth to catch up with co-founders Tim Getsch and Julia Agostine. And, true to form, he brought a few cards along to consign with us.
An Unbelievable Surprise from InfernoRed Technology
The National always delivers incredible moments of camaraderie. Scott Lock from InfernoRed Technology bought an Upper Deck blind pack and pulled both an autographed Steph Curry jersey and a signed Cameron Brink basketball. Knowing that Tim Getsch is a massive WNBA and basketball collector, Scott generously gifted the basketball to him right there at the COMC booth. Thank you to Scott and the entire InfernoRed team for such a thoughtful surprise, which will be proudly added to the WNBA memorabilia showcase at COMC Headquarters.
The Evolution of the Hobby with Sam Goodman
Sam Goodman, journalist with Yahoo Sports and co-founder of SOMOS Index, joined Tim Getsch on Saturday to break down the generational growth of the industry. They discussed how collecting has evolved from trading cards out of bicycle spokes to a highly sophisticated market, and how COMC’s massive database—featuring over 20 million cataloged cards—serves as an invaluable research tool for the next generation of collectors and entrepreneurs.
Giving Back to The B.L.A.K.E. Project
The absolute highlight of our week was sitting down with 14-year-old hobby personality and social media force Blake Grice. To support his incredible charitable organization, The B.L.A.K.E. Project, which helps children of veterans and first responders battling PTSD, COMC presented Blake with a $10,000 check—funded entirely by the generosity of COMC users who have donated cards to charity through our platform!
The Ultimate COMC Flip
Just as we were wrapping up on Sunday, COMC user Jeremy Stigen dropped by to tell us an amazing story. On Christmas Day, he purchased a 1999-00 Fleer Tradition Net Effect Allen Iverson insert #6 NE on COMC for just $36.25. After submitting it to Beckett, the card came back as a flawless BGS Black Label—the only Black Label from the entire set and one of just two Black Label Allen Iverson inserts known to exist. We’re thrilled for Jeremy and his incredible COMC flip story, and we’ll be rooting for an epic result on the auction block this week at Goldin.
Thank You to the Community!
To everyone who stopped by Booth #2816 to drop off submissions, grab a free toploader, enter our card giveaways or just say hello—thank you. You make this hobby truly special. The show may be over, but our team is already hard at work processing your submissions and bringing those fresh cards to the marketplace. See you at our next show!
Follow us on social media @checkoutmycards and the COMC Blog for the latest updates!
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