The National Sports Collectors Convention is always quite the spectacle. Collectors who are attending this year’s show saw no shortage of iconic items, some of which may only be seen at a card show as big as this. While both modern and vintage elements of the hobby are present within the show, some of the coolest items on the floor fall on the vintage side.
After walking the floor over the course of a few days, here is a look at five of the coolest vintage items I saw for sale at numerous vendor booths.
1952 Topps Baseball Mickey Mantle PSA 8
There is no denying the value and power that the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantlehas within the hobby. While there were many in showcases scattered across the convention floor, there was one that stood out – a PSA 8. This was the highest graded copy that I saw for sale, and it did have a high asking price of $2.2 Million. Collectors can make the determination for themselves if they think that this is a fair price, but it was cool to see such a high grade copy up close and personal.
1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan PSA 9 Rookie Card
Michael Jordanmakes this list for two main reasons: hobby value and the location of the show. While many Jordans were for sale, a PSA 9 copy with an MBA sticker was one of the nicest copies I saw. The centering on the card was quite good, and it would take quite some time to see why it did not grade a 10. Every Michael Jordan card I saw made me think as well about how much he impacted the Chicago sports scene during his playing days, which was personified with the amount of Bulls jerseys being worn at the show.
1933 Goudey Babe Ruth PSA 4
Babe Ruth is also a frequent flyer at The National, with numerous 1933 Goudeysfor sale. This PSA 4 copy caught my eye along with other collectors, as it is a key card within the hobby. While Ruth has numerous cards within the set, some may see the asking price as fair for such a great card.
1976 Topps Football Unopened Cello Pack With Walter Payton Rookie Card On Top
The next item on this list is a unique one: an unopened 1976 Topps Football Cello Pack with the Walter Payton Rookie on the top of the pack. This is quite the piece of hobby history, as not too many of these packs can be found unopened anymore. The number that have the Payton rookie on top are even tougher to find. The pack is graded a PSA 8, and it is crazy to think that there are still copies of the iconic card that have not been touched after all these years.
1951 Bowman Baseball Complete Set
The last vintage item on the list is a set that is tough to put together, and is rarely seen at a card show – 1951 Bowman Baseball. The Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays cards are the toughest to get, especially in high grades. The asking price on the set was $25,000, which might not be too unreasonable for some. The Mantle and Mays might not be the best centered copies, but just seeing this set in the wild speaks to how impressive The National is each and every year.
While there are many unique collectables on the floor of the 2026 National, these five stood out for their importance within hobby or for their rarity. Collectors attending this year should keep an eye out for these items, or for anything else that catches their eye.
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DYLAN BROWN
Dylan is a collector based in Central Pennsylvania, and sports fan rooting for the Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Pirates, and LA Lakers. He is currently attempting to collect a complete run of Topps flagship sets across football, baseball, and basketball. He is passionate about the history of the hobby including its continual growth and evolution.
