The Philadelphia Sportscard & Memorabilia Show, also known as The Philly Show, is the nation’s oldest sports card & memorabilia show! It has even outgrown its previous venue of many years at the Valley Forge Casino, causing it to relocate to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center for their September 23-25, 2022 event. If you’ve never attended The Philly Show before, here’s a look inside (plus more photos here):
The Philly Show spans across 70,000+ square feet of more than 150 vendor tables filled with sports & non-sports trading cards, collectibles, and more. While the history of the show is rooted in sports memorabilia, it has since expanded its offerings into many pop culture categories including Garbage Pail Kids, TCG sets like Pokemon & Yu-Gi-Oh, and even vintage Americana.
And while there were many heavy-hitting athletes signing at the show like Phillies pitcher Jim Kaat (above), Dale Murphy (Phillies outfielder), Jim Rice (Red Sox left-fielder), Bob McAdoo (Braves center), and Asanta Samuel (Eagles cornerback)… it was a nice surprise to see a pop culture appearance by the first victim of “Jaws” played by Susan Backlinie!
Plus there were tons of vendors selling pre-signed items by notable sports & entertainment figures all weekend-long. We’re talking about licensed posters, all kinds of photos, baseballs, helmets, Funko Pops… you name it! Many autographs were already verified by third-party authenticators as well, but JSA was on-site to take a look at anything you brought in or wanted to pick up at the show. And with card grading companies in attendance like CGC/CSG, Beckett, and ISA, rest assured you’re in good hands with authenticating your valuables at The Philly Show:
But if you aren’t looking to submit cards for grading, there are still plenty of options to track down deals on great slabs… whether it’s rookie sports cards or alternate art Pokemon cards, you never know what you’ll find! Just look at this impressive display of slabs by fan-favorite vendor Santiago Sports:
Not to mention all of the discount binders & bins full of cheap packs, complete sets, and raw singles – all ranging from vintage to modern! And in case you were wondering, yes, there was even a decent number of tables hosting giveaways & freebies for simply following their Instagram or signing up for their newsletter, so definitely keep your eyes peeled!
When planning your trip to The Philly Show, you’re not only buying but selling & trading is totally within the realm of possibility, too! So definitely bring your extra hits, trade up towards your next grail, or just get a second opinion on an appraisal. The Philly Show is a solid event with so much to see (and you can see even more in the photo gallery here). Stay tuned on their official site for information on the next show and come hang out with fellow trading card enthusiasts, find some deals, make some trades, and have a great time!
LesDudis 