So I'm planning on making my way over to San Antonio for the May29th-30th Texas Toy Soldier Show in the Menger Hotel.
Since I'm new to the hobby, and this will be my first show, I'm not quite sure what to expect, and was wanting to get some advice from some of the veterans on the board.
Congrats on your first show! I still remember a time, before the Internet, when going to the shows really was such a high point for the hobby year, because we didn't have constant contact with one another. You'll love it.
Are there deals at the show, or are the prices the same as you would pay via Internet or regular stores?
It will vary. Some dealers may offer discounts or show sale prices, but it is not necessarily custom, nor should we expect it (see another thread elsewhere in the forum for a discussion of this expectation). Remember that we are collectors, and we want to buy things for our collections as cheaply as possible, but dealers are businessmen and they need to make a profit on what they sell, to continue their business. Keep your eyes open for discounts and deals. If there are dealers you normally deal with, and they are at the show, don't be afraid to ask.
Don't be afraid to haggle, either. Much of the hobby is a secondary market, and prices are whatever the seller and buyer agree on at the time of the sale.
Also, along with the professionals who sell toy soldiers for a living, there will be vendors who take tables and sell parts of their collections, and you might find some good bargains, or some relatively rarer items, among the amateurs.
And at the end of the second day of the show, some might be more willing to haggle and knock something off their selling price, rather than have to pack an item back up and take it home again.
How much money should I plan on spending? (Guess this might be a relative question).
You're correct, it's relative. If you're buying King & Country or one of the other contemporary makers, you'll need more than I do, who buys old castings for refurbishing/repainting. But take as much as you think you can afford to spend on your hobby. Also, tap MAC close to home; ATMs close to the show site will probably run out of cash. (Sorry, "tap MAC" is local PA and Jersey slang-MAC is "Money Access Center", that was CoreStates Bank's trade name for their ATM networks)
It depends. There will probably be a crowd at the door at opening time on both days. For me, I like to get to a show when it opens. But it depends on whether you think you'll find your Holy Grail of pieces for your collection, and need to beat out everyone else to get it, and if it'll gnaw at you if you don't.
Is it a show located where the hotel and the local authorities allow vendors to sell from their rooms before the actual show dates, a la the Chicago toy soldier show? If there is room trading, you might even go before the show date. But room trading is the exception, not the rule (despite how many people whine about it when a show doesn't "offer" it-they don't realize that it's not necessarily up to the show promoters).
Is there a mall or anything close by that I can send my girlfriend to, I'm sure after 20 min. of toy soldiers she'll have had enough.
I'm afraid I can't speak to that, I don't know the area. I recommend Googling the hotel and the town, or contacting the hotel and asking them for local shopping. They ought to have a concierge or a desk service that can fill you in on local info.
Above all, enjoy the show, take your time there, talk to as many people, both patrons and vendors, as you can. If you're looking at stuff on a table, and others are looking, too, engage them in conversation. Don't be afraid to ask questions of both vendors and patrons. The shows are a great opportunity to meet other people in our hobby, face-to-face, which is still a lot of fun and can't be replaced by the Internet.
Prost!
Brad
