Author Topic: Pittsburgh's "Steel City Con" Toy & Collectible Show  (Read 67609 times)

Offline Nirvana

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Re: Pgh toy show
« Reply #60 on: December 4, 2006, 08:37 PM »
Well, unfortuneately I was not able to attend the show and it sounds like you had a good time Jesse. I hope the April (right?) show will be better, we'll see the rest of TSC and all the 30AC stuff that's hit so far.

Nice-writeup as well. Is the early buyer event worth it? I usually just go on Sunday but I'm thinking about going Saturday next time.
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: Pgh toy show
« Reply #61 on: December 5, 2006, 02:15 AM »
It depends on your POV...  $10 isn't cheap but you get in early, and thus get out early, which is worth it to me...  But you also catch deals you otherwise wouldn't see because they'd get scooped up.  Not always, but sometimes you do see something early you won't see later...

$10 isn't cheap though so it's really a personal preference...  I've found Sunday you can find deals you can't get on Saturday because people are panicing to sell stuff to recoup their booth costs if they haven't already.
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Offline Jesse James

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Pittsburgh's "Steel City Con" Toy & Collectible Show
« Reply #62 on: March 5, 2007, 04:26 AM »


Pittsburgh's Toy Show, "Steel City Con" is back in March (24th and 25th) to kick off the 2007 year of shows.  Another one should roll around in July I believe, then in December the last show.

Rumor is Jeremy Bulloch is coming in July too, which I hope he is since that's one auto I don't have yet.  Not that I'm a big autograph guy, but there's a handful I'd like and his is one I'd like on a Fett photo and the Imp. Officer he played in ESB as well.

The show itself is always great though.  Always lots of Star Wars...  Often overpriced modern stuff abounds and you see why you can't find Figure A or Excluisve B, but you also see some impressive modern deals, and lots of vintage stuff usually is hiding throughout the show.  Everything from the weird to the rare...  Last time (December) they had a double telescoping Ben and Vader on display ONLY, but still pretty bitchin' to see those.

Plus I get to hang out with my PSWCS buddies, and the 501st Legion is usually there en masse with troopers willing to snap photos with the kids.  My gf's son gets a kick out of that always.
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Offline bobafett14

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Re: Pittsburgh's "Steel City Con" Toy & Collectible Show
« Reply #63 on: March 25, 2007, 08:57 PM »
I guess I'll post here on the recap from this weekends (3/23) show.

Grabbed an EV 9D9 fig. the last I needed for the vinatge loose run.  I've held off becasue I wouldn;t buy him online or ebay becasue the one arm is alwyas bad on him, so limited to in person deals, whcih are kinda limited.

Also grabbed a Lady Gornesh carded Ewoks fig for $20.  Card had a hole punch, and a few veins, bubble was dinged but for $20 I thought it was a prety decent deal.  Plus you don;t have to pay S&H which saves a few $.

Also grabbed a DC collecting club chewie pin which I missed on when they sold them a few years abck, and got a few extra cases off a PSWCS bud.  Now my ROTS collection is complete AND lined up in cases.

Snagged a freebie Dark Times Dark Horse poster, and some freebie packs of Evolutions trading cards.

Fun as always at John Harvards for brews and food.  Always fun seeign the local Pittsburg/PA contingency, and hanging out with Jesse for the afternoon.

See you in July!
Star Wars and toy Collector since 1978(age 7).  currently over 6,500 SW items in my personal collection. Collect modern/vintage and everything in-between ;^)

Offline Jesse James

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Re: Pittsburgh's "Steel City Con" Toy & Collectible Show
« Reply #64 on: March 27, 2007, 10:15 PM »
Good to see you post here Bob, it's been a while...

The Pittsburgh Toy Show was fantastic as always, and if you want a little tidbit on what it's all about you can read my Steel City Con Wrap-Up Feature on JediDefender.com's front page.  We've recently become affiliates with the show and that makes me happy to say the least as the con just gets bigger and bigger it seems.

The show's promoter promised more Star Wars too in the future, with a Star Wars film celebrity booked (at least one or two) for every show hopefully.  That's fantastic news to Star Wars fans in the Pittsburgh area as many don't get to the large cons on the West Coast for autographs.  It's a big bonus to living in this area for sure!

As per usual at the show I'm not a fan of paying "scalper" prices so I avoid a lot of modern.  Some great vintage was at the show but I passed.  Just lots of eye candy to look through for me.  I look for upgrades to my loose collection here and there but for now I've bowed out of carded collecting until the modern line is really in the crapper sometime in the distant future. 

I tell ya though, it's hard sometimes at the show not plunking down a chunk of change on a nice carded figure.  Saber's Edge Collectibles was at the show with some nice stuff as always, and the chap who runs it has become somewhat friendly with me over the years now and we chit chat about vintage wares he has.  He had his double telescoping Obi-Wan at the last show.  It'd be neat to see that again I think.

I nabbed some customizing fodder and diorama pieces for the most part this time around...  Got lots of deals and my rule is not to pay a cent over retail so I came away like a bandit as always.  That's the real thing about the Toy SHow I think people don't realize.  Cheap stuff can be had and in good quantity too...  ASP-7's for cheap, I got 2 E1 Battledroids for cheap, another toy line I cleaned up on at $2 a figure set for their parts only, but well worth it.  Of course if you're looking to fill holes and you don't mind paying a little more than retail, the show is good for that too. 

Gunships from everything from $65 to $120 I saw there...  Lots of TAC, but not too much.  It's still too new that even the guys that peruse the stores haven't found it yet I guess.  I did well this month spending what my budget was and even going home a little ahead actually.  I'm really pleased with my stuff from a customizing/scene building point of view too.  I got some really good stuff for that this time around.  On the 3 for $10 table in the back someone was running, I cleaned up and got a very slick Aliens toy I'd wanted for ages but wouldn't pay what they wanted on Ebay.  Now I just need to find more this cheap! ;D

As always the PSWCS members in the Western half of the state get together for drinks after the show at John Harvard's Micro-Brewery.  At this point I think I made my best buy of the day, as our buddy Dave happened to have the ONE thing I couldn't find at the show for the life of me.  I had been sent on a mission to get a Deluxe Durge, something I didn't have an extra of, and NOBODY at teh show had one.  Very odd.  CW stuff in general was rare to see.  Anyway, our buddy Dave happened to have one and I got it for a great price ($7) off him too.  That's the comradery of the local collecting group at work there.

That Durge made a little kid pretty happy, let me tell ya.  So thanks to Dave for that, and thanks to all the guys for the fun afternoon drinking, eating, and laughing it up.  I must say I think our little collecting hoard is among the best.  The Western PA guys are easily some of the funnest people to hang with, drink with...  Outside this hobby they're still great friends to stay in touch with, and that's the real reward from joining the group I think.

I'm already stoked for July's show...  Jeremy Bulloch's likely to be coming to it, who I do not have any autographs of, and it'll be another great day I'm sure.
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: Pittsburgh's "Steel City Con" Toy & Collectible Show
« Reply #65 on: March 30, 2007, 01:52 AM »
The new site is up for the July show...  Boba Fett, Ewok, and the guy that posed for Quin Lon Vos are all on the list as autographing.  I'm gonna be in line a while, and that sucks, but I'm anxious to get Bulloch's autograph for the first time. :)

This show keeps getting better for SW fans, so I'm excited about July already!
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Offline bobafett14

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Re: Pittsburgh's "Steel City Con" Toy & Collectible Show
« Reply #66 on: April 28, 2007, 02:59 AM »
Nice recap Jesse, and yeah it' always good to see tyou and the guys!

I think the guy you were refering to might be Jim from the Ohio group OSWCC.  He's a great guy, and I've bought some stuff off him in the past.  That's who I grabbed my EV 9D9 off of.  We've crossed paths a few times, saw him at CIII..and he always has some great vintage stuff, especially misc. stuff like wepons, parts, etc.  (al that little stuff that's nice to rummage through at the cons)

I'm with you, won;t pay the scalper prices (don;t feel there's really a need to)   and digging for the oddball stuff still has a nice old world flea market feel to it.

Later!  Hope to see you at the comicon tomorrow!

Star Wars and toy Collector since 1978(age 7).  currently over 6,500 SW items in my personal collection. Collect modern/vintage and everything in-between ;^)

Offline bobafett14

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Steel City Con July 2007
« Reply #67 on: July 6, 2007, 02:37 PM »
Details:

http://www.pittsburghtoyshow.com

We'll be setup there as usual...as well as the 501st!

FYI, looking to anyone belonging to http://www.pswcs.com (PA Star Wars Collectors Society) to volunteer to work the booth Sat. and Sun.  Times available as of today are:

Sat 12PM-6PM
and
Sunday 10AM-3PM

Typicall looking for an hour, but if you;d like to man the table longer just let me knwo.  email me at: bobraspet@aim.com

Thanks!  See you there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Star Wars and toy Collector since 1978(age 7).  currently over 6,500 SW items in my personal collection. Collect modern/vintage and everything in-between ;^)

Offline Jesse James

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Re: Steel City Con July 2007
« Reply #68 on: July 25, 2007, 01:34 AM »
I'm bumping this since the show is this weekend.

Steel City Con has really grown into something special and it keeps getting bigger, so I'm anxious for the show to start.  I've been budgeting money for this thing all month, and thus doing without toy runs for the month for the most part (blah), so this is pretty big, haha.

I enjoy getting together with my other PSWCS buddies at the show of course, and we always do lunch down at John Harvard's Microbrew.  If you're within driving distance of the show (Ohio, NY, NJ, MD, VA, WV, etc.), you really should stop by and contact me beforehand if you want to meet up and hang out with the local gang.

Jeremy Bulloch is the big draw to this show but a couple other SW guests are attending.  It's my first time meeting Bulloch so that too is exciting for me since I'd like his autograph.

Lots of Star Wars deals usually to be had here, and if you're careful you can spend a lot, and come home with a ton more than what you spent.  Scalpers abound, but just be careful of them.  ;)

The show's fantastic though, so come on over...  It's also a very inexpensive event with $7 general admission and $10 early buyer admission.  You can't beat that considering what other shows charge these days.  See you there folks!  I'll be the spazz with a Yoda pack on.
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Offline Nirvana

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Re: Steel City Con July 2007
« Reply #69 on: July 29, 2007, 12:51 AM »
Not a bad show today...showed up from 2:30 to 4:30, saw Jeremy Bulloch (didn't feel like shelling out 20 bucks for an autograph ( ::)), and picked up some great deals. I got a loose ATTE Gunner ($7), a loose SA clone ($6), a carded ROTS Plo Koon ($5), and a loose VOTC Fett ($15, something I've been wanting for a very long time). Then I stopped at the Robinson WalMart on the way home and found 2 TAC Stormies.
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: Steel City Con July 2007
« Reply #70 on: August 3, 2007, 03:25 AM »

I posted a little Steel City Con Wrap-Up the other day on the front page.  The Pittsburgh Toy Show really is becoming one of the more fun toy/collectibles shows for the East, and with the autograph thing they're getting going it's really becoming more of a convention than just a toy show. 

As always the show's a place I spend more money than I probably should...  I was saving all month to just shop at the show though actually, so I knew where I stood going in financially.  I tend not to be a HUGE shopper there for anything "new"...  I will say, this is probably the first time I walked out with pretty much brand new stuff though. 

I'm a stickler for good prices, so I never pay over retail...  Deals can be had at the show in abundance though.  If you're into custom fodder there are always lots of dealers selling loose modern for cheap.  There was a lot of vintage again but not quite as much as the last show.  I did see some nice boxed pieces at a few tables though, and one guy had some really choice loose vintage figures w/original accessories but vintage wasn't on my radar for the day.

Anyway though, I picked up a number of loose droid figures like 2-1B, ASP-7 and the like for $2 a piece.  I got a few of the droids from the astromech packs as well (the red R4 droid for instance) for a scant $4 each.  I think I got 3 astromechs for that price...  Not bad eh?  :)  I got 4 Death Star Troopers and 2 Rebel Guards for $6 each, those were the "new" items I purchased at the show, which is rare, but for less than retail I couldn't pass them up!  :)  I mean, hell I'd pay $7.10 for those at Wal-Mart so why not $6 a piece?  I picked up 2 VTSC Sandpeople for $7 (for both) off the guy with the astromechs too.  Love that kind of a deal really...  Wound up with a $4 Yavin Ceremony Luke too for customizing...  a figure I've hardly even seen on the pegs.  I also got two Snowtroopers (VTAC) for $7 each that were opened and had the tabs removed.  I'm happy with $7 Snowies though. ;)

I got a box of Kleenex, my "oddball" purchase for the day, with ESB pictures all over it...  Unopened, nice condition.  It's a nice complement to the box I got at the last show with McQuarrie art on it I thought and for a good price I felt (not that I know what's good on those or not). 

Some things I passed on though that I saw for good prices were STAP's for $5 a piece, a yellow Evolutions Clone set for $20, etc.  Not bad prices on some things...  Other things, not so much.  Like I said though, deals can be found.  McQuarrie Concept figures were INSANELY priced.  I mean, just nutty ****.  The cheapest I saw McBacca was $12...  Boba I saw for $15 and no less...  The most I saw for a Boba or McBacca was $50 (yes, $50 for one figure).  Really stupid **** like that...  It also showed where a lot of the McQuarrie figures from PIttsburgh are too...  in the hands of scalpers.

I got to meet Jeremy Bulloch and get an autograph...  I unfortunately didn't get time to meet/speak with the other Star Wars celebs at the show as I wasn't getting autographs from everyone, but they seemed busy early Sunday and all Saturday signing stuff. 

As always, the PSWCS Western gang wound up at John Harvard's Micro-brew down the street from the Expo-Mart in Monroeville, PA.  A good time drinking, talking, and just having fun...  And some trading/selling too.  I know I had some things for others, and some folks had things for me, so I wound up spending and getting some dough all at the same time.

I had a great time though, lots of good deals ultimately...  Spent a bit, but it was worth it I think...  The only sad part of the day was running into the biggest douche of a toy dealer I think I've ever met, and that says a TON about this guy since I've met a lot of douchey toy dealers in my time, haha. ;)  He had some opened vintage modern 30AC figures and was asking $8 a piece, which he obviously had taken the mail-in tabs to send in for the coins...  So, I simply asked if he'd sell two (Leia and a Snowtrooper, my thinking being that a Leia is tough to pawn off on anyone while the Snowie is a decent figure) for $10...  Of course I'm always willing to do some negotiation and most dealers are too because they want to sell stuff... 

The guy's reply was this, "I told you, they are $8 each" with basically an eyeroll.   ;D  Now, I probably would've spent $12 or $13 for them, I would've negotiated ya know?  But he was really bitchy about it, so I put the figures down and walked away.  This was Saturday...  I came back Sunday then to the show and his table had sold hardly anything it seemed and he'd only sold the Snowtrooper (big shock) of the vintage figures he had there...  The sad thing to me was he had a 501st Legion T-Shirt on...  The 501st guys are usually a pretty great group, without a doubt, so I'm not sure he's a part of them...  He had the shirt on though, and maybe is the group's "bad apple"?  I dunno.  I'm pretty content just not to buy off him though...  From what I heard, I'm not the first of the Western PSWCS members to have trouble with him too like this, he's I guess really bitchy with others who have tried to deal with him in the past.  To each their own though I figure. 

Never had any problems with other dealers though, they usually are willing to negotiate and fun really to deal with over toys.  It's really a rarity when you get the guy who just won't budge and acts somehow offended that you even suggested a negotiation, haha.

Overall though, I must say the show was again fantastic.  I think the December show still always ranks as the biggest, best, and most active one of the year.  I think it's the build-up to the Christmas season maybe, but it really is nice to get the Summer show in too, as well as the Spring show in March/April.  They're all good and for some reason I always walk away with a lot less money.

Just talkign to the dealers too, I noticed a number of people from pretty far away...  Toronto area, Florida, the Carolinas, New Jersey, and really all over.  Of course lots from Ohio, Pennsylvania, WV, MD and the like though, and just north in NY like the Buffalo area...  Lots of dealers from all over though...  The show's growing.  I hope some day it's so big it needs both sides of the Expo-Mart to contain it. :)
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: Pittsburgh's "Steel City Con" Toy & Collectible Show
« Reply #71 on: October 16, 2007, 12:41 AM »
Bumping...

Show's coming back in December of course, and Richard Lapamierre (spelling) is slated to be a guest.  Not sure how many (if any) other SW guests are coming though.  Hope for more as I have my Motti autograph set, and usually like to nab a signature at these shows.

Not far off now for this one, and the December show is always, ALWAYS, the biggest, so head to Pittsburgh if you want and come out with the Western Pennsylvania crew for some beers at lunch if you can!
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Offline bobafett14

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Re: Pittsburgh's "Steel City Con" Toy & Collectible Show
« Reply #72 on: December 3, 2007, 02:33 PM »
WOW, What a weekend that turned out to be!  Lots of fun, and good seeing Jesse and the rest of the gang Sat. for drinks and lunch!

I was kinda shocked to see UGH figs going for $6 at the show.  Grabbed a few of them.  It was good to see most of the guys in the group were finding just about all of the figs fairly easily.  Lately, it seems that the the scalping has reduced drastically.  Granted tehre were a few McQuarrie figs, and some of the newer figs going for $10 or $12, but many were still sitting there by shows end Sunday.

I kinda gave up on Hasbro all together.  Why do I need for example another AT-AT when the one I buy today for $80 won't be worth that a year from now, and by then, they'll repack another one and I can get it for the same price or less.

I'd love to see Hasbro start "retiring" figs.  For example, make the last Biggs figure EVER....and stick to it.
If you collect, and you think you'll have a shot at buying somethign tomorrow for the same price or less, why buy it today?

Maybe Hasbro will now take a hint that we don't want all this repacked crap they send our way.  Even some of the dealers at the show have kinda agreed that by them repacking about 10 versions of everything, people kinda get tired of buying an action figure for $6 today that they can get for $3 next year.  Hasbro  reeeeeeeeeally killed thier own market.

 


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Offline Nirvana

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Re: Pittsburgh's "Steel City Con" Toy & Collectible Show
« Reply #73 on: December 3, 2007, 05:57 PM »
The only time I had time to get out there was Sunday afternoon. So I got up there at about 2:30 and stayed for the rest of the show.

I was very pleasantly suprised- they still had alot of great stuff out and since it was near the end of the show, people had marked down their prices a bit.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Marauder John himself (from marauderinc.com) and was able to talk to him for a bit and get some weapons. Just for stopping by the booth you got a free weapon of your choice.

All in all, I got:
RotS Ki-Adi- $5
RotS #41- $5
TSC Death Star Gunner- $7
Marauder Guns- $7
The only real splurge I had was on the TAC Jango Fett for $10. Wasn't a bad price, and I figured I wouldn't see it anyways.

A really great show this year and I'm looking forward to the next one.
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: Pittsburgh's "Steel City Con" Toy & Collectible Show
« Reply #74 on: January 16, 2008, 04:49 AM »
Just some random news...

The upcoming show is for March (22nd I believe?), and Kenny Baker is the SW guest slated for the gig.  Should be fun...  Maybe we'll get some time to hang out with him because I hear he's a legendary fun guy to go grab a beer with!  He needs to come to Harvard's with us. ;D

And this isn't breaking news, but apparantly the show itself as a business is up for sale...  Crazy stuff, and I don't know what it'll mean for the show, but it's pretty interesting at least.  If I had the moolah I'd be buying it immediately.  I've always wished I could own/run something like that. :)

It's such a good show too...  The East Coast needs something big that has room to grow and improve IMO.  This show's so established, I really feel it is the kind of thing that could become that kind of a show, but that's me.

Good times...  And it sounds like Pitt Comic-Con is dead, so maybe now is the time for something like that to happen.
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