In-person shows are the heartbeat of the hobby. The Best Collectible Show category honors events that turn cardboard into community by combining scale, curation, and unforgettable experiences. These are the rooms where deals get done, grails surface, and friendships are forged on the show floor.
Nominees
Dallas Cardshow
The Dallas Card Show has grown into one of the largest recurring card shows in the United States, hosting multiple events each year in Allen, Texas, with more than 700 dealer tables featuring sports cards, TCGs, memorabilia, and collectibles.
In 2024, the brand expanded beyond Texas, launching the Dallas Card Show Chicago at the Schaumburg Convention Center and announcing additional out-of-town editions including Cincinnati. These new shows bring the same large-scale dealer presence, autograph guests, and trade nights that collectors have come to expect in Dallas.
By combining frequency, scale, and geographic expansion, the Dallas Card Show has established itself as a true national circuit, providing collectors in multiple regions with consistent access to high-volume trading, grading services, and a lively community atmosphere.
🔗 Instagram | X | Website
View this post on Instagram
Fanatics Fest
Fanatics Fest NYC 2025 was held June 20–22 at the Javits Center and drew more than 125,000 fans, nearly doubling the inaugural 2024 turnout.
The event featured celebrity appearances, panel discussions, trading card breaks, and live activations from Fanatics Collect and Fanatics Live. Highlights included the debut of Fanatics Games, a fan-athlete competition won by Tom Brady with a $1M prize, and viral moments like LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne purchasing a collectible card live for $2,850.
With over $200 million in memorabilia on display and activations from across sports, Fanatics Fest has positioned itself as one of the largest and most innovative fan conventions in the world, blending sports culture with the collectibles marketplace.
🔗 Instagram | X | Website
Sportscard Expo
The Sport Card & Memorabilia Expo (Sport Card Expo) is Canada’s largest and longest-running sports collectibles show, with events in Toronto, Montréal, Québec City, and Edmonton.
The April 2025 Toronto Expo featured a deep autograph lineup—including RJ Barrett, Eric Lindros, and Dennis Hextall—and a large hall of 500+ dealers and corporate booths. The Montréal edition continues to expand the Expo’s presence in Québec, while Edmonton serves Western Canadian collectors—giving the Expo a truly national footprint.
With multiple annual events across provinces and a growing collector audience—not just in Ontario but nationwide—the Expo has evolved into one of Canada’s key conventions, giving collectors broader access to trading, grading, guest appearances, and a shared community.
🔗 Instagram | Website
View this post on Instagram
The National Sports Collectors Convention
The National Sports Collectors Convention (NSCC) is the largest and longest-running collectibles event in North America. The 2025 edition, held in Chicago, set a new all-time attendance record, continuing a three-year streak of growth. Industry estimates put turnout at well over 100,000 collectors, surpassing the 2024 Cleveland show.
The National featured autograph pavilions with Hall of Fame athletes, major grading companies (PSA, CGC, Beckett), corporate sponsors like eBay and Fanatics, and nightly trade sessions. Exclusive card releases and live breaking further cemented its role as the “Super Bowl of card shows.”
As the central meeting place for collectors, dealers, and companies, The National remains the defining event of the hobby calendar.
🔗 Instagram | X | Website
View this post on Instagram
Westcoast Card Show
Formerly known as the Burbank Card Show, the West Coast Card Show has quickly become one of the largest collectibles events in the United States. Held at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, it brings together leading grading companies, breakers, vendors, and memorabilia dealers under one roof.
The 2025 edition expanded its guest lineup, live-streamed breaks, and trade-night experiences, reflecting the show’s rapid evolution since its move from Burbank. The event now attracts tens of thousands of collectors and major hobby brands, establishing itself as the premier gathering on the West Coast.
With its scale, momentum, and location in the heart of California’s collector community, the West Coast Card Show has grown into a national-level event—standing alongside The National and other flagship conventions in the hobby calendar.
🔗 Instagram | Website
View this post on Instagram
These shows capture the best of the live hobby experience — access, energy, and community. Each nominee brings collectors closer to the cards and moments they love while growing the culture that makes this space special.
Voting for Best Collectible Show is now open.
All registered Mantel users who vote will automatically be entered to win a limited /50 Ghostwrite Hobby Awards Trophy. More information here.
To see all categories, nominees and to vote, visit TheHobbyAwards.com.
