A Collector’s Dream: vintage cards traded and sold during return of Sports Card n’ Collector’s Show

PEORIA (25 News Now) - Back for the first time in years, since the pandemic, vintage card collectors were able to get their hands on some rare never-before-seen cards at the Avanti’s Event Center in Pekin.

Items available ranged from sports cards featuring stars like Yogi Berra and Hank Aaron to the classic original Wheaties box featuring basketball great Michael Jordan.

Collectors could also get their cards graded for authenticity.

There were over 30 different vendors who came out to sell their vintage pieces.

One of them, Anthony Jones, with the Funko Mafia of Central Illinois says, it was great seeing collectors again, “we always appreciate when we see a small collector like a child come in and they are looking for that last thing to finish off their set. Just to see the joy, whether you are 4 or 44 years old, to see someone like ‘oh I finally finished my set.’”

The Funko Mafia is based out of Washington, Illinois, bringing over 400 Funko pops, and small vinyl figurines.

Some of the Funko Pops were autographed by the animated character’s original voice actor and was selling for upwards of $300.

Copyright 2023 WEEK. All rights reserved.