Setting Up at a Card Show: Where a Table Costs $50 or Less

If you've thought about setting up at a card show but didn't know what a table runs, here's the range. Of the 134 upcoming show dates on Card Shows Nearby that list a vendor table price, the middle of the pack is $50. 75 of them (56%) charge $50 or less, 51 charge between $51 and $100, and only 8 charge more than $100.

The cheapest tables right now

The lowest listed price is $20, at Twin Sports Cards at the Odawa Casino in Petoskey, MI on November 7th, which also has free admission and 70 tables. The Greensburg Card Show in Greensburg, IN on October 31st lists $25 a table with 100 tables and free admission. At $30, you'll find the Florence Trading Cards & Collectibles Show in Florence, KY (November 7th, 90 tables), the Kokomo Sports Card Show in Indiana (November 7th, 50 tables), the Dover Eagle Sports Card and TCG Winter Show in Dover, PA (November 7th, 50 tables), and the Franklin, KY show at Brighton Park (October 17th).

Cheap doesn't have to mean small

A few of the larger shows keep tables low too. The Michigan City Card and Pokemon Show in Indiana lists $35 a table with 100-plus tables (October 18th and November 21st). The Crown Point Card Show & Collector Convention in Crown Point, IN (October 24th) lists $35 with 225-plus tables. And J & J Allstar in Louisville, KY runs 130 tables at $40 on October 10th.

Ask about a second table

Several organizers discount extra tables. The Colts Neck, NJ show lists $35 for one table or two for $65. The Manahawkin, NJ show is $40 or two for $75. The Vernon PAL show in New Jersey is $40 or two for $70, and the Lancaster, PA show is $50 with two for $85 and three for $115. Some price by table size instead: VB Cards in Methuen, MA lists $40 for an 8-foot table and $35 for a 6-foot.

What the pricier shows look like

The higher prices mostly belong to casino and convention-center shows. The Best Flippin' Card Show at the Valley Forge Casino in King of Prussia, PA lists a range of $250 to $450 a table. That's a different level of commitment than a $40 table at a fire hall.

Choosing your first show

A $30 to $50 table at a VFW hall, Elks lodge, or fire company is a low-risk way to find out whether setting up suits you. You'll learn how much inventory to bring, what sells in your area, and how to price on the spot. Reach out to the organizer ahead of time, since tables can sell out.

Prices here are the organizer's listed rates and can change, and not every show lists one. Check the show page and contact the organizer to reserve.