East Coast Toy Soldier Show Is Coming Soon. In fact it is little more than two weeks away. The show will be held at the Farleigh Dickinson University in Hackensack New Jersey. Once again it will be in the Rothman Center. This is the 34th Show run by Bill Lango. The show is last major toy soldier show of the year on the East Coast. There is a plethora of plastic and metal figures. Besides that you will find books, military items Hess trucks plus much more at the show.
East Coast Toy Soldier Show Is Coming Soon Details
I like this show because you have many opportunities to find plastic figures. The prices will be in all prices ranges. If you need parts you will have hours of fun going through the various tables.
If you are looking for playsets I know dealers will have them from the Marx American Heritage playsets to highly sought after sets. Rick Eber should have several of the harder to fine playsets for sale.
While I have talked Marx figures you will have other figures new and old to add to your collection. Dealers will have Timpo, Britains and Crescent to name few foreign figures that should be at the show. In American plastic you have all the familiar companies Auburn, Timmee and Ideal. One year an Auburn Train mint in the box showed up.
On new items I know collectors will be looking for the TSSD Vietnam War figures. Another one people will be looking for are the long delayed CTS North Koreans. (They are suppose to be available late October) We will have to see what Action Casting will have and what other surprises will turn you.
East Coast Toy Soldier Show Is Coming Soon Personal Details
Once again Laurie and I will be at the show. It is the highlight of the fall season. I will be going around show taking pictures to share with those who can not make it. You will find us around our good friend Gerry Watts area when we are not walking around.
We hope to see you there.
Thanks for posting this Paul, I look forward to seeing you at the show.
I bought a huge plastics collection back in July, will bring what is left to the show; boxed and bagged Conte, Barzso, IMEX, Accurate, Airfix, Marxman, Marx, plus CTS and Barzso playsets and about 100 FOV and 21st Century vehicles, will see you in a few weeks. I’ve also got the new TSSD Vietnam figures and the 2nd LOD set.
Save a LOD chariot set which I will pay you when I see you.
I get excited just thinking about it. If I was independently wealthy, and could attend OTSN, East Coast, Gettysburg, Indiana, and San Antonio every year, I would be all set.
Looking forward to enjoy!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
If around Central Ohio the Columbus, Ohio Toy Soldier Show is this Sunday.
Let us know how the show was. I am sure the readers would like to know.
OK. It will be my first show since last year’s show. Luckily, the schedule works out this time.
Glad you can get to the show. I know when I have to miss a show I am down.
I attended the Columbus, Ohio Toy Soldier show today. It is held at a conference center outside of the city. This show is convenient, and I often spend $200 – $400 each year at the show. However, I did not spend the money today.
The show appeared to have fewer dealers than years past. I was hoping to run into John Stengal, Jr, but he did’t make it. I recognized several dealers, but the big name dealers were not present. There were several new dealers, including two guys who were selling off their collections. Another guy was probably a toy dealer, complete with Star Wars figures and closeout Schleich figures from Target. He was having no luck. Two other dealers had some soldiers, but were primarily military memorabilia sellers. They, too, lamented that the customers only wanted the “little guys.”
There appeared to be no real bargains. We have joked that the show is a Chicago hangover, and all of the dealers are attempting to recoup their costs from buying too high at the Chicago show. Several other folks had playsets that had the top prices from EBAY. There did not appear to be a great deal of buying and selling. The buyers were older, and if they were leaving it was usually with smaller bags.
Several observations include there was little or no new product. I was looking for the Vietnam, LOD chariots, and Afghanistan sets, but none were present. Playsets and tin litho were available. There were several metal dealers. The lighting was fairly dim so looking at figures up close was sometimes difficult. My only purchases were $1 Auburn figures and a really good selection of 3 for a $1 figures where I picked up 70 figures, many I have only seen online, and several I have to identify.
I hope the show continues. After reading some of these posts I can see why it is a growing challenge to host a show like this. I am sure the ROI is steep for dealers at a show like Columbus.
Jack
Sorry to hear your show was disappointing. Some of the big dealers were at Woburn Massachusetts today. I always shake my head when people use Ebay prices. Sorry to hear that none of the new stuff was not there.
We got the Kane County show next weekend, not looking forward to it. I think it’s easier to just be a shopper than a dealer. More fun too I imagine. If you ever passed a dealer and thought, man, I’d hate to have to pack all that stuff up at the end of show, well me too.
Ed ,I agree, years ago was a bit more, now is not that much….
mail internet sales are more easy as not renting table,loading car,carring and setting table.
But if not dealers ,then not show at all ,unless exhibition shows only that may be the future by way going as every year less dealers/sales in my view.
Still x some long time I hope I will try enjoy the one I can go x my lack time.
Lets hope yours and others do best now as season of sales start picking up.
Usually October to February are strong sales in my observation.
best…
It’s getting to the point where shows are going to have to give the dealers some incentive to show up. Free tables or something.
Or at least cut the price, maybe in half. At OTSN, the price for a single 6-foot table has risen to $80.00. I can’t remember if the tables are 2-feet wide, or 3-feet, but either way, it’s not a whole lot of space, and, in my opinion, pretty expensive.
With limited space you have to figure how to best monetize your table
Don our tables around are pretty much same and the sport huge hall at NJ has plenty space, but they charge sponsor a lot,his revenue after he paid tables are so ridicules that some times I really feel sorry for Bill Lango doing this more for love than else.
Still I agree with your point in prices 100%,is very high.
If I were rich I will sponsor all these show for free, but I’m wonder with so many dram rich collectors(most metal) wasting so much in so much crab in life, none dare to offer a dram help.
I know few and talk to two, they both give me very bad answer, I will not name then as will =may jeopardize admin forum but some of these rich people some times deserve…
you know what.
best…
Erwin – I disagree with your theory about rich people. Many people immigrate to this country for the freedom and opportunity to become wealthy and they do quite well for themselves. This does not make them bad people.
TD ..
Is Ok disagree ,but I guess you miss interpreted my though(not theory) I’m not a theorist please.
I do not talk about those who immigrate, neither about rich are immigrant or former or else…
I talk base in my personal vision,experience and those (plenty with money ) I know and do nothing to support.
For those not do any are bad for me as they well could invest or help at shows and not even go to them in most part but are well aware how bad the hobby in need support ,specially for shows is.
My view…
My thought..
best…
Shows have to advertise. The old days of handing out a flyer is not enough. You need a web site among other things.
agree ,still need more aggressive advertise ,like very more in to nation wide,not just creating a web site and wait to be see.
my though…
If a promoter does not charge for tables, I don’t think there’d be much incentive to produce a show? Pure altruism?
Raising admission prices on already dwindling patrons isn’t a solution either.
Maybe traditional shows are giving way to the internet, more specifically eBay?
A toy show recently raised their admission and I have heard they have lots visitors.
I agree.
I think the front door increase is not a big issue overall as most know of it when arriving and rather paid than leave beside 1 or 3 .00 is not a big change x today economy in my opinion please.
Increasing tables/spaces x dealers may be an issue in the other hand.
Andy in the future our shows may be done virtual with drones flying and bringing us the toys back and for, of course we will have to paid local drone flying zone tax and so on..
I was joking please!!!but who knows…
crazy technology, even for me is hard get to it and I do know as done a lot training/class with it, but my daughter with 8 years already passing me, I’m shock of it.
A vendor has to charge for the tables. they need that money to pay for the hall, rent the tables insurance, etc.
Well, the costs for me to attend OTSN this year were $600.00 for the hotel, $320.00 for 4 tables, plus food so, let’s say in the neighborhood of $1,000.00 give or take. That’s a lot of sales for a small time dealer to see a profit. I’m sure there are dealers that make a lot of money there, but if the small timers drop out due to these expenses, how many dealers do you have left? If the dealers dry up the show dries up. Granted OTSN isn’t a good example because even though crowds have diminished it’s still the biggest show out there and there’s usually enough money around for everyone. The same cannot be said for the smaller venues. By the way I live 20 minutes from OTSN , so I don’t even have travel expenses.
It is harder to make the money at shows. I went to Ebay as I figured my costs would be lower than doing a show. Some people do very well. I have friend that deals in many different categories. He has develop a clientele of dealers and customers that he has very good sales at shows.
In my opinion I have some doubts and see it more complicated.
Buy one table and get other half price or free could be well a great incentive .
But in other hand I see the other face of the coin were the sponsors need to paid every years higher rent/fees else that increase often and also get the share or revenue they well deserve.
Big dealers often carry much more and their expenses to haul and in inventory are far high plus in some hiring person x help else and renting trucks. So if their sale claim to be largest they too get bigger expenses.
Many do not honestly said their sales and end day real profit. Either x privacy or else.
So the true is hide and sponsors do not carry a true account of sales number per dealers or years unfortunately.
Is very hard to see the true when so many clouds and curtains.
Largest shows will be for long as very concurred but will get diminishing .
Small dealers every years will be less as less profits and less buyers that help then keep x expenses. And it hurts as most smaller dealers are the bulk of this hobby, many ARE true great collectors that do not deserve it.
EAST COAST show in NJ great sponsor Bill Lango had done an excellent job since I know and met him. Very compassioned person, always willing to work things out and often offering incentives in many cases. You can rent tables and also easy because some missing or else get extra table at show start day.
I think every dealer who had been working with him had nothing to complain about at all.
I also heard of his worries and are well funded.So is a hard move out there.
Small shows are disappearing at fast rate. Largest are getting affected for some time now
May be as suggestion I will mention few ideas that may or not be done or work out..
Like unite toy soldiers shows with other toy hobby shows in order to bring and mix different vendors, dealers, buyers and visitors to increase amount people and interest plus knowledge and spread the voice.
Be more aggressive to announce it at magazine, news paper nation wide ,plus museums and school or even military academies ,such WP else were a big interest in family may bring some new generation to it.
my thoughts…
I would guess the hotel is the big winner from toy soldiers shows, imagine renting out all the rooms on 2 1/2 floors for 3 to 5 days. The meals, the bar, I know the porters have a field day. While the Hyatt I’m sure has lots of events how many events rent out 2 1/2 floors of rooms for that period of time? Then they charge you extra for any tables you may want to have in your room and a refrigerator for the beer. A lot of the headaches fall on the person running the show if he doesn’t pull in the crowds, less dealers, less tables, less money for him. It’s not an easy solution, but it’s clear something has to change.
oh yes Ed,you absolute right in there ,the Chicago show, Shamburg hotel on those 4 days plus take a big $$$$$ out every one. I was about to ship direct some cases there no long ago when they told me they charge to receive cases delivery x any dealer going to show.
And yes something has to change quick and good before become a bigger bad issue.
I’m wondering if increase the day of actual show tables open for sale more than room trading an announce it.!?,just a though!!
I understand Sunday shows has been some time an issue for some, either those involved in church activity or else.
I s a hell of things to think, but sponsor have the best to hear and rewad you and all of us worries about it.
I think a major factor is when you advertise and say the rooms are all open for room trading. Unless you are closely involved in the hobby, most people don’t understand what that means. I don’t think they realize it means something more akin to early bird shopping than it does room trading. I know if I wasn’t involved in the hobby and I think the first time I ever saw that term advertised I wondered what room trading was, do I have to have something to trade? The average Dick or Jane doesn’t know what that means unless they have showed up before, so those folks that can’t attend on Sunday aren’t going to show up for room trading, because they don’t know what I means. I think the net would be a great place to advertise the show, but what site are you going to choose to advertise on and how do you reach the masses? Perhaps in the newspaper or magazine advertisements you say for more information go to yaddayadddayadda.com. I don’t think I have all the answers, I’m sure there are people that have more advertising knowledge than I do.
Of course maybe the answer is to eliminate the room trading and have a Saturday and Sunday show. That way the sponsor will get all his money from the admission fees rather than have a few free loaders just hitting the room trading or at least those familiar enough wit the hobby to know what room trading means.
To further elaborate , I’m not just pulling this room trading misnomer out of nowhere. This year for the first time they had a show in Lafayette In. and I had at least two people attending their first show enter my room and announce they had such and such to trade, I explained they didn’t have to have anything to trade, just consider it like early bird shopping. They then went on to tell me they thought they had to bring something to actually trade, I said no, you can just buy whatever you see or want.
I agree. A person, even one who collects toy soldiers, who has never been to a show or somehow already tied into the hobby network, would not have the slightest idea what was meant by the term “room trading”. I think the term “trading”, as a word connoting the buying and selling of merchandise, is itself nearly completely outdated, except for a few completely specialized things like “stock trading”, where the term is still current.
But I think the Chicago Toy Soldier Show, if it really expects to somehow attract new attendees, should find some better descriptive term.
I did have a heart to heart discussion with Roger about the term room trading. I know it sounds strange but he did ask me how I thought he could get more people there for room trading. Imagine that someone asking for my opinion. I could hardly believe it myself. I will say that Roger was pleasant and I really thought it was a great idea handing out door stops in our registration bag. Industry or hobby terms don’t always translate well to the real world.
Can’t imagine sellers from Europe schlepping products to Chicago. Shipping costs have to take a huge bite out of sales revenue.
And then schlepping unsold merchandise back home again.
Steve Weston has done it for years. He sells his goods he brings and gets items he can sell back home. When I did the trips to Europe I was abler to make it worthwhile through bring in luggage and shipping. Air fares and other costs increasing have not made it as profitable.
The European and Asians that come to Chicago I’m sure have a big budget, bigger operations they can probably write it off if they pay taxes over there. Must be hard for someone like Steve Weston though, while he brings a good deal of product he doesn’t have scads and scads of stuff. most of the foreign dealers are metal guys and the guys that buy metal usually spend large. Of course they really have to, that stuff is expensive, imagine how the plastic guys would howl if a single figure cost them $60.00.
I know the Ohio Show is relatively new, as toy soldiers go, but I was hoping it was on the upswing. Unfortunately, when a show is still new and somewhat small, then people like me who live about 4 hours away don’t go until it is bigger and more well-established — then it becomes a vicious circle where collectors and dealers don’t go until it gets bigger, but it can’t get bigger until collectors and dealers start going.
But if you had a couple of elderly collectors selling off their collection that offers a good opportunity for some reasonably priced acquisitions, so long as the departing collectors don’t have unreasonable expectations.
That “3 figures for a buck” sounds pretty good. I did the same thing at Rick Berry’s Michigan Toy Soldier Flea Market last year and got lots of sales. But of course it’s pretty hard to make much money when you’re selling at that rate. I was selling mostly AIP figures at that price, mainly in a white or dark green color I didn’t care for. I thought I was offering everyone a real bargain, but I can remember one old guy actually had the gall to ask me if I would go “four for a dollar”. I asked myself, “Do I really want to get rid of this stuff?” — decided that I did — and accepted his offer. But it teaches one lesson: No matter how low you go in your asking price, there’s always at least one bozo who wants even a further discount.
But even though there were disappointing aspects to the show (like no John Stengel and none of the new production) it sounds like it still became worthwhile for you if you picked up 70+ figures you wanted at less than 35 cents each. You can hardly beat that.
The 3 for $1 did not include AIP figures. Those were going for $1 to $2 at the other dealers. As to the guys selling their collections of Timpo swoppets and Marx, they were using the EBAY prices and were not ready to negotiate. I left the show around 12:45. Maybe sales increased when dealers did not want to load their cars and stack the inventory at home.
I am glad I attended. I try to support the shows and the promoters. Because what I was looking for was not present I spent more time digging in the figures bins. I was able to find Gay Toys figures (policemen, firemen, students) that I had as kid. I am still pleased with the purchases.
Thanks for the kind comments. It’s not an easy job promoting a consumer show. If it was, I would have chosen a career in sponsoring consumer shows, instead of having a regular job.
According to a survey taken some time ago, the promotion of one day consumer shows and events is one of the most stressful occupations. Some of the major reasons for the stress is that most components which make for a good show, to a certain extent, are not under the total control of the promoter. Lots of variables come into play:
Weather, Table Rentals, Insurance, Security, Fire/Safety Permits, Venue Agreements, Advertising, Irrational Vendors, Aging Collectors, Fickle Collectors, No Emphasis on History, Football Games on TV the date of the show, Collectors’ very busy lifestyles, Attendees behaving badly, all are some of the variables that affect shows, and have the potential to give promoter stress.
Bill
Thank Bill x your insides and add on issues dealing shows from your perspective as great sponsor x years.Very interesting points we never see .Not a easy job at all!!!
Best.:-) 🙂 🙂
I remember Barry Carter, organizer and manager of the Indiana Toy Soldier Show, mentioned to me once that putting on a show was much more challenging than it looked.
He didn’t list all the specific issues as Mr. Lango has done, but I can readily imagine everything he mentions.
Anyone who has ever had the word “manager” in their job title well knows how many things can go wrong. And all the advance planning in the world, while it can avoid some problems, and minimize others, still doesn’t guarantee that everything will go without a hitch.
I would guess, not that I confim this, but there are thousands and thousands of people that would get involved with this hobby if they only knew it existed. I’m sure there are lots of guys in their 40’s and 50’s that played with toy soldiers when they were youngsters and would like to renew their acquaitance with them again. The problem is how to get their attention. The facts are most people are lazy and they wouldn’t necessarily search on Google for the toy soldier community or shows. Thye may look on E-Bay, but even people that look on E-Bay don’t necessarily think or know there are toy soldier dealers. I mean just look at the number of people that buy items on E-Bay at twice what they would pay if they looked for toy solder dealers. I know this for a fact because recently we were selling Paragon figures on E-Bay while Paragon was having a blow out sale. These people were paying two and three times what the same item was being sold for on Paragons site. The real question is how do we reach them, people don’t read newspapers anymore, people don’t know Playset Magazine exists, TV commercials are way too expensive. That’s the dilemna, the solution is unknown to me.
Ed.
Of all your posting this has been the mor realistic an true I had to agree with.
All you said to me is 100 % accurate.
Most people do not even know we are existing.
I had several time mention in either jobs,school,other places I’m a toy soldier collectors and they exclaim.What is that?.when I try explain they get either surprised or laughs and some even said (never heard off) .I’m talking about teachers,educated people in ages from 40 till well over 50s.
I had been reach on ebay by many asking me to help find marx figures that are in reissue x over 20 years now.
Many collectors do not even know there forums,blogs,magazines,shows and site stores.They had start collecting from ebay as well .But even on ebay they do.not even look well as YOU mention correct.
I had not idea how we can fix it.
But is a hard way to rich most ,I tray to.help with my sales to invide then to this forum every time I can.
I know many will not for time or else but few may.
My invoice to buyers often carry stadstuff link to invite,but still I feel is not enough.
Best…:-) 🙂
Excellent points. In the early 1980s, when I would shop around for a venue to put on a Toy Soldier Show I encountered so much resistance from many venues. The worst are the Hotels as they could give a hoot about renting their main ballrooms to be used as a Toy Soldier Show. They would rather book a Wedding or Party, than a consumer show, as they make more money with Weddings. What they were looking for was a guarantee that x amount of rooms would be sold on the weekend of the show. In their minds they looked unfavorably at the Toy Soldier Hobby, as they had no idea about it, all they thought was that Toy Soldier Collectors are for the most part, unpolished rough necks. So I would have to go into lengthy explanations about the hobby and some of the Personalities, like Malcolm Forbes, Tom Berrenger, Douglas Fairbanks, etc, who enjoyed the hobby because of it’s historical aspects. In this age of Political Correctness it’s still a tough sell. The historical aspect of the hobby is still valid, but I’ve read somewhere that only 14-percent of the colleges in the U.S. teach history. Like one of my friends told me at a recent show: “There’s no one behind us.”
History in schools is extremely simple, at college depend the area and colleges, because so much emphasis in not social studies ,history else it has been neglected, Every years less history professors as well graduate. I know several and all time discussing the lack of it everywhere.
If I try promote a toy soldier show at several school=HS( I had try x years promote in few counties=two states) I got denied because promoting violence and possible incitation of many other trash…
Yet comic and action-Non history PG13 video games and movies are not violent according to them.
For most shows you can almost see their point, but at a show like OTSN where they are renting out probably close to 100 rooms many for in excess of 3 days you’d think they’d be happy to see us. It seems for the most they just treat us a cash cow or a necessary evil and can’t wait for us to be gone. In all the years I’ve been going I have never seen the hotel do anything remotely close to special for us, they may welcome the Shriners or the Jablonski wedding party, but not us. It’s almost like they wish we were not there at all. Granted a lot of the guys are some of cheapest people I have ever met, but certainly not all of us. I think they treat us like dirt, they keep us waiting for hours for our rooms that they have booked a month or more in advance, charge people that have packages shipped to the hotel and do very little for us. This year I couldn’t make a make an outside call from my room, they sent an engineer up but he couldn’t make it work either, so they gave up. I can’t think of any convention or wedding that books 100 rooms for 3 or 4 days, so this is probably their biggest money week all year, you’d think they’d treat us like we matter.
Ed ,you make me lough in way you mention the issues.
Sorry for the inconvenience but I agree ,it is sad in many cases what you had experienced
Some times they see us as ET or else.
Now your particular experience may be different from others.
Most I had been as dealer are the one day show ONLY ,such(Harkmonk),New Yorker,Florida Show,Hackensack ,Albany shows…And pretty much are well advertise and welcome by location, but for example in some hotels/show I notice they barely advertise it same day and not even in the web site in advance.
They let place an add on same day but now few days or week before for guess and so on.
In more that one occasion I saw some hotel local guest pass by and ask what is that in the show table entrance and express that had ask in front lobby and barely get an answer as antique show or vague response from hotel staff…Not right as front desk hotel personal should be very well aware of public event done at hotel and those action scare or take away possible buyers or visitors on same day.
You would think that they could do best if get paid as they are I think.
Now of course there other views out there and I do not said all are like that…
Best…
It’s rare at that show where anyone speaks of how well they were treated. More often than not most people I talk to are complaining about how they were told they’d have their room by noon and it was 3:00Pm and they were still waiting. Two years ago I had to bribe the maid to get my room done next or I ‘d have waited until 5:00PM. You’d think they would at least throw us a bone of a free buffet or something like that.