The National Sports Collectors Convention 2026

Card show

Jul 29–Aug 2, 2026Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, ILConcludedOfficial site ↗

Running now — 46th National, 1,000+ tables plus a new extended Hall G. Largest card show in the world, same venue as Fan Expo Chicago, ~90 min from Milwaukee. Topps dropped wrapper redemption this year, so exclusive packs are direct-purchase at booth #555 and the queue forms at open. CGC, PSA and BGS all have corporate booths on site. Booth numbers beyond Topps are only in the floor plan PDF — floor reports via /add-exclusive fill them in.

Signings

6 tracked · 7 cancelled

A witnessed signature can roughly double a book's value — unwitnessed loses most of it. Check the witness column before you pack.

Witnessed only13 of 13

Tier ↓	Creator	Known for	Where	Days	Fee	Witness	Access
Headline	Cal Ripken Jr.	MLB — 2,632 consecutive games, Orioles	TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion	Fri Jul 31, 10:45 AM · 10:45 AM	TBA	Private signing	Paid ticket
	MOVED EARLIER — now 10:45 AM Friday, was 11:30 AM. Show up on the old time and you miss the window. Autograph tickets are per signature and per guest, bought online or at the on-site TRISTAR booth. Inscriptions, photo ops and authentication are separate add-ons. Entry order: Platinum Express, then Line Priority, then All-Access VIP, then individual numbered tickets, then VIP Package, then Wild Card at end-of-session.
Headline	Michael Vick	NFL — Pro Bowl QB, Falcons/Eagles	TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion	Thu Jul 30, 3:00 PM · 3:00 PM	TBA	Private signing	Paid ticket
	MOVED EARLIER — now 3:00 PM Thursday, was 4:00 PM. Show up on the old time and you miss the window. Autograph tickets are per signature and per guest, bought online or at the on-site TRISTAR booth. Inscriptions, photo ops and authentication are separate add-ons. Entry order: Platinum Express, then Line Priority, then All-Access VIP, then individual numbered tickets, then VIP Package, then Wild Card at end-of-session.
Notable	Bruce Smith	NFL — all-time sacks leader, Bills	TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion	TBA	TBA	Private signing	Paid ticket
	Day or time changed from the original schedule — confirm with TRISTAR before you go. Autograph tickets are per signature and per guest, bought online or at the on-site TRISTAR booth. Inscriptions, photo ops and authentication are separate add-ons. Entry order: Platinum Express, then Line Priority, then All-Access VIP, then individual numbered tickets, then VIP Package, then Wild Card at end-of-session.
Notable	Chad Johnson	NFL — 6x Pro Bowl WR, Bengals (Ochocinco)	TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion	Thu Jul 30, 2:45 PM · 2:45 PM	TBA	Private signing	Paid ticket
	MOVED EARLIER — now 2:45 PM Thursday, was 3:15 PM. Show up on the old time and you miss the window. Autograph tickets are per signature and per guest, bought online or at the on-site TRISTAR booth. Inscriptions, photo ops and authentication are separate add-ons. Entry order: Platinum Express, then Line Priority, then All-Access VIP, then individual numbered tickets, then VIP Package, then Wild Card at end-of-session.
Notable	Eric Allen	NFL — Hall of Fame cornerback, Eagles	TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion	TBA	TBA	Private signing	Paid ticket
	Day or time changed from the original schedule — confirm with TRISTAR before you go. Autograph tickets are per signature and per guest, bought online or at the on-site TRISTAR booth. Inscriptions, photo ops and authentication are separate add-ons. Entry order: Platinum Express, then Line Priority, then All-Access VIP, then individual numbered tickets, then VIP Package, then Wild Card at end-of-session.
Notable	Johnny Manziel	College football — 2012 Heisman winner, Texas A&M	TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion	TBA	TBA	Private signing	Paid ticket
	Day or time changed from the original schedule — confirm with TRISTAR before you go. Autograph tickets are per signature and per guest, bought online or at the on-site TRISTAR booth. Inscriptions, photo ops and authentication are separate add-ons. Entry order: Platinum Express, then Line Priority, then All-Access VIP, then individual numbered tickets, then VIP Package, then Wild Card at end-of-session.
Cancelled	Dan Marino	NFL — Hall of Fame QB, Dolphins	TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion	TBA	TBA	Private signing	Paid ticket
	CANCELLED — unable to appear. If you bought a ticket for this guest, sort it out with TRISTAR. Autograph tickets are per signature and per guest, bought online or at the on-site TRISTAR booth. Inscriptions, photo ops and authentication are separate add-ons. Entry order: Platinum Express, then Line Priority, then All-Access VIP, then individual numbered tickets, then VIP Package, then Wild Card at end-of-session.
Cancelled	Jerry Rice	NFL — all-time receiving leader, 49ers	TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion	TBA	TBA	Private signing	Paid ticket
	CANCELLED — unable to appear. If you bought a ticket for this guest, sort it out with TRISTAR. Autograph tickets are per signature and per guest, bought online or at the on-site TRISTAR booth. Inscriptions, photo ops and authentication are separate add-ons. Entry order: Platinum Express, then Line Priority, then All-Access VIP, then individual numbered tickets, then VIP Package, then Wild Card at end-of-session.
Cancelled	Joe Montana	NFL — 4x Super Bowl champion, 49ers	TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion	TBA	TBA	Private signing	Paid ticket
	CANCELLED — unable to appear. If you bought a ticket for this guest, sort it out with TRISTAR. Autograph tickets are per signature and per guest, bought online or at the on-site TRISTAR booth. Inscriptions, photo ops and authentication are separate add-ons. Entry order: Platinum Express, then Line Priority, then All-Access VIP, then individual numbered tickets, then VIP Package, then Wild Card at end-of-session.
Cancelled	Terry Bradshaw	NFL — 4x Super Bowl champion, Steelers	TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion	TBA	TBA	Private signing	Paid ticket
	CANCELLED — unable to appear, cited a scheduling conflict with a FOX Sports event. If you bought a ticket for this guest, sort it out with TRISTAR. Autograph tickets are per signature and per guest, bought online or at the on-site TRISTAR booth. Inscriptions, photo ops and authentication are separate add-ons. Entry order: Platinum Express, then Line Priority, then All-Access VIP, then individual numbered tickets, then VIP Package, then Wild Card at end-of-session.
Cancelled	Gary Beban	College football — 1967 Heisman winner, UCLA	TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion	TBA	TBA	Private signing	Paid ticket
	CANCELLED — unable to appear. If you bought a ticket for this guest, sort it out with TRISTAR. Autograph tickets are per signature and per guest, bought online or at the on-site TRISTAR booth. Inscriptions, photo ops and authentication are separate add-ons. Entry order: Platinum Express, then Line Priority, then All-Access VIP, then individual numbered tickets, then VIP Package, then Wild Card at end-of-session.
Cancelled	Tommy John	MLB — 288 wins, the surgery bears his name	TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion	TBA	TBA	Private signing	Paid ticket
	CANCELLED — unable to appear. If you bought a ticket for this guest, sort it out with TRISTAR. Autograph tickets are per signature and per guest, bought online or at the on-site TRISTAR booth. Inscriptions, photo ops and authentication are separate add-ons. Entry order: Platinum Express, then Line Priority, then All-Access VIP, then individual numbered tickets, then VIP Package, then Wild Card at end-of-session.
Cancelled	Jim Osborne	NFL — Chicago Bears defensive tackle	TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion	TBA	TBA	Private signing	Paid ticket
	CANCELLED — unable to appear. If you bought a ticket for this guest, sort it out with TRISTAR. Autograph tickets are per signature and per guest, bought online or at the on-site TRISTAR booth. Inscriptions, photo ops and authentication are separate add-ons. Entry order: Platinum Express, then Line Priority, then All-Access VIP, then individual numbered tickets, then VIP Package, then Wild Card at end-of-session.

Giveaways

2 tracked

Free, but access-limited — panel handouts and booth drops. Best return on a con badge there is, and the least documented, because you have to be in the room.

2 of 2

Item	Where	When	How many	How to get it	Demand ↓
Panini Box Wars — 22 events across the week	Panini Corporate block — see floor plan	22 sessions, Wed–Sun	—	First come	1
Head-to-head break competitions run throughout the show. Winners take a 2026 Panini Black Box or a Panini hobby box valued at $200+. Twenty-two chances across five days, so a miss early is not a miss overall — check the Panini booth schedule on arrival and plan around the sessions. Panini sits in the corporate block — the first 50–100 booths from the entrance, alongside Topps, Upper Deck, Pokémon Company, PSA, BGS, CGC, eBay and Whatnot. Exact booth number is only published in the downloadable floor plan PDF (main hall + new Hall G) at nsccshow.com/floorplan-2, not anywhere web-readable.
Topps National giveaway — QR entry	Topps #555	Open — do it first thing	—	All attendees	1
Scan the QR code at the Topps booth to enter. Costs nothing and takes seconds — the highest-ROI action at the show. Do this before joining any line.

Exclusives

5 tracked

Hide sold out5 of 5

Item	Exhibitor	Booth	Price	Qty	Access	Demand

2026 Topps National Convention exclusive packs	Topps	#555	—	—	Open	1
FORMAT CHANGED: Topps is NOT running wrapper redemption this year. Packs are bought directly at the booth, so the queue forms at open rather than building through the day. Covers MLB, NBA, NFL/NIL, UFC, UEFA, WWE and Star Wars.