The San Antonio Buy Sell Trade Con is a three-day collector weekend built around the core hobby loop: browse vendor tables, make deals in person, and bring trade bait to turn into something better. If you collect sports cards, Pokémon, and other TCGs, this show is set up to feel like a true marketplace with plenty of time to work the floor.
Hosted at The Westin San Antonio North, the venue format fits what collectors want from a bigger weekend event: room to spread out, consistent hours across multiple days, and a schedule that gives both casual attendees and serious traders a reason to show up early.
A Full Day of Cards & Collectibles
Even without a full vendor list published yet, the structure of a “buy, sell, trade” convention weekend usually points to a wide mix of inventory and price ranges. Expect the typical table-to-table experience: display cases up front, bargain boxes for digging, and plenty of opportunities to negotiate once you find comps and condition you like.
You can realistically expect to see a mix that includes:
- Sports cards across major leagues (raw singles, slabs, and value boxes)
- Pokémon singles and sealed product (modern staples, chase cards, and binder-friendly pickups)
- Other TCGs depending on the vendor mix (often One Piece, Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh, and more at events like this)
- Trade supplies like sleeves, top loaders, binders, and display accessories
- A general spread of collectibles that tend to follow card-show crowds
Because this runs across three days, it also creates a natural rhythm for collectors. Some people do a “scout lap” early to spot inventory and prices, then circle back later to close deals. If you’re trying to maximize your time, showing up with a short want list (and a clear idea of what you’re willing to trade) helps you move faster once the floor gets busy.
More Than Just a Card Show
The weekend schedule is what makes this one stand out compared to a single-day pop-up. Alongside standard show hours, Saturday includes a Mega Trade Party planned for the evening, which is the kind of add-on that can turn a normal show into a real community meetup.
Based on the details available so far, the weekend flow looks like:
- Friday: evening hours (a good option if you want a more relaxed start or you’re driving in after work)
- Saturday: full show day plus a dedicated late-night trading window
- Sunday: another full day that gives you a “second chance” to make deals or follow up with vendors you met earlier
The ticket options also suggest multiple ways to attend depending on your goals. There are single-day badges, a weekend badge for Friday through Sunday, and higher tiers like VIP and Diamond that include early access and extras. If you’re primarily there to trade and you like first look on the floor, those early-entry windows can matter. If you’re coming more casually, the standard day badge is usually all you need.
A Show for All Levels of Collectors
Events like San Antonio Buy Sell Trade Con tend to work well for a wide range of collectors because you can decide your own pace.
If you’re newer to the hobby, in-person shows are one of the fastest ways to learn: you can compare raw vs. graded condition up close, ask questions without guessing, and get a better feel for what different price tiers actually look like in hand.
If you’re a casual collector, the best part is the variety. You can grab a few singles, dig in value boxes, or just enjoy the hunt without committing to a huge spend. And if you’re bringing kids or friends who are hobby-curious, a day badge makes it easy to treat it like a simple outing.
If you’re a more serious collector, the advantages are practical:
- Inspect cards directly for surface, corners, and centering
- Compare multiple copies across tables before buying
- Negotiate face-to-face instead of dealing with listings and shipping risk
- Turn duplicates into upgrades through real-time trading
And with a trade-focused event, your binder matters. A clean, organized trade binder (with conditions you’re confident in) usually leads to faster conversations and better offers, especially when the floor is active.
Final Thoughts
The San Antonio Buy Sell Trade Con is shaping up to be a great day for collectors in the San Antonio and surrounding area. If you attend, let us know what you find, and stay tuned to Card Show Dex for more upcoming events across Central Texas. You can also explore more upcoming San Antonio-area card shows on our San Antonio events page.