Card Collectors Anonymous MN runs its November show at The Essence Event Center in Saint Paul on Sunday, November 8, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This is the last comfortable show of the year before the holiday season reshapes the market, and a lot of Twin Cities collectors treat the November date as their gift-shopping trip. Dealers know it, and the tables reflect it, with more affordable graded singles, starter sets and sealed product than you typically see in the fall.
Roughly sixty-seven tables fill the hall. Sports card dealers make up the majority, covering baseball, basketball, football and hockey across vintage, junk wax, modern and ultra-modern in raw, graded and sealed forms. Minnesota inventory is a consistent strength, with Twins, Vikings, Wild, Timberwolves and Gophers material distributed across many of the tables. Trading card game vendors bring Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh! and One Piece singles plus sealed product, which moves quickly at this time of year. Memorabilia dealers handle autographed items, game-used relics, photos, programs and pennants, and supply vendors carry sleeves, top loaders, binders and storage. Giveaways and raffles run through the afternoon.
Admission is free with no ticket, no registration and no VIP tier. Parking is free in the lot just outside the door.
The Essence Event Center is at 1217 Bandana Boulevard North in Saint Paul, in the Energy Park area off Snelling Avenue with fast access from Interstate 94 and Highway 280. Unlike many venues on the Minnesota circuit, this is a purpose-built event hall: carpeted, well lit, properly heated, with clean restrooms and aisles wide enough that the room never feels congested. In November, when the weather turns, that comfort matters more than it does in September. The location works well from both downtowns and from Roseville, Falcon Heights, Maplewood, Como and the northern suburbs.
The show serves a wide audience. Newer collectors get an approachable room and dealers willing to explain grading and pricing. Longtime collectors get access to several established Minnesota sellers who use this as a regular stop and bring real vintage. Set builders benefit from tables carrying organized commons and stars. Families find affordable material and enough space to move around with kids in tow. Anyone shopping for a collector will find plenty in the twenty to one hundred dollar range that makes a genuinely good gift.
To make the most of a Sunday afternoon, arrive near opening, since this show peaks late morning and the sharpest vintage deals go early. Bring cash, which several tables discount for. Bring a want list and, if you are trading, a binder sorted by set or player. Ask about material not on display, because dealers here routinely keep their better inventory in a case or a box out of sight. Compare across tables before committing to anything significant. And if a dealer's stock matches your collecting focus, take their card and get on their contact list for future dates.
The series continues on a roughly monthly Sunday rotation with a December date at this venue. Check cardsota.com for upcoming dates and vendor announcements.
