The Maplewood Mall Sportscard and Sports Collectible Show runs its biggest stretch of the year over the holiday week, opening Saturday, December 19 and continuing through Tuesday, December 22, 2026. Four consecutive days inside a mall during the final shopping push is a deliberate strategy, and it works: this is the easiest card show in the Twin Cities to fit into a December schedule, because you can walk in on a weekday afternoon or evening rather than blocking out a Saturday morning.
The show stays sports-focused while most of the metro's mall shows have drifted toward trading card games. Baseball dealers bring vintage Topps and Bowman, junk wax boxes, star rookies, complete sets and deep Minnesota Twins inventory. Football tables carry Vikings history and current NFL rookies, which sell hard in late December. Hockey is a genuine strength given the market, with Wild cards, North Stars nostalgia, vintage O-Pee-Chee and local junior and college material. Basketball, college, boxing, UFC, racing and soccer all get table space. Beyond cards you will find autographed baseballs, jerseys, pucks and photos, game-used relics, bobbleheads, pennants, programs, yearbooks and hobby supplies, plus a handful of vendors carrying Pokemon and other trading card game singles.
Hours are Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Monday and Tuesday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Admission is free with no ticket required. Those Monday and Tuesday evening windows are unique in this market and exist specifically for last-minute holiday shoppers.
Maplewood Mall is at 3001 White Bear Avenue North in Maplewood, immediately off Interstate 694 on the northeast side of Saint Paul, drawing from Saint Paul, White Bear Lake, Roseville, Oakdale, Woodbury and the entire north and east metro. Parking is free across large surface lots and a ramp, though the ramp is the smarter choice during holiday week when the surface lots fill. Restrooms, a food court, coffee and full climate control are all steps away, the floors are level and stroller friendly, and the mall setting means non-collecting family members have somewhere to go.
This is the metro's best card show for gift buying. Dealers stock accordingly, with graded rookies in accessible price tiers, team sets, starter binders, sealed product and framed memorabilia. Set builders and player collectors will still find plenty to dig through, and the four-day run means dealers restock, so Monday inventory is not identical to Saturday.
Timing tips: go Saturday for the widest selection, or Monday and Tuesday evening for a much thinner crowd and dealers who are ready to make deals before packing up for the year. Bring cash for leverage. Bring want lists and checklists. Bring sleeves and top loaders. Walk the full floor before you buy, because pricing varies table to table. And if you are shopping for someone else, tell the dealer who they collect and what you want to spend, since a good dealer will find you something better than you would find on your own.
Check cardsota.com for confirmed hours, vendor lists and 2027 dates.
