Stacking Slabs

Brett explores how to determine the value of rare sports cards that have no comparable sales history, using his $30,000 purchase of a 2022 Immaculate Roman Reigns 1-of-1 as a case study. He outlines a systematic methodology for pricing cards without comps by examining market evidence, understanding future potential, and setting personal price ceilings based on what one can afford to lose.

Chad, a longtime sports card collector and podcaster new to the WNBA, shares his journey of discovering the league after moving to Portland and attending a Portland Fire game. He discusses how community engagement, player effort, and the unique card collecting dynamics of the WNBA have drawn him into fandom, while reflecting on how to build a Fire collection that balances personal connection with strategic collecting lessons from his past experiences.

Collins Boyce, head of operations at Curated Cards and Collectibles, discusses his journey from playing college baseball to building a multi-channel sports card business across eBay Live, retail, shows, and collection buying. He emphasizes the importance of operational systems, patience, and understanding that genuine collectors on live platforms prioritize card appreciation over flipping for profit.

Brett McGrath and John Amendola, CEO of Mint Inc., discuss how hobby shops can build lasting customer relationships beyond the first sale. They explore the operational and strategic decisions that create repeat visits, from staff training and greeting practices to community events and inventory management.

In episode 38 of 'Booked to Last,' hosts Adam Gelman and Ryan Bannister discuss major wrestling card sales including John Cena's $329,400 WrestleMania patch autograph and Rhea Ripley's sale, analyze product release cycles and market dynamics, and interview Tim Benito from Card Vault by Tom Brady about retail expansion and his personal wrestling card collection.

Episode 66 of the Football Card Podcast explores the tension between collecting and consuming in the hobby, with hosts discussing whether Instagram and social media have created unhealthy buying patterns. The episode features mailbag questions about one-of-ones, undervalued players, and team vs. player collecting strategies, along with NFL updates and market watch data on recent high-value sales.

Brett from Stacking Slabs discusses how to build a strong buying thesis before purchasing sports cards, emphasizing that collectors should understand their reasoning rather than buying emotionally and justifying afterward. He outlines six key components of a thesis—personal case, card case, market case, price case, ownership case, and risk case—and illustrates how this framework guided three of his own major purchases.

Brett discusses his $30,000 purchase of a 2022 Immaculate Roman Reigns 1-of-1 card, detailing not just the transaction price but the extensive process of selling 60+ cards from his collection to fund it. He explores the psychology behind large collecting decisions, the importance of relationships in major deals, and how the purchase forced him to evaluate which parts of his collection still held meaning.

Jared, a long-time sports card collector from North Carolina, discusses his transition from vintage baseball cards to WNBA card collecting, with a focus on the Atlanta Dream and Rhyne Howard. He emphasizes how collecting women's sports cards serves as a litmus test for respecting women and shares his passion for Rittenhouse cards, ticket collecting, and building a meaningful personal collection.

Jamison Long discusses his journey from leaving a six-figure corporate sales career to building Port City Sports Collectibles, a thriving card shop in Wilmington. He covers his decision-making process, shop expansion strategy, inventory management, collection buying, and his high-profile sale of premium cards to Kevin O'Leary at Fanatics Fest.

GameStop's collectibles sales grew 57% to represent 45% of company revenue, but becoming a true collectibles business requires more than inventory—it demands trained employees, fair systems, and community building. Career leverage in the hobby industry comes from identifying and solving collector problems before formal job titles exist.

This episode of 'Booked to Last' covers major WWE news including Sami Zayn's championship win, a historic Penta Oscuro match with Roman Reigns in Mexico, and an extensive interview with Tim Trout from Topps about the new Universe product, Stadium Club release, and WWE's card licensing strategy. The hosts also discuss the record-breaking $250,000+ John Cena WrestleMania patch autograph auction and undervalued wrestlers in the card market like HBK and Bret Hart.

Episode 65 of the Football Card Podcast discusses the impact of Week 1 NFL performances on card collecting decisions, analyzes major card sales including a $1.238M Tom Brady 2013 Prism Finite, and explores how team performance and collector emotions influence purchasing strategies throughout the season.

Card Ladder Confidential Episode 23 explores what the market cannot price in sports card collecting, discussing how personal conviction and collection philosophy often diverge from market valuations. The hosts examine the value of one-of-one cards, the role of personal connection in collecting decisions, and how infrastructure and social media shape prestige and pricing in the hobby.

Brett McGrath explores the often-overlooked value of owning cards beyond financial transactions, arguing that ownership itself—through the pride, identity, and memories it creates—is a legitimate form of value. He distinguishes between merely having cards and truly owning them, examining how psychological investment transforms cards into meaningful collection pieces.

Sean Lepper (Motor City Marks) discusses his extensive Marina Mabry super collection and his journey as a Toronto Tempo collector. The episode explores what drives passionate WNBA card collecting, the appeal of the expansion Tempo franchise, and Sean's philosophy on building unique, rarity-focused collections.

Sam Gordon, VP of Programming and Head of YouTube at Overtime, discusses his unconventional career path from Wall Street to joining Overtime as employee #12, the company's explosive growth through unique content strategies, and his work creating basketball card sets with Topps featuring high school prospects.

Episode 20 of Hobby Jobs emphasizes building long-term relationships based on trust rather than transactional interactions, using relationship-building principles to examine a Manager of Pricing and Assortment role at eBay focused on trading cards. The host argues that strong business operators in the hobby support collectors across five stages (before, during, after, during problems, and between sales) and measure success through repeat customers and referrals rather than just revenue.

In episode 36 of the wrestling card podcast 'Booked to Last,' hosts Adam Gelman and Brett McGrath discuss recent WWE programming, the Panini vs. Topps product landscape, and emerging card market trends. They analyze major card sales, debate hot takes about the wrestling card industry, and explore how cross-sport collecting knowledge can benefit wrestling card collectors.

In episode 64 of the Football Card Podcast, hosts John and Brett discuss the controversy around a Randy Moss rookie card that was sold as a "PC for life" card but later resold for significantly more money. They explore broader themes about collecting authenticity, player valuations heading into NFL season, and take listener questions about collector philosophy and market trends.