Collector Nation

Topps is shipping Chrome mega boxes without cellophane to fight scalpers. Ryan Alford, Brian Ludden and Bella debate whether that protects collectors or just shifts the risk to local card shops. Download the Collector Nation app and visit thecollectornation.com for more.

The crew also breaks down three record-setting Shohei Ohtani sales, PrizePicks putting top rookie 1/1s into $2,500 repacks, LeBron’s 24 jersey-patch 1/1s and the PSA cards stolen from a FedEx truck. They close with Five Up, Five Down for NFL Week 6 and this week’s Topps Heritage Football, Holiday and Vault Disney releases.

Topics Covered:

• Topps shipping Chrome mega boxes unsealed: what it means for collectors and card shops
• Searched and X-rayed boxes: Ryan’s suspicious rip
• Ohtani 2025 Tokyo Series game-worn jersey sells for $2M+
• Ohtani 2026 Topps Chrome Ultraviolet Superfractor 1/1 sells for $329K
• Ohtani 2018 Bowman Chrome PSA 9 rookie drops $26K
• Cards vs. game-worn memorabilia: which holds value long term?
• PrizePicks puts Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and Kon Knueppel 1/1 Logomen into $2,500 repacks
• Gambling sites and repacks: what it means for the hobby
• Topps turns LeBron’s “24” jersey patches into 1/1 cards
• PSA cards stolen from a FedEx truck, and why you should insure your shipments
• Five Up, Five Down: NFL Week 6 card market movers
• Topps Heritage Football: Walter Payton PSA 10 chase
• Topps Holiday Baseball and Topps Vault Disney release
• Donruss Football returns unlicensed
• Topps vs. Panini: why brand matters without a license

🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode

Collector Nation

Website: https://thecollectornation.com

Download the App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/collector-nation/id6795562084

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectornation_

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecollectornation

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecollectornation

Collector Station

Website: https://thecollectorstation.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectorstation

Ryan Alford

Website: https://www.ryanalford.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford

Brian Ludden / Ludex

Website: https://www.ludex.com

Download Ludex: https://www.ludex.com/download

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ludexapp

⭐ Would you buy an unsealed box? Tell us in the comments. Subscribe for weekly hobby news and card market breakdowns. Download the Collector Nation app (iOS and Android) for real-time card alerts. Creators, apply at thecollectornation.com to become a verified creator and start earning.

Ryan Alford sits down with Steve “Greenie” of Greenie Sports Cards and Jeremy Levine of the Big Play Collectibles Network, two lifelong friends who went from flipping baseball cards as kids to running dozens of card shows across multiple states every year.

Jeremy, who has been part of 16 Nationals and produced five, shares how the show changed after COVID and why the hobby’s growth hasn’t slowed. Greenie explains why there’s still something at every price point for every collector, and both make the case for why face-to-face card shows and local shops will keep growing alongside live selling.

They also break down the story behind the Great Lakes Collectors Convention and Greenie Sports Cards Live, the launch of the Big Play Collectibles Network as a home for hobby shows and creators, and what it meant to open and close the Mike Berkus Stage at the National.

Topics Covered

• The state of the hobby from the show floor

• How the National has evolved since 2000

• Something for every collector at every price point

• Why in-person shows still matter

• Collecting across generations

• Building the Great Lakes Collectors Convention

• Greenie Sports Cards Live

• The Big Play Collectibles Network

• The Mike Berkus Stage at the National

• What’s ahead for Greenie shows in 2027

SPONSORS – DraftKings

Download the DraftKings Sports app and use code COLLECTORNATION. New DraftKings customers can spend five and get two hundred in total bonuses paid within 21 days – includes all markets. That's code COLLECTORNATION. In Partnership with DraftKings. The Crown Is Yours.

🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode

Collector Nation

Website: https://thecollectornation.com

App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/collector-nation/id6795562084

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectornation_

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecollectornation

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecollectornation

Greenie Sports Cards

Website: https://greeniesportscards.com

Big Play Collectibles Network

Website: https://www.bigplay.com/pages/collectibles

Collector Station

Website: https://thecollectorstation.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectorstation

Ryan Alford

Website: https://www.ryanalford.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, follow Collector Nation, leave a 5-star review, download the free Collector Nation app, and share it with another collector.

A Kobe Bryant gold /10 BGS 9.5 went from $156K in 2022 to $1.1M in 2026. Ryan Alford and Bella explain why rising Hall of Famer prices signal a healthy, more stable card market, and how that’s different from chasing rookie 1/1s. Download the Collector Nation app and visit thecollectornation.com for more.

Ryan and Bella also break down the second MJ 1998 Finals jersey to sell for $14M (this one privately), Goldin’s Babe Ruth card vs. Ty Cobb photo result, and where things stand with grading and the PSA backlog. They close with Five Up, Five Down for NFL Week 5 and the latest Topps price hikes on Flagship Basketball and Cosmic Chrome.

Topics Covered:

• Kobe Bryant gold /10 BGS 9.5: $156K (2022) → $1.1M (2026)
• Why rising Hall of Famer prices mean market stability, not gambling
• Second MJ 1998 Finals jersey sells privately for $14M
• Private sales vs. open auctions: why “the last comp lies”
• Goldin Fall Vintage Elite: Babe Ruth card vs. Ty Cobb Type 1 photo
• Grading: the PSA backlog, the value tier, and cost per card
• Five Up, Five Down: NFL Week 5 card market movers
• Fernando Mendoza’s debut patch going into a Topps 1/1
• Topps Update Series markups over MSRP
• 2026 Topps Flagship Basketball (169.99)andCosmicChrome(489) price hikes
• Halloween special preview

SPONSORS

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🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode

Collector Nation
Website: https://thecollectornation.com
Download the App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/collector-nation/id6795562084
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectornation_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecollectornation
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecollectornation

Collector Station
Website: https://thecollectorstation.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectorstation

Ryan Alford
Website: https://www.ryanalford.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford

⭐ Would you have held that Kobe card from 2022 to now? Tell us in the comments. Subscribe for weekly hobby news and market breakdowns. Download the Collector Nation app (iOS and Android) for real-time card alerts, and if you’re a verified creator, you can start earning.

#sportscards #thehobby #collectornation

Ryan Alford sits down with Canadian artist Murray Henderson and Collector Creative founder Zach Nigut to explore one of the most overlooked corners of the hobby: real, hand-made sports art. Murray shares how an accidental paint spill turned a photorealism painter into the creator of "exact abstract," and what it means to be named the 2026 Sport Artist of the Year, with his work going on display in a museum for a full year.

Zach explains how he and Murray met at the 2024 National and built a partnership turning Murray's large original paintings into small-run collectible art cards, each a 1-of-1 variation with its own holographic verification number. The two discuss why real art carries more meaning than AI-generated designs, the hidden details layered into every piece, and how they decide which players and pop-culture moments to bring to life.

Ryan also recounts the emotional Ted Williams painting reveal at the National, makes the case for Topps working with real artists again, and announces an exclusive Murray Henderson original and art card series coming to Collector Station.

Topics Covered

• Murray Henderson's 2026 Sport Artist of the Year honor
• From photorealism to "exact abstract"
• Why great art has to be seen in person
• The Collector Creative partnership
• Turning paintings into collectible art cards
• Real art vs. AI
• Verification and premium packaging
• The Ted Williams surprise
• Artists and the future of card design
• Exclusive art coming to Collector Station

🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode

Collector Nation
Website: https://thecollectornation.com
App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/collector-nation/id6795562084
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectornation_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecollectornation
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecollectornation

Murray Henderson
Website: https://www.murrayhendersonart.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/murray_henderson

Zach Nigut / Collector Creative
Website: https://www.collectorcreative.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/collector_creative

Collector Station
Website: https://thecollectorstation.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectorstation

Ryan Alford
Website: https://www.ryanalford.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, follow Collector Nation, leave a 5-star review, download the free Collector Nation app, and share it with another collector.

Ryan Alford, Brian Ludden and Bella are back as Coinbase joins the growing list of major companies moving into the collectibles space with Pokémon packs backed by real cards. The crew discusses what that much new money means for sourcing, regulation and the future of digital pack ripping.

From there, they take on the bubble question head-on, explaining why today's market looks very different from the 2021 surge and why long-term demand is being driven by families, multiple generations and mainstream media attention. They also cover Topps moving EQL drops to a random draw and the nonstop demand for Pokémon at Collector Station and overseas.

The back half of the episode turns to the card market itself: vintage football rookies from Jim Brown, Jerry Rice and Walter Payton gaining ground, Tom Brady's market cooling, and hold-or-buy takes on Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy and Cam Ward. Ryan revisits his 2026 Bowman Football review after opening value boxes, and he and Bella close with a 2026 Allen & Ginter pack battle on release day.

Sponsors 

Get an exclusive 15% discount on Saily eSIM data plans! Download the Saily app and use the code COLLECTORNATION at checkout.

Topics Covered

• Coinbase's Pokémon pack launch
• Big money entering the hobby
• Is the card market a bubble?
• 2021 vs. today
• Topps EQL random draws
• Pokémon demand at home and abroad
• How media coverage moves card values
• Vintage football rookies on the rise
• Tom Brady's cooling market
• Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy and Cam Ward
• 2026 Bowman Football value boxes
• 2026 Allen & Ginter pack battle

🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode

Collector Nation
Website: https://thecollectornation.com
App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/collector-nation/id6795562084
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectornation_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecollectornation
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecollectornation

Collector Station
Website: https://thecollectorstation.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectorstation

Ryan Alford
Website: https://www.ryanalford.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford

Brian Ludden / Ludex
Website: https://www.ludex.com
App: https://www.ludex.com/download

🎁 Download the free Collector Nation app through any release page at thecollectornation.com to be entered to win a free hobby box or Pokémon Elite Trainer Box.

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, follow Collector Nation, leave a 5-star review, and share it with another collector.

Ryan Alford sits down with Alladan Flinn, founder and CEO of Based Trading Cards, to talk about what happens when a card maker puts transparency and the collector first. Every series of Based's Orange Pill in a Pack has a finite run of 21,000 packs, a published hit list and a promise never to reprint.

They dig into how many packs Pokémon really prints each year and why the sports card parallel pyramid has grown too tall. They also get into what scarcity actually means for numbered cards, and why a card numbered /210 with no parallels can beat a /10 parallel.

The episode also covers the Series 1 box that went from $500 to more than $20,000 and the day one was traded for a Kubota tractor. Alladan explains the Experience Box and its Golden Key pack with a 1-in-420 shot at a Dodge Challenger, and he previews Cardboard Kings, his upcoming history of trading cards.

Topics Covered

• Alladan Flinn's path from collector to card maker
• Lessons from the '90s overproduction era
• How many packs Pokémon prints each year
• The parallel pyramid in modern sports cards
• Finite print runs and published hit lists
• Serialized cards and true scarcity
• Partnering with RRD
• Hobby shop distribution
• The $500 box now worth $20,000
• Bitcoin Tractor Day
• Why the secondary market matters to card makers
• Community as a marketing engine
• The Experience Box and Golden Key chase
• Cardboard Kings: The History of Trading Cards

🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode

Collector Nation
Website: https://thecollectornation.com
App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/collector-nation/id6795562084
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectornation_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecollectornation
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecollectornation

Alladan Flinn / Based Trading Cards
Website: https://basedtradingcards.com
Socials: @BasedCards

Collector Station
Website: https://thecollectorstation.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectorstation

Ryan Alford
Website: https://www.ryanalford.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, follow Collector Nation, leave a 5-star review, download the Collector Nation app, and share it with another collector.

Ryan Alford and Bella are back with this week's Collector Nation, starting with Michael Jordan's "Last Dance" Finals jersey selling for a record $12.26 million. They discuss what the price says about game-worn memorabilia versus trading cards, and why the chance to pull a 1/1 yourself adds so much value to cards.

The conversation turns to the grading crunch, as Beckett and PSA struggle to keep up with demand. Ryan shares how collectors should approach grading right now and introduces Collector Nation's new grading tracker, which compares pricing and turnaround across every major grader. They also discuss counterfeit concerns and why authentication matters more than ever.

On the football side, Ryan makes his buy calls on Brock Purdy and Kirk Cousins. He and Bella also cover the Bears' upset of the Eagles, Drake Maye's rough stretch, a QB trade that sent cards soaring, and Jaxson Dart's market after his injury. They close by ripping 2026 Bowman Football mega boxes and sharing an honest review.

Topics Covered

• Michael Jordan's record $12.26M jersey sale
• Cards vs. game-worn memorabilia
• Big sales across the hobby
• Beckett and PSA grading demand
• Collector Nation's grading tracker
• Counterfeits and authentication
• Brock Purdy and Kirk Cousins buy calls
• Bears upset the Eagles
• Drake Maye's slump
• QB trade sends cards up 500%
• Jaxson Dart after injury
• Hype vs. performance in the card market
• 2026 Bowman Football mega box rip and review

🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode

Collector Nation
Website: https://thecollectornation.com
Grading Tracker:
App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/collector-nation/id6795562084
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectornation_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecollectornation
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecollectornation

Collector Station
Website: https://thecollectorstation.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectorstation

Ryan Alford
Website: https://www.ryanalford.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, follow Collector Nation, leave a 5-star review, download the free Collector Nation app, and share it with another collector.

Nathan Howerton, founder of Nostalgix, joins Ryan Alford to go inside the high-end collectibles market and explain what he is seeing in private transactions that never reach the public auction block. Nathan discusses why buyers are increasingly focused on low-pop, high-grade and visually exceptional cards, and why collectors are sometimes willing to pay significant premiums for truly rare pieces.

Ryan and Nathan also examine the limitations of traditional card comps in a fast-moving market. Nathan explains why recent deals can move faster than available sales data, how private negotiation changes the buying process and why Nostalgix removes the identities of buyers and sellers to reduce outside influence and keep negotiations focused on the collectible itself. 

They also discuss what makes collectibles endure, the role of nostalgia and scarcity, physical versus digital collecting and some of the unusual high-end transactions Nathan has handled across trading cards, video games, comics, books, coins and other collectibles.

Topics Covered

• The current high-end sports card market
• Low-pop cards and scarcity
• Why collectors pay premiums for rarity
• The limitations of last-sale comps
• Eye appeal and condition
• Private collectible transactions
• Auctions vs. private brokerage
• High-end negotiations
• Buyer and seller anonymity
• How Nostalgix works
• Using data and AI in collectible transactions
• What makes collectibles valuable long term
• Nostalgia and strong intellectual property
• Physical vs. digital collectibles
• Pokémon video games and trading cards
• Comics, coins and other high-end collectibles
• How a small number of serious buyers can move a market

🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode

Collector Nation
Website: https://thecollectornation.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectornation_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecollectornation
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecollectornation

Collector Station
Website: https://thecollectorstation.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectorstation

Nostalgix
Website: https://nostalgix.io

Ryan Alford
Website: https://www.ryanalford.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, follow Collector Nation, leave a 5-star review and share it with another collector.

Ryan Alford, Bella and Brian Ludden are back for another Collector Nation weekly episode covering everything moving through the hobby. They start with Pokémon’s 30th Celebration, the growing crossover between Pokémon and sports card collectors, the Cooper Flagg 1/1 patch auto auction and the continued growth of the collectibles market.

Then the conversation turns to football. The crew breaks down Jackson Dart’s season-ending injury, concerns surrounding Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams and how injuries can affect different levels of the sports card market. Ryan explains why he may actually be looking to buy Dart cards if collectors begin selling into the injury news.

Next up is Five Up, Five Down, including Josh Allen, Jackson Smith-Njigba, Kenneth Walker III, Bryce Young and Amon-Ra St. Brown on the rise, while Drake Maye, Cam Ward, Bo Nix, Cooper Kupp and Jameson Williams are among the names moving in the opposite direction. Ryan also highlights Chris Olave, Christian Watson and Dalton Kincaid as three under-the-radar football card names to watch.

The episode wraps with Ryan and Bella battling Pokémon 30th Celebration packs against a 1991 WCW wrestling pack before previewing 2026 Bowman Football, including Arch Manning, college prospects, NFL players and how the market could respond to the next quarterback class.

• Pokémon 30th Celebration and collector crossover
• Cooper Flagg 1/1 auction update
• Jackson Dart’s injury and card market
• Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams injury concerns
• How injuries impact football card prices
• Five Up, Five Down in the football card market
• Josh Allen, Bryce Young and Jackson Smith-Njigba on the rise
• Drake Maye, Cam Ward and Bo Nix trending down
• Chris Olave, Christian Watson and Dalton Kincaid under the radar
• Pokémon vs. WCW pack battle + 2026 Bowman Football and Arch Manning

Collector Nation
Website: https://thecollectornation.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectornation_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecollectornation
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecollectornation

Collector Station
Website: https://thecollectorstation.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectorstation

Ludex
Website: https://www.ludex.com
App: https://www.ludex.com/download
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ludexapp

Ryan Alford
Website: https://www.ryanalford.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, follow Collector Nation, leave a 5-star review and share it with another collector.

Joe Hollywood joins Ryan Alford for a deep dive into the rapid evolution of sports card collecting, live selling and breaking, and how a hobby that once felt niche continues to push further into the mainstream.

Joe shares how he went from selling cards out of his basement with virtually no audience to building the most-followed sports show on Whatnot. He explains why community has been the foundation of that growth, what new breakers get wrong, and why he believes live commerce could eventually extend far beyond mobile apps and become part of the way people watch and shop through traditional media.

Ryan and Joe also discuss the economics behind massive chase cards, the changing grading landscape, PSA backlogs, AI grading, a potential opportunity for Panini, growing demand for iconic names like Jordan, Kobe and Ohtani, vintage wax, missing grails and some of the biggest cards Joe has ever pulled live.

Topics Covered

• Joe Hollywood’s journey into live selling
• Building the #1 sports show on Whatnot
• Growing to roughly 500K followers
• The rise of sports card breaking
• Why community drives successful live shows
• The future of live commerce
• Whatnot’s growth
• Million-dollar sports card chases
• Cooper Flagg and modern chase cards
• PSA and grading backlogs
• The future of AI grading
• Panini’s potential opportunity in grading
• Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Shohei Ohtani
• Vintage wax and unopened product
• Why rare cards can’t always be valued by last comp
• High-end cards that have never surfaced
• Joe’s Kobe Bryant Essential Credentials pull
• Where the hobby goes next

🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode

Collector Nation
Website: https://thecollectornation.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectornation
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecollectornation
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecollectornation

Collector Station
Website: https://thecollectorstation.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectorstation

Ryan Alford
Website: https://www.ryanalford.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford

Joe Hollywood
Website: https://www.joehollywood.com
Whatnot: https://www.whatnot.com/user/joehollywood
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealjoehollywood/

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, follow Collector Nation, leave a 5-star review, and share it with another collector.