Geeked Out Collecting

For this episode I had the pleasure to bring on one of my good hobby buddies James. I wanted to bring him on because I love his perspective and insight into the hobby. He's spent some time in the finance world so as a former day trader, he applied the same methods and principles he learned from doing that to Pokemon. 

Here are a few things we cover:

• determining which sets to invest in 
• buying raw singles and getting them graded
• finding pockets in the market with great ROI's

You can find James here: 

• Pokemon IG Account: https://www.instagram.com/firstedition_pokemoncards/
• Personal IG Account: https://www.instagram.com/jamesdamon9/

Show Notes:

• Intro 0:00:00
• Japanese Market 0:02:56
• How to make money on the buy 0:04:54
• How James went all in on Pokemon 0:08:28
• Strategies he learned from collecting Euro Football cards 0:11:34
• How James got started in collectibles 0:13:13
• Soccer cards vs. Pokemon 0:15:48
• FOMO 0:17:59
• Getting back into Soccer cards 0:21:06
• Pokemon hasn't hit prime price 0:36:12
• Choosing the game you want to play 0:44:34
• Talking about Pokemon cards like an investment 0:49:01
• Pop reports will go up, but here's a caveat 0:55:10
• Pokemon sets we're looking at 1:03:15
• Money is in the data 1:14:20
• Another populations report caveat 1:42:00
• Shadowless 1:57:31
• Current US Economic Behaviors and Hedging inflation 2:08:32

You can find me here:
IG: @geeked_out_collecting
Twitch: /feliwankenobi
Website: www.GeekedOutCollecting.com
Free Profit Calculator for eBay:  www.profitcalculator.online
Patreon: www.patreon.com/Geekedoutcollecting

There are endless Pokemon sets to start collecting between the English and Japanese sets and it can be a bit overwhelming. In this episode I talk through three strategies you can use today to start your Pokemon collection.

Show Notes:
- 0:00 Intro
- 1:20 Set your goal(s) and budget
- 4:33 Pick your sets
- 9:40 Buy the starters
- 11:52 Bonus Tip!

You can find me here:
IG: @geeked_out_collecting
Twitch: /feliwankenobi
Website: www.GeekedOutCollecting.com
Free Profit Calculator for eBay:  www.profitcalculator.online
Patreon: www.patreon.com/Geekedoutcollecting

I don't think we're in a Pokemon bubble, but whether you feel safe or not, you ALWAYS need to do things that mitigate your risk. Your financial advisor would advice you to mitigate your risk with your normal investments, so why wouldn't the same apply to Pokemon and hobby collecting investing? In this episode, Dan and Travis from Goingtwice.com go deep into many Pokemon investing topics that will help you fortify your Pokemon collecting. 

Here are a few of the things we talk about that will do that: 

• Finding ROI's in Pokemon 
• Verifying sealed packs
• Graders recognizing unique qualities of cards

Where you can find Dan and Travis: 

• You can find them on Instagram @goingtwice_com
• You can find their auctions at www.goingtwice.com

Show Notes: 

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:02:08 Pros and Cons of Opening Modern Product
• 0:04:26 Their system for getting cards graded
• 0:08:51 Sub or no sub
• 0:11:11 Video game grading
• 0:16:11 PSA goes private
• 0:19:04 PWCC Auctions and Market Price
• 0:28:33 Pokemon Day Trading
• 0:32:25 Influencers in the market
• 0:34:19 The Secret to ROI's in Pokemon
• 0:39:14 Fortnite, FAB, Force of Will
• 0:50:54 How Pokemon can prevent scalping
• 0:54:38 Weighing Packs
• 1:01:01 Sealed Pokemon market
• 1:02:59 Verifying sealed packs
• 1:07:52 Getting priced out of sealed vintage
• 1:16:45 Building decks
• 1:18:57 New Magic
• 1:23:40 Graders recognizing unique qualities of cards
• 1:27:27 Dealer Mindset vs. Flipper Mindset vs. Investor Mindset
• 1:34:47 GoingTwice.com Auctions

You can find me here:
IG: @geeked_out_collecting
Twitch: /feliwankenobi
Website: www.GeekedOutCollecting.com
Free Profit Calculator for eBay:  www.profitcalculator.online
Patreon: www.patreon.com/Geekedoutcollecting

In this episode I talk about my strategy for buying and investing in Pokemon cards for 2021. Pokemon has changed A LOT in the past 12 months, I've developed a strategy around those changes, along with taking into consideration my goals and budget. So if you're trying to get some ideas for investing in Pokemon, let's chat!

You can find me here:
IG: @geeked_out_collecting
Twitch: /feliwankenobi
Website: www.GeekedOutCollecting.com
Free Profit Calculator for eBay:  www.profitcalculator.online
Patreon: www.patreon.com/Geekedoutcollecting

Please donate to the Aoki Foundation to help spread Autism Awareness! All brains are beautiful :)
Visit the Aoki Foundation here `:)

In this episode I brought on the amazing Gary from Pawn Stars! Need I say more? He is arguably the most pivotal and influential person to have been involved in Pokemon card collecting. Maybe of the attitudes and things we do that are because of Gary! Here are a few topics we talk about: 

• Is Pokemon Safe?
• BGS vs PSA
• Japanese vs English cards

Here's how you can find Gary:

• His Instagram 
• Thuan's instagram
• The Aoki Foundation

You can find me here:
IG: @geeked_out_collecting
Twitch: /feliwankenobi
Website: www.GeekedOutCollecting.com
Free Profit Calculator for eBay:  www.profitcalculator.online
Patreon: www.patreon.com/Geekedoutcollecting

Show Notes:

• Intro  0:00:00
• Gary's Backstory  0:01:05
• Diversity in Media 0:04:44
• Undervalued Collectibles  0:06:50
• Force of Wills and FaB  0:11:36
• NOTHING has grown like Pokemon  0:16:22
• Gary's an awful seller (his words)  0:18:04
• His friend sold the $350K First Edition Shadowless Charizard   0:25:37
• Will kids be priced out of vintage?  0:27:34
• Is Pokemon Safe?  0:28:12
• Pokemon Community Then vs. Now  0:33:51
• Building up Pokemon  0:36:53
• Shadowless vs. First Edition Shadowless 0:38:15
• Best Place to do research  0:46:21
• Tops skills a collector should learn  0:48:13
• Subgrades 0:54:26
• BGS vs PSA 0:55:01
• His thoughts on CGC  1:03:03
• The state of PSA  1:07:29
• Gary's comic book & magazine collection   1:18:16
• What Gary considers as a long-term investor 1:26:56
• Japanese cards vs. English cards 1:31:39
• Women in Pokemon   1:42:03
• Autism Awareness  1:49:06

In this episode we talk about my thoughts on Pokemon in 2021, along with kick starting season two for the Geeked Out Collecting podcast where I give you some insight on what to expect for this podcast in the coming year. 

Show Notes: 

• Intro - 0:00
• What to expect from Geeked Out Collecting in 2021 - 0:49
• My thoughts on Pokemon in 2021 - 3:41

You can find me here:
IG: @geeked_out_collecting
Twitch: /feliwankenobi
Website: www.GeekedOutCollecting.com
Free Profit Calculator for eBay:  www.profitcalculator.online
Patreon: www.patreon.com/Geekedoutcollecting

For this episode I brought on Ray from @thenashvilleflippers not only because he is a hobby collector and investor, but also because he is a part time eBay reseller. I wanted to get his insight on selling because it is an overlooked skill when it comes to collecting and long term investing. Collectors forget that there may come ties in the future where we'll want/need to sell parts of our collections so we will NEED to know how to sell. 

You can find Ray here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenashvilleflippers/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thenashvilleflippers?source=h5_m
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/thenashvilleflippers
Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/69DfgDPp3oCjtz8Z2eeiWl

Show Notes: 

• [00:00]- Introduction of the podcast.
• [02:09]- Introduction of today’s guest Ray: an eBay flipper
• [04:58]- eBay flipping is definitely a skill that anyone can learn
• [07:35]- Ray’s hobby collection
• [09:38]- How Ray started the sneaker’s collection and got into flipping space
• [14:49]- Sneakers resale market
• [16:55]- Importance of doing "market research" & selecting the right products for reselling
• [23:15]- Vintage or Modern Pokémon Cards: which one is best from an investment perspective.
• [24:15]- Pay attention to collecting data if you are in the flipping business.
• [24:57]- Terapeak market research tool.
• [26:00]- Pay attention to eBay fees.
• [26:42]- Free data calculator for flippers.
• [27:40]- Before buying any product pay attention to the description, feedback, and listings.
• [32:06]- Making mistakes
• [32:36]- Fortnite card’s resale market.
• [33:28]- Keep stuff sealed, be patient, and wait for the right time to flip.
• [34:49]- Keep Pokémon cards sealed.
• [36:12]- Jessica’s hobby collection.
• [37:43]- Back story of Ray’s 1st TCG: Magic the Gathering
• [40:29]- What cards you can’t and you can play with?  
• [42:42]- Sports Cards or Pokémon Cards: which one is best to invest on?
• [45:16]- How to decide what to keep and what to flip for profit.
• [52:51]- Resale market of BANDAI Carddass Pokemon cards
• [1:02:05]- Mental and physical fitness.
• [1:08:20]- Benefits of doing fighting arts like Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) and Krav Maga
• [1:09:40]- Discussion about Mixed martial arts (MMA).
• [1:13:17]- Every hobby collector should learn the art of selling
• [1:17:28]- How many sealed collection boxes does Ray have now?
• [1:19:04]- Future of vintage Pokémon Cards.
• [1:21:40]- Advice for all hobby collectors: keep your collection for long term
• [1:22:26]- Buy what’s selling
• [1:24:45]- Video games resale market

You can find me here:
IG: @geeked_out_collecting
Twitch: /feliwankenobi
Website: www.GeekedOutCollecting.com
Free Profit Calculator for eBay:  www.profitcalculator.online
Patreon: www.patreon.com/Geekedoutcollecting

In this episode I brought on Joel from @modern_card1. He is a collectibles investor with positions in Pokemon cards (vintage and modern), Football cards and Fortnite cards! I brought him on to get his perspective regarding investing in modern Pokemon cards specifically because a lot of investors are very averse to them. I may still prefer vintage cards, but he offers a lot of information regarding investing in modern cards if you'd like to diversify your Pokemon investment.

Here's how you can find Joel: 

• IG: @modern_card1

Watch this episode on Youtube

Here are some topics we cover: 

• Intro 0:00
• Joel's investing backstory 3:05
• Why invest in Fortnite cards 5:13
• Putting feelers out for modern cards 6:20
• Trophy cards 8:20
• Pokemon balancing between print runs and pull rates 9:31
• Modern ETB's 11:21
• Gold Charizard coming soon? 12:41
• Japanese Pokemon cards are in a league of their own 13:07
• Mapping modern Pokemon booster boxes 13:53
• Scamming makes the real thing more valuable 15:17
• Learning from sellers remorse and staying the course 16:45
• What I'd ask Gary from Pawn Stars if he was on my podcast 19:50
• Don't invest in modern Pokemon cards for the short term 22:28
• What Magic the Gathering can teach Pokemon investors 23:18
• Shipping can be the scariest part 25:29
• PSA vs. BGS 28:15
• Grading cards is a skill 31:03
• Sometimes the most valuable cards are the ones no one took care of 34:03
• Don't sleep on lower graded cards 34:42
• eBay makes Pokemon cards accessible 36:20
• Supply and demand in Pokemon cards 40:40
• The strategy for investing in Modern Pokemon cards 42:04
• The Evolutions Set 49:30
• If you have $100 to spend on Pokemon cards, buy these! 51:27
• First edition stamps on modern Pokemon cards? 54:50
• Do hobbies bleed into each other? 57:53
• $3M Mike Trout card vs. $2.8M record breaking baseballs 1:01:09
• It's about the amount of money you're risking 1:05:57
• Communities around markets 1:07:03
• Pokemon and blockchain 1:12:53
• If you see a PSA 10 for $20, just buy it 1:14:45
• It's the same patterns over and over 1:16:47
• Fortnite cards 1:19:06
• Getting staff cards and other scarce cards 1:25:12
• Buyers and sellers: DO YOUR RESEARCH! 1:26:31
• Print numbers on Pokemon cards 1:28:25
• Will Pokemon copy Magic the Gathering? 1:29:29
• Blockchain and sports cards 1:30:24
• Every prospect that doesn't work out is a lesson you've learned 1:38:28
• 2020 Baseball and Football cards 1:41:20
• Old heads vs. Panini 1:44:31
• Know what you're selling 1:51:38
• Pull rates 1:56:55
• For the love of the hunt 1:59:00
• Remember this moving forward 2:00:00

You can find me here:
IG: @geeked_out_collecting
Twitch: /feliwankenobi
Website: www.GeekedOutCollecting.com
Free Profit Calculator for eBay:  www.profitcalculator.online
Patreon: www.patreon.com/Geekedoutcollecting

In this episode I brought on Jason Stum from www.CertifiedComic.shop, an online graded comic store with the mission of helping comic book collectors collect the comics they love. If you sell Pokemon cards or anything nerdy, you will love this episode because Jason shows us the inside of his comic book business and how we can apply it to our own businesses. 

Here's where you can find Jason: 

• www.certifiedcomic.shop
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Youtube
• Apple Podcast

Watch the episode here: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXpjs7-KMyc

Here are some topics we cover: 

• Jason’s story 4:30
• MCU movie releases and having the keys strategy 8:50
• Growing beyond a side hustle and setting rules 10:15
• The business of selling graded comics 11:49
• Working the side hustle around your life  12:30
• Collecting as a six year old 13:43
• Consignment and Content 17:07 
• The Certified Comic Shop Fly Wheel Business Model and Ecosystem 21:59
• The key to your pursuits: have a mission statement to check yourself against 25:35
• Pricing Shenanigans 26:52
• Online Comic Shops and the cash flow mindset 29:06
• Dreams of a brick and mortar 32:18
• Pendulum swings 34:30
• The physical location experience 35:43
• Jason’s secret comic shop idea 38:23
• Comic books and today’s kids’ interest 39:47
• Action Figures and Modern Comics 41:24
• Hobby scalpers and how Papa Hasbro doesn’t really care 44:15
• Comics are now more for the collectors now 47:05
• Variants 49:39
• Star Wars 1977 Topps 58:54
• Transitioning from collector to seller 1:06:33
• One to read one to keep and a pro tip 1:10:19
• Having the patience so that you can maximize ROI 1:13:09
• Comic-preneurs 1:17:23
• Transparency builds a brand 1:22:06
• Becoming a distributor and the race to the bottom 1:26:45
• Finding the hours and my programming side hustle 1:38:29
• The Key Collector Comics App 1:40:23
• Pokémon Dad Jokes 1:42:24
• D&D Nerdiness and how I’ve never played the Pokemon Card Game 1:43:40
• Our collections 1:46:55
• Star Wars comics and what I’m collecting 1:49:35
• Mandalorian season, Star Wars things and our favorite story things 1:51:15
• More than nostalgia 2:00:05
• Nerd shame as an adult 2:03:19
• Business side of podcasting 2:08:53
• What can investors learn from the Comic Book Industry? 2:16:59

You can find me here:
IG: @geeked_out_collecting
Twitch: /feliwankenobi
Website: www.GeekedOutCollecting.com
Free Profit Calculator for eBay:  www.profitcalculator.online
Patreon: www.patreon.com/Geekedoutcollecting

In this episode we have Dan and Travis from Going Twice, an online and retail auction house serving clients nationwide. Dan and Travis have been buying and selling Pokemon cards for quite some time now, so if you buy and sell or invest in the hobby, you will love learn so much from them.

You can find them on Instagram @goingtwice_com

You can find their auctions at www.goingtwice.com

Watch this episode on Youtube

Show Notes: 

• Dan and Travis origin story 
• Going Twice business strategy 
• Consignment and PWCC
• Card scandals and the FBI
• How eBay can handle fraud better
• Shill bidding
• Market manipulation vs actual investing
• Safest cards to buy
• 90s Sports cards print runs and modern Pokemon
• Don't see bulk cards
• Modern sealed product
• Picking the market cap
• Meeting Pokemon demand
• Selling yourself vs consignment
• Giving buyers an appreciation head start
• Sealed product - pay the premium 
• Finding deals
• Buying raw cards vs graded cards
• Where and how to grade
• PSA is behind on grading how many cards??
• Auctions with Reserve Prices
• Making it right as a seller
• Grading for long term or for the flip
• Declared value
• Why PSA is slow
• Grading tips
• The old rules no longer apply
• Finding 4 Black Lotuses in a storage unit
• Beta dual lands
• The Magic market
• Elite products don't decline
• Pain threshold
• Growing your own shop
• Keep your cushion in product, not cash

You can find me here:
IG: @fortnite_card_madness
Twitch: /feliwankenobi
Website: www.GeekedOutCollecting.com
Free tool! - www.profitcalculator.online
Patreon: www.patreon.com/Geekedoutcollecting