This week, John (@istanbulcards) is joined by Conor Sen, a Bloomberg Opinion columnist who loves sports cards like the rest of us, but also brings a sharp understanding of the macroeconomic forces shaping the hobby. Conor discusses how broader economic trends dovetail with the sports card market, reflects on his childhood and young-adult sporting heroes, and shares how he’s thoughtfully re-entering the hobby in recent years alongside his kids.

In this episode of Global Card Collectors, Will, John, and Justin come together to share their Top 5 card pick ups from 2025 which is wide-ranging and engaging collection of cards that spans over 100 years of trading card history.

They showcase an impressively diverse lineup, featuring everything from vintage boxing and vintage football to ultra-modern cards. Across all three Top 5 lists, a few themes quickly emerge:🔥 Patches on every list✍️ Plenty of autographs💎 Significant rarity❤️ Strong personal connections to the cards

Whether the focus is football, boxing, basketball, vintage classics, or modern releases, this episode highlights what makes collecting special — the stories behind the cards, the shared passion, and the connections built through the hobby.

In this episode Will and John sit down to catch up after The Card Clan Trade Day, their final event of the year. While it may not have been the biggest show on the calendar, it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable. As vendors, they had the chance to slow down, reconnect with familiar faces, and spend real time talking about collecting, sports, and the hobby with regulars who make days like this worthwhile.From there, the conversation shifts back to what they’re most excited about in collecting right now: consolidation. Selling bulk and lower-end cards to focus on fewer, higher-end pieces—especially rare cards of players they view as true GOATs. Will dives into his ongoing Giannis rookie auto chase, debating whether now is the time to finally pull the trigger with Giannis’ market sitting near historic lows. John shares his own near-miss story with a Luka Dončić International Treasures, including how close he came to landing a version numbered to just /10.They wrap things up with a discussion on the current state of grading, where it stands today, and how it’s impacting collectors and the hobby moving forward.As always, it’s a laid-back but thoughtful conversation about collecting with intention, enjoying the process, and navigating the hobby as it continues to evolve.

Dive into the world of Spanish sports cards with this special episode featuring Jon @eurofractor a passionate collector, historian, and expert on Spain’s unique place in the hobby. We break down his latest grail pickup (a stunning Sergio Rodríguez card), explore how Spanish collectors approach basketball vs. football, and dig into why teen star Hugo González is generating major buzz among NBA-focused collectors in Spain.

Jon also walks us through the country’s card-collecting culture: the biggest shows, the rise of modern basketball collecting, how Spain’s legendary players are valued in the hobby, and what makes the Spanish market different from the U.S. scene.

Whether you're into European basketball, international markets, or just love hearing collectors talk about their passion, this episode is packed with insight, stories, and hobby wisdom.

In this special **100th episode**, John and Will take a heartfelt (and hilarious) look back at the journey that brought us here. From the moment Will went off and bought microphones for our first episode, to interviewing our first guest outside our circle of friends, it’s been a wild ride—and we’ve loved every minute of it.We reflect on the friends we’ve made along the way, the unexpected opportunities that came with building this channel, and yes… even the awkward moments of rejection when someone said, “Nah, I don’t want to record an episode with you.” 😅Over nearly two years without missing a single week, we’ve gained skills we never imagined -from interviewing, editing, and storytelling to building a community that inspires us to keep creating. This episode is both a celebration and a thank-you to everyone who’s been part of the journey.And because it wouldn’t be a proper milestone without it, we wrap things up by diving into **Mail Day Questions** from our friends:✨ What are our plans for the future?✨ What goals do we have for next year?✨ Where do we hope this hobby takes us next?Whether you’ve been here since Episode 1 or you’re joining us now at Episode 100, we’re grateful you’re part of this adventure. Here’s to the next chapter-and to everything we’ll build together.

Boxing cards are officially back so Justin & Will are coming out swinging in this explosive episode of Global Card Collectors. We break down the long-awaited return of Topps Chrome Boxing, the first Topps boxing set in more than 70 years. What does it get right? Where does it stumble? And is it really the future of the boxing-card hobby?Then we step into the ring with Panini’s Combat Anthology, home of the wildly popular Kaboom inserts — and compare how Panini’s approach stacks up against the Chrome revival.From there, we dive deep into the Bad Boys of Boxing: Jack Johnson, Mike Tyson, and other legendary fighters whose careers - and cards - shaped the sport’s legacy. We explore their stories, their cultural impact, and why their cardboard still matters.We close with a big question: Can boxing cards escape the niche and finally go mainstream? Or will they remain a cult favorite for hardcore fight fans?If you love boxing, history, or the hobby - this one will go the full twelve rounds.

In this episode of Global Card Collectors, John finally lands one of his lifelong grails — an authenticated, on-card Dražen Petrović autograph, the crown jewel of his Balkan basketball PC. We break down why it’s so meaningful, and why it instantly becomes the centerpiece of his collection.

From there, we dive into our biggest hobby wins:
🔥 From John scooping a Megacracks Cristiano Ronaldo PSA 5 at the bottom of the market which is now worth multiples of what he paid.
🔥 To Will landing his ultra rare Card Crazy Jonah Lomu Gold card, a card he once stretched to afford… and which has since skyrocketed over 10x in value.

Then the conversation shifts to fantasy basketball and the surprising renaissance of young white American players in the NBA. What started with names like Tyler Herro and Austin Reaves has turned into a wave of impactful players across the league. Alongside star rookies like Cooper Flagg and early standout Kon Knueppel, we highlight others making noise, including:

• Chet Holmgren

• Ryan Kalkbrenner

• Reed Sheppard

• Donovan Clingan

• Payton Pritchard

• Ty Jerome

• Corey Kispert

…and more emerging talents shaping the NBA’s latest identity shift.

Whether you’re here for the hobby talk, the market analysis, or hoops breakdowns, this episode has everything: grails, flips, future stars, and the wild ride that connects them all.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Omar Khokhar, the founder of Sportsnection, one of the most intriguing new companies in the cricket card hobby.Omar opens up about how Sportsnection began, the challenges they faced with Series One, and the many lessons they’ve carried forward as they plan the next chapter. We talk honestly about criticism, growth, and what it takes to build a collectible brand from scratch.Omar also shares exclusive details about Sportsnection’s upcoming high-end release which continues his aim of celebrating subcontinent cricket legends, why this project matters on a cultural level, and how he wants to elevate cricket cards globally.Whether you’re a collector, investor, or fan of startup stories, this is one of the most candid and insightful interviews you’ll hear about the future of cricket trading cards.

In this episode of Global Card Collectors, Will and John catch up on their latest moves in the hobby—focusing on consolidation, strategic collecting, and tapping into the growing Turkish card market.Will shares his mission to sell off lower-value cards in pursuit of a major grail piece—possibly a Giannis rookie auto—while John adds a massive 1/1 Bogdan Bogdanović to his Balkan Ballers PC. Will also picks up a /99 Al Horford One & One patch auto for his Celtics collection.The duo discuss the unique dynamics of the Turkish market: lots of autos, patches, and serial-numbered cards, but very few slabs. They explore the opportunity to import affordable graded cards from the U.S. to increase supply, help collectors start PC building with graded pieces, and potentially turn a small profit.To wrap up, they touch on early NBA season storylines, the buzz around the new Topps flagship release, and their plans to watch more live hoops.

In this episode, Will sits down with one of his closest friends, Paul, someone he's known for almost 20 years- to talk hoops, card collecting, and how sports (and sports cards) help us build lasting memories with our kids.

What makes this conversation so refreshing is that Paul is deep into the NBA but hasn’t collected cards since childhood. That means his perspective is totally untainted by the modern card market — no hype, no flipping, just pure fandom.

We dive into what really makes cards valuable to a true basketball fan: connection, nostalgia, and storytelling. From the days of trading packs at school to watching games with our own kids, we explore how collecting can bring generations together and remind us why we fell in love with sports in the first place.

If you’ve ever felt burned out by the card market or just want to reconnect with the joy of collecting, this one’s for you.