Hobby Nonsense

This week on Hobby Nonsense, Jesse and Ray dive into one of the busiest weeks in the non-sport hobby.

They kick things off by recapping their 12-hour break of WWE Universe, sharing their thoughts on the product and some of the highlights from the marathon rip. They also preview the upcoming Topps Chrome WWE First Day Release arriving this Friday and explain how collectors can get access.

Next up are several upcoming releases and hobby updates:

Topps Disney Neon, a lower-cost Disney product aimed at fans of classic animated characters

Upper Deck Batman: The Animated Series, featuring some unique inserts including a full collectible playing card deck with major characters and Wild Jokers

A new tool collectors can use to track which non-sport 1/1 cards have already been pulled from modern products

The conversation then shifts to the broader market with insights from Funcle Cards, including why Disney 100 may already be the GOAT of modern non-sport sets and why a vintage Batman product is starting to gain momentum.

Things take a wild turn when Jesse and Ray discuss the Hong Kong-based company MemeStrategy, which announced plans to acquire 25% of the PSA 10 Felt Hat Pikachu population—a move that has pushed the card’s market cap higher than the Michael Jordan rookie card.

They wrap up the show with a look at where Pokémon 151 prices may be headed and why 151 Charizard and Felt Hat Pikachu are starting to show some surprising similarities.

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This week on Hobby Nonsense, Jesse is back from Europe 🇮🇪🇬🇧 — and there’s a lot to unpack.

They kick things off with insights from the Dublin and London card shows, breaking down what the European hobby scene is doing well, where it still needs improvement, and what Jesse bought overseas — and why.

Next up is the rise of TCG Rush of Ikorr, including an upcoming Championship featuring a $100,000 prize purse 💰, signaling that competitive TCG is heating up.

Then they’re joined by Adam Gellman to talk WWE cards and why WWE Universe is hitting on the right buttons for collectors. They preview upcoming releases including:

WWE Royalty

WWE Exalted

Topps Chrome WWE

Adam also shares which undervalued up-and-comers 📈 collectors may be sleeping on.

After the interview, Jesse and Ray react to several major record-breaking non-sport sales — including the highest-selling Pixar, Iron Man, Simpsons, and Labubu cards ever recorded — and what those results mean for the broader market 🔥

They close with a breakdown of three upcoming Marvel releases from Topps:

Topps Chrome Deadpool (comics + movie focus)

Topps Brooklyn Collection – Captain America

Topps Finest Fantastic Four

And before signing off, Jesse and Ray debate the big question:

👉 Is the hobby healthy right now — and how should collectors be navigating it?

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Ray is out this week as Jesse travels across England visiting card shops and shows to see firsthand how the hobby is growing overseas. Stopping in at 3rd Down Trading Cards, Jesse sits down with owner Ben Reynard and podcast host Jordan to talk about the realities of running one of the few local card shops in the UK and why the future of the European hobby looks incredibly promising.

The crew also breaks down two exciting upcoming Topps releases — Disneyland 70th Anniversary, featuring park-used relics, Cosmic inserts, sketches, and major chase potential, and Star Wars Smuggler’s Outpost, which is delivering an on-card autograph in every box. Plus, thoughts from the London Card Show, the rise of young collectors in the UK, and why the international hobby boom feels very familiar.

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This week on Hobby Nonsense, Jesse and Ray turn the entire episode over to YOU with a full MAILBAG special, answering listener questions, hot takes, and hobby debates.

Topics include:

🎨 Are sketch cards everywhere now… and is that hurting demand? 📈 Why does Leaf’s Pop Century sometimes outsell Topps Marvel Studios 20-to-1? 🤔 Are celebrity autograph products priced and structured differently for a reason? 🪀 Could Pogs actually make a comeback in today’s collectible world? 💰 And the big one… what are Jesse and Ray buying right now?

From product strategy to market trends to collector psychology, this episode is packed with honest opinions, speculation, and actionable insight for anyone trying to navigate the non-sport hobby in 2026.

If you’ve ever wondered what’s hype, what’s value, and what’s actually worth your money — this one’s for you.

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On this week's episode of Hobby Nonsense, Jesse and Ray start with the newly announced Jerry Seinfeld autograph cards, breaking down why collectors are excited… and why some aren’t convinced.

From there, they spotlight a sleeper TCG release that flew under the radar at the end of 2025: League of Legends: Riftbound. Could it quietly become the next breakout product like One Piece? The conversation naturally leads into Dragon Ball Z cards and what other franchises might be poised for a comeback.

Ray then shares highlights from Nashville Celebrity Comic Con, including meeting childhood favorites and landing Back to the Future and WWE autographs.

The second half of the show features a full interview with Gary Vaynerchuk, where they discuss:

His new Spectacular Super Sticker release

The overlooked value of fictional character rookie cards

What he’s personally buying

And his vision for where non-sports collecting is headed

A wide-ranging episode packed with hobby insight, nostalgia, and one of the biggest voices in collecting.

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This week on Hobby Nonsense, Jesse and Ray come out firing with one of the wildest episodes yet.

They kick things off in the WWE universe, breaking down upcoming releases including Topps WWE Royalty, featuring a Jelly Roll debut patch and some of the most insane relics we’ve ever seen—yes, including pieces of The Undertaker’s casket.

From there, the conversation takes a sharp turn into the competitive world of professional darts, where one player is demanding prices far above his peers as he cements himself as the GOAT of the sport.

Next up:

Upper Deck’s DC x NHL crossover: Fortress of Solitude, placing NHL stars inside Superman’s iconic hideout

Marvel “The Collector”, Topps’ most premium Marvel product ever with only 3 cards per box, ultra-high-end sketches, an Infinity Gauntlet chase, and elite autograph talent

The surprisingly strong demand for 2025 Topps Disneyland 70th Anniversary

Things escalate quickly when Jesse and Ray revisit the One Piece college promo story, as news breaks that roughly $2 million worth of cards were stolen from Rutgers University with no signs of forced entry—leading many to believe it was an inside job.

The episode wraps with Pokémon talk, including:

A rumored 30th Anniversary Pokémon card featuring a fan-favorite character

Ray’s breakdown of the top chase cards in Pokémon Ascended Heroes and their pull rates

A must-listen episode covering spectacle, scandal, and some of the biggest releases shaping the hobby right now.

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This week on Hobby Nonsense, Jesse and Ray dig out from an ice storm that rocked Middle Tennessee, but still deliver a packed episode for non-sport collectors.

They kick things off with Logan Paul’s latest Pokémon break, where packs sold for an astonishing $1.4 million—far exceeding his previous break of the same product. Jesse and Ray discuss what made this break different and whether this signals a new trend where celebrity involvement encourages overpaying.

Next, they explore whether Panini may have found a loophole around Topps’ exclusive Marvel license, and what that could mean for future non-sport releases.

Then they’re joined by Josh Copeland of Poke Master Center for an in-depth conversation on card restoration—one of the most polarizing topics in the hobby. Josh explains what restoration actually involves, how it can impact grading outcomes, why some collectors embrace it, others reject it, and why the topic has sparked extreme reactions. Along the way, they even take a nostalgic detour into their favorite childhood video game systems.

After the interview, Jesse and Ray react to the record-setting $500,000 sale of the Leaf Pop Century Donald Trump 1/1, and close the episode with a look at Target being sued over an alleged bait-and-switch involving Prismatic and Pokémon 151 ETBs.

A wide-ranging episode covering money, ethics, legality, and the evolving future of the hobby.

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This week on Hobby Nonsense, Jesse and Ray tackle one of the most serious and wide-ranging episodes yet.

They open with a discussion on the robbery of the Pokémon store PokéCourt, along with several other recent break-ins, raising real concerns about security, vigilance, and safety for both shop owners and collectors as the hobby continues to grow.

From there, they cover a new Disney bounty now sitting at $30,000, followed by chaos surrounding Marvel Studios Sapphire, where the biggest card in the product was publicly pulled before most local card shops and breakers even received allocation.

The conversation shifts to Tiger Woods, who partnered with Upper Deck and DC Comics to create a custom card given exclusively to guests at his 50th birthday — a fascinating example of where premium collectibles are heading.

Next, Logan Paul enters the discussion once again as he prepares to break a 1st Edition Pokémon box. While his involvement continues to push prices higher, Jesse and Ray question whether his influence is ultimately good or bad for the hobby.

They then tease an upcoming Jurassic Park card set that could be one of the most nostalgic releases of the year, before diving into One Piece OP-14, which already has raw cards selling for over $2,000. They then share insight from the seller of the $20,000 Red Manga Luffy from OP-13, who believes auction manipulation played a role in the final price.

The episode also covers Fanatics’ joint venture with OBB Media, and how it could open the door to more celebrity autographs in future products.

They close with an update on LEGO Pokémon, where the end of presales has already resulted in rising prices on the secondary market.

A packed episode covering safety, speculation, record sales, and the evolving direction of the hobby.

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This week on Hobby Nonsense, Jesse and Ray dive into one of the most unpredictable and conversation-starting episodes yet.

They kick things off with the release of LEGO Pokémon, debating where the real value in the set lies. Jesse is all in, while Ray remains far more skeptical about its long-term collectability.

Next, they explore one of the most under-the-radar trends in the hobby: TCG sketch cards. Custom, artist-drawn Pokémon and Lorcana sketches created directly on cards are now selling for over $10,000, despite very few collectors even knowing this market exists.

Then Logan Paul is back in the spotlight, this time introducing a controversial auction tactic known as irrevocable bidding tied to his Pikachu Illustrator card. Jesse and Ray break down how it works and ask the bigger question—is Logan Paul actually good for the hobby?

The discussion continues with:

Live bounties in Star Wars and Disney products

Updates on Topps WWE Universe delays and Marvel Studios Sapphire

A price check on wild Labubu comps

They also react to GameStop announcing the closure of over 400 stores while simultaneously approving a large stock compensation package for its CEO, raising serious questions about optics and leadership.

Jesse then shares a jaw-dropping personal experience meeting a young breaker who, after just 11 months in the hobby, is breaking hundred’s of thousands of dollars worth of product for 1,000+ viewers, all without ANY allocation!

Before wrapping up, the guys discuss the newly announced Rittenhouse Star Trek Connections, a product that could be the best Star Trek release in decades based on early details.

The episode closes with two head-turning stories:

A new One Piece x College Basketball promo being handed out at games

And mystery Pokémon cards surfacing at a North Carolina card show—located suspiciously close to a Pokémon printing facility.

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This week on Hobby Nonsense, Jesse and Ray dive into a wave of new releases—some expected, some complete surprises—that have collectors buzzing.

They kick things off with Pixar Gold, releasing this week — including the huge announcement of the first-ever Toy Story dual autograph featuring Tom Hanks and Tim Allen as Woody and Buzz, instantly becoming one of the most anticipated chases in the product.

Next, they preview Upper Deck’s upcoming Grateful Dead set, which looks like a fun and unique rip for Dead Heads and music collectors alike. Then comes a true surprise: Topps Marvel “The Collector”, a low–print run, high-end product spotlighting some of the biggest names in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Jesse and Ray break down the signers, box format, and just how rare this release might be.

From there, the conversation shifts to the TCG market, covering record-setting sales in both One Piece and Pokémon. Ray then dives into Pokémon Ascended Heroes, which will be the largest Pokémon set ever at 295 cards, and explains why — with the 30th Anniversary and two new video games coming — this could be the biggest year Pokémon has ever had.

The episode wraps with a look outside of cards, discussing LEGO’s new Smart Play System, which was just announced at CES and could become one of the company’s most exciting innovations yet.

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