In this episode of Sports Cards Are Dope, Dr. Tyler Tarver shares the intense rollercoaster of chasing one of the rarest Kobe Bryant rookie cards — the 1996 EX Credentials. From a beach bid gone wrong to suspicious $15K sales, Tyler breaks down the emotional and market chaos of finishing a grail set. Was it shill bidding or real demand? And what can we learn from this rise in value?

Timestamps:

• 0:00 — The card that got away
• 1:30 — Why this Kobe card is the one
• 2:58 — My $5.7K bid failed
• 4:05 — Suspicious sales at $12K, $15K
• 5:40 — Are these shill bids or real heat?
• 6:50 — Set completion psychology
• 8:00 — What I think really happened