Stacking Slabs

Season 5's team collector series continues with a deep dive into the Phoenix Mercury.

Katelyn sits down with Gavin (@card_collecther), a Mercury season ticket holder and dedicated team collector, to explore what makes the franchise one of the defining organizations in WNBA history.

They discuss the Mercury's identity, the influence of Diana Taurasi, Alyssa Thomas' place on the hobby's Disrespect Index, the power of the X-Factor fan base, and how team collecting creates a deeper connection to the game.

The conversation also explores collecting philosophy, personal grails, community, rivalries, franchise history, and why collecting a team often becomes about much more than the cards.

If you've ever built a collection around a team, a city, or a feeling, this episode is for you.

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Athletes have never been more visible in the hobby.

From Tom Brady and CardVault to Fanatics Fest, athlete-led content, and players publicly sharing their collections, sports cards have become part of the conversation in a way we haven't seen before.

Ryan Greene sits at the center of it.

As Director of Athlete + Artist Partnerships at PSA, Ryan works directly with athletes who collect, grade cards, participate in signings, and build collections of their own.

In this conversation, we discuss:

•  Why PSA created a role dedicated to athletes and artists 
•  How professional athletes are entering the hobby 
•  The types of cards athletes collect 
•  Why authenticity matters more than sponsorships 
•  The impact Fanatics is having on athlete participation 
•  Stories from working with Mike Trout and other athletes behind the scenes 
•  Where athlete involvement in the hobby is headed next 

If you've noticed athletes becoming a bigger part of collecting culture, this episode offers a look behind the curtain at what's driving it.

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What does it look like to build a career in the sports card industry?

In the debut episode of Hobby Jobs, Brett McGrath shares the vision behind the platform and why the hobby needs a dedicated place for operators, builders, and aspiring professionals.

This episode explores the shift from hobby to industry and why the biggest opportunities often start as repeated friction, not business plans. Brett breaks down the signals coming from companies like PSA, eBay, GameStop, and Card Collector 2 and explains what they reveal about where the hobby is headed.

Topics include:

• Why Hobby Jobs was created

• The growing demand for skilled professionals in the hobby

• How to identify opportunity before everyone else sees it

• Why proximity is a competitive advantage

• Lessons from Jeremy Lee and Sports Cards Live

• What hiring trends reveal about the future of the industry

• Why content, trust, and systems matter more than ever

If you're building in the hobby, looking to break into the industry, or trying to understand where the next wave of opportunity is forming, this episode is for you.

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What happens when you stop reacting to the wrestling card market and start thinking about where it's headed?

This week, Adam and Ryan tackle a series of big-picture questions facing wrestling card collectors.

Will there be more six-figure wrestling card sales by 2028?

Has Topps Royalty already become the most important wrestling card release of the Fanatics era?

Will WrestleMania moving to Saudi Arabia impact the hobby?

Who will define wrestling cards in 2027?

The conversation moves from Oba Femi and Stephanie Vaquer to WrestleMania Patch Autos, celebrity collectors, Topps Chrome, Cosmic Chrome, and the future of the category.

The goal isn't predicting the future.

It's thinking about the hobby differently.

Plus:

•  Clash in Italy preview 
•  Logan Paul's injury and The Vision curse 
•  Danhausen's rise in mainstream sports culture 
•  Cosmic Chrome WWE checklist reactions 
•  Major Hulk Hogan and Stephanie Vaquer sales 
•  Wrestling Card Takeover updates 

A conversation built around the questions collectors will be debating for years.

RSVP for Wrestling Card Takeover at The National on July 31

Check out RbiCru7 for all your wrestling and sports card needs!

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John and Brett open the episode talking Indy 500 stories, McDonald’s nostalgia, and why modern experiences feel overbuilt before diving into one of the biggest football card sales in years.

The guys break down the $1.3M Josh Allen NFL Shield Auto and what the sale says about Fanatics shaping collector attention in real time. They discuss why this card matters beyond Josh Allen, how manufactured prestige is changing the hobby, and which quarterbacks they believe are next in line for a million-dollar football card.

Later in the episode, they react to The Athletic’s recent story on gambling culture in sports cards and discuss accountability, breaking culture, dopamine chasing, and how collectors can build healthier habits inside the hobby.

They also tackle a big question from the audience:
Are collectors losing the ability to have independent taste?

Other topics include:

• 2025 Finest Football reactions
• The Des Bryant 2012 Prizm Black Finite sale
• Tom Brady Topps Chrome Superfractor pricing
• Why projects matter more than trends
• Cards they would keep forever
• Why collecting should leave you fulfilled instead of empty

Plus:
Nebula pickups, linebacker summer talk, and another vintage football card lesson from Episode 49.

Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking Slabs

Follow The Football Card Podcast on Instagram for memes and stuff.

Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype

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What happens when the value of your card turns from mystery into responsibility?

In this flagship episode, Brett explores one of the tensions at the center of collecting.

The longer you own a unique card, the more meaning it absorbs. The chase. The story. The memory. The identity tied to it. But eventually every collector runs into a hard question:

At what point does ownership become a decision?

This conversation digs into the difference between lived value and liquidation value. Why some cards become more meaningful when they are difficult to price. Why constant comp checking changes collector behavior. Why monster sales create permission structures across the hobby. And why mature collecting requires knowing when to hold onto mystery and when to face value with intention.

Brett also shares personal reflections on evaluating his own collection, balancing family and business responsibilities, and the emotional reality behind deciding whether a card still belongs.

Topics include:

• Why mystery is part of the reward of owning unique cards
• How ownership changes the way collectors value cards
• The psychology behind selling decisions
• Why public auctions create emotional pressure
• The difference between optimization and conviction
• A framework for evaluating whether a card still fits your collection
• Why selling is sometimes part of preserving collecting integrity

If you’ve ever stared at a card and thought “I have no idea what this is worth and I’m not sure I want to know,” this episode is for you.

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Every collector talks about value.

But what happens when the card means more to you than the market says it should?

In this flagship episode, Brett explores one of the hardest truths in collecting:

Can collectors ever fully separate emotional attachment from financial decision making?

This conversation digs into the tension between memory and money. Between identity and allocation. Between the card you want and the story you tell yourself about why you want it.

Brett breaks down:

• Why ownership changes how we value cards
• The role identity plays in collecting
• How emotional attachment impacts buying and selling
• Why collectors blur the line between investment and personal collection
• The danger of unexamined emotion
• A system to help collectors make cleaner decisions without losing the passion that makes the hobby matter

This is not an episode about removing emotion from collecting.

It’s about understanding it before it controls you.

If you’ve ever overpaid for a card because it felt important…
Held onto something longer than you should have…
Or convinced yourself a purchase was “smart” when it was really personal…

Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you.

Check out the Northeast Sports Card Expo in Marlborough, Mass June 26-28, 2026

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A million dollar Josh Allen card.
A nearly $200K Wemby Gold Refractor.
A Dennis Rodman PMG Green pushing nearly $350K.

The hobby keeps moving higher. But what is really happening underneath the surface?

In Episode 20 of Card Ladder Confidential, Brett sits down with Chris and Josh from Card Ladder to break down the latest Premier Auction and the conversations collectors are having right now.

The discussion explores:

• Why the Josh Allen NFL Shield Auto created mixed reactions
• Whether Victor Wembanyama has already reached all-time collectability status
• How monster sales impact collector psychology
• The difference between broad market strength and concentrated conviction
• Why transparency around private sales matters
• The role cultural impact plays in long-term collectability

The crew also discuss the tension between legacy cards and manufactured modern concepts, the sustainability of current pricing, and why certain cards still feel undervalued despite historic importance.

If you care about collector behavior, category shifts, and the stories behind the prices, this episode is for you.

Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking Slabs

Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon

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Jeremy Lee has become one of the most trusted voices in sports card media.

But before Sports Cards Live became a Saturday night destination for collectors, Jeremy was balancing a career in finance while building relationships, studying the hobby, and creating content because he loved the cards.

In this conversation, Jeremy shares the full story behind Sports Cards Live, the growth of his auction coverage content, and the mindset shift that helped him turn hobby passion into full-time work.

We also discuss:

•  Why relationships became the foundation of his business 
•  The pressure and uncertainty of becoming a full-time creator 
•  What consistency has taught him about community 
•  The evolution of hobby media and trust 
•  The creation of Hobby Spectrum 
•  Why Pops and Comps became a 400-page passion project 
•  The role psychology plays in collecting and market behavior 

This episode is for anyone thinking about building something in the hobby.

Collectors. Creators. Operators.

Jeremy opens up about all of it.

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A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card.

Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon

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Season 5 of The WNBA Card Podcast starts with a live recording from Saint Paul at the All Women’s Sports Card Expo hosted by Great Lakes Trading Card Co.

Katelyn sits down with Spencer from Great Lakes to talk about what’s happening in the women’s sports card market right now and why this moment feels different.

They discuss:

•  Building a hobby shop centered around community 
•  Why women’s sports collectors operate differently 
•  The rise of PWHL cards and niche collecting 
•  Why legends still matter in women’s sports 
•  The future of women’s sports card shows 
•  What today’s collectors are chasing 
•  Why accessibility and representation matter in hobby spaces 

The episode also includes live audience Q&A covering Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, JuJu Watkins, Olivia Miles, rookie card trends, and the future of women’s sports collecting.

This conversation is about more than cards.

It’s about building spaces where collectors feel seen.

Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of The WNBA Card Podcast

Follow the WNBA Card Podcast on Instagram 

Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype

Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon

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