The Collector's Compass

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Pang Ming Wee—aka @TheCardBoss2021—the creator and host of Courtside Investor‬, one of the fastest-growing long-form podcast platforms in the hobby.

Based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Pang has built a global audience by sitting down with collectors, dealers, entrepreneurs, content creators, hobby historians, investors, and industry personalities from around the world. Through thoughtful conversations with guests including Chris Hoj, Adam Gray, Jeremy Lee, Sports Card Dad, Dan The Card Man, T-Pott, and many others, Courtside Investor has become one of the hobby's most respected interview-driven podcast shows.

Before fully immersing himself in the hobby, Pang spent 20+ years in accounting and finance while simultaneously competing professionally in Magic: The Gathering, representing Malaysia internationally and capturing a National Championship.

What separates Courtside Investor from many hobby platforms is the focus on people rather than transactions. While much of today's hobby content revolves around prices, hype, breaking, and market movement, Pang has built a platform centered around stories, philosophies, collecting journeys, and the lessons that shape collectors.

Alyx and Pang discuss his collecting origins, his competitive Magic: The Gathering career, the transition from corporate into full-time hobby entrepreneurship, and what originally inspired him to launch Courtside Investor.

They also explore the realities of building a global hobby audience from Malaysia, the evolution of content creation, what makes a great podcast guest, and the lessons Pang has learned from conducting 50+ long-form interviews with some of the hobby's most respected voices.

The conversation dives into insights gathered from the guests Pang has had on his podcast, highlighting common themes surrounding collecting philosophy, hobby longevity, personal fulfillment, and what separates healthy collecting from endless chasing.

Pang also shares his perspective on the current state of the hobby, including social media's influence on collecting culture, the growing focus on money and investing, hobby hype cycles, content creator responsibility, and how collectors can maintain perspective in an increasingly fast-moving environment.

Other topics include collecting philosophy, grail cards, meaningful cards, the future of the hobby, opportunities that many collectors may be overlooking, and the long-term vision for Courtside Investor.

At its core, this episode is about collecting, storytelling, community, content creation, and lessons learned. Sometimes the most valuable thing you can collect isn't a card - it's a lesson.

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around awareness, intentional collecting, and building a healthier relationship with the hobby.

Watch The Episode On YouTube

Learn More & Join The Movement:

Website: collectorsmd.com

Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com

Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX

Contact: [email protected]

YT: ‪@collectorsmd

IG: @collectorsmd

Follow Pang Ming Wee & Courtside Investor:

Website: courtsideinvestor.com

YT: ‪@courtsideinvestor‬

IG: @thecardboss2021 | @courtside_investor

Help for Problem Gambling: Call or Text 800-GAMBLER

This Episode of The Collector's Compass is sponsored by ‪All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% of your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

#CollectorsMD | #CourtsideInvestor | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Rob Shultz—founder of ‪Smart Rip Society‬—a fast-rising and honest voice in the sports card hobby focused on intentional collecting, self-awareness, and the emotional realities behind modern collecting culture.

Through transparent videos surrounding spending habits, chasing behavior, hobby burnout, sports betting crossover, survivorship bias, and compulsive hobby patterns, Rob has resonated with thousands of collectors looking for a more grounded and realistic perspective within an increasingly hype-driven hobby environment.

What separates Smart Rip Society from traditional hobby content is the balance. The message isn’t anti-hobby, anti-breaking, or anti-collecting. It’s about honesty, moderation, self-awareness, and helping collectors recognize the difference between healthy enjoyment and compulsive behavior.

At a time where so much hobby content revolves around giant hits, profit, comps, flipping, and nonstop hype, Rob has taken a different approach by encouraging collectors to slow down, reconnect with why they collect, and think more critically about the emotional and psychological side of modern hobby culture.

Alyx and Rob discuss survivorship bias, social media algorithms, hobby flex culture, dopamine-driven behavior, and the way modern hobby environments can increasingly blur the line between entertainment, speculation, gambling-adjacent behavior, and compulsive spending.

The conversation dives into breaking culture, emotional chasing, sports betting crossover, hobby burnout, and the psychological impact of nonstop stimulation within livestream selling environments.

Rob also shares his perspective on intentional collecting, slowing down, reconnecting with nostalgia, collecting with purpose, and why some of the most meaningful cards in a collection often have nothing to do with financial value.

They also discuss the current state of the hobby, creator responsibility, the financialization of collecting, hobby sustainability, younger collectors entering the space, and the importance of creating healthier long-term relationships with collecting moving forward.

This episode is about honesty, intentional collecting, emotional self-awareness, hobby culture, and protecting the people participating in the hobby without losing what made collecting meaningful in the first place.

If you’ve ever felt emotionally overwhelmed by the hobby, struggled with compulsive buying or breaking behavior, questioned the direction of modern collecting culture, or simply wanted a more honest conversation about the realities behind the hobby, this is a conversation worth listening to. Because for many collectors, the conversation has never really just been about cardboard.

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around awareness, intentional collecting, and building a healthier relationship with the hobby.

Watch The Episode On YouTube

Learn More & Join The Movement:

Website: collectorsmd.com

Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com

Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX

Contact: [email protected]

YT: ‪@collectorsmd

IG: @collectorsmd

Follow Rob & Smart Rip Society:

YT: ‪@SmartRipSociety‬

IG: @smart_rip_society

Help for Problem Gambling: Call or Text 800-GAMBLER

This Episode of The Collector's Compass is sponsored by ‪All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% of your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

#CollectorsMD | #SmartRipSociety | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Ty Wilson—founder and host of ‪‪CHASING CARDBOARD‬—one of the fastest-growing and most influential storytelling platforms in the entire sports card hobby.

What started as a creative hobby project quickly evolved into something much bigger. Since launching in 2022, CHASING CARDBOARD has amassed more than 121K YouTube subscribers, over 26 million views, and more than 140 episodes documenting some of the most fascinating collections, collectors, stories, and personalities across the hobby.

What separates CHASING CARDBOARD is that it's never just about the cards—it's about the people behind them. Through visits with collectors across the country, Ty shares deeply personal stories about nostalgia, family, identity, grief, and what collecting truly means.

Alyx and Ty discuss how CHASING CARDBOARD originally started, how the platform exploded in popularity, and why storytelling has become such an important part of modern collecting culture.

They also discuss the emotional side of collecting, why people become attached to cards, and how collections often represent much more than financial assets. Ty shares what he’s learned after hearing deeply personal stories from collectors across the country.

The conversation also explores intentional collecting, hobby pressure, gambling-adjacent behavior, and the increasingly blurred line between passion, business, nostalgia, and compulsion within today’s hobby environment.

Alyx and Ty also discuss one of CHASING CARDBOARD’s most impactful recent episodes featuring Phil—founder of Sealed Wax Nation and supporter of Collectors MD—who sold part of his collection to help fund children’s hospitals and launch his nonprofit organization.

The episode explores how collecting can evolve into something larger than accumulation itself—including charity, meaning, purpose, and community impact.

Ty shares his perspective on the current state of the hobby, the rise of live selling, influencer responsibility, hobby trust, market pressure, and why doing things the right way still matters in an increasingly fast-moving and financially driven environment.

This episode is about storytelling, intentional collecting, hobby culture, human connection, and the emotional realities behind the cards people chase.

If you've ever felt deeply connected to collecting, struggled to find balance, or wondered why the hobby means so much to people, this is a conversation worth listening to. Because behind every collection is usually something much deeper than cardboard.

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around awareness, intentional collecting, transparency, and building a healthier relationship with the hobby.

Watch The Episode On YouTube

Learn More & Join The Movement:

Website: collectorsmd.com

Nonprofit: lohas.org/client/the-cmd-foundation

Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com

Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX

Contact: [email protected]

YT: ‪@collectorsmd

IG: @collectorsmd

Follow Ty & CHASING CARDBOARD:

Website: chasingcardboardtv.com

YT: ‪‪@CHASINGCARDBOARD‬ | ‪@CHASINGTYWILSON‬

X: @BreakerCulture

IG: @chasingtywilson

LI: Tyler B. Wilson

Help for Problem Gambling: Call or Text 800-GAMBLER

This Episode of The Collector's Compass is sponsored by ‪All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% of your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

#CollectorsMD | #ChasingCardboard | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Eddie Wittner—Founder and President of C3 Grading—a collector-first grading company built around transparency, accessibility, speed, accuracy, and trust.

At a time when grading has become one of the most powerful infrastructure layers in the hobby, collectors are asking bigger questions about pricing, consistency, market control, upcharges, turnaround times, and the overall direction of the grading industry. With Collectors expanding its grading footprint across PSA, SGC, and Beckett, and with ongoing scrutiny surrounding PSA, the conversation around alternatives has never felt more relevant.

C3 Grading has stepped into that moment by offering a different kind of grading experience. With $9 slabs, no hidden fees, no upcharges, fast turnaround times, dual grading, full subgrades, QR-enabled reports, thoughtful slab design, and a customer-first approach, C3 is building around the collector experience instead of simply following the legacy grading model.

In this conversation, Alyx and Eddie break down how C3 Grading started, what Eddie saw missing from the grading space, and why he wanted to build the kind of company he personally wished existed as a collector.

They also discuss the current state of the grading industry, the impact of consolidation, the frustration many collectors feel with mainstream grading companies, and why independent alternatives have a real opportunity to earn trust by focusing on transparency, consistency, and service.

The conversation also dives into the C3 philosophy, including flat-rate pricing, why upcharges bother Eddie philosophically, the importance of dual grading, full subgrades, fading grades, QR reports, slab design, and creating a submission process that feels simple, accessible, and fair.

Alyx and Eddie also talk about the partnership between C3 Grading and Collectors MD, including C3’s inclusion in The Intentional Collector’s Guide, the CMD affiliate code, and C3’s support of the #RipResponsibly movement through thank-you cards and packaging touchpoints.

At its core, this episode is about grading, trust, transparency, collector advocacy, and what it looks like to build a healthier hobby from the infrastructure up.

If you’ve ever submitted cards, questioned grading fees, felt frustrated by upcharges, or wondered where the grading industry is heading, this is a conversation worth listening to.

Because grading isn’t just about the number on the slab—it’s about trust, transparency, and protecting the collector experience.

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around awareness, accountability, transparency, and building a healthier relationship with collecting.

Watch The Episode On YouTube

Learn More & Join The Movement:

Website: collectorsmd.com

Nonprofit: lohas.org/client/the-cmd-foundation

Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com

Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX

Contact: [email protected]

YT: ‪@collectorsmd

IG: @collectorsmd

Learn More About C3 Grading:

Website: c3grading.com

YT: @C3Grading

IG: @c3grading

FB: C3 Grading

TT: @c3.grading

Use code CMD to grade cards for $8 per card

Help for Problem Gambling: Call or Text 800-GAMBLER

This Episode of The Collector's Compass is sponsored by ‪All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% of your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

#CollectorsMD | #TheCMDFoundation | #C3Grading | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Kyle Lescalleet—better known online as Cosmic Cards (@CosmicCardsMD)—one of the fastest-rising content creators in the sports card hobby who has built a loyal following through humor, parody, authenticity, and lighthearted hobby content.

At a time when the hobby can often feel consumed by drama, ego, nonstop hype, and financial pressure, Kyle has carved out a unique lane by bringing comedy and self-awareness back into the space. Through skits, hobby influencer impersonations, “day in the life” parody videos, card show content, and relatable collector moments, Kyle has become one of the most refreshing and entertaining voices in the hobby.

In a short period of time, Kyle has amassed nearly 10,000 followers on Instagram, gone viral multiple times, collaborated with major hobby personalities, and built a strong reputation as someone helping restore positivity and comic relief to collecting culture.

In this conversation, Alyx and Kyle break down how Cosmic Cards first started, where the skit ideas come from, and why parody resonates so deeply within the hobby. They discuss everything from influencer culture and hobby stereotypes to card show experiences, viral moments, and the balance between poking fun at the hobby while still genuinely loving it.

They also explore the current state of the hobby and why so many collectors feel exhausted by negativity, outrage culture, social media pressure, and the constant intensity surrounding modern collecting. Kyle shares why humor can actually serve an important role in helping collectors reconnect with the fun, human side of the hobby again.

The conversation also dives into the reality of setting up at card shows, building a personal brand in the hobby, navigating online attention, and staying authentic while growing an audience in a rapidly evolving space.

At its core, this episode is about creativity, community, positivity, and remembering why people fell in love with collecting in the first place.

If you’ve ever laughed at hobby culture, felt overwhelmed by the seriousness of the space, or just miss when collecting felt simple and fun, this is a conversation worth listening to. Sometimes the best way to understand and appreciate the hobby, is to laugh at it a little.

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around awareness, accountability, positivity, and building a healthier relationship with collecting.

Watch The Episode On YouTube

Learn More & Join The Movement:

Website: collectorsmd.com

Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com

Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX

Contact: [email protected]

YT: ‪@collectorsmd

IG: @collectorsmd

Follow Kyle:

YT: @CosmicCardsMD

IG: @cosmiccardsmd

X: @cosmiccardsmd

TT: @cosmiccardsmd

Help for Problem Gambling: Call or Text 800-GAMBLER

This Episode of The Collector's Compass is sponsored by ‪All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% of your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

#CollectorsMD | #CosmicCards | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Rob Sackowitz—Founder, CEO, and Co-Owner of Right Choice Recovery, a leading addiction treatment center in New Jersey, specializing in substance use, mental health, and gambling addiction.

With 13+ years of sobriety from both substance use and gambling addiction, Rob has transformed his own recovery journey into a mission to help others. What was once his greatest struggle ultimately became the foundation for Right Choice Recovery.

This conversation is especially meaningful for Alyx, who attended Right Choice from 2023–2024 before later joining the team part-time. Since September 2025, he has facilitated gambling addiction groups across multiple programs, offering a unique perspective as both a former client and recovery professional.

Together, Alyx and Rob explore what addiction really looks like beneath the surface, why gambling often remains hidden until significant damage has occurred, and the difference between simply stopping a behavior and building lasting recovery. They discuss accountability, step work, service, and the role lived experience can play in helping others heal.

The conversation also examines the growing overlap between gambling addiction and compulsive collecting, highlighting the importance of awareness, early intervention, and adapting treatment approaches to emerging behaviors.

At its core, this episode is about recovery, transformation, and turning pain into purpose.

If you’ve ever struggled with gambling, addiction, or behaviors that feel difficult to control—or want to better understand what recovery really looks like—this is a conversation worth hearing. Sometimes the thing that nearly breaks you becomes the thing that gives your life purpose.

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around awareness, accountability, and building a healthier relationship with collecting.

Watch The Episode On YouTube

Learn More & Join The Movement:

Website: collectorsmd.com

Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com

Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX

Contact: [email protected]

YT: ‪@collectorsmd

IG: @collectorsmd

Learn More About Right Choice Recovery:

Website: rightchoicerecoverynj.com

Phone: (732) 733-4584

YT: @rightchoicerecovery

IG: @rightchoicerecovery

FB: Right Choice Recovery

TT: @rightchoicerecovery

Help for Problem Gambling: Call or Text 800-GAMBLER

This Episode of The Collector's Compass is sponsored by ‪All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% of your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

#CollectorsMD | #RightChoiceRecovery | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Sal Amezcua (@kickstradomis), one of the most well-known sneaker customizers in the world whose work has been worn by NBA players on the court, and the founder of Kicksverse, a platform merging sneaker culture, art, and collectibles.

Kicks is an artist who’s built a brand at the highest level of culture. From designing custom sneakers for athletes and celebrities to expanding into trading cards and art, he’s carved out a lane that blends creativity, community, and commerce.

Alyx and Kicks explore the crossover between sneaker culture and the modern hobby—two worlds driven by passion, scarcity, and hype, but also increasingly shaped by scale and pressure. They also discuss intentional collecting, staying connected to passion as the hobby becomes more transactional, and how Kicks' journey as an artist has shaped his approach to collecting.

With over a million followers and global influence, Kicks shares his perspective on the hobby, the responsibility of influence, and navigating a space where entertainment, commerce, and culture intersect. They also discuss legacy, giving back, supporting emerging artists and brands, and continuing to push creative boundaries through Kicksverse.

This isn’t just a conversation about sneakers or cards—it’s about building something real in a space that’s constantly evolving. At its core, this episode is about creativity, culture, and the difference between collecting, creating, and chasing.

If you’ve ever thought about the intersection of art, sneakers, and collecting—or wondered where passion fits into a space driven by hype—this is conversation will resonate. Building and chasing are simply not the same.

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around awareness, creativity, and building a more intentional relationship with collecting.

Watch The Episode On YouTube

Learn More & Join The Movement:

Website: collectorsmd.com

Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com

Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX

Contact: [email protected]

YT: ‪@collectorsmd

IG: @collectorsmd

Learn More & Follow Kickstradomis:

Website: thekicksverse.com | kickstradomis.com

YT: @kickstradomis

IG: @kickstradomis

X: @kickstradomis

TT: @kickstradomis

Help for Problem Gambling: Call or Text 800-GAMBLER

This Episode of The Collector's Compass is sponsored by ‪All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% of your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

#CollectorsMD | #Kickstradomis | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Rob Livingston—better known as @Jaybelleshhb—a respected voice in the hobby, longtime Collectors MD community member, and someone who’s been consistently showing up, speaking honestly, and supporting others behind the scenes.

Rob isn’t just observing the hobby—he’s living it. Through over 1,300 posts and a growing following, he’s built a reputation for calling things as they are, while also being open about his own journey with addiction, overspending, and the work it takes to stay grounded.

In this conversation, Alyx and Rob unpack the current state of the hobby—what’s working, what’s not, and where things are starting to break down. From influencers and major platforms to bad actors, incentive structures, and the lack of real guardrails, they explore the growing tension between entertainment, commerce, and responsibility.

They also dive into Rob’s personal story—how awareness started to take shape, what it meant to speak openly about it, and how being part of the Collectors MD community has played a role in his recovery and continued growth.

This isn’t about pointing fingers. It’s about seeing the system clearly—and asking what needs to change.

At its core, this episode is about awareness, accountability, and what happens when you can no longer ignore what’s right in front of you.

If you’ve ever taken a step back and questioned where the hobby is headed—or your place within it—this is a conversation worth listening to. Because once you see it clearly, it’s hard to go back.

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around awareness, accountability, and building a healthier relationship with collecting.

Watch The Episode On YouTube

Learn More & Join The Movement:

Website: collectorsmd.com

Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com

Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX

Contact: [email protected]

YT: ‪@collectorsmd

IG: @collectorsmd

Follow Rob:

YT: @Jaybelleshhb

IG: @jaybelleshhb

X: @jaybelleshhb

TT: @jaybelleshobbyhotbox

Help for Problem Gambling: Call or Text 800-GAMBLER

This Episode of The Collector's Compass is sponsored by ‪All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% of your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

#CollectorsMD | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Sean—one of our very first community members and someone whose story sits at the core of why this movement exists today.

Sean isn’t just a guest—he’s been with us since day one. From early Instagram Live ripping days, to becoming one of the most active and impactful voices within the CMD community, Sean’s journey reflects both the highs and lows that exist within today’s hobby.

Alyx and Sean go all the way back to those early days—what it felt like to be “whales” in the hobby, the energy of live streams, the attention, the identity—and how quickly things can shift when the experience starts to take over.

They unpack the moment that changed everything for Sean: a $5K Sandy Koufax auto that planted the seed and set off a chain reaction. What started as excitement quickly turned into chasing that first high, eventually leading Sean deeper into Whatnot, repack breaks, and five-figure nightly spending sessions that spiraled beyond his control.

Sean opens up about how fast it escalated, what he was really chasing in those moments, and how the line between collecting, entertainment, and addiction completely blurred. The conversation doesn’t shy away from the reality of what followed—losing his marriage, his home, his financial stability, and being forced to confront the full weight of it all.

But more importantly, this episode focuses on what came next. Sean shares what recovery has actually looked like for him—not perfectly, but honestly. From showing up to weekly meetings, to writing some of our most impactful Daily Reflections, to now stepping into a role as a peer support host, his journey highlights what it means to rebuild in real time.

This isn’t just a story about loss. It’s a story about awareness, accountability, and what it takes to come back from a place that feels impossible to return from.

At its core, this episode explores a bigger question: how does something that starts as a hobby turn into something that can take everything—and what does it take to stop, reset, and rebuild?

If you’ve ever felt the pull of the chase, questioned your habits, or wondered how far things can go—this conversation will hit home. Sometimes the difference between a hobby and something else entirely isn’t as clear as we think.

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around awareness, accountability, and building a healthier relationship with collecting.

Watch The Episode On YouTube

Learn More & Join The Movement:

Website: collectorsmd.com

Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com

Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX

Contact: [email protected]

YT: ‪@collectorsmd

IG: @collectorsmd

Follow Sean:

IG: @bfb_suburban_sports_cards

Help for Problem Gambling: Call or Text 800-GAMBLER

This Episode of The Collector's Compass is sponsored by ‪All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% of your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

#CollectorsMD | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Paul Baldwin Jr.—aka @Paullydoughnuts⁩—founder of #GetToStackin, trusted hobby voice, and one of the more outspoken, community-rooted personalities in the space today.

Paully brings a grounded, collector-first perspective to a moment in the hobby that feels as exciting as it does uncertain. With 20K+ followers across his socials and years of experience transacting and building trust within the community, he’s become a voice many collectors have turned to as the hobby has started feeling louder, faster, and harder to make sense of.

Alyx and Paully unpack the current state of the hobby from multiple angles—including Fanatics’ branded credit card, this year's Topps Industry Conference, the continued financialization of fandom, and what it all means for where the hobby is headed.

They discuss the return of iconic products like Topps Chrome Football and Bowman Basketball, the Topps licensing takeover, and why modern wax prices have reached a point where we're starting to question who today’s products are really built for.

The conversation centers on trust, transparency, and accountability, honing in on the recent Whatnot controversy, lawsuits, repack concerns, and the growing tension between community and commerce in the live-selling and breaking ecosystem.

They explore what’s changing in the hobby, what's worth protecting, and whether the space is evolving in a way that feels healthier, more sustainable, and more aligned with the people who helped build it.

At its core, this episode focuses on a bigger question: are we building a better hobby—or just a faster, more expensive, more emotionally volatile one?

If you’ve been feeling both excited and uneasy about where the hobby is headed, this conversation will hit home. Growth isn’t always the same thing as progress.

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around awareness, accountability, and building a healthier relationship with collecting.

Watch The Episode On YouTube

Learn More & Join The Movement:

Website: collectorsmd.com

Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com

Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX

Contact: [email protected]

YT: ‪@collectorsmd

IG: @collectorsmd

Follow Paully & #GetToStackin:

Website: gettostackin.com

YT: @Paullydoughnuts

IG: @paullydoughnuts

X: @paullydoughnuts

This Episode of The Collector's Compass is sponsored by ‪All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% of your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

Help for Problem Gambling: Call or Text 800-GAMBLER

#CollectorsMD | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly