A busy show on the Hobby Handbook as Trent and Alex open up, discussing their pickups of the week and why people are sleeping on platforms that aren't eBay. Carl Abrams joins to discuss the GPK x MLB market. Plus, we look at Flagship Football and why everyone is wrong about it and why the Fernando Mendoza All Kings being redemptions is actually good.

0:00 - Pickups of the Week

8:00 - Why buying singles on platforms like Fanatics Collect is great because some people don’t look outside of monster cards

9:45 - Topps is sending out multiple redemptions to the same people and mistakes do happen

17:30 - Introducing Carl Abrams

19:30 - The growth of the GPK market

29:00 - Topps continues to find a balance with inserts/case hits

33:00 - Looking at the GPK market and the differences between each series

41:50 - GPK thoughts

45:15 - Trent is a football guy now?

49:50 - People are missing the point of Flagship Football

53:20 - Fernando Mendoza has redemptions for All Kings

54:40 - The one card you could remove from hobby history

1:06:20 - Pop Counts Don’t Matter As Much As People Think

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Trent is back, teaming up with Alex, and he made some big pickups while he was out. Alex and Trent debate a Mega Box vs. Logofractor box. Why you should buy cards of PC players from lesser sets. Plus, Alex visited one of the worst-run card shops in the country and lived to tell the tale. We wrap up with some thoughts on best practices for being a vendor at a card show.

0:00 - Trent is back and made some big pickups

5:00 - Topps Chrome Mega Box vs. Logofractor

13:10 - Topps Chrome is an investment-level set, but if you just want an auto from someone, look at other lower-end sets

17:10 - Alex reacts to one of the worst shops he’s been to

36:25 - Alt having the bounty auction for the Cooper Flagg Rookie Debut Patch Auto

1:00:00 - Card show etiquette for vendors buying cards

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Alex is back solo this week with Trent in Mexico enjoying his time off. He dives into something that came up on The Ballcard Show last week - are comps dead? Plus, educating and protecting yourself in the hobby.

0:00 - Intro

9:00 - Are Comps Dead?

17:00 - Buying/Selling and how to use comps in negotiations

19:50 - We are moving away from “Comps are everything” because of how quickly things change

21:00 - Theft in the hobby

25:00 - Protecting your investments in the hobby and the importance of security and insurance.

33:40 - Education in the hobby is a tough conversation with friends and family trying to re-enter the hobby

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Alex and Trent are back from Rosemont after a week at The National. We look back at what worked and what didn't in and around The National. Plus, plans to make it bigger next year? We dive into pricing around The National and whether it was as bad as some people said. Pickups of the show, Silver Packs, Grading, and so much more!

0:00 - Intro and back from The National

9:00 - The National could be bigger and better next year, but how could it be bigger?

12:00 - How was pricing at The National?

22:20 - Grading at the National

29:00 - Pickups of the Show

42:00 - Meeting Gronk and Bo Jackson

50:00 - Topps Silver Packs

58:25 - What could have been better?

1:03:00 - Trent finally got his massive Judge

1:06:00 - Wrap up with Topps Chrome Update Basketball Release.

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A jam-packed Hobby Handbook today as Alex and Trent are back from Fanatics Fest, prepping for The National, and also getting ready for the 2026 Topps Chrome Baseball release day.

0:00 - Everyone is back from Fanatics Fest

7:00 - Is it okay to have cards that aren't for sale in your showcase?

14:00 - Favorite pickups from the show

23:20 - Favorite moments from Fanatics Fest

38:55 - Darren Rovell’s hot take and why it was so wrong

46:25 - Topps Chrome Baseball Release Day

48:30 - Ohtani Back-to-Back Dual Logoman vs. ‘52 Mantle 

51:45 - Alex blind ranks the rookies in 2026 Topps Chrome

56:30 - What do we think of The Minions SPs? 

1:02:30 - The National Plans

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Alex and Trent play a game where they start with $20 and a list of 15 players. They each need to build a PC of five players with their $20. Unfortunately for Trent, the exercise does not go well for him.

0:00 - Fanatics Fest week is here, and Trent is no longer staying at The Meadowlands

3:00 - The reactions to Topps’ announcement about unsealed mega boxes make no sense. 

10:00 - Getting ready for Fanatics Fest later this week

18:00 - Spend $20 for a PC collection of 5 players

32:00 - Shohei Ohtani Bowman RC Update

39:00 - The under-the-radar stars like Ben Rice and Yordan Alvarez 

44:00 - Topps Chrome Baseball Releases next week

58:00 - Grading vs. selling after Topps Chrome releases

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It is very rare we get breaking news in the middle of a show, but after a major Topps announcement, we break down what their new pilot program with 2025-26 Topps Chrome Update Basketball mega boxes means. Plus, going through card show etiquette, the mailbag, and more!

0:00 - Alex is back and Trent’s Story about Facebook

10:00 - Alex’s buying habits on Fanatics Collect might be changing if they have fixed shipping

15:50 - Alex’s game for Trent on Ohtani cards

25:00 - Topps Finest Releases Today

35:40 - Topps Chrome Update Basketball and the rookie debut chase

40:00 - Card Show Etiquette 

42:00 - Buying for your PC and your collection 

55:25 - What do you think of the concept of flippers vs. scalpers

1:03:20 - Knowing card prices will help you so much at a card show so you don’t waste time looking up comps

1:09:00 - Breaking Topps announcement about Topps Chrome Update

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On Hobby Handbook this week, Alex has another consulting session, this time with Zack's Bowman Hacks!

0:00 - Intro to Zack and his business

4:50 - Selling cards, but not live selling or at card shows, and a move to full-time in cards.

10:00 - The reality of being a live-seller and how Zack is trying to balance life and also sell cards

16:10 - How Zack uses Bowman to fuel his business and how he picks which prospects to chase. 

24:00 - The benefit of buying at a card show and how Zack is slowly shifting his process.

33:00 - How to become a live seller and Alex helps Zack with questions

47:45 - Setting up your space to live stream and sell.

49:40 - “Don’t let your pursuit of perfection prevent progress”

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Brandon Stuff has gone from zero followers to nearly 40,000 followers on Instagram in less than a year as he continues to build his card business. While he's focused on buying Shohei Ohtani and Paul Skenes for himself, he still moves cards at shows, online, etc.

0:00 - Trent’s intro with the release schedule this week

2:45 - Introing Brandon Stuff and his backstory in the hobby

6:00 - His card-collecting philosophy 

11:30 - The importance of connections in the hobby and how they help to move bigger cards

17:20 - People don’t utilize Instagram enough for trades/sales

18:45 - Relationships are what make money in the hobby

25:00 - Not being afraid to overpay for a card you want if it is scarce 

33:00 - Avoiding scams in the hobby, especially on higher-end cards

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On this episode of The Hobby Handbook with Alex and Trent, we discuss the release of Topps Dynasty and how with a product like this the singles market will always be your friend. Plus, Nationals No. 2 Prospect, P Travis Sykora, joins the show to discuss his own collecting journey and how collecting forced him to improve his own signature!

0:00 - Intro/Trent’s Big Reveal

3:15 - Topps Dynasty Release Day 

9:00 - Inception vs. Dynasty

24:55 - Washington Nationals No. 2 Prospect Travis Sykora joins the show!

28:30 - How does he decide who to collect?

33:55 - How Travis takes pride in his signature now that he’s in the hobby himself, and how he uses inscriptions on cards. 

35:25 - All of the Superfractors that he owns of himself and how he won’t buy anymore because he wants collectors to have some too.

43:10 - The player Travis has struggled with the most and now collects his card. 

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