The Shallow End

Dan (@CardsAndCardio on IG) paints a picture of what it means to collect with direction. From Jesse Owens, to Otto Graham and other vintage QBs, to Jackie Robinson, to actor and comedian Bill Murray, Dan makes sure every individual card he picks up connects to the larger collection he's trying to build.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards.

Longtime friend of The Shallow End Samuel Evans returns to chat with Dave about The National, Samuel's role within the NSCC, and how The National is about the cards yet so much more. Find Samuel on Instagram @thesprtzcardcoltr.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

We all deserve a good meal. Don't you think? Thank you to Steven Rodel and Cameron Ross Steiner for the inspiration.

When a consigner potentially mislabeled my sports card to such a degree that its value began to tank, I was faced with a decision: take a financial hit, or bid on my own card. In this episode, I talk through the situation and explain why I felt it was important not to bid.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Jason (@contrarian_cards on IG) and Dave begin with the premise, What should a longtime Panini football and basketball card collector know about Topps as Fanatics readies to take over the NFL and NBA card licenses? From there, it's a free-wheeling discussion about what it's like to collect and understand baseball cards in 2025.

In this podcast audio essay, Dave confronts the realities of breaking and sports cards, and the false narratives used to make excuses for it.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

We've all got a horror story, a past decision in our collecting that haunts us. Today's guest, Andrew (IG: @fairstarcards), knows more about failure than most. He preaches it to his students. In this episode, we become his students as he shows us why those past failures should be embraced, not forgotten.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Addiction takes many forms, including within the world of sports cards. From overspending, to patterns of hiding behavior, to an inability to detach from The Hobby, sports-card addiction can leave us feeling hopeless and out of control. Today's guest, Alyx Effron of CollectorsMD, knows this first hand. That's why he's created a platform to help collectors figure out how to get help.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Greg (@Paper_and_Chrome on IG) is an Albert Pujols collector who set out to clarify "The Machine's" best rookie cards. So Greg surveyed 50 Pujols collectors. In this episode of The Shallow End, he shares the results.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_SportsCards on IG.

If you'd like to watch the video version of this episode, you can do so here on YouTube.

Over several months, Dave read three books about the history of sports cards. Here are 10 takeaways that helped him learn more about The Hobby.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Card Sharks, by Pete Williams (1995)

The Card, by Michael O'Keeffe and Teri Thompson (2007)

Mint Condition, by Dave Jamieson (2010)