The Talking Shop Podcast

This episode starts with the numbers — and they don’t tell a clean story. The guys dig into Cooper vs. Kon Knueppel, what really matters for ROY, and why the hobby may have already crowned its winner regardless of the debate.

Then it’s a deep dive into Topps Royalty WWE, where a 1/1 John Cena match-used patch auto sparks a bigger question: are we chasing greatness… or just the same names over and over?

Bowman Baseball is coming, and as always, it’s not about who’s the best — it’s about who got the 1st Bowman Chrome auto. The guys break down what actually matters before this product hits.

And in Hobby News:

• Two Wolverine cards sell for basically the same price… but shouldn’t
• Dana White drops six figures on a Roman Anthony card — and resets the room
• PSA’s new Allen Iverson autograph program — game changer or just convenient?

This one’s about what collectors say they value… vs what they actually buy.

• Cooper Flagg vs Kon Knueppel ROY debate
• Rookie stats vs narrative vs market value
• Topps Royalty WWE first look (Cena 1/1 patch auto)
• 2026 Bowman Baseball preview (what actually matters)
• Wolverine sales comparison (Chrome vs Finest)
• Dana White buys Roman Anthony for ~$100K
• PSA Allen Iverson autograph submission program
• “This Guy or That Guy” – Rookie of the Year card value debate

Wolverine Sales Comparison:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DXkTiZXD5xq/?igsh=ZzVyYWs4a3N2eGU5

Topps Marvel Chrome:
https://www.topps.com/pages/topps-marvel-studios-chrome

Topps Finest Fantastic Four:
https://www.topps.com/pages/topps-finest-fantastic-four

Dana White / Roman Anthony:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1525072289297246

PSA Allen Iverson Signing:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/947160298207640

Topps Royalty WWE:
https://www.topps.com/pages/topps-royalty-wwe

Bowman Baseball:
https://www.topps.com/pages/bowman-baseball

Because every card has a story.

#TalkingShopPodcast #SportsCards #CardCollecting

Two Topps products. Two completely different bets.This week, we break down Chrome Football vs Bowman Basketball, how collectors actually behave, and whether rarity is starting to slip in the hobby.

Topps Chrome Football breakdown

Bowman Basketball prospect debate

Gold Logoman controversy

Pokémon display

Links: https://www.topps.com/pages/topps-chrome-football https://www.topps.com/pages/bowman-basketball https://www.topps.com/products/roman-reigns-2026-wwe-topps-now%C2%AE-card-51 https://www.topps.com/products/2026-wrestlemania-vegas-set-wwe-topps-now%C2%AE-15-card-set https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10167169402333496&set=gm.1615173826203411&idorvanity=1278729546514509 https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXMb34zMEmI/?igsh=MW4waXFnc3hyYTd2eA%3D%3DBecause every card has a story.#TalkingShopPodcast #SportsCards #CardCollectingWelcome to Grand Slam Cards, located in the heart of Rock Hill, South Carolina! If you found something to enjoy in this video, we'd really appreciate it if you could hit that SUBSCRIBE and LIKE button. Also, drop a comment below to let us know what you're interested in seeing next!Visit us at our store at:952 Mt Gallant Rd, Rock Hill, SC 29730Our doors are open during the following hours:Monday-Friday: 11am-7pmSaturday: 11am-5pmIf you can't make it to our store? You can visit our website by clicking on the link below:https://grandslamcardsrockhill.square.site/And for those of you who are all about card breaks:https://www.grandslambreaksrockhill.com

Are collectors gaining clarity—or losing control?What happens when everything starts to “make sense”?Topps got on stage and laid out the future of the hobby.Not just products — the system.Parallels are getting standardized. Products are getting cleaner. Fewer surprises. More structure. On paper, it all makes sense.But that’s kind of the question…If everything starts to make sense — does the hobby get better… or just more controlled?This episode is just Michael and Jacob working through it in real time. No segments. No script. Just reacting to what Topps is actually building and what it might mean long-term.Some of it feels overdue.Some of it feels… a little too intentional.What we get into:Why parallels are being standardized (and who it really helps)The return of entry-level basketballBowman crossing into NBA + NILCarbon fiber cards (yeah… really)Why on-card autos are suddenly a bigger deal againGame-used vs “player worn” — does it even matter anymore?And the bigger question: is the hobby being simplified… or engineered?Source discussed in the episode:https://www.ludex.com/blog/trading-card-university/everything-revealed-at-the-2026-topps-industry-conference/If you made it this far — like, subscribe, leave a comment, and let us know where you land on this.Because this one’s not obvious.Because every card has a story.#TalkingShopPodcast #SportsCards #Topps

More stars… less value? Does grading even matter anymore?The hobby says one thing — but does another.This week, Deadpool crashes the hobby, Leaf drops chaos in a box, and two major stories challenge how collectors think about value, grading, and what actually matters.Deadpool cards = fun or future value?Leaf Glory = chaos or the future?Hall of Fame “Who’s on the Bus”PSA vs BGS debateOhtani vs dual auto shockLinks:https://www.beckett.com/news/2025-leaf-glory-of-the-game-basketball-cards/https://www.instagram.com/p/DWhRkwpgdfE/https://www.instagram.com/p/DWMgjYUlBaN/Because every card has a story.#TalkingShopPodcast#SportsCards#CardCollecting

Opening Day is here… but the hobby isn’t waiting.Players are already priced like they’ve had great seasons. Prospects are moving before they’ve proven anything. And collectors are being pushed to make decisions early.In this episode, we break down what’s actually happening:Why Topps Heritage is hiding value that most collectors never even noticeThe new Topps Chrome Deadpool “Reflections” inserts — innovation or just more noise?Cosmic Chrome vs the Topps Collector Kit — what actually builds collectors todayA wild ranking of the top-selling players AND Pokémon on eBayWhy Charizard is outselling elite athletesTrade nights vs card shows — where real collectors actually show upThe Talking Shop Podcast - Because Every Card Has a Story

Jack Hughes up 2,617% — sustainable surge or sugar high?What actually defines a rookie card?Team USA wins gold and the hobby explodes. Jack Hughes autos jump 2,617% in one month — but is this real market movement or emotional buying?CHECK OUT THIS EPISODE'S SPONSOR:https://www.ebay.com/str/jasonstrashandtreasures?_trksid=p4624852.m570.l113337We debate Olympic spikes, spring training hype, Marvel Chrome’s resurgence, Tiger buybacks, and what truly defines a rookie card in today’s market.In this episode:• Jack Hughes Olympic market spike• 332K Topps NOW print run debate• Alysa Liu 1/1 comeback hold• 2025 PhotoGenic Football discussion• Leaf St. Patrick’s Day gamble• Konnor Griffin $8.9K spring sale• Marvel $17K Superfractor• Tiger Woods buyback inserts• What defines a rookie card?Because every card has a story.#TalkingShopPodcast#SportsCards#CardCollecting

Is breaking helping the hobby or hurting it? And what do you do after a monster pull?Breaking cards dominates the modern hobby — but is it good for collectors, bad for the market, or something uglier?Before the episode even begins, the guys debate the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of breaking cards.Then the show dives into a packed week in the hobby:• World Baseball Classic cards already hitting cardboard• John Cena’s celebration showing up in WBC culture• 2025 Leaf Optichrome Baseball breakdown• 2025-26 Topps Three Basketball high-end patch chase• Breaker meltdown after a Steph Curry card sells for market value• February grading numbers raise questions about SGC• Hobby 101: Blind Ranking what collectors should do after a monster pullWhich one are we wrong about?Story LinksWorld Baseball Classic Cardshttps://www.instagram.com/p/DVg-_RokoXX/John Cena WBC Celebrationhttps://www.instagram.com/p/DVcsWKFDP6g/Breaker Curry Meltdownhttps://www.instagram.com/p/DVWObAYkWlI/February Grading Numbershttps://www.instagram.com/p/DVXOZXfjUKH/Because every card has a story.#TalkingShopPodcast#SportsCards#CardCollecting

Series 1 vs Stadium Club — and are we in the golden age of wrestling cards?

Topps Series 1 is still hot — but the odds tell a different story. We break down what you’re really getting in Series 1 and Stadium Club, then shift to wrestling with a historic dual auto and a full 90s autograph set.

This episode: - Topps Series 1 - 2025 Stadium Club explained - Blind ranking why people grade - Cena & The Rock dual auto - 1998–99 WCW autograph set - Rip Night wrestling energy

Links:

Stadium Club: https://www.beckett.com/news/2025-topps-stadium-club-baseball-cards/

Cena/Rock: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17z6eJ6qza/

WCW Auto Set: https://www.ebay.com/itm/358224767855

Rip Night: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1NchZ6wLGD/

Because every card has a story.

#TalkingShopPodcast #SportsCards #CardCollecting

Episode 187 opens with Super Bowl nostalgia as the guys revisit Seahawks–Patriots and predict card value swings. A snow-hit Carolina Card Show and a tense Babe Ruth ball update set the tone early. New in the shop features the final licensed Panini Prizm Football and Topps Series 1 Baseball — Opening Day for the hobby. Hobby News tackles Bowman timing, Series 1 reactions, and PSA delays.

• Seahawks vs Patriots card impact

• Carolina Card Show recap

• Babe Ruth ball update

• Final licensed Prizm Football

• Topps Series 1 Opening Day

• Bad hobby advice blind ranking

• Bowman value vs timing

• PSA grading delays

https://palmettocards.com/pages/sc-card-showhttps://www.instagram.com/p/DUBg3ZODzxA/https://www.instagram.com/p/DUBasI3ke9R/https://www.instagram.com/p/DTf2z1nkUhx/

Because every card has a story.

#TalkingShopPodcast#SportsCards#CardCollecting

Topics CoveredStory Links

Is nostalgia overpriced? Do inserts matter more than players? And can podcasts move markets?Episode 186 kicks off with wrestling nostalgia and a $28,000 WrestleMania boot debate before rolling out our new Hobby 101 blind ranking segment. Then we dive into insert overload in Topps Series 1, Twilight case hits in Midnight Basketball, a controversial $75K Dallas Card Show trade, a Tiger Woods birthday grail, and whether Shaq’s podcast is influencing card prices.Topics Covered:Brock Lesnar wrestling nostalgia$28K WrestleMania XVIII boot auctionHobby 101: Blind ranking card value factorsTopps Series 1 insertsMidnight Basketball Twilight case hitsDallas Card Show controversyTiger Woods GOAT grailPodcast impact on card valuesBecause every card has a story#TalkingShopPodcast #SportsCards #CardCollecting