Stacking Slabs

Brett started collecting Tyrese Haliburton with a rule: Pacers uniform only. As his connection to the player grew, his collection changed.

In this episode, Brett shares the story behind buying Haliburton’s 2020-21 Panini Obsidian Electric Etch White Mojo rookie 1/1. He discusses losing track of the card after it sold, getting another opportunity at auction, and researching why it belonged alongside his Crown Royale rookie 1/1.

Through memories of the Pacers’ playoff run and the research behind this purchase, Brett explores how collecting a player can change the rules a collector started with.

Sign...

How much of what you want comes from what you keep seeing?

This week, Brett explores how releases, breaks, and clips influence our collecting decisions, and how studying checklists opens up cards we didn’t know existed.

From Panini Crusade basketball to his 2012 Prizm Reggie Wayne Finite 1/1, he shares how he evaluates player connection, product history, scarcity, and demand. The conversation offers a process for researching cards and understanding why you want to own them, even if the hobby’s attention never follows.

Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can buil...

What makes a card worth owning when you take resale value out of the decision?

Katelyn and Mark talk about collecting WNBA cards for the photography, the memories, and the enjoyment of turning through a binder. From digging through 25-cent boxes to collecting 1997 Pinnacle legends, they share what earns a card a place in their collections.

Then comes the challenge: build a nine-card binder page with $100. Mark chooses Donruss mascots to tell the story of the season. Katelyn builds around Napheesa Collier, Arike Ogunbowale, and Jackie Young, considering everything from trophy photos to which direction...

Dan McKee started collecting T206 cards at seven years old. Fifty-seven years of collecting now inform how he buys, sells, and runs Darby-s Vintage on eBay.

In this episode of Passion to Profession, Brett talks with Dan about turning collecting knowledge into a business. Dan shares how he finds inventory in auction catalogs, why he gives some listings years to sell, and how he handles purchases that lose money.

He also shares the story behind a $600 U.S. Caramel wrapper, showing Frank Robinson a card the player hadn’t seen, and building sets with his fa...

You don’t have to sell cards to build a business in the hobby.

In this episode of Hobby Jobs, Brett uses PackScout’s launch to explore opportunities to serve collectors and operators. He shares how Stacking Slabs grew from his questions about collecting and explains how skills in photography, inventory management, sales, and customer support can translate into work in the sports card industry.

Brett breaks down how to identify a problem, test an offer with a customer, and account for the time it takes to deliver. He explores careers in cards without starting a co...

Does winning Money in the Bank change what you’re willing to pay for a wrestler’s cards?

Adam and Ryan break down the fallout through a collector’s perspective. They debate buying, selling, and holding Penta, Tiffany Stratton, Roxanne Perez, Je’Von Evans, Liv Morgan, Chelsea Green, and Carmelo Hayes. Their disagreement on Penta gets into the difference between collecting a wrestler and selling into demand.

Plus, Roman Reigns redemption sales, Flawless Star Swatches, and a conversation about what makes a wrestler worth collecting. From Prizm Gold to debut patches, the guys discuss how design...

What happens when a card shows up and you start reconsidering what you’re willing to sell?

Pack Nicholson shares the story behind buying the 2005 Finest Priest Holmes Superfractor 1/1. From negotiating the price to selling cards to fund it, the purchase brings his collecting priorities into focus.

Pack and Brett also question why collectors pay for quarterback potential before performance. Trevor Lawrence, Bryce Young, and Brock Purdy lead a conversation about hype, winning, and what creates demand.

Plus, listener questions on MVPs versus championships, one-of-ones from the 1990s and 2000s, and what football ca...

What do you learn when you spend time with the cards you own?

Brett shares how taking his 2012 Prizm Andrew Luck Pylon 1/1 into the sunlight helped him appreciate owning it. That experience opens a conversation about what happens after the mail day. Spending time with your collection helps you recognize what belongs, understand how your taste has changed, and revisit the people and memories connected to your cards.

Get your cards out. Give yourself fifteen minutes. See what you learn.

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Brett has added about 10 cards to his collection this year and sold around 150 to get there. His buying has slowed down. His enjoyment of collecting has grown.

In this episode, Brett explores how understanding what you want changes how you buy. He examines the difference between wanting a card and wanting another purchase, how research helps determine what belongs, and how seeking approval influences collecting decisions.

He also questions when a buying process starts taking away from the enjoyment it was meant to support. After the package arrives and the excitement settles, what keeps you...

What happens when your team’s playoff run puts the cards you want beyond your budget?

Katelyn and Mark open Season 6, Episode 1 with a conversation about the WNBA Finals and what winning means for collectors. They discuss Angel Reese, Gabby Williams, and the tension between cheering for your team and watching card prices climb.

Katelyn shares how she found a 2023 Origins Napheesa Collier Black 1/1 for her six-card collection. Mark explains why this playoff run has him revisiting cards he owns.

They also talk rookie targets, Donruss, Prizm, and deciding when to buy or wa...

What makes you return to a card shop, open someone’s stream, or trust them with your collection?

This week, I’m recording solo and reflecting on twelve conversations from Passion to Profession. From Grant Slayton helping me find my Andrew Luck 1/1 to Collins Boyce welcoming collectors who aren’t buying, I look at the work that earns another visit.

I also share how these lessons shape my decisions at Stacking Slabs. Hiring, handing off responsibilities, supporting my family, and giving you a reason to keep listening are all part of building this business.

If y...

What happens when customers want to buy from you, but growing the business means letting someone else earn their trust?

In this episode of Hobby Jobs, I explore that question through my conversation with Josh O’Daniel of Odeezy Sports Cards. We talk about handing off responsibilities, helping employees build relationships, and teaching the standards customers count on without asking people to copy your personality.

I also examine Arena Club’s partnership with the Philadelphia 76ers and what happens after a fan’s introduction to collecting. Getting someone’s attention starts the relationship. The experience that fol...

The card you’ve been waiting for hits the market. Do you buy it, or does seeing more copies for sale make you question your collection?

Adam and Ryan answer listener questions about wrestling cards, patience, and where they’re putting their collecting dollars. They discuss the supply arriving through Panini redemption fulfillment, what draws them to Flawless, and why 2019 Topps Transcendent and 2015 Topps Undisputed deserve attention.

The conversation also covers WWE sales data, what auction results leave out, Topps release calendars, and Money in the Bank predictions. Plus, a question worth asking before you sell...

You spend months looking for a card. You make the deal. Then you open your saved searches and start looking for another.

When do you take time to enjoy what you’ve built?

Pack and Brett  discuss the research, negotiations, and relationships that keep collectors buying and selling. Brett shares how spending 10–15 minutes with his cards has helped him appreciate his collection. Pack explains how viewing a sale as a trade helps him decide which cards to let go.

The conversation covers Bowman University’s place in Bowman, Topps Chrome Cosmic, and sales featuri...

The friendships you build through cards can change how you collect.

Katelyn welcomes Mark (mjs_sportscards) as her cohost for Season 6 of The WNBA Card Podcast. A history professor and Atlanta Dream fan, Mark shares why Allisha Gray anchors his collection and how collecting Pinnacle, Fleer Ultra, and Rittenhouse has helped him learn about the players who built the league.

They introduce their plans for the season, react to the WNBA playoffs and awards, and discuss how collectors value A’ja Wilson’s accomplishments.

Join Katelyn and Mark for conversations about the players you...

Why do we spend so much time debating cards that most of us will never buy?

In this episode, Brett explores what happens after an auction ends. Why we judge the buyer. Why we want the price to validate our collections. And why one sale gets treated as a verdict on the hobby.

He separates the transaction, the signal, and the spectacle to help collectors understand what a sale tells us and where the evidence stops.

Before you let someone else’s purchase change how you collect, ask what it changes for you.

To close Season 5 of the WNBA Card Podcast, I interview Katelyn (@coldlunchcards) about her Minnesota Lynx fandom and the collection it has inspired.

We talk about finding community after moving to Minnesota, Maya Moore’s place in Lynx history, and why Napheesa Collier’s values matter to Katelyn’s collecting. She shares her goal of building a six-card Collier collection and the story behind her 2019 Donruss Optic Gold rookie numbered to 10.

We close with a question for every collector: If your cards lost their value, would you still want to own them?

Check...

What brings you back to a breaker when you don’t hit the card you wanted?

Josh O’Daniel of Odeezy Sports Cards thinks about that question. He joins Brett to share how opening Pokémon packs on Twitch became a business with a team, a card shop, and collectors who traveled to attend his store opening.

Josh discusses building the business alongside his wife, Lizzie, before leaving an 18-year career at UPS. We get into selling on eBay Live, shipping breaks the next day, covering customer messages, and creating a community where people spend time...

What happens to the collector experience when the owner isn’t there?

In this episode of Hobby Jobs, I explore the systems behind buying, inventory, shipping, and customer service. Each handoff affects whether a collector trusts your business enough to return.

Then I sit down with Oday Hishmeh, Founder and CEO of It’s Time Sports Cards, TCG, and eSports. Oday brings his experience operating Domino’s locations and owning Ace Hardware stores into building a place where families spend time, play, and trade.

We talk about testing Pokémon sales inside Ace Hardwar...

You waited for an autograph of the wrestler you collect. Your package arrived with someone else.

How do you decide what that replacement means to you?

Kevin from New York Roadshow joins Adam and Ryan to unpack the Panini WWE redemption closeout. They discuss Roman Reigns on-card autographs, Flawless replacements, and how to evaluate white box cards beyond the 1/1 stamp.

The conversation gets into the tension between replacement value and collector attachment. A card’s price doesn’t explain why you wanted it.

They discuss how the arrival of these cards affe...

Does quarterback prospecting define how you see football cards?

Pack and Brett discuss Drake Maye’s start to the season and the expectations collectors build into quarterback card prices. They examine why that part of the market gets so much attention while collectors pursue players, sets, and memories that mean something to them.

The conversation turns to selling cards. Do you owe anyone an explanation? Does posting the same card for sale over and over change how collectors respond when it reaches auction?

Plus, grading cards for your PC, sales of Tom Brady, Pe...

When someone says they’re putting money in GOATs, what are they counting on? A career people remember? A card collectors keep chasing? A buyer who will be there when it’s time to sell?

I look at Steph Curry, Peyton Manning, and Barry Bonds to think through how demand builds over time. We talk about the cards collectors recognize, what a sale can tell us, and why a player’s name cannot make every purchase work.

Before you buy, ask yourself why you want that card and who else keeps coming back for it.

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I paid a lot for a Roman Reigns 1/1 that had no public sale to point to. I knew why I wanted the card. I still had to decide how I got to that number.

In this episode, I talk through what a comp can tell us, where comparisons fall short, and why your buy price, your sale price, and the value of owning a card can be three different numbers.

I also share the questions I ask before making an offer: What else can a collector buy? What would I have to give up? What...

Chad (@packtothefuturepodcast) went to a Portland Fire game with his wife while he was still learning the WNBA. The crowd drew him in. Chelsea Gray tied a three-point record that night, and a card he bought afterward became the one that means the most in his WNBA collection.

Katelyn (@coldlunchcards) talks with Chad about becoming a Fire fan, choosing which players to collect, and building a collection while the team builds its history. They also get into what past collecting decisions taught him about buying cards that hold meaning, even when a player moves on.

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Collins Boyce has built Curated Cards and Collectibles across card shows, a store, and eBay Live. The part that stayed with me was how he treats the person buying the card.

On his live streams, you can talk cards all day and leave without buying one. When a card sells for less than he expected, he tells the buyer, “Great take.”

Collins and I talk about what he learned from working alongside a shop owner, why he joined forces with a business partner, and how his team decides where each card from a collection should sell...

A collector walks into a card shop for the first time. What happens there determines whether they want to return.

I talk with John Amendola, founder and CEO of Mintink, about how he thinks through that visit. We get into greeting people without pressuring them, making room for kids and parents, training staff as Mintink grows, and listening when someone has a bad experience.

John says the first sale is easy. The harder question is whether collectors feel enough connection to come back and tell someone else about the shop. This conversation is about the...

John Cena’s WrestleMania patch auto sold for $329,400. Ryan bid on it, set his limit, and watched someone else take it home. He won the Rhea Ripley WrestleMania patch auto in the same auction.

Adam and Ryan talk through both sales and why one result can’t tell you what every wrestling card is worth. They also look at WWE Stadium Club, Panini redemptions, and a question every collector faces when a product releases: buy the card now, or wait for more copies to surface?

Then Tim Benito of CardVault by Tom Brady joins the show...

A collector asks a question that stays with Pack and Brett: If prices, posts, and other people’s opinions disappeared, what football cards would you still want?

They talk about the difference between buying because a card is available and collecting because you know why it belongs with you. They also look at overlooked football cards from the 1990s, including two 1/1s that sent them searching through sets they knew little about.

Plus, listener collections, team collecting, Jalen Hurts, and recent sales of Tom Brady, Bo Nix, Tony Romo, Brett Favre, and Troy Polamalu cards.

Why does this card belong in your collection?

A buying thesis gives you an answer before emotion, scarcity, and outside opinions take control.

Brett explains the six parts of his process: the personal case, card case, market case, price case, ownership case, and risk case. He applies the process to his purchases of the Roman Reigns Immaculate 1/1, John Cena Superfractor 1/1, and Tyrese Haliburton Crown Royale 1/1.

A thesis cannot predict the future. It helps you understand the decision, accept the tradeoffs, and live with the outcome after the excitement wears off.

...

I spent $30,000 on the 2022 Immaculate Roman Reigns Premium Memorabilia Autograph Platinum 1/1.

The price will get attention. The decisions behind it are the story.

I break down the relationship that made the deal possible, how I funded the purchase, and why I sold around 60 cards to bring one card into my collection.

This episode is about sacrifice, collection projects that have run their course, and the difference between chasing scarcity and buying a card that belongs in your collection.

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

Jarrod, better known as @wnbacardcollector, joins Katelyn to share how a Sue Bird rookie led him from vintage baseball into WNBA cards.

He explains why Rittenhouse cards hold his attention, how attending an Atlanta Dream game changed his fandom, and why Rhyne Howard became the center of his collection.

The conversation covers his Rhyne Howard Gold Vinyl rookie auto 1/1, the signed debut ticket he considers his personal grail, and the five rookie cards he would use to start an Atlanta Dream collection.

Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking...

Jamison Long left a career in corporate sales to build Port City Sports Collectibles.

The goal was never to open a store built around transactions. He wanted to create a place where collectors felt known.

That decision is driving the growth of the business.

After starting in a 1,500-square-foot shop, Port City moved into a space of nearly 6,000 square feet. The store now has days that match what it once sold in a week.

Jamison joins Brett to discuss:

GameStop sold $356.3 million in collectibles during its latest quarter. The category now accounts for 45 percent of company sales.

The demand is there.

Collector trust still has to be earned.

In this episode of Hobby Jobs, I examine what GameStop needs to become a collectibles business, why inventory alone will not create community, and where new jobs can emerge across the sports card industry.

I also connect these lessons to Sam Gordon’s career at Overtime and introduce a five-part system for creating career leverage:

Observe. Translate. Shrink. Measure. Transfer.

Topps WWE’s Tim Trout joins Adam and Ryan to explain how the team is connecting collectors to wrestling history through cards.

Tim shares the plan behind Topps Universe, the scarcity of the Slammed inserts, the use of match-related materials, and the work required to place key relic pieces into one-of-one cards. He also reveals incoming Joe Hendry guitar-pick relics, Danhausen’s first certified Topps WWE autographs, and what determines which debut patches reach each Chrome release.

Then Adam and Ryan examine the John Cena WrestleMania Patch Auto crossing $250,000 and why one sale does not esta...

One NFL game can change how you see a player, a team, and the cards sitting on your watch list.

Pack and Brett examine when an on-field result creates a buying opportunity and when it creates an emotional decision.

They discuss the risks of team collecting, the long-term outlook for Justin Herbert, Sam Darnold’s lack of hobby attention, and whether the $1.238 million Tom Brady Prizm Black Finite sale changes the football card market.

The conversation also covers Panini’s run with the NFL license, Week 1 reactions, recent card sales, and the importance of s...

What gives a card value when no comparable sale can explain why it matters to you?

Chris McGill and Josh Johnson join Brett for a conversation about what the market cannot price.

They discuss the owner’s price, replacement difficulty, the appeal of one-of-ones, and the difference between following the market and building your own card hierarchy.

Josh shares why he bid $27,000 on a Todd Gurley card that he won for $4,000. Chris explains the history behind his 1998 Topps Gold Label Wayne Gretzky one-of-one and why he regrets selling parts of his Christian McCaffrey co...

The hobby spends a lot of time talking about how cards enter collections and how they leave.

We talk about the chase, the deal, the grade, and the sale.

We skip the years when the card is yours.

In this episode, Brett explores what ownership gives collectors beyond market value. He shares the story behind four T.Y. Hilton Prizm Black Finite 1/1s and examines how time, knowledge, memory, and relationships deepen our connection to cards.

Keeping a card is not always the absence of a decision.

Sometimes, keeping...

Shawn (@motorcitymarks) started following Marina Mabrey when she arrived at Notre Dame. When she entered the WNBA, he knew he wanted to collect her cards.

That decision became a supercollection.

Katelyn and Shawn discuss the hunt for Mabrey’s cards, the work behind completing rainbows, the role relationships have played in finding one-of-ones, and why her 2021 Prizm Gold /10 remains his personal grail.

They also examine Mabrey’s role with the Toronto Tempo, the growth of her card market, and what representing an entire country can mean for the next wave of WNBA collectors.

Sam Gordon had accepted a job on Wall Street.

Two weeks before he was set to start, he walked away and joined Overtime as its 12th employee. The company had a few months of funding left.

Today, Sam serves as VP of Programming and Head of YouTube at Overtime.

Sam shares how $15 videos of Zion Williamson reached SportsCenter, why Overtime chose speed over production quality, and how the company grew from a social media account into a sports league.

We also get the collector’s view of building the Topps OTE ca...

Relationships gain value when you take care of them before you need something.

In this episode of Hobby Jobs, Brett shares why trust remains one of the most valuable assets in the sports card industry.

Brett also announce BCW Supplies as the presenting sponsor of Hobby Jobs and explains why this partnership supports the people building businesses across the hobby.

You will learn: