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Stacking Slabs
Stacking Slabs
Author: Brett McGrath
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© Stacking Slabs
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Welcome to the Stacking Slabs, a podcast for sports cards collectors. There's been a tremendous amount of change to our Hobby over the last few years and the one constant has been the passion from the collecting community. Stacking Slabs is built by the collector and lives to tell stories for the collector.
862 Episodes
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Royal Rumble season is the moment when wrestling and collecting collide. Storylines sharpen. Careers tilt. And the card market reacts in real time. What happens in the ring doesn’t stay there. It shows up in sales, demand, and how collectors rethink their positions.In this episode, Adam and Ryan break down the 2026 Royal Rumble through a collector’s lens. They talk about why Liv Morgan’s win mattered beyond the pop, how Roman Reigns winning wasn’t about surprise but certainty, and why WrestleMania season rewards collectors who understand momentum before it becomes obvious.They also dig into AJ Styles’ legacy moment and what consistency looks like in both wrestling and collecting. Not every reaction needs to be a flip. Not every spike needs to be chased. The episode walks through how seasoned collectors separate noise from signal when the spotlight gets brighter.This conversation is about staying grounded when the market heats up. About knowing when to act, when to hold, and when to ignore the crowd. If you collect with intention and want your decisions to match what you actually value, this episode will resonate.Check out RbiCru7 for all your wrestling and sports card needs!Join Adam's Main Event Wrestling Cards group for freeGet exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast PatreonFollow Ryan: | Instagram | Website | YouTubeFollow Adam: | X | InstagramFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok
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This episode is about how collectors actually think when the noise gets loud.Pack and Brett work through the week that sits right on top of the Super Bowl and right in the middle of a Prizm release. The market is moving. Opinions are flying. Prices are changing in real time.They break down what cultural impact means for players like Shedeur Sanders and why performance alone no longer tells the full story. They look at Prizm in hand and how design, feel, and timing change perception. They dig into post playing day cards and why rigid rules often fall apart once a card hits your search results.You’ll hear why some collectors chase liquidity while others chase conviction. Why Kabooms command attention. Why certain golds feel overpriced until they don’t. And why patience keeps showing up as the hardest skill to learn.This is a conversation for collectors who trust their taste more than the comment section and want to build collections they can stand behind five years from now.Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking SlabsFollow The Football Card Podcast on Instagram for memes and stuff.Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeGet exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | TiktokFollow Pack: | Instagram
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This is a two-part episode about conviction in a hobby that rarely slows down. I start with Justin Wickizer, Director of Marketplace at PSA, to unpack the thinking behind the PSA Vault Spotlight Auction. We talk about why PSA is leaning into curated auctions, how attention and storytelling shape outcomes, and what it means when high-end cards meet the reach of eBay. This part of the conversation pulls back the curtain on how institutions think about trust, visibility, and collector behavior in today’s market.Then the episode shifts from infrastructure to instinct. I’m joined by Andy to talk about building a 90s collection right now. Not from a hype angle, but from a place of intent. Andy shares how he approaches rarity, why research matters more than speed, and how patience and refinement have reshaped his collection over time. Together, these conversations explore the same question from two angles. How do you collect with confidence when everything around you is loud?Check out PSA Vault's Spotlight Auction Follow Andy (@byebyebabycards) Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeStart your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok
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The hobby is in the middle of a real transition. Licenses are moving. Logos are changing. Timelines feel unclear. And a lot of collectors feel uneasy without knowing why.This episode is not about what to buy next. It is about how to think while something big shifts around you. Panini to Topps. Fanatics stepping in. New marketing. New noise. Same collector sitting at home asking one quiet question. What does this mean for the way I collect?We talk mindset. Identity. Anxiety. Hype cycles. First year and last year traps. Why urgency feels loud right now. And how to slow down without falling behind. This episode is for collectors who want clarity, agency, and confidence while the ground feels like it is moving.Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you.Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeStart your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok
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We are standing at a turning point in the hobby.Before we rush into what comes next, this episode slows things down and looks back at the Panini era. Not to praise it. Not to tear it down. To understand it.Panini did more than release products. It reshaped how collecting looks, feels, and moves. From Prizm changing modern card design, to product ladders, chase mechanics, and a release calendar that never stopped, this era trained collectors in ways many of us did not notice in real time.This episode breaks down what actually happened during the Panini run. How the hobby expanded. How attention replaced intention. How rarity, desire, and visibility became tangled. And why understanding this era gives you more control as we head into the next one.Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeStart your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok
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Trust does not come from volume. It comes from choices made over time.In this episode of Passion to Profession, I sit down with Mike from MC Sports Cards to talk about how reputation became the foundation of his business. We get into why he chose quality over scale, how referrals built a powerful network effect, and what it really takes to earn trust when handling five and six figure cards.We also break down high-end cards on eBay, the impact of Authenticity Guarantee, MC Mondays, and why sometimes the best way to build trust is to say no to business. If you care about long-term relationships in the hobby, this one is for you.A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card.Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok
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Before parallels.Before hype cycles.Before anyone talked about value.This episode goes back to where WNBA card collecting began.Katelyn sits down with Anne Marie of Women on Topps to unpack the late 1990s and early 2000s. A period when the league and the cards were being built at the same time. No rules. No roadmap. No expectations.They walk through the first licensed sets, cards that came in cans, early autographs, die cuts, shoe relics, and redemptions. More important, they talk about how collectors showed up back then. Team focused. Set driven. Community first.This conversation is about history.It’s about why this era still matters.And it’s about what modern collectors can learn from a time when collecting felt closer to fandom than finance.Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of The WNBA Card PodcastFollow the WNBA Card Podcast on Instagram Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeGet exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | TiktokFollow Katelyn: | Instagram
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Royal Rumble week always brings noise. This one brings signal.Adam and Ryan are joined by Brett for a wide-ranging conversation that sits right at the intersection of wrestling storytelling and wrestling cards. Sami Zayn. AJ Styles. Logan Paul. Bron Breakker. Bianca Belair. Liv Morgan. If it matters this weekend, it’s on the table.They break down Royal Rumble predictions, surprise entrants, and what major story beats mean for the card market right now. From Black Finite Prizm cards to Cactus Jack Chrome, from Panini nostalgia to what Topps is doing next, this episode looks at how collectors react when moments, scarcity, and emotion collide.They also dig into how collectors actually buy today. eBay. Private deals. Group chats. Facebook. Even digital repacks. What works. What doesn’t. And why relationships still matter more than any platform.If you collect wrestling cards with intention, this episode will feel familiar.If you don’t, it might change how you look at the hobby.Check out RbiCru7 for all your wrestling and sports card needs!Join Adam's Main Event Wrestling Cards group for freeGet exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast PatreonFollow Ryan: | Instagram | Website | YouTubeFollow Adam: | X | InstagramFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok
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In this episode of The Football Card Podcast, Pack Nicholson and Brett McGrath start with the story no one predicted but everyone is now reacting to — Super Sam Darnold.They talk through what Darnold’s rise says about patience, belief, and what happens when a player finally lands in the right situation. It becomes a broader conversation about why collectors who hold conviction often win long after the market moves on.From there, the episode expands into Prizm Iron Men and why checklist longevity matters more than surface-level accolades. They debate who truly deserves the title of King of Prizm and what sustained relevance across product cycles actually signals.They close by breaking down recent market sales across Prizm, Flawless, Rubies, and Superfractors, touching on record defensive card sales, undervalued legends like Marshall Faulk, modern bets like Caleb Williams, and why collecting with belief beats collecting with consensus every time.Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking SlabsFollow The Football Card Podcast on Instagram for memes and stuff.Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeGet exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | TiktokFollow Pack: | Instagram
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In this episode of Built for the Hobby, Brett sits down with Scott Lock, CEO and Co-founder of InfernoRed Technology, for an unscripted conversation on AI and its impact on the sports card hobby. There was no outline. No talking points. Just a real discussion on what AI means right now for collectors and hobby businesses.This is not an episode about hype or fear. Scott breaks down AI as a tool, where it is already showing up in the hobby, and why waiting for things to go back to how they were is not realistic. The conversation touches on speed, trust, human judgment, and why AI works best when it supports people instead of replacing them.If you collect cards, run a hobby business, or want to understand what is changing beneath the surface, this episode will help you think more clearly about what comes next and how to approach AI with intention instead of resistance.Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you.Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeStart your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok
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Over the last two decades, the average human attention span dropped from two and a half minutes to forty seconds.That reality is reshaping how collectors think, buy, and build.In this flagship episode of Stacking Slabs, Brett examines how shrinking attention impacts collecting decisions, long term satisfaction, and the ability to stay focused in a hobby that never stops moving.The episode explores shiny object syndrome, abandoned collecting lanes, and the constant pressure created by product drops, social feeds, auctions, and hobby content.It also outlines practical ways collectors can take control of their attention. Clarifying priorities. Filtering noise. Creating space to collect with intention.This episode is about protecting focus so a collection reflects personal values rather than momentary hype.Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you.Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeStart your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok
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On this episode of The Staging Area, presented by dcsports87, I’m back with Tory to break down what’s really happening in the market right now.We start with the $45,100 Victor Wembanyama White Geometric Auto sale and use it as a lens to talk about something bigger than one card.Are these prices realWho is actually buyingWhy Topps Chrome basketball keeps commanding attentionAnd what liquidity really means in 2026If you collect modern cards, sell singles, or think about timing and pricing, this conversation will challenge how you look at the market and your own collection.This episode is about clarity, not predictions.A special thank you to dcsports87 for supporting this series. Check out dcsports87 for your eBay consignment needs and visit the dcsports87 eBay store to find great cards ending every night.Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeGet exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow dcsports87: | Website | eBay | Instagram | Twitter Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok
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Trust decides who stays and who leaves in this hobby.In this episode of Passion to Profession, Brett sits down with Josh from PC Sportscards to talk about what it takes to build a business collectors trust with their cards, their money, and their time.Josh walks through how PC Sportscards scaled during a period of growth while keeping transparency front and center. From fixed price listings that outperform auctions to grading workflows built around over communication, this conversation pulls back the curtain on how real trust gets built.You will hear why mistakes are not the risk. Hiding them is.Why customers for life matter more than fast transactions.And why technology, process, and empathy all work together.A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card.Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok
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Before the WNBA existed, women were already playing.Competing. Traveling. Winning.In this episode of the WNBA Card Podcast, Katelyn sits down with Cindy Dick (@giantlegends_, founder of On Her Mark and one of the most respected voices in vintage women’s sports cards.They explore women’s basketball cards from the 1920s through the early 1990s. Chocolate cards. Employer league teams. College sets. International releases. Cards that existed when opportunity was limited and visibility was rare.This conversation connects the dots between history, representation, and collecting.Why these cards matter.What they tell us about the game before the league.And why understanding this era changes how you look at modern WNBA cards.If you collect women’s basketball, this episode gives you context you cannot skip.Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of The WNBA Card PodcastFollow the WNBA Card Podcast on Instagram Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeGet exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | TiktokFollow Katelyn: | Instagram
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The road to the Royal Rumble always brings noise. Storylines shift. Favorites emerge. Markets react.Adam Gellman and Ryan from RBICru7 break down what actually matters right now in wrestling cards.They talk through potential Royal Rumble outcomes and what those results mean for card values. They compare hype versus reality for names like Sami Zayn, Bron Breakker, Liv Morgan, Tiffany Stratton, and Rhea Ripley. They explain why some wrestlers move markets while others never do.They also dig into real data. Card Ladder trends. GemRate numbers. What the data says. What it misses. And why wrestling cards don’t behave like other categories.This episode closes with honest advice for collectors. How to start a PC. How to avoid chasing noise. And how to build something that still matters years from now.If you collect wrestling cards, this one helps you slow down and make better decisions.Check out RbiCru7 for all your wrestling and sports card needs!Join Adam's Main Event Wrestling Cards group for freeGet exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast PatreonFollow Ryan: | Instagram | Website | YouTubeFollow Adam: | X | InstagramFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok
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Somewhere between those two truths is where football card collecting lives.This episode moves through the chaos of championship football and the chaos of the hobby. Big moments. Bigger emotions. We talk about hype cycles in real time. How collectors react when prices move fast. Why some cards feel right even when the data feels wrong.From modern quarterbacks carrying the future of the market to forgotten defenders with stories that never leaveThis is a conversation about how collectors think when the season is ending and the pressure is rising.If you collect football cards with your head and your heart this episode speaks your language.Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking SlabsFollow The Football Card Podcast on Instagram for memes and stuff.Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeGet exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | TiktokFollow Pack: | Instagram
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
Most of the hobby never shows up on your feed.This episode focuses on the part of collecting that lives outside social media, marketplaces, and public sales. The cards that stay locked in personal collections. The collectors who never post. The demand that never shows itself online.Brett shares why relying only on what you see can shape your decisions in the wrong direction. He walks through my own chase for Andrew Luck cards that never appeared for sale and how relationships, patience, and asking questions led to access.This conversation is about learning how to collect with clarity when supply looks thin, prices feel unclear, and hype moves fast. It is about building conviction without needing validation from a screen.If you want to think deeper about scarcity, demand, and what matters in your collection, this episode is for you.Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeStart your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok
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This flagship episode of Stacking Slabs explores why community plays such a critical role in card collecting.The episode opens with a personal moment involving a missed opportunity on a 2013 Reggie Wayne Gold Prizm /10, the final card needed to complete a long-term collecting run. What follows is not a story about price or timing, but about a fellow collector who stepped in, prioritized the relationship, and helped make the moment possible. That experience becomes the foundation for a broader conversation about how trust, reputation, and shared purpose shape outcomes in the hobby.Throughout the episode, Brett examines how collecting in community leads to better experiences and better results. He breaks down how relationships help surface cards that never hit the open market, why generosity often creates access, and how long-term collectors benefit from giving before they need something in return. The discussion challenges the idea that collecting is a solo pursuit and reframes community as a form of leverage that compounds over time.This episode is not about what to buy or when to buy. It is about how collectors show up for one another, how trust is built through repeated actions, and why the strongest collections are often backed by strong relationships. For anyone who collects with intention, this episode offers a reminder that the real value in the hobby often comes from the people behind the cards.Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you.Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeStart your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok
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Card Ladder Confidential is back for 2026 with a conversation built for collectors who care about signal over noise. Brett sits down with Chris and Josh to pressure test what growth in the hobby means right now.They unpack real data from Card Ladder, including price indexes and transaction volume, and ask the hard question. Is the hobby growing or getting louder. The discussion moves into research as a collector edge, why price is only the opinion of two people, how types of cards earn long term demand, and where private deals fit when comps fail.This episode is for you if you want to collect with intent, build conviction, and understand what actually lasts when attention shifts.Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking SlabsGet exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Josh: | InstagramFollow Chris: | InstagramFollow Card Ladder: | Instagram | YouTube | WebsiteFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok
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On this episode of Passion to Profession, presented by eBay, Brett sits down with Aaron and Curt from BBC Emporium for a real conversation about trust in the hobby.They pull back the curtain on what it really looks like to buy entire collections.Not the edited version.The real one.You hear how engineering backgrounds shape their operation.Why transparency matters when someone hands you their life’s collection.How paying strong creates leverage years later.And why reputation still beats short term margins.This episode is for you if you’ve ever thought about selling a collection. Or buying one. Or building a business that lasts in the hobby.A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card.Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok
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