Collect This!

Author Jon Finkel joins CSG’s flagship podcast for a loving look at the icons of the junk wax era.Jon Finkel, author of the acclaimed sports books 1996: A Biography and Windmills and Tomahawks: Nine Chapters About Dominique Wilkins, joined Collect This! host Alan Goldsher for a two-part breakdown of their favorite athletes and cards of the 1990s.“Jon and I are both total nineties sports nerds,” said Goldsher, “so breaking down our favorite players from our favorite decade was second nature, primarily because this is the sort of discussion we have whenever we talk sports. This is why we needed two episodes to get it all in.”Goldsher continued, “We each picked ten athletes, then we discussed why they were awesome, then we talked about what we consider to be the coolest card from each. These aren’t necessarily the best cards or players from the decade — just the ones who meant the most to us. The only rule was that Michael Jordan wasn't allowed, due to the obviousness factor. Oh, spoiler alert: Barry Sanders is only one of two guys who made both of our lists.”For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

Author Jon Finkel joins CSG’s flagship podcast for a loving look at the icons of the junk wax era.Jon Finkel, author of the acclaimed sports books 1996: A Biography and Windmills and Tomahawks: Nine Chapters About Dominique Wilkins, joined Collect This! host Alan Goldsher for a two-part breakdown of their favorite athletes and cards of the 1990s.“Jon and I are both total nineties sports nerds,” said Goldsher, “so breaking down our favorite players from our favorite decade was second nature, primarily because this is the sort of discussion we have whenever we talk sports. This is why we needed two episodes to get it all in.”Goldsher continued, “We each picked ten athletes, then we discussed why they were awesome, then we talked about what we consider to be the coolest card from each. These aren’t necessarily the best cards or players from the decade — just the ones who meant the most to us. The only rule was that Michael Jordan wasn't allowed, due to the obviousness factor. Oh, spoiler alert: Barry Sanders is only one of two guys who made both of our lists.”For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

Collect This! lists five players from the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs who hobbyists might want to watch…none of whom are named Patrick Mahomes or Jalen Hurts.“Card collectors react to big games, and justifiably so. So when the Super Bowl matchup was decided, I wondered who hobbyists should train their eyes on.”So said Alan Goldsher, host of CSG’s flagship podcast, Collect This! In a special episode, Goldsher trained the spotlight on five Super Bowl performers who, with a stellar performance on February 12, could amp up their card value.Goldsher focused on players who aren’t currently darlings in the hobby. “We all know that Patrick Mahomes cards have fetched seven-figures, and Jalen Hurts’ standing in the community has climbed throughout the season. We also know that collectors love quarterbacks way more than they do any position, but Super Bowls are the kind of events that lead to increased interest in the non-QBs of the world.”For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

A heavyweight figure from the heavyweight auction house waxes about Kobe Bryant, GOATs and educating collectors.Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s Vice President and Head of Streetwear and Modern Collectibles, visited CSG’s flagship podcast Collect This, where he chatted with host Alan Goldsher about today’s auction scene.“One of the many cool things about Brahm is that he brings a sense of funk to Sotheby’s,” said Goldsher. “The auction house, which has been a thing since 1744, is amazing with or without said funk. But when there are multi-million-dollar sneakers on the platform with somebody like Brahm overseeing the whole thing, well, suddenly things are as funky as James Brown, something that multiple generations of collectors can appreciate."Goldsher continued, “Brahm is a lifelong collector whose love and deep knowledge of sports, sports memorabilia and sports cards should make any current or future Sotheby’s customer feel good about dropping big bucks on some Kobe or LeBron kicks.” For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

Nando DiFino from The Athletic discusses the commonality between drafting a fantasy baseball team and collecting baseball cards.Nando DiFino, one of the most venerable pundits in the world of fantasy sports, joined CSG’s flagship sports card podcast Collect This! for a wide-ranging chat that ran the gamut from oddball card collecting, to big-man bias amongst NBA hobbyists, to fantasy football drafting strategy.“Nando was a great get for the show,” said Collect This! host Alan Goldsher. “He writes and podcasts for both The Athletic and the Bettor Sports Network, plus his wife just had their third child, so not only is he super-popular, but he’s super-busy."Goldsher continued, “Nando is a huge name in the fantasy sports space, but he’s written a large handful of sharp, funny articles about collecting for The Athletic, so I knew he’d bring some great insight to the table. And he made me feel good about my plan to grab Justin Jefferson at the top of next year’s fantasy draft.”For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

A tribute to one of the most important athletes to grace the field of play and the front of a card from Collect This! “There isn’t much to say about Jackie Robinson that hasn’t been said in an eloquent, learned manner. But he means a whole lot to me and the collecting community, so I’ll chop it up about him any time, anywhere,” said Alan Goldsher, host of CSG’s flagship podcast, Collect This!In this tribute to the great #42, Goldsher was joined by CSG’s Vice President, Andy Broome. “Talking vintage baseball with Andy is always a pleasure. He brings a wellspring of knowledge about both the athlete and the player’s place in the hobby. Context is important, especially when it comes to Robinson.”Goldsher continued, “Not only did Andy break down Jackie’s perch in the collecting pantheon, but he dropped a story about a mis-cut Robinson card that simply can’t be missed.”For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

Fanatics Collectibles’ President of Trading Cards breaks down the past, present and future of the industry giant.David Leiner, Fanatics Collectibles’ President of Trading Cards, visited CSG’s flagship podcast Collect This!, where he discussed the direction of the company’s card and memorabilia division.“Dave is a lifelong collector and a veteran presence at Topps,” said Collect This! host Alan Goldsher, “and the fact that Fanatics not only kept him on board after acquiring Topps, but also hired like-minded collectors, is a sign that the hobby’s largest entity gets it.”Goldsher continued, “Dave offered up plenty of specifics as to what Fanatics will be doing in 2023 and beyond, but my favorite aspect of our chat was his honesty. He was open and forthcoming, and the fact that he took us behind the curtain — and a super-corporate curtain at that — was pretty darn cool.”For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

In a special two-part episode, three experts in the alt assets space dive into a variety of investment classes.“With the stock market’s continuing volatility, interest in alternative asset investments is as intense as ever, so an in-depth look at the alt scene was very much in order.” So said Alan Goldsher, host of CSG’s flagship podcast, Collect This! In a two-part episode, Alan spoke alts with three of the field’s sharpest minds: Bradley Calleja and Dylan Dittrich from Altan Insights, and Slava Rubin from Vincent Alternative Investments. “Over the last couple of years, I’ve had a whole lot of lengthy discussion with Bradley, Dylan and Slava about alts,” Goldsher said, “and I feel like a wiser investor each time.”Goldsher continued, “Bradley is the luxury expert who can tell you everything you need to know about investing in wine and art. Dylan is a sneaker head who can talk about game worn sports memorabilia all day, every day. And Slava is the big-picture alt guy who knows a whole lot about a whole lot.”For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

In a special two-part episode, three experts in the alt assets space dive into a variety of investment classes.“With the stock market’s continuing volatility, interest in alternative asset investments is as intense as ever, so an in-depth look at the alt scene was very much in order.” So said Alan Goldsher, host of CSG’s flagship podcast, Collect This! In a two-part episode, Alan spoke alts with three of the field’s sharpest minds: Bradley Calleja and Dylan Dittrich from Altan Insights, and Slava Rubin from Vincent Alternative Investments. “Over the last couple of years, I’ve had a whole lot of lengthy discussion with Bradley, Dylan and Slava about alts,” Goldsher said, “and I feel like a wiser investor each time.”Goldsher continued, “Bradley is the luxury expert who can tell you everything you need to know about investing in wine and art. Dylan is a sneaker head who can talk about game worn sports memorabilia all day, every day. And Slava is the big-picture alt guy who knows a whole lot about a whole lot.”For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

CSG’s sports card podcast salutes the late soccer icon.On December 29, 2022, Pelé passed away at the age of 82. Arguably the greatest soccer player in history and inarguably one of the greatest figures in all of sports, the Brazilian legend was beloved by hardcore soccer fanatics and casual viewers alike. He’s also a favorite of card collectors, so it was only appropriate that CSG’s flagship sports card podcast pay tribute to the king of the beautiful game.“I’m not a soccer expert by any means,” said Collect This! host Alan Goldsher, “but I was lucky enough to grow up in an era when Pelé would show up on television on a regular basis, both as an athlete and a pundit. His talent, his charisma and his innate goodness just drew me into the sport.”On this special episode, Alan was joined by Emmy-winning sports producer Chris Corbellini. “Chris mentioned that Pelé was one of the first athletes he fell in love with — Reggie Jackson was the other — and he was far from alone. Pelé made soccer fans out of all of us."For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

Experts from Certified Collectables Group's comics, paper money and trading card verticals break down what’s happening in their respective ends of the collecting world.Four of Certified Collectable Groups graders and grading experts joined CSG’s flagship sports card podcast to discuss their respective collecting buckets: Andy Broome: CSG Vice President (sports cards)Chad Hawk: PMG Grading Finalizer (paper money)Matt Nelson: CGC President (comics)Matt Quinn: CGC Trading Cards Vice President (trading cards)“On a certain level, collecting is collecting, regardless of what it is you’re collecting,” said Collect This! host Alan Goldsher. “The commonality in our community is such that whether you’re talking about a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card or a $1,000 bill from 1923, you’re doing so utilizing the same language.”Goldsher continued, “Chad, Matt N. and Matt Q. are so passionate and knowledgeable about their respective worlds that even though I’m far from an expert in Pokemon, Superman or 100-year-old paper money, I can still ask them the right questions.”For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

Collector David Hall and CCG’s Mark Salzberg pay homage to some of the most beloved cards in the hobby.Sports card expert David Hall and CCG Chairman Mark Salzberg visited CSG’s flagship podcast Collect This!, where they broke down the history of three of the hobby’s most revered baseball card sets: T206, 1933 Goudey and 1952 Topps.“For historically-minded card collectors and old-school baseball fanatics, these series are as iconic as it gets,” said Collect This! host Alan Goldsher. “They include two of the hobby’s most valuable cards — the T206 Honus Wagner and the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle — so these conversations are worth having time and again.”Goldsher continued, “David Hall has forgotten more about T206’s then any of us will ever know, plus he’s a veritable encyclopedia of Goudey and Topps history, so if you’re going to talk about these classics, he’s your guy. And Mark, while not a hardcore sports card collector, is a lifelong sports fan who brought a fantastic everyman vibe to the proceedings.”For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

A look at why LeBron James is beloved on the court and in the hobby.“LeBron James’ NBA career may be nearing its end, but his place in the hobby is eternal,” says Alan Goldsher, host of Collect This!, CSG’s flagship sports card podcast. “That’s why we decided it was time to pay homage to The King.”In a special episode of the acclaimed pod, Alan and Basketball Card Fanatic editor Adam Gray discuss why LeBron, more so than few active professional athletes, remains a valued figure to hobbyists.“Basketball card collectors love LeBron, always have, always will, and they’ll rarely pass up an opportunity to gush about GOATs,” Goldsher says. “For that matter, I’ll rarely pass up an opportunity to gush about GOATs."Of his guest, Goldsher says, “Adam is the ideal guy to help me celebrate James. He knows hoops, he knows hoops cards and he knows LeBron. And he respects the fact that since I’m a Chicago native, I give the GOAT edge to Michael Jordan.”For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

An all-star group of hobby experts discuss how 2022 looked and how 2023 might look in the world of sports collecting.Seven collecting insiders joined CSG’s flagship podcast Collect This! for a look at the hobby world's 2022 ups and downs, then offer bold predictions as to what collectors might see in 2023. Guests include:Bradley Calleja (Research Analyst, Altan Insights)Jesse Craig (Director of Business Development, PWCC Marketplace)Ryan Friedman (Founder, Auction Report)Tony Giese (Consignment Director, Heritage Auctions)Dan Hajducky (Associate Editor, ESPN.com)Darren Herman (Operating Partner , Bain Capital)Susan Lulgjuraj (Marketing Manager, CSG)“Man, what a group and what a discussion,” raved Collect This! host Alan Goldsher. “We broke down everything from the ups and downs of modern cards, to seven- and eight-figure auction sales, to the potential explosion of memorabilia, to the past and future evolution of the hobby industry.”Goldsher continued, “My favorite aspect of the episode was the fact that these folks listened to each other very closely. Their engagement made for a truly engaging show. It was a fantastic button on a fantastic year for Collect This!”For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

The Action Network’s sports industry guru Darren Rovell takes a broad view of the collecting world’s landscape.The Action Network’s Senior Coordinating Producer Darren Rovell joined CSG’s sports card podcast Collect This! for a wide-ranging discussion about the betting/collecting corollary, the rising interest in alternative asset classes amongst card collectors and how 2023 might look to collectors and bettors alike.“Darren is arguably one of the sports world’s most diverse journalists,” said Collect This! host Alan Goldsher. “He can speak with absolutely authority on everything from the value of modern sports cards, to the latest happenings in the sports business world, to how Luka Doncic’s latest triple-double might or might not impact his value amongst hobbyists.”Goldsher added, “Darren has almost two million followers on Twitter, and he’s one of those rare people who can impact the sports industry with a single tweet, which is why we're so excited we were able to lock him down for an interview."For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

CCG’s CEO Steve Eichenbaum and President Max Spiegel break down the past, present and future of the venerable grading company.In the first of two Certified Collectables Group roundtable discussions, Collect This! welcomed CCG’s CEO Steve Eichenbaum and President Max Spiegel, who discussed the origin and growth of the ever-evolving grading company.“Steve and Max make for a fantastic team,” said Collect This! host Alan Goldsher. “Steve is a veteran business guy, and Max is a lifelong collector, and their respective skill sets and passions compliment each other perfectly.”Goldsher added, “I learned a whole lot about Steve and Max, but I was also schooled in CCG’s history. It was fascinating to listen to as both a collector and an employee…and I’m not just saying that because these are the guys who basically hired me.”For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

ESPN's Hobby Expert Joins CSG's Sports Card Podcast, Collect This!ESPN.com Associate Editor and go-to collecting expert Dan Hajducky joined CSG's sports card podcast Collect This! for a discussion about virtually every aspect of modern collecting."Dan is a both a dogged reporter and a long-time collector, so he can speak knowledgeably about pretty much any hobby topic," said Collect This! host Alan Goldsher. "We touched on everything from the sustainability of the hobby, to modern versus vintage collecting, to what we might see from Fanatics in 2023."Goldsher continued, "What sets Dan apart from most writers in this space is that he's a journalist first and a hobbyist second. And he's he's a passionate, smart hobbyist, so you can only imagine how sharp his writing is."For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

The World Cup kicks off on Sunday, November 20, and in celebration of the beautiful game, CSG’s Collect This! podcast welcomed a trio of soccer experts to break down what fans and hobbyists should look for.Collect This! host Alan Goldsher raved about his guests for this special episode. “I always joke that I’m a C-minus soccer student, but behind every joke is a grain of truth, so whenever I have a soccer-themed show, I try and book guests from whom I can learn a thing or two. And I learned a whole bunch from Sal DiStefano, Umberto Paolucci, and Matteo Pella.Goldsher added, “Sal is CSG’s resident soccer card grader and brings all kinds of great insight as to how the tournament impacts interest and value in soccer cards across the world. And Umberto and Matteo, who co-curate the World Football Collection, the world’s largest collection of soccer memorabilia, have forgotten more about soccer history than I’ll ever know. It was a fantastic group who delivered a fantastic discussion about what will undoubtedly be a fantastic tournament.”For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

Multiple-Emmy-winning producer Chris Corbellini and Bettor Sports Network founder Matt Deutsch joined Collect This! host Alan Goldsher for a roundtable talk about the metaphorical Venn diagram in which fantasy sports intersects with card collecting.“There are millions of hobbyists, and there are millions of fantasy football players, and being that both investing in modern cards and drafting a fantasy team have are, for the most part, an exercise in speculating what might happen on the field, it’s little wonder that the vast majority of collectors—at least the ones I know—are pretty hardcore fantasy players.”Goldsher continued, “Chris and Matt are long-time fantasy players and pundits, as well as enthusiastic collectors, so if anybody can tie the whole thing together, it’s them. They also dropped the boldest of our weekly bold predictions, specifically about how amateur sports might be impacted by the ever-evolving fantasy and collecting landscapes.”For more information about CSG, visit http://www.CSGcards.com. If you have any questions, please write CollectThis@CSGcards.com.COLLECT THIS! is hosted, written, produced, engineered, and scored by Alan Goldsher. New episodes premiere every Thursday.

In 2020, collectors, entrepreneurs and sports fanatics Josh Johnson and Chris McGill launched Card Ladder, a data-driven index that tracks the ups and downs of tens of thousands of sports cards. On the latest episode of CSG’s podcast Collect This!, the two joined host Alan Goldsher for a look into the value of…value.“The importance and intrinsic coolness of Card Ladder and their mission can’t be overstated,” Goldsher said. “Think about it: if you’d have been told even three years ago that someday, you’d have easy access to the hobby worth of virtually any given athlete’s cards, your head would’ve exploded."Goldsher added, “Josh and Chris have the unique ability to break down super-dense data concepts into understandable threads. Not only that, but they can chop it up about basketball and football as well as any of my fellow sports nerds. This all is why I walk away from any conversation with them feeling about 12 percent smarter.”