Sports Cards Live

What should a fair sports card auction actually look like if you are the buyer, not the consignor or the house? In this segment, Chris McGill (Card Ladder) and Josh Adams (90sAuctions) join Jeremy and attorney Paul Lesko to talk about auction environments collectors actually want to bid in, why hidden reserves and owner bidding feel wrong, and how 90sAuctions approaches consignor bidding and reserves. From there the conversation shifts to comp culture, why so many people try to apply comps with false precision, and how data tools like Card Ladder can help if you are willing to dig into context instead of outsourcing your thinking. Jeremy also connects it back to his upcoming book POPs and COMPs and the idea that not all comps are created equal. In this segment you will hear about: Chris’s ideal auction setting, only bidding against other true buyers How auction reserves and undisclosed owner bidding change the whole game Josh on why 90sAuctions banned consignor bidding and walked away from reserves Why buyers and sellers lean so hard on the last comp in 2025 How to look at comps with real scrutiny so you do not get burned by bad data Sponsor notes:  Go to ⁠⁠hellofresh.com/cards10fm⁠⁠ to get 10 free meals plus free breakfast for life, one per box. 👍 Follow Sports Cards Live on your favorite podcast app. ⭐ Leave a rating and review to help more collectors find the show. 📺 Subscribe to the Sports Cards Live YouTube channel for full live streams and new episodes every week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sports Cards Live 290 keeps rolling as hobby attorney Paul Lesko sticks around and is joined by Chris McGill and Josh Adams from Card Ladder to unpack more of the biggest legal battles shaping the hobby. In this segment they hit: Panini vs Fanatics antitrust Wild Card vs Panini antitrust BCW vs Ultra Pro over “penny sleeve” and “top loader” trademarks LeBron RPA / Goldin / Card Porn business disparagement dispute Messi Green Kaboom one of one broken contract case Collectable fractional fallout and investor information rights Shill bidding, specific performance, and how courts might treat unique grails Sponsor notes:  Go to ⁠hellofresh.com/cards10fm⁠ to get 10 free meals plus free breakfast for life, one per box. 👍 Follow Sports Cards Live on your favorite podcast app. 📺 Subscribe on YouTube for the full live streams and future episodes. 💬 Join the live chat next time and be part of the conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sports Cards Live 290 continues with hobby attorney Paul Lesko joining Jeremy for a sharp follow up to the auction house discussion with Jeff Marren of Rockhurst Auctions. This second of four segments from the November 22, 2025 live stream digs into bidder privacy, collusion concerns, and a stack of current hobby lawsuits that every collector should understand. In this episode you will hear: Jeff answering viewer Skeppy’s question about how important privacy and anonymity are in the auction world, and why most bidders and consignors do not actually want their identities shared. A hard look at the push for more transparency in bidding, what collectors really want to see, and why public bidder identities can open the door to collusion, harassment, and back-channel deal making. Jeremy’s comparison to real estate offers and client lists, and Jeff’s blunt take that bidder and consigner data is proprietary relationship capital for an auction house, not something the public has a “right” to. Chat reactions from vintage and “new school” hobbyists who were raised on eBay and mall card shows, why reserves and 150 year old rules feel archaic, and what it means to “vote with your wallet.” Discussion of fixed price and “buy it now” style listings on traditional auction platforms, private treaty sales, and how auction houses try to balance consignor risk with a functioning marketplace. Paul’s legal lens on bidder anonymity, client lists, and why courts often treat that information as protected business property under protective orders. Then Paul kicks off a rapid fire legal update round, including: Upper Deck vs Ravensburger (Lorcana case) – How Upper Deck claimed Lorcana stole game mechanics from its unreleased Rush of Ichor TCG, why game mechanics are very hard to protect with copyright, and how a multi year fight led to Ravensburger being cleared and only a small settlement with the individual designer. Blank vs Beckett – A new case where a collector alleges Beckett lost 87 rare Stan Lee autograph cards that he values at around 250 thousand dollars, and why the terms you click on for grading companies matter when cards go missing. Lance Jackson vs Collectors Universe and PSA – The nightmare scenario of sending in a key Kobe Bryant Topps Chrome rookie, getting it back with a lower grade and visible damage, and what a live trial could mean for how grading companies handle damaged cards and declared values. The “lost” T206 Honus Wagner vs BGS – A wild allegation that a Wagner was submitted 12 years ago and never returned, what statutes of limitation really are, and why waiting a decade to sue is usually a fatal mistake no matter how strong the story feels. A bigger conversation about terms of service, arbitration clauses, class action waivers, and why collectors almost never read what they are agreeing to when they click “I accept.” Jeremy’s question about whether anyone in the hobby will ever differentiate by surfacing key terms in plain language and forcing users to acknowledge the important parts, instead of burying everything in boilerplate. Sponsor notes:  Go to hellofresh.com/cards10fm to get 10 free meals plus free breakfast for life, one per box. If you enjoy these in depth hobby and legal breakdowns: 👍 Follow Sports Cards Live on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. ⭐ Leave a rating and review to help more collectors find the show. 📺 Subscribe to the Sports Cards Live YouTube channel for full live streams, interviews and hobby specials. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sports Cards Live 290 kicks off with co host Joe Poirot and special guest Jeff Marin of Rockhurst Auctions for a deep dive into how traditional auction houses actually work, why reserves exist, and what the latest Snipe and COMC drama says about trust in the hobby. This is the first of four segments cut from the full live stream recorded on November 22, 2025. In this episode you will hear: Jeremy’s Saturday night open, with updates on the Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction Ending Watch Party, the new “From the Front Row” series with Front Row Card Show, and his recent conversation with hobby OG Brandon Steiner. Recap of Jeremy, Joe and Chris McGill’s appearances on Graig’s Midlife Cards channel and how those conversations set up tonight’s focus on auctions, reserves and hobby trust. Gretzky rookie talk, Topps versus O Pee Chee, what population reports really tell you, and why more collectors are demanding strong eye appeal instead of just an old grade on the flip. Reaction to Dr Beckett’s appearance on Hobby Hotline, the Geoff Wilson interview, and the fatigue many collectors feel around apology tours and “can we move on yet” discourse. Breakdown of the Snype launch issues after Rick Probstein’s move off eBay, the site going dark on its first big night, worries about data and screenshots circulating on social, and what all of that means for any new auction platform. Discussion of fresh COMC rumors, a long time employee exiting, a tweet suggesting the company might be “in trouble,” and why broken telephone and the hobby rumor mill can distort reality fast. A full segment with Jeff Marren of Rockhurst Auctions covering how traditional auction houses handle reserves, why “active reserves” exist, why most lots actually run without reserves, how opening bids create momentum, what consignors misunderstand, and how bidders should assess whether to stay in or step out. Jeff’s take on how eBay trained the hobby to chase last second “wins,” why many collectors are addicted to the idea of scoring under market, and how old hobby scars from scams and bad deals make drama based content so magnetic. If you enjoy these in depth hobby conversations: 👍 Follow Sports Cards Live on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. ⭐ Leave a rating and review to help more collectors find the show. 📺 Subscribe to the Sports Cards Live YouTube channel for full live streams, interviews and hobby specials. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sports Cards Live host Jeremy Lee sits down with hobby OG Brandon Steiner of CollectibleXchange for a blunt conversation about grading, gambling, and greed in today’s sports card market. In this episode we tackle the uncomfortable questions. Are auctions broken for everyday collectors, how deep does shill bidding and market manipulation really go, and what happens when breaks, repacks, and live streams start to look a lot like gambling addiction instead of hobby fun. This episode also features: 👉 A look at Jeremy’s upcoming book POPs & COMPs 👉 Appendix F, a detailed review of auction house policies on reserves, house bidding, shill bidding, and employee bidding 👉 A frank discussion about grading monopolies, population control concerns, and whether collectors are being treated fairly Plus: 🔥 Are auctions now a fire sale for most collections 🔥 The rise of breaker culture and hobby addiction, and whether the hobby has a responsibility to respond 🔥 Fanatics, licensing control, and the risk of forgetting the little guy 🔥 Leadership, regulation, and why the hobby could still blow its biggest opportunity 💬 Share your thoughts below and let us know how you see grading, gambling, and greed shaping the hobby. 📺 Subscribe to Sports Cards Live for more long form hobby conversations. 📷 Follow on Instagram: @jlee_sportscardslive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan the Card Lawyer and Josh Adams from 90s Auctions join us to keep pulling back the curtain on shill bidding, reserves, and how auction houses really work behind the scenes. We look at where “accepted hobby practice” ends and fraud begins, why some newer hobby-first auction houses are drawing hard lines, and how much shill is quietly baked into the prices we all rely on. We also touch on eBay authentication horror stories, stolen mail, and whether it is even possible to collect without being touched by any of this. Highlights include: A criminal defense lawyer’s perspective on shill bidding, fraud, and why some practices cross the line An auction owner explaining why 90s Auctions walked away from reserves and house bidding How guarantees, reserves, and “system bids” can warp prices long before you place your max bid The uncomfortable question of how much shill is baked into almost every COMP in the hobby Your comments drive the show, so bring your questions and experiences to the live chat. If you find value in this conversation, please hit like, subscribe to Sports Cards Live, and share the episode with another collector who needs to hear it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sports Cards Live 289 keeps the heat on the biggest issue in the hobby right now. Jeremy and Dan take a hard look at shill bidding, reserve games, and how bad data can quietly push every collector into paying more than they should. The conversation turns blunt, practical, and focused on what real solutions could look like and how collectors can protect themselves in the meantime. In this segment of Sports Cards Live 289, we cover: • Why shill bidding and reserve logic are more connected than most people realize • How inflated or faulty COMPs can affect your max bid without you noticing • Where the legal line sits between shady tactics and actual fraud • What a healthier, more transparent auction environment would require Your comments and questions drive the show, so jump in and tell us where you stand on bidding trust and what changes you want to see in the hobby. If you enjoy the content, please: • Subscribe to Sports Cards Live on YouTube • Follow on Spotify or Apple Podcasts • Leave a rating or review to help more collectors find the show Thank you for watching Sports Cards Live. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sports Cards Live 289 keeps rolling as Jeremy, Leighton, and Dan mix vintage story time with some uncomfortable questions about how our comp driven hobby really works. Leighton shares a new prewar pickup with a great family backstory, Jeremy shows off a low grade vintage grail that punches way above the label, and Dan comes in hot with ideas on what needs to change at the auction house level if collectors are going to trust comps again. In this segment of Sports Cards Live 289, we touch on: • A rare prewar pickup Leighton chased to Nashville, including why its regional roots and family history make it more than just another group of old cards • Jeremy’s latest vintage hockey addition that tests how far you are willing to bend on grade when centering, color, and overall presence are all there • The challenge of valuing cards that almost never trade publicly, and what it looks like to price and buy in a world where the usual comp tools are not much help • Dan’s case for stronger transparency from auction houses, from bidder vetting to what we should really be able to see when we place a bid • How secret reserves, house bidding, and inflated bid counts can quietly shape prices and collector behavior far beyond a single auction • The tension between fighting the good fight on shill bidding and still keeping enough joy in the hobby to enjoy shows, trades, and collecting with friends Your comments and questions drive the show, so jump in live or in the replay chat and let us know where you stand on rare regional issues, low grade stunners, and what you expect from auction houses going forward. If you enjoy the content, please: • Subscribe to Sports Cards Live on YouTube • Follow on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts • Leave a rating and review so more collectors can find the show Thank you for watching Sports Cards Live. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sports Cards Live 289 continues with a big reveal and a very different kind of hobby conversation. Jeremy officially announces his upcoming book, “POPs and COMPs: Truths, Insights and the psychology behind the numbers that drive the sports card market,” and walks through what it covers, how it is structured, and why it has consumed his time for the last several months. The discussion then turns to Appendix F and why a detailed breakdown of auction house reserves, house bidding, employee bidding, and shill bidding policies feels especially relevant right now. From there, the conversation shifts into collecting philosophy, the realities of hobby drama, and a fun vintage segment around 1953 Topps icons and the concept of “flight collecting.” In this episode of Sports Cards Live 289, we discuss: • The announcement of “POPs and COMPs” and how the book grew from a 22,000 word idea into an 80,000 plus word manuscript with 83 chapters and seven appendices • The six part structure of the book, including foundations, pops, comps, integration, demand drivers, and psychology, plus why the appendices are packed with practical tools • Appendix F and its focus on auction house reserve policies, employee bidding, house bidding, and shill bidding across more than thirty companies • How the book handles sensitive topics like population control without throwing reckless accusations while still asking hard questions collectors care about • Why Jeremy chose self publishing on Amazon to keep creative control and move faster rather than waiting a year or more for a traditional route • A first tease of the separate web based project being built with a software development team, what the MVP timeline looks like, and why it is designed to compete with nobody yet be useful to everybody • Leighton’s perspective on ignoring daily hobby drama, focusing on family, store level reality, and why a clear educational resource is badly needed right now • Joe’s 1953 Topps “flight” approach to collecting Mantle, Jackie, and Satchel Paige, along with a thought experiment about a hypothetical 1952 Topps high number Satchel and what that would mean for value and priority • A quick recap of the Jackie Robinson Museum event and how well run hobby experiences connect history, education, and collecting Your comments and questions drive the show, so share your thoughts on the book concept, Appendix F, auction house transparency, and how you approach building your own collection. If you enjoy the content, please: • Subscribe to Sports Cards Live on YouTube • Follow on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts • Leave a rating and review so more collectors can find the show Thank you for listening to Sports Cards Live. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sports Cards Live 289 kicks off with a heavy dose of real hobby talk. Jeremy and Joe open the show with collector shout outs, Expo reflections, and then dive into a powerful story driven pickup that has nothing to do with chasing comps and everything to do with history, scarcity, and meaning. From there, the conversation turns blunt as they walk through a rough SGC vintage submission, what the grades looked like, and what it might say about where grading is heading right now. Along the way, Jeremy starts to peel back the curtain on the long teased Appendix F project and how it fits into the broader auction and grading landscape. In this episode of Sports Cards Live 289, we discuss: • The story behind an 1888 Goodwin Champions Isaac Murphy card and why it instantly became a top twenty piece • How history, racial context, and true scarcity can make a “modest” card feel like a grail • The reality of shipping, authentication, and the fear of losing an irreplaceable vintage card in the mail • A frustrating SGC grading return on clean 1973 Topps cards and why the grades did not match collector expectations • What collectors are seeing from SGC lately, from stricter standards to fears that the brand is being left to die • Why PSA’s guarantee and fee structure still shape the market and how secondary buyers benefit from that insurance • Early hints about Appendix F and how auction house policies and grading companies collide in today’s hobby Your comments and questions drive the show, so share your thoughts on story driven collecting, grading changes, and the future of SGC. If you enjoy the content, please: • Subscribe to Sports Cards Live on YouTube • Follow on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts • Leave a rating and review so more collectors can find the show Thank you for listening to Sports Cards Live. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part 2 of our Fall 2025 Expo recap, the BoothMates crew goes deep into the pickups, stories, people, and pure hobby energy that made this show unforgettable. Jeremy, Sam, Jay Z, Daniel, and Josh continue the conversation from Part 1 — this time focusing on the cards that came home with them, the surprising deals that unfolded, and the post-Expo adrenaline that kept everyone buying even after the show closed. Jeremy kicks things off with the vintage pickup that haunted him from the moment he entered the show: a beautifully centered 1953 Parkhurst Maurice Richard PSA 1.5 with exceptional registration despite its light creasing. This leads into a long, thoughtful discussion about grade vs. eye appeal, registry chasing, and the real differences between buying numbers and buying cards. The crew shares stories of their own swaps, upgrades, and “upgrade by downgrade” moves — including a Gretzky deal that proves sometimes the lower grade is the better card. The episode then shifts into modern PC pickups, with Jeremy revealing a stack of SP Authentic Limited Autos, Ultimate patches, Emblems of Endorsement cards, Cup honorable numbers, and multiple Fleury, Crosby, Thornton, Nash, Francis, Ovechkin, Lemieux and Kucherov additions. Even after four full days at the booth, the guys laugh about making “post-Expo hotel room deals” because, as Sam says, the hobby doesn’t stop when the show closes. There’s also a powerful moment when a longtime Hobby Insider member Matt gifts Jeremy a funeral program from Dale Hawerchuk’s memorial, a gesture that catches him off guard and nearly brings him to tears. The group talks about staying “in the hobby zone” after returning home, the upcoming Langley and Chicago Spectacular shows, and the joy of seeing collectors find cards they never expected — from a massive Steve Yzerman want list to Jason Allison binders to PC grails that made the trip worthwhile for collectors who flew across the continent. They wrap with Expo reflections: • the best show energy in years • corporate and community presence at an all-time high • the hobby family that forms around a shared booth • the Expo’s continuing growth — more halls coming, more vendors, more momentum • and why the show feels less like a card show and more like a true annual event Part 2 closes with final highlights, gratitude, and plans for future Expos, the National, and beyond. BoothMates is all about the people first, cards second — and this episode is exactly why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeremy Lee and Sam Genova sit down with their Expo booth crew to decompress from what might have been the best Toronto Sport Card Expo they’ve ever had. From Tim Hortons in the morning to the late-night hangs, and the 35 hours of show floor action over 4 four straight days at a new booth location that turned into one of the busiest rows in the building. Joined by longtime hobby friends Jay Z, Daniel, and Josh Adams, the group talks about how this Expo felt different: packed aisles from open to close, real collectors buying for their PCs, and a hobby that looks very healthy north of the border. Jeremy shares that he did roughly 120 deals at the show, and the guys compare notes on how Sunday felt more like a second Saturday than a wind-down day. Sam also opens up about a tough situation at the booth: a high-end card sale that a buyer tried to reverse after the fact. The panel walks through what happened, the “all sales are final” norm vs. the human side of the hobby, and why Sam ultimately chose to take the high road and undo the deal. They wrap Part 1 by showing and describing some of their favorite pickups from the weekend — from McDavid, Crosby, Forsberg, and Lemieux to Hank Aaron, Phil Rizzuto, Babe Ruth, and some pristine 80s Oilers rookies — and why the booth felt more like a clubhouse than a table. This is Part 1 of 2 from the live BoothMates Expo recap. Part 2 drops tomorrow with the stories, pickups, and hobby talk from the Toronto floor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lively roundtable on the big question: can curation be art? We compare collection-building to composing music—layers, sequencing, and narrative—plus mixtapes/DJ sampling, museum installation, and how display choices (binders, walls, set runs) create meaning. We draw a line between accumulation and authorship: intent, coherence, and communication turn a pile of cards into a personal statement. Along the way: eye appeal vs grade, why some sets read like albums, and how a collection can transparently reflect identity—even if you don’t call yourself an “artist.” We finish with chat takes and a palate-cleanser lightning round: GOAT Halloween candy (Rockets/Smarties, Twix, Reese’s, KitKat, Nerds Candy Corn, and more). Highlights Curation vs creation: When selection, sequencing, and presentation become authorship Music parallels: Layering, sampling, mixtapes, and “binder as album” storytelling Aesthetic judgment: Eye appeal over label; why some 9s beat 10s Display matters: Frames, binders, themed runs—the message is the medium Community voices: Chat pushes back and builds on the “art or acquisition?” spectrum Sign-off: Next streams, Expo schedule note, and the time-change reminder If you’re into deep-dive hobby conversations, subscribe to Sports Cards Live and tap the 🔔 to get notified of new streams and clips. • Live Saturdays with multi-guest panels + active chat • BoothMates with Sam Genova Follow us: Instagram @jlee_sportscardsliveShare a comment: What’s your take—can curation be art? Thanks for watching and supporting the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After an all-timer Game 7 finish, the crew shifts from heartbreak to hobby joy with a massive ’90s/’00s insert show-and-tell: Pacific, Crown Royal, Topps Gold Label, Mystery Finest, Beam Team, Lamplighters, Omega Online, Kramer’s Choice, Blades of Steel, hat-shaped die-cuts, acetate sandwiches—the works. We unpack why these mixed-media, heavy-foil, die-cut designs still slap, how binders keep sets fun and affordable, and where to hunt budget-friendly shine. Then we zoom out: is a superstar championship good for the hobby? Should acquired Panini brands (Prizm, NT, Kaboom) go dormant for a few years or continue uninterrupted? Plus the new Topps NBA flagship—do “first Topps” cards matter, how do one-of-one ‘First Off the Press’ parallels change the chase, and what the long NBA/NFL licensing shift means for collectors. Highlights Binder bliss: Why viewing full sets (refractors, atomics, team-combining puzzles) beats lone slabs Design nostalgia: Foil/acetate layering, laser cuts, jumbo oddballs—why this era’s creativity endures Affordable lanes: Beautiful inserts that won’t break the bank, even for star names First-Topps vs rookies: Importance, value expectations, and where scarcity actually lives Dormancy debate: Let legacy Panini brands rest (rarity pop) or keep them running (continuity)? Championship effect: Superstar wins, hobby sentiment, and where it really moves markets Follow & Subscribe Watch live on YouTube (@SportsCardsLive) and catch replays on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If this segment hit the nostalgia nerve, subscribe, like/review, and share with a binder buddy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A wild Game 7 unfolds live as the panel digs into the hobby’s toughest question: what do you do when your PC cards moon—sell, trade, or hold? Jeremy, Joe, John, Chris, and Josh unpack the collector’s conundrum (profit vs attachment), price anchoring to what we paid years ago, and strategies like keeping a single “time-capsule” card when you move on. We also hit the joy of binders and 90s/00s inserts (Pacific, Pinnacle, Topps Mystery Finest), giving cards to kids, and finding budget-friendly lanes that still look amazing—while the Dodgers clinch Game 7 in real time. Highlights Sell, trade, or hold? How rising prices pressure even die-hard collectors, and ways to decide without future regret Keep a token: Preserving one piece of a set/player run as a memory anchor when consolidating Beat price anchoring: Reset expectations by switching lanes (new players/eras) or trading horizontally into cards you value more Low-pop = high regret: Why letting go of scarce cards can sting—and how to choose sell candidates you can realistically reacquire Affordable beauty: Binders of Pacific/Pinnacle/Mystery Finest; why many inserts from that era deliver premium look at modest prices Hobby goodwill: Handing out cards to kids, camp giveaways, and keeping the joy in collecting—beyond comps Follow & Subscribe Watch live on YouTube (@SportsCardsLive) and catch replays on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you enjoyed this segment, subscribe, drop a like/review, and share—it really helps more collectors find the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Programming note: This is a mid-week programming interruption so everyone can pre-game for The Expo. We’re sliding these Wednesday/Thursday drops in, and Sports Cards Live resumes on Friday. There will be no episodes next week on Wednesday/Thursday/Friday. Part 2 dives into on-floor tactics, vendor best practices, and the week’s community events. We talk why price tags on the front of the card convert, how payment actually works in Canada (cash is king, e-transfer is common; PayPal/credit accepted by many), and simple fraud prevention (check ID, be mindful of stolen cards/tap limits). We also cover which Expo days deliver what, a quick autograph stage update (one guest shifts off due to scheduling), and how to prep: comfy shoes, anti-fatigue mats, and a big refillable water bottle. Plus: where to find ultra high-end vintage hockey on the floor and our exact spot. Highlights Dealer tips that help buyers buy: price tags on the front, be present, keep conversations easy Payments 101 (Canada): cash, Interac e-Transfer, many vendors with Square/Stripe/Clover; ATMs on site get refilled Fraud prevention: verify ID on larger credit transactions; be cautious with tap limits Days & pace: why Thursday/Friday are prime hunting; how Saturday/Sunday feel different for deals and mobility Autograph stage update: one signer off due to schedule; others still on deck What’s on display: ultra high-end vintage hockey in a major vintage booth; our own showcases priced, binders unpriced but deals are happening Events week at a glance: Wed: pre-show trade night (near Yorkdale) Thu: industry meet-up with giveaways/appies (minutes from the venue) Fri: VIP appreciation inside the building, a stand-up comedy show nearby, and a community rip party Sat: Mint Inc. trade night (proceeds to Mackenzie Health Foundation for mental health) Fun extras: eBay’s on-site gaming zone; big-booth raffles and activations; giveaway for a Matthew Knies game-used signed stick Collector talk: when buying without COMPs actually works; IP autos vs. game-used signatures; why in-person hobby time beats pure screen time Find us: Booth 1707—come say hi, flip through the binders, bring your trade box, and let’s make some deals. Subscribe/follow so you catch this mid-week pair before showtime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Programming note: This is a mid-week programming interruption ahead of The Sport Card Expo. We’re inserting special Wednesday and Thursday BoothMates episodes so you can pre-game for the show. Sports Cards Live resumes on Friday, and there will be no episodes next week on Wednesday/Thursday/Friday. We’re gearing up for The Expo—travel plans, booth setup, and the “home show” feeling even when you have to fly in. We talk what we’re bringing (and how much), how we buy at shows (sometimes ignoring COMPs altogether), why Expo is still the best room for hockey while staying strong across sports, and how recent playoff buzz could bring new/returning fans through the doors. A show organizer even pops in near the end to add some on-the-ground context. Highlights Where to find us: Booth 1707 right off the entry What’s on the tables: late-90s/early-2000s inserts, patches, jerseys, numbered cards, plus autos/patch-autos Buying approach for the weekend: feel first, then price—when ignoring COMPs actually works Why the Toronto show still feels like “home” and how the community keeps expanding Hockey-heavy floor (and why that matters), with plenty of baseball/basketball/football/soccer in the mix Playoff afterglow → more casual fans walking in, what they’ll likely be hunting, and how that helps the hobby Main-stage autograph interviews preview (timing/guests permitting) Quick Strongsville crossover talk and why operational polish makes shows better for everyone If you’re coming, swing by Booth 1707—say hi, flip through the binders, and bring your wants/trade box. Subscribe/follow so you don’t miss Part 2 tomorrow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Game 7 still raging, the conversation pivots from chat banter to two big hobby storylines: whether Topps/Fanatics should touch Panini (lawsuits, licenses, and the future of brands like Prizm, NT, Immaculate, Flawless, Select, Kaboom, Downtown), and what to make of PSA’s offer network that lets submitters sell graded cards instantly. John (“BasketballCardGuy”) joins late in the segment to weigh brand strategy, exclusivity headaches (why we may never get a true licensed Wembanyama auto RC), and the rising “comp economy” mindset at shows. Highlights Panini → Topps? Why lawsuits and timing make an acquisition less compelling now; the case for letting Panini’s brands go dormant and reviving later Licenses & exclusivity: How player/league deals create gaps (e.g., Wemby auto RC reality), and why sub-licensing could unlock creativity again Design without logos: Tyson Beck–style approaches that make unlicensed cards feel premium (inserts like Platinum Portraits as proof of concept) PSA’s offer network: Instant sell-through during/after grading, perceived conflicts, and why transparency about third-party buyers matters Collectors vs flippers: Kids running margin math off COMPs vs building attachment—what that means for the hobby’s long-term health Live reactions to Blue Jays–Dodgers crunch time sprinkled throughout Follow & Subscribe Watch live on YouTube (@SportsCardsLive) and catch replays on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you enjoy the show, subscribe, leave a review, and share—it helps more collectors find us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Blue Jays and Dodgers face off in Game 7 of the World Series, Jeremy Lee and Joe Perreault balance live baseball drama with sharp hobby talk. Between innings, they break down the buzz around Panini America potentially being sold, revisit how eye appeal premiums continue to reshape grading culture, and share a few Expo plans while cheering every pitch. It’s part watch-party, part collecting clinic—an easygoing, memorable opening to Episode 288. Highlights Joe’s pickup of a 1953 Jackie Robinson and why it’s worth paying over COMPs The rise of eye-appeal-driven collecting and waning trust in numerical grades How Jeremy uses COMC → PSA to simplify grading submissions Early chatter about the upcoming Sport Card Expo Toronto Canada’s World Series energy, nostalgia, and a few laughs along the way Follow & Subscribe Watch every episode live on YouTube (@SportsCardsLive) and catch replays anywhere you get your podcasts. Subscribe, follow, and leave a review to help more collectors discover the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We dig into Auburn’s big idea: auction houses collaborating on a shared shill-bidder list to protect buyers and legit sellers. Chris explains how some marketplaces already purge unpaid sales from data, and why tougher KYC/AML-style identity checks could raise the bar. We also break down private sale transparency, when a headline price is really marketing spend, and how to contextualize comps so you don’t get wrecked by bad data. Topics: Cross-auction shill blacklist & real penalties Fanatics sending unpaid-item removals; why more should do it KYC / AML-style identity verification for bidders—practical or pipe dream? Private sales: docs, names, paper trails, and fraud risk Comp literacy: float, intent, rarity, and why not all sales are equal PSA Offers, vault deals & what should count as a comp Disclaimer: Nothing here is financial or legal advice. Verify policies with each marketplace. If you found this useful, like, subscribe, and drop your thoughts on shill enforcement & KYC below. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices