Happy Hobby Sports Cards Podcast

As a member of the eBay Partner Network, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases.Several people replied to my original video about the 5 cards that changed my life. They shared the cards that changed their lives – and now I’m going to share them with you!There were many duplicate cards that changed many of our viewer’s lives, including rookie cards of Jose Canseco, Ken Griffey Jr., Rickey Henderson, Bo Jackson, Don Mattingly and Cal Ripken Jr.We’re relaying some of the comments on why these cards changed your lives.Please enjoy both the good and the bad stories of how little pieces of cardboard affected so many of us during our formative years!Sports Cards That Changed YOUR Lives… For the Good and Bad!Some of these comments came from our Substack article, some from our podcast, and some from our YouTube video on the subject. Super Substack Happy Hobbyist JB80 said a card that changed his life came just this past summer, as he pulled a 2025 Panini Luminance Patrick Mahomes auto #/10 card!“I had to get in a bidding war just to get the Chiefs in a case break,” he said. “I had to do that while explaining to my wife why I wasn’t paying attention. She was a little frustrated that I entered the break, but when they pulled that card -- she became a believer.”Our spouses like the “Happy Hobby” stories much more than the “Wallet Breaker” stories.Well done, JB80!!!Matt Musico, author of the MLB Daily Dingers Substack, shares one of his favorite memories.“I remember getting a Michael Jordan Rookie of the Year card at a Mall card show in the 1990s, and I was sooo stoked.”My guess is one from 1995 Upper Deck, or maybe 1996?@Audwillsdad mentioned several junk wax cards we all loved, but his fifth card jumped out at me:* 2025 Topps Platinum Holofoil Signed and Sealed Drake PowellYou might be wondering, “You mean, the Tar Heels guard that the Hawks drafted with the 22nd pick in 2025 before sending his rights to Brooklyn?” Our commenter went on to explain why this card changed his life. “My 8-year-old son pulled his first 1/1 card!”Yeah, that’s a life-changer right there – this Dad is going to be talking about that pull for the next 10 years, and his son will now connect that with great memories – and he’ll be a collector for life.Orioles fan @stevederw5 shared his five life-changing cards, which included mostly cards from the 1970s, including a 1972 Topps Willie Mays he bought 40 years ago for $5, and a 1975 Topps George Brett rookie card his girlfriend bought him as a gift because he pointed it out in an antique store. (She’s now his wife, which makes good sense to me!) But he also mentioned what he called, a “Boneheaded choice.”He said when he was a kid, he had pulled from packs, TWO of the 1980 Topps Larry Bird/Magic Johnson rookie cards. He sadly ended up separating the perforated cards from each other into six pieces, and he stored them in an old Kool-Aid can.That hurts my heart a little bit.One of my favorite 5-card lists came from @RussellThornton-f9z, where he listed off his Driver’s License, Social Security card, Selective Service card, Voter ID and Mastercard as his life-changing cards!Brilliant!Russell also went on to list his real top-five cards, which included 1955 Topps Jackie Robinson, 1954 Topps Larry Doby, and 1986 Topps Patrick Roy.Like many other Comeback Collectors, user @drawstraw4483 jumped back into the hobby in 2022 after not collecting for 20 years. In that first year back, he grabbed seven out of the 11 Shohei Ohtani rookie cards that were numbered, when many people were sleeping on the Japanese giant. Awesome!Then he said one card he had changed his life TWICE!He happened to pull a redemption card from 2022 Topps Heritage for a red-ink auto of Wander Franco #/73. Obviously, the second time it changed was when Franco ruined his life with huge legal troubles. He said it’s a beautiful card that he still holds onto, but yeah, that’s quite the Wander-ing rollercoaster ride, for sure!Another Comeback Collector named @petertseperkas1343 shared the top-five cards that changed his life, including the 1989 Upper Deck Griffey, of course, along with a 1972 Topps Roberto Clemente In-Action card. He said it was the first vintage card he ever traded for – and he had to give up a 1989 Rated Rookie lot of the same stud player to get it. Can you guess which Rated Rookie? If you guessed Ken Griffey Jr. – you’d be wrong. It was a bunch of Gregg Jefferies cards. Good deal, Peter!He also said the 1990 Score Bo Jackson was one of his favorite pulls, too, but that he had to give that to his brother. You see, his brother “owned” the rights to all Bo Jackson cards in his family!I absolutely love the concept of two brothers getting the all the cards pulled of the players they liked! My brothers were kinda similar. My brother Mike loved Ron Guidry and Thurman Munson, and I was the Bucky Dent fan. Looking back, I want to yell at 5-year-old David for not being more of a Benjamin Franklin fan! 💵💵💵Side note, Peter said he just got back into cards this summer, and he bought his FIRST Mickey Mantle card – a 1968 Topps Mickey Mantle SGC 2. “I love it,” Peter said. “I always dreamed of owning a Mantle as a kid.”Congrats, man!One of our old school Happy Hobbyists on YouTube, @eddywil commented, “The one card that changed my life is the 1993 Bowman Drew Bledsoe Gold Foil rookie card!”Eddy said he used to go to flea markets with his friend Dennis to buy cards, and they happened to go in on a wax box together and split the packs. Eddy pulled TWO Drews – and he was kind enough to give one of them to Dennis. That’s why you get friends in the hobby, folks. Be nice to each other.Sadly, Eddy said he still thinks about his friend Dennis, who passed away, every time he sees that Drew Bledsoe card.My man @BayouBets shared five pretty sick cards that changed his life. From a Josh Allen Optic Uptown card, to a J.J. McCarthy Optic Downtown, to a 2024 Topps Elly De La Cruz Gold RC # /2024!But No. 1 was a 1998 Upper Deck Michael Jordan Instant Winner card! He found out years later you were supposed to mail the card in to get the actual prize card and he never did. Ugh!Commenter @mikemorrissey7928 shared some cards that he said seemed like “milestone cards from my life,” including the 1992 Upper Deck Shaquille O’Neal Trade Card 1b, with the time-lapse photography of Shaq dunking. He said that card specifically changed his method of collecting, so he would start investing in cards as a collector, rather than just buying wax.Mike also said his 1974 Topps Pete Rose #300 card was pulled from the very first pack his father ever bought him. It’s still his favorite all-time card, even though it’s pretty beat up, and he’ll never get rid of it.That just means it’s a well-loved card, and that’s OK.After 20 years of not collecting, Mike was part of the same Comeback Collector wave most of us rode in on during the pandemic. He watched a Chris Sewall video from the Baseball Card Investor Collector Dealer YouTube channel.“One of my first purchases coming back into collecting was a 20 card lot of Shohei Ohtani’s rookie debut (batting) card. I’ve graded them all -- and 18 of the 20 graded an SGC 10! This lot introduced me to grading, which I find both fascinating and frustrating at the same time!”Preach, brother, preach!Who doesn’t love Sandy Koufax, right? Commenter @notarealastronaut did a deep dive into why Koufax is one of his favorite players, and how his 1965 Topps card is a big deal for him.“Rewind to 1992, when 11- year-old me found my uncle’s cards rubber-banded up in my grandparent’s basement. This stack included a 1953 Topps Jackie Robinson, 1956 Topps Willie Mays, and a slew of 1955 Bowman cards.”Apparently, he absconded with his uncle’s cards. I’m not sure if the uncle knew or not, but we’ll move on.“I knew that quite a few like the Robinson and Mays were ones to hang onto, but there were others in there, like a 55’s-ish Yogi Berra and Pee Wee Reese. My guy, however, was Koufax.”“One day in 4th grade, a classmate of mine brought in his collection, which included a 1990 Topps Turn Back the Clock Sandy Koufax!”“Well, I went wild over that Koufax and didn’t even think twice about trading him the Berra and Reese for the it. It was a very foolish trade, but I loved Koufax!... One day I’ll tell the story of me losing the ‘53 Robinson and ‘56 Mays, but that’s for another day!”I don’t know if my heart can take hearing that story!User @brandonhenry said the 1985 Topps Mark McGwire Team USA card got him into cards when he was just 5 years old. He also got a 1984 Topps Don Mattingly card as a gift when he was 10.Amazingly, he bought a 1980 Topps Basketball pack on eBay for $25 – and pulled a Magic/Bird rookie card!Note to Brandon: Don’t separate those panels!Our buddy @neworleanssaints3743 listed his 1958 Topps Mickey Mantle All-Star card as his prized possession, while also mentioning the 1991 Upper Deck Michael Jordan SP1 and the 1990 Topps Frank Thomas rookie card as his favorites.Finally, one of our favorite Happy Hobbyists, Scott Hedrick, shared his five life-changing pieces of cardboard. Understand that this guy is a junk-wax ripping maniac, with boxes and boxes of stuff that he and his brother have been ripping every weekend over the past several years.Scott mentioned Jose Canseco and Don Mattingly rookies, as many of our commenters did, from their respective Donruss rookie years. Those two cards, along with the ’89 Upper Deck Griffey, were iconic in the ‘80s. Scott said, “Anyone kid who managed to get one walked around school like a god amongst mortals.”Interestingly, the 1981 Topps Joe Montana rookie card was a huge reason Scott returned to the hobby in 2009 – a virtual grizzled Comeback Collecting veteran compared to most of us!“I had always wanted the rookie card of whom I considered the greatest QB of all time (Joe Montana), and since my Dad was more into baseball than football, we didn’t get many football packs as kids. So, this was another iconic

As a member of the eBay Partner Network, I earn commissions from links on this page to qualifying purchases.New Faces, New Chases: 2026 Rookie Cards Fueled By MLB Opening Day BoomBaseball card collectors are all about rookie cards — which means 2026 is lining up to be a cardboard carnival! The 2026 MLB season began with more Top 100 prospects in the big leagues than any season since MLB Pipeline released its first Top 100 Prospects list back in 2012. There were seven prospects from the Top 20 of MLB’s Top 100 list on Opening Day rosters, and we’ve already seen the rookie cards of three of these fellas in 2026 Topps Series 1.This is the rare year where prospect lists, box scores, and checklists are all colliding at the same time, and you don’t need to be a prospector nerd to care.Top Prospects Who Already Have RCs: Series 1 GuysThese are the “you can buy them today” names:Prospect #6 Nolan McLean, SP, N.Y. Mets: 2026 Topps Series 1 RC #214 - View on eBay!* Superb pitching prospect with power and command, slotting in the new-and-improved Mets roster as their SP3 for now, but with future ace potential.Prospect #8 Samuel Basallo, C, Baltimore Orioles: 2026 Topps Series 1 RC #104 - View on eBay!* Basallo has pop with batting average potential, lining him up as a middle-of-the-order bat at some point for a lineup riddled with upside.Prospect #11 Bubba Chandler, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates: 2026 Topps Series 1 RC #283 - View on eBay!* Another electric pitcher, but this one is learning from teammate ROY/Cy Young winner Paul Skenes.Target: Low-numbered flagship parallels, on-card autos, and maybe one nice parallel you’re comfortable tucking away for 3–5 years. (I’m always a fan of Topps Gold #/2026!)These are three names you are chasing in Series 1, with the cards you end up getting and their prices helping you decide whether you’re someone looking to collect long-term or if you are someone ready to buy and flip quickly.Likely Series 2 RCs: The Incoming WaveThese are your “new faces, new chases” for when 2026 Topps Series 2 drops in June (we shared their Bowman 1st cards that are available now). Prospect #2 Kevin McGonigle, 3B, Detroit Tigers: 2025 Bowman Chrome BCP-70 – View on eBay!* McG has an advanced bat, with the kind of “hit-first, power-later” profile that can sneak up on casual collectors.Prospect #5 JJ Wetherholt, SS, St. Louis Cardinals: 2025 Bowman Chrome BCP-22 – View on eBay!* Another “professional” hitter, the 7th pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, Wetherholt has 20/20 potential and all-over-the-infield versatility.Prospect #16 Carson Benge, OF, N.Y. Mets: 2024 Bowman Chrome BDC-28 - View on eBay!* Also drafted in Round 1 of 2024, Benge homered in his MLB debut last week, and this corner infielder boasts nice exit velocities. Prospect #18 Carter Jensen, C, Kansas City Royals: 2021 Bowman Draft BDC-106 – View on eBay!* Drafted in 2021 out of high school, Jensen is still just 22 years old, which is mighty young for a big league catcher. The Athletic’s Keith Law tabbed him as the prospect who could impact his MLB team the most in 2026. Be patient here.These guys already in the big leagues, but their true rookie cards are still in the on-deck circle.The Two-Track TimelineOnce again, we consider the two different timelines that affect baseball players more than other sports: Their prospect life and their arrival to the majors.* Track 1: Prospect / 1st Bowman: This market often peaks before Opening Day, when everything is hope and projection.* Track 2: Flagship RC: This market builds around actual MLB performance, highlights, and awards.How a baseball card can view the players discussed:* Basallo & Jensen: Catchers with cardboard — that means defense and handling pitchers might matter more early on with their their offensive abilities not as important right away. Collectors are in like with backstops usually, not in love.* Wetherholt & McGonigle: Two high-floor bats who might not have a 40-HR ceiling, but they are exactly the type who become “Oh wow, why didn’t I buy more of him?” in a few years.* McLean & Chandler: The “fun to watch, high variance” pitchers who can create great flip windows, but are dangerous as long-term holds.Just remember: If a player’s appeal is highlight-based (high velocity, high K-pitching, big home runs), think more like a flipper. But if a player’s appeal is boring excellence (OBP, consistency, middle-of-the-order potential, no platoon), think more like a long-term investor.A Simple Collector ChecklistHere are some action items to consider for your sports card collection:* Pick 2 of the Series 1 guys as your ‘already have RCs’ watch list. Set a mental sell price if they spike in April. (For me, I think it will be the pitchers.)* Pick 2 of the likely Series 2 guys to target for picking up one RC parallel. (McGonigle and Wetherholt for me.)* Pick 1 player you like as a fan, even if the ‘math’ says he’s not the best investment, and give yourself permission to just collect. (Bubba!)Let us know in the comments below which players land in which of those three groups!🏆 BEST ROOKIE CARDS FROM EVERY YEAR! 🏆We list out the very best rookie cards from each flagship release in all four major sports.The Happy Hobby Sports Cards World* 📺 YouTube: 8.5K Subscribers* 📬 Newsletter: 1.4K readers* 🎙️ Podcast: 800+ podcast downloads/episode* 🌐 DavidGonos.com - 1K daily visitsOur podcasts were ranked by MillionPodcasts.com as one of the Top 10 Basketball Card Podcasts, Top 10 Football Card Podcasts and Top 10 Hockey Card Podcasts! And we’re aiming to get ranked among the Top 10 Baseball Card Podcasts!Happy Hobby! Build a better sports card collection on a real-world budget! Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

As a member of the eBay Partner Network, I earn commissions from links on this page to qualifying purchases.Baseball’s back, baby.For a lot of us, MLB Opening Day isn’t just about box scores and first pitches — it’s the second period of “card-collecting season,” too. But if you’re a new baseball card collector or a Comeback Collector on a budget, it can feel like everyone else is breaking cases while you’re wondering if you should even grab a blaster.This issue is for you.Here are some great ways you can make 2026 MLB Opening Day a celebration — without wrecking your wallet, your mood, or your love for the hobby.1. Build a $25 Opening Day Starter PCLet’s start with a fun challenge: give yourself a hard cap — let’s say, $25–$30 — and build a tiny Opening Day PC.Use that small budget to build a mini collection that feels complete enough to be satisfying, but small enough to stay affordable.A few build ideas (with examples of each):* Team Fan Build: Grab cards of players on your team’s, along with one or two cheap inserts or parallels of your favorite team’s star, and one rookie.Example: My Rays 2026 cards, 2026 Topps Series 1 Junior Caminero Crackleboard, and a 2026 Topps Series 1 Carson Williams Topps Gold /2026.* One-Player Build: Pick up a base rookie, 2–3 different base cards (different years/sets), and one parallel or insert for that guy that just looks cool.Example: 2008 Topps Heritage Evan Longoria Rookie Stars #650, 2009 Topps Evan Longoria All-Star Rookie Cup, and 2018 Topps Evan Longoria Gold /2018.* Nostalgia Build: Buy a couple of vintage or junk-wax-era cards of your childhood hero, plus one modern card of that player for contrast. Once you hit your budget number, you’re done. The cap is part of the fun. It forces you to make decisions, get creative, and feel like you completed something instead of endlessly chasing more.2. Create an “Opening Day Tradition Box”You don’t need a case break to feel like a collector on Opening Day.Instead, pick one affordable product and make it your yearly tradition. That might be:* Topps Flagship* Topps Heritage* Junk Wax* Topps Archives* Topps Allen & GinterThe tradition is the point, not the hit. Make it a ritual:* You only open it on Opening Day (or that night).* You sort the cards while watching your team.* You pull out one or two cards to represent “this year’s Opening Day,” top-load ‘em up, then share in our Happy Hobby Sports Cards Chat!Over time, that tradition box becomes a little time capsule:“Here’s the Opening Day blaster I opened in 2026… Remember that rookie we were all wrong about?”3. Run a “Shoebox Lineup” ChallengeYou don’t need new cards to have fun on Opening Day — you just need a shoebox (or regular card box) and a theme.Challenge: Build a starting lineup using only cards you already own, based around a theme:* All-time lineup for your team* All-current MLB lineup* Your Fantasy Baseball team lineup* “Favorite weird players” lineup* “Guys I thought would be stars — who didn’t quite get there” lineupPull those cards out and lay them out like a lineup card. Snap a photo and post it in our chat! That’s a fun Instagram post, that’s nostalgia, and it costs you nothing.4. Trade, Don’t Buy (At Least Once)One of the best ways to celebrate Opening Day without spending more cash? Make at least one trade instead of one more purchase.Think about it:* You probably have duplicates, extra inserts, or players you’re no longer collecting.* Someone else out there has exactly the opposite.Opening Day is the perfect excuse to:* Hit a local show or shop and ask if there’s a trade night coming up.* Do a small, low-risk PWE (plain white envelope) swap with another collector.* Trade with a friend or family member who collects a different team.Set a simple mini-goal:“On Opening Day, I will make one trade that gets me at least one card that actually fits my collection better.”This shifts your mindset from “spend more” to “improve what I already have.”5. Start a One-Season Player PCThis one is perfect for Comeback Collectors who want to reconnect with the season and not just the stats:Pick one under-the-radar player and commit to a tiny “2026-only” PC.How it works:* Before first pitch, choose your guy: a breakout candidate, a hometown kid, or even a quirky reliever.* Set tight rules:* Max budget (for example, $20 for the whole season).* Types of cards allowed (base, parallels, maybe one autograph if you you get a deal).* You stop buying at the All-Star break or when you hit your budget, whichever comes first.As the season goes on:* You check box scores, watch highlights, and… oh look, you care about that player now.* Your small PC becomes a story of the season — whether they broke out or totally flopped.Either way, you win:* If they play well: you’ve got a sweet little PC of a guy you believed in early.* If they don’t: you’ve got a funny story and a reminder not to overspend on hype.6. Clean Up One Small Corner of Your CollectionNot the whole room. Not the entire closet. Not all 12 monster boxes. Just one box, one binder, or one drawer.Make Opening Day your annual “mini-organize” day:* Sort one box by player, team, or sport.* Pull out any cards that obviously don’t fit your collecting focus anymore.* Create a small stack for:* Future trades* Giveaways* “Why do I own this?” cards?Why this matters for budget collectors:* You rediscover cards you forgot you had.* You avoid buying duplicates or cards that don’t fit your current lane.* You often find “new projects” sitting in boxes you haven’t opened in years.If you’ve been away from the hobby for a while, this is also a gentle way back in. You’re touching your cards, not your bank account.7. Go $1/$2 Bin Shopping on COMCWhile everyone else is buying cards on eBay, and paying for shipping for each $1 and $2 card they buy, you will be a smarter collector, buying cards on COMC and paying just ONE shipping fee, even if you buy from different sellers.I first like to first type in a player’s name into BuySportsCards.com, then look through all the different cards for that player that I didn’t even know existed. Usually, you’ll find some great inserts or Throwback cards you missed. Then, I either buy it there, or I go over to COMC.com, and I search for that card over there, where I can see the conditions of the cards. (I usually put $25-$50 in my COMC account, then just pay out of that for $1 or $2 cards, etc.)BONUS IDEA No. 1: Back To BowmanGet out all of your Bowman 1st cards and search through them for late-blooming stars you might have missed when you first opened those packs! Quite often, you’ll find a player or two who might hit the majors like a meteor, but weren’t highly touted in the minors. BONUS IDEA No. 2: Create a “3-Year Rewind” Tradition!Get out your card collection, and go back three years to check out your rookie cards of 2023 Topps Baseball! Once again, you could find some cards of players you didn’t know you had, maybe some rookie cards of players who are now developing into bigger players. Think of how Cal Raleigh blew up last year (first catcher to ever hit more than 50 home runs!), and yet, when you pulled his rookie cards in 2022, you probably shrugged your shoulders. What about rookie cards of guys like Hunter Brown, Riley Greene, Mason Miller and Maikel Garcia? All four of whom were ranked among the top 65 baseball players on MLB Network’s list of the Top 100 MLB Players Right Now!Celebrate the Day, Not the DollarsIf you’re a budget collector—or someone coming back to the hobby after years away—it’s easy to feel like you’re “doing it wrong” because you’re not ripping cases or chasing $1,000 singles.You’re not doing it wrong.You’re doing it on your terms.On 2026 MLB Opening Day, you can:* Build a fun little $25 PC.* Make one affordable tradition.* Play lineup games with the cards you already own.* Trade instead of buying.* Follow one player’s season with a tiny PC.* Tame one box of cardboard chaos.* And add a nice little collection of cheap cards to your collection.* Find some late-blooming gems from your boxes of commons!That sounds like a pretty great way to keep you smiling in our #HappyHobby.Hit reply and tell me which of these 7 ideas you’re doing this year—or send a photo of your Opening Day setup in our chat, your $25 PC, or your shoebox lineup. I’ll feature some of my favorites in an upcoming issue.🏆 BEST ROOKIE CARDS FROM EVERY YEAR! 🏆We list out the very best rookie cards from each flagship release in all four major sports.The Happy Hobby Sports Cards World* 📺 YouTube: 8.5K Subscribers* 📬 Newsletter: 1.4K readers* 🎙️ Podcast: 800+ podcast downloads/episode* 🌐 DavidGonos.com - 1K daily visitsOur podcasts were ranked by MillionPodcasts.com as one of the Top 10 Basketball Card Podcasts, Top 10 Football Card Podcasts and Top 10 Hockey Card Podcasts! And we’re aiming to get ranked among the Top 10 Baseball Card Podcasts!Happy Hobby! Build a better sports card collection on a real-world budget! Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

As a member of the eBay Partner Network, I earn commissions from links on this page to qualifying purchases.There are some years in this hobby where a release just feels like an event, and 2026 Topps Heritage Baseball is absolutely one of those sets. This year’s product throws it back to the classic 1977 Topps design, and for set collectors, rookie-card chasers, and nostalgia addicts, it’s a perfect storm of cardboard goodness.We’re sharing why we’re excited about it, why we’re upset about it, and why we can’t wait to rip our hobby box open this week!Why the 1977 Topps Design Still HitsThe 1977 Topps Baseball design is one of those templates that looks simple at first glance but never feels outdated. Team names in bold, clean photography, and that era-perfect vibe make it instantly recognizable. Heritage borrowing that look in 2026 means we get:* A retro aesthetic that still pops in a modern collection.* Great nameplates that showcase rookie names really well.* A design that looks fantastic in team sets and nine-pocket pages.Our resident sports card designer, Alan Camuto, shared his thoughts on that old school design that was embedded deep in the disco era:I wasn’t a big fan of the 1977 Topps design when I was a kid. It felt a little awkward and bland compared to some earlier sets. Over time, though, it grew on me.Now I can appreciate how Topps was trying to be innovative with its design elements. The blocky italic team name was something new. It was the first time Topps used italics on the front of a flagship base card.Card backs stood out too—stats and bios in an illustrated billboard gave them character, not just filler.The debut ‘Turn Back the Clock’ cards were fresh fun, later a mid-’80s staple.What really works for me is the white space. It gives the photos room to breathe and lets the design elements stand out more than you might expect.Looking back, the 1977 Topps Baseball set has grown on me because of its willingness to experiment. It wasn’t perfect. Some details were off and parts of the design feel dated, but it is a set that has character. It captures a moment in time when Topps was trying new things, and I think that is what makes it memorable.For funsies, I went back and ranked my five favorite cards from the 1977 Topps set:* Mark Fidrych: “The Bird” had the big smile, the crazy personality and the Topps All-Star Rookie Cup celebrating his 1976 American League Rookie of the Year award. But he was a shooting star, whose career fizzled after tearing his rotator cuff. * Andre Dawson Quad Rookie: “Hawk’s” first card isn’t a beautiful one, but it’s better than Dale Murphy, who got double-quadded in 1977 and ‘78. This Dawson card set us up for a great first solo card for Dawson in ‘78.* Nolan Ryan: It’s an intimidating image, like the photographer wanted us to feel what looking down the rails at the Ryan Express would feel like.A Monster 2026 Rookie ClassHeritage is always more fun when the rookie crop is loaded, and this checklist is stacked with big names and big upside. Some of the key rookies we’re fired up about in 2026 Topps Heritage include:* Roman Anthony, OF, Boston Red Sox* Samuel Basallo, C, Baltimore Orioles* Chase Burns, SP, Cincinnati Reds* Jac Caglianone, 1B, Kansas City Royals* Bubba Chandler, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates* Nolan McLean, SP, N.Y. Mets* Jacob Misiorowski, SP, Milwaukee Brewers* Cam Schlittler, SP, N.Y. Yankees* Carson Williams, SS, Tampa Bay RaysThat’s a ridiculous group for one year’s Heritage run. It’s the kind of rookie class that makes sealed boxes interesting long-term and gives player collectors a true “first Heritage” chase they’ll care about down the road.Rookie Cards We Haven’t Seen in Flagship YetOne of the sneaky best parts of this year’s product is that Heritage is giving us 2026 rookie cards of some players who haven’t even appeared in Topps flagship yet. That creates a fun little wrinkle for collectors who like being early, and for flagship collectors who are already looking forward to Series 2. Some notable names:* Bryce Eldridge, 1B, San Francisco Giants* Carter Jensen, C, Kansas City Royals* Trey Yesavage, SP, Toronto Blue JaysJensen is especially interesting because The Athletic’s Keith Law tabbed him as the rookie who could help his team the most this season, which adds a layer of hobby heat and real-baseball relevance to his first big-league cardboard. When a player has both prospect buzz and immediate impact potential, that rookie card can move quickly from “nice pull” to “centerpiece.” He’ll still need to get playing time and at-bats in spite of future Hall-of-Fame backstop Salvador Perez still hanging around.The Return of the Quad Rookie CardsFew card types polarize collectors like the multi-player rookie. The 1977 design instantly reminds us of those classic Andre Dawson and Dale Murphy rookie cards, and 2026 Topps Heritage leans hard into that history by bringing back the Quad Rookie format.Love them or hate them, these cards are conversation pieces. This year, one of the big ones will feature White Sox SS Colson Montgomery in one of the corners. He’s coming off a 21-homer season and just landed on MLB’s Top 100 Players Right Now list, which means his presence on a multi-player rookie turns that card into more than just a novelty. If the other three players on that quad perform, you’ve suddenly got a Heritage card that looks a lot like the multi-rookie classics we already revere.Another fun item is that they’re celebrating the 1977 expansion of the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays, which sounds like an awesome ALCS, right? They’ll insert cards with autographs of members of those teams from 50 years ago.“Turn Back the Clock” Is BackHeritage always shines brightest when it leans into baseball history, and 2026 does that beautifully by reviving the “Turn Back the Clock” cards that originally debuted in the 1977 Topps set. Back then, guys like Ralph Kiner, Maury Wills, and Carl Yastrzemski had some career highlights commemorated.In 2026 Heritage, we get a modern legend treatment with stars like:* Ichiro* Derek Jeter* Miguel CabreraThese cards bridge the gap between eras perfectly: a 1977-style design celebrating 21st-century icons. The Tough Part: Value vs. Box ConstructionNot everything about 2026 Topps Heritage is perfect, though. For one thing, the checklist no longer has 100 short prints on it. Some consider this a good thing, as it will be easier to complete the set, but others will see it as a bummer since the chase will be less exciting. Also, while the pre-order price for hobby boxes stayed the same as last year, the product quietly dropped four packs per box. Fewer packs at the same price means:* Higher cost per card.* Less total “rip time” for the same money.* Fewer shots at that key rookie or hit in a single box.For collectors on a budget, that stings. It doesn’t ruin the product — the design, rookies, and red-ink autograph possibilities are strong enough to keep this release relevant — but it does change the purchase strategy. This might be one of those years where:* Singles and team sets make more sense for some collectors.* Group breaks become more appealing to chase specific players or teams.* Sealed wax decisions lean more toward long-term hold than heavy ripping.2026 Topps Heritage Baseball checks just about every box you want in a nostalgia-driven modern release: iconic design, a loaded rookie class, historically themed subsets and inserts, and some wonderfully divisive Quad Rookies to argue about. The only misstep is the box configuration — but for collectors who plan smart, this is the kind of set that’s going to look fantastic for the next 50 years to come.Are you excited about 2026 Topps Heritage, or are you already preparing for Topps Football or 2026 Topps Series 2 Baseball? 🏆 BEST ROOKIE CARDS FROM EVERY YEAR! 🏆We list out the very best rookie cards from each flagship release in all four major sports.The Happy Hobby Sports Cards World* 📺 YouTube: 8.4K Subscribers* 📬 Newsletter: 1.4K readers* 🎙️ Podcast: 800+ podcast downloads/episode* 🌐 DavidGonos.com - 1K daily visitsOur podcasts were ranked by MillionPodcasts.com as one of the Top 10 Basketball Card Podcasts, Top 10 Football Card Podcasts and Top 10 Hockey Card Podcasts! And we’re aiming to get ranked among the Top 10 Baseball Card Podcasts!Happy Hobby! Build a better sports card collection on a real-world budget! Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

As a member of the eBay Partner Network, I earn commissions from links on this page to qualifying purchases.When Rookie Cards Cost Too Much: 11 Smart Alternatives for the Budget Collector!Here’s the truth: not every collector’s wallet can handle a flashy 2018 Topps Chrome Shohei Ohtani rookie card or that 2018 Prizm Silver Luka Doncic RC. But that doesn’t mean your collection has to sit on the sidelines. You can absolutely add your favorite players’ first-year cards in your binder, display case, or slab box — without draining your savings. If you can’t afford that player’s true rookie card, your goal then switches to getting just a rookie card of that player. This way, you’re still in the rookie card business, at a much lower cost. What do you do when the hobby gods place a $300 price tag on your dream RC? You get creative! Here are 10 great alternatives that’ll still scratch that collector itch — plus a couple bonus ideas to keep things fun.1. Try “Alternative” Rookie CardsYou can stay close to the RC era by hunting rookie cards in other brands, like Donruss and NBA Hoops for NBA/NFL, or Topps Allen & Ginter, Topps Archives, Topps Heritage for baseball.* Examples: You can find much cheaper slabs of rookie cards for Ronald Acuña Jr., Ohtani and Juan Soto in 2018 Topps Archives. Clayton Kershaw’s 2008 Topps Heritage “1959 Rookie Stars” insert is gorgeous, and his 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter mini rookie card is a beauty, as well. They are all fun and affordable pickups that still capture that rookie-year vibe.2. Grab a Rookie-Year InsertLook for inserts from the same year as their true RCs — like those 35th Anniversary throwbacks Topps. They’re usually undervalued but share the same nostalgia.3. Rookie Debut CardsDisappointment often sets in when you pull a Rookie Debut card, but when you are looking to buy a first-year card of a modern superstar, RD is the place to be!Case in point: The 2014 Topps Mookie Betts Rookie Debut #US-301 is a fabulous landscape card as he takes the field at Fenway Park. It’s still a Mookie rookie-year card, but its way cheaper than his 2014 Topps Update RC.4. Topps All-Star Rookie CupsThese are just plain fun. After every season, Topps names their Topps All-Star Rookie Cup team (12 players, which includes one player at each fielding position, as well as one LHP, one RHP, one RP and one DH. Ohtani even had two Rookie Cup cards in 2019 (one for hitting in Series 1 #250 and one for pitching in Series 2 #600!). It’s like a rookie sequel — and collectors love them!It has the look and feel of a rookie card with the price of a second-year card.5. Budget SlabsAn SGC 9 or CGC 9.5 can look sharp in your display — and they’re often far off the price of its PSA cousin. Great bang for your buck, especially for modern stars.6. Future Stars CardsTopps loves reminding us who they think will be the next big deal, and they use their Future Stars insert set in their Topps Chrome brand. Ohtani’s 2019 Topps Chrome Future Stars card is a great example—cool design, still linked to his early career, much cheaper than a true rookie.7. Second-Year cardsWe already pitched some other second-year cards, like Future Stars inserts and some cards with the Topps All-Star Rookie Cups. But other second-year cards are worth a look, too. Don’t sleep on these. They often highlight the player’s rookie-year accomplishments (check the back of Kershaw’s 2009 Topps for proof). Many collectors consider these the next-best thing to RCs.8. Draft Picks or Pre-MLB cardsCollege or minor league cards (like Bowman Draft or early Leaf issues) are fun glimpses of players before they made it big. You can find some sneaky bargains here.9. Non-Rookie Autograph CardsHaving great rookie cards is ideal, but a nice alternative would be getting modern autograph cards from some Hall-of-Fame junk wax stars!Buying autographed cards of Hall-of-Famers like Wade Boggs, Greg Maddux, or David Ortiz autos can be found under $100. Even numbered autos of HOFers like Fred McGriff or Scott Rolen often go for under $50. Stick with Topps Certified for authenticity, though.10. Panini and Leaf Rookie CardsThey may lack logos, but they are real rookie-year issues — and sometimes you’ll find gems for a fraction of MLB-licensed prices. If you’re just collecting, not flipping, these are perfect placeholders or even keepers.11. Buy Bowman Rookie CardsBowman is a Topps product, and its mostly for prospect cards — particularly Bowman 1st cards. But they also create Bowman RC cards! Those are particularly interesting for international players, like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, as those rookie cards often stand in as their Bowman 1st cards! Bonus!Bonus Ideas!* Parallels and Short Prints: Non-numbered color parallels (like Topps Rainbow Foil or Heritage Chrome refractors) can look flashy without being pricey.* Oddball Stuff: Commemorative sets, team set rookie cards, food issues, or National Baseball Card Day promos are fun and unique ways to represent a player, too!My 3 Favorite “Affordable Rookie Alternatives” Right Now(Drum roll, please…)* 2019 Topps Shohei Ohtani All-Star Rookie Cup #50 - $10: It’s such a clean design, cheap, and still screams “rookie.”* 2025 Topps Fred McGriff #87BBA-FM - $35: Hall of Fame bat + affordable ink = total win.* 2008 Topps Heritage Clayton Kershaw #595 RC - $30: His HOF-induction clock has begun, and this design is off-the-charts amazing!So the next time you see that $800 Chrome RC and sigh, remember: the joy of collecting doesn’t rely on owning the card—it’s about finding your card. You can always upgrade later!What’s your favorite rookie card alternative? Maybe a draft pick card, an All-Star Rookie Cup favorite, or that one sneaky parallel that feels like a steal? Drop a comment and share your own budget-friendly collecting ideas!🏆 BEST ROOKIE CARDS FROM EVERY YEAR! 🏆We list out the very best rookie cards from each flagship release in all four major sports.The Happy Hobby Sports Cards World* 📺 YouTube: 8.3K Subscribers* 📬 Newsletter: 1.4K readers* 🎙️ Podcast: 800+ podcast downloads/episode* 🌐 DavidGonos.com - 1K daily visitsOur podcasts were ranked by MillionPodcasts.com as one of the Top 10 Basketball Card Podcasts, Top 10 Football Card Podcasts and Top 10 Hockey Card Podcasts! And we’re aiming to get ranked among the Top 10 Baseball Card Podcasts!Happy Hobby! Build a better sports card collection on a real-world budget! Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

Each Happy Hobby Sports Card Newsletter For Collectors has a handful of great sports card subjects, helping sports card collectors working with limited budgets!🎙️Finding Your Lane as a Comeback Collector: Our Simple Roadmap To Success! - Ep. 3.08Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, collecting cards was a completely different world. Parallels were rare, inserts were fun surprises, and nobody talked about “market value.” The conversations were all about building complete sets, trading with friends, and hunting for cards of the stars we already knew — guys like Mike Schmidt, Reggie Jackson, and Cal Ripken Jr.Today’s hobby uses a lot of new terms — one of the biggest being “flagship.” And that can throw a lot of returning collectors off. In baseball, “flagship” still has a clear meaning: Topps’ main base set, split into Series 1 and Series 2 (and often Update). That’s the heart of Topps’ paper line — classic stats on the back, solid photography, and a wide mix of veterans and rookies, just like old times.Then there’s Topps Chrome — basically the same design, just shinier. Think of it like going from a go‑kart to a dune buggy: same ride, different feel.When it comes to basketball and football, Panini took over in 2009 and 2016. Their paper sets — Donruss, Score, Hoops — carry the torch of the old Topps and Fleer era. But in the modern collecting scene, Prizm has become their flagship. It’s the glossy, parallel‑heavy line with base rookies, silvers, and rainbows of color variations — which is why those boxes come with higher price tags.Why Donruss Optic Hits the Sweet SpotFor many collectors coming back to the hobby, Donruss Optic feels familiar and comfortable. It’s like someone took the classic Donruss set from your childhood and gave it a modern chrome makeover. You still get that iconic “Rated Rookie” logo, but on premium stock that feels like Prizm — shiny, thicker, and with parallels to chase if you want a little excitement.Optic also keeps that big‑set, old‑school checklist vibe, which means it doesn’t feel as overwhelming. Prizm can sometimes feel like jumping into the deep end — tons of parallels, jargon, and pricing tiers to learn. Optic, meanwhile, feels like the bridge between that old‑school binder and the modern display case — familiar, affordable, and still relevant.Simplicity vs. SpecializationBack in the day, your choices were simple: Topps, Donruss, or Fleer — that was it. You grabbed a few packs, traded with friends, and slowly built your set.Now, you type “Prizm rookie” into eBay and boom — you’re staring at dozens of variations: Silver, Red Ice, Disco, Laser, Choice, numbered, photo variations — and that’s just one product! Multiply that across Optic, Select, and Mosaic, and it’s easy to see why newer collectors feel overwhelmed.But this specialization has a purpose.* There’s something for every budget and collecting style.* Chrome‑based lines like Prizm or Optic are the new home for “flagship rookies.”* Paper lines like Donruss or Hoops offer that nostalgic, traditional feel.* Parallels build in the chase for fans who like the hunt.It’s not a bad thing — it just means you need a plan before you dive in.A Simple Roadmap for Comeback CollectorsIf you’re jumping back in, here’s an easy framework to get started:* Pick your sport first.* Baseball: Start with Topps Series 1 and 2 (and Update if you want rookies from call‑ups and trades).* Basketball/Football: Choose your lane — go with paper (Hoops or Donruss) if you want a classic vibe, or shiny (Prizm or Optic) if you want the modern flagship experience.* Hockey: Go with Upper Deck’s Series 1, 2, or Extended — that’s your flagship world.* Lean into nostalgia.* Donruss gives you old‑school binder cards and fun inserts.* Optic lets you step up into chrome and Rated Rookies without getting lost in the chaos.* Define your rookie strategy.* Pick one main product for each player — don’t chase them all.* For example: Caleb Williams in Prizm, Victor Wembanyama in Prizm or Optic, Bobby Witt Jr. in Topps flagship.* This narrows your focus and keeps things fun instead of stressful.* Use parallels with purpose.* Maybe chase your team color or your favorite design.* Stick with base, silver/holo, or one favorite color if it feels manageable. For context, Silver Prizms are the top non-numbered cards most collectors look for.* Keep that old‑school spirit alive.* Build team binders again. Trade with friends or hobby groups.* Remember, you can always come back to your favorite players — this doesn’t have to be about flipping for profit.At the end of the day, collecting is supposed to be fun, not a race. You’ve got a lifetime to chase the cards you want — so take your time, stay curious, and enjoy the ride.Let us know what you are loving or hating about this 2026 Topps Series 1 release! Drop a comment below!Got some content ideas for me? Shoot me a note at gonoscards@gmail.com !🏆 BEST ROOKIE CARDS FROM EVERY YEAR! 🏆We’ve gone through every year in all four major sports to find the very best rookie cards from each flagship release.* Best baseball rookie cards from every year since 1941!* Best football rookie cards from every year since 1956!* Best basketball rookie cards from every year since 1948!* Best hockey rookie cards from every year since 1951!The Happy Hobby Sports Cards World* 📺 YouTube: 8.3K Subscribers* 📬 Newsletter: 1.4K readers* 🎙️ Podcast: 800+ podcast downloads/episode* 🌐 DavidGonos.com - 1K daily visitsOur podcasts were ranked by MillionPodcasts.com as one of the Top 10 Basketball Card Podcasts, Top 10 Football Card Podcasts and Top 10 Hockey Card Podcasts! And we’re aiming to get ranked among the Top 10 Baseball Card Podcasts!Happy Hobby! Build a better sports card collection on a real-world budget! Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

Each Happy Hobby Sports Card Newsletter For Collectors has a handful of great sports card subjects, helping sports card collectors working with limited budgets!🎙️26 Rookie Cards We’re Excited To Pull in 2026! - Ep. 3.08As we flip open those brand-new 2026 calendars, sports card collectors everywhere start looking ahead to flagship release season — and the chase for the year’s best rookie cards begins! Baseball, basketball (NBA and WNBA), football, and hockey all have exciting classes on deck.Here are a few key products and their expected release windows:* 2026 Topps Series 1 Baseball: Late January* 2026 Topps Football: September (projected)* 2026 Topps Basketball: October (projected)* 2025–26 Upper Deck Series 2 Hockey: March* 2026 Donruss WNBA: October (projected)The 2026 rookie crop across all four major sports looks stacked — from NPB imports and emerging MLB standouts to college QBs and future WNBA stars ready to anchor the next generation.This year also marks Topps’ 75th anniversary, and Series 1 should bring plenty of creative inserts, special designs, and autograph surprises to celebrate. Plus, Topps plans to roll out its first licensed NFL cards in April, likely focusing on the 2025 rookie class.In this episode, we’re breaking down our Top 26 Rookie Cards to Watch in 2026, ranked by how excited we are — and yes, by their Hall-of-Fame-ed-ocity. (Totally a word.)We even got a little help from A.I., offering player comps to help visualize each rookie’s upside path for the hobby.Special thanks to Patrick Imhoff for his picks on the top hockey rookies to expect from 2025–26 Upper Deck Series 2 and Extended Series. Let us know what you are loving or hating about this 2026 Topps Series 1 release! Drop a comment below!Got some content ideas for me? Shoot me a note at gonoscards@gmail.com !🏆 BEST ROOKIE CARDS FROM EVERY YEAR! 🏆We’ve gone through every year in all four major sports to find the very best rookie cards from each flagship release.* Best baseball rookie cards from every year since 1941!* Best football rookie cards from every year since 1956!* Best basketball rookie cards from every year since 1948!* Best hockey rookie cards from every year since 1951!The Happy Hobby Sports Cards World* 📺 YouTube: 8.3K Subscribers* 📬 Newsletter: 1.4K readers* 🎙️ Podcast: 800+ podcast downloads/episode* 🌐 DavidGonos.com - 1K daily visitsOur podcasts were ranked by MillionPodcasts.com as one of the Top 10 Basketball Card Podcasts, Top 10 Football Card Podcasts and Top 10 Hockey Card Podcasts! And we’re aiming to get ranked among the Top 10 Baseball Card Podcasts!Happy Hobby! Build a better sports card collection on a real-world budget! Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

Each Happy Hobby Sports Card Newsletter For Collectors has a handful of great sports card subjects, helping sports card collectors working with limited budgets!🎙️6 Things We Love/Hate About 2026 Topps Series 1 Baseball! - Ep. 3.07We’ve waited a couple months to get the latest Topps flagship release, but we’ve waited a full year to see a new design! Finally, we got to get our hands on 2026 Topps Series 1 Baseball last week, and we found that there are some things we love — and some things we just flat-out hate about this latest series!Let us know what you are loving or hating about this 2026 Topps Series 1 release! Drop a comment below!Got some content ideas for me? Shoot me a note at gonoscards@gmail.com !***Important Card-Collecting Articles on DavidGonos.com**** Best Baseball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1941* Best Basketball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1948* Best Football Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1956* Best Hockey Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1951* 23 Best Sports Cards Supplies To BuyConnect with David Gonos on:* Facebook* Twitter/X @DavidGonos* Instagram @DavidGonos* TikTok* Link TreeEmail me: mailto:gonoscards@gmail.comHave a #HappyHobby!Podcast Music: “I dunno“ by grapes - 2008 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

Each Happy Hobby Sports Card Newsletter For Collectors has a handful of great sports card subjects, helping sports card collectors working with limited budgets!🎙️How Many Rookie Cards of the Top 100 Baseball Players Do You Have? - Ep. 3.06MLB Network ranked the Top 100 baseball players right now, heading into the 2026 MLB season, and we immediately wanted to know how many great players’ rookie cards we were missing from our collection?Spoiler alert: It’s a lot.Over at DavidGonos.com, I wrote up an article that lists each player and their true rookie card from Topps flagship sets, including Topps Series 1, Series 2 and Topps Update!Let us know which rookie cards you are picking up now that you’ve seen this list! Drop a comment below!Got some content ideas for me? Shoot me a note at gonoscards@gmail.com !***Important Card-Collecting Articles on DavidGonos.com**** Best Baseball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1941* Best Basketball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1948* Best Football Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1956* Best Hockey Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1951* 23 Best Sports Cards Supplies To BuyConnect with David Gonos on:* Facebook* Twitter/X @DavidGonos* Instagram @DavidGonos* TikTok* Link TreeEmail me: mailto:gonoscards@gmail.comHave a #HappyHobby!Podcast Music: “I dunno“ by grapes - 2008 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

Each Happy Hobby Sports Card Newsletter For Collectors has a handful of great sports card subjects, helping sports card collectors working with limited budgets!🎙️Average Rookie Card Rankings: 2026 Topps Series 1 ARCR! - Ep. 3.05We love rankings! We love rookie cards! We especially love doing our Average Rookie Card Rankings for each Topps flagship series, so we’re starting off with the 2026 Topps Series 1 ARCR!We took our rankings (adjusted with the addition of notably absent Nolan McLean), and we combined the rankings of YouTube hobby star Scottie B Cards and the rankings of Dahl , whose rankings posted over on Mantel and Yahoo! Sports, which he based on Base Bowman Chrome Auto prices.Let us know if you if there are some 2026 Topps Series 1 rookie cards you think should be ranked higher or lower! Drop a comment below!Got some content ideas for me? Shoot me a note at gonoscards@gmail.com !***Important Card-Collecting Articles on DavidGonos.com**** Best Baseball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1941* Best Basketball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1948* Best Football Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1956* Best Hockey Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1951* 23 Best Sports Cards Supplies To BuyConnect with David Gonos on:* Facebook* Twitter/X @DavidGonos* Instagram @DavidGonos* TikTok* Link TreeEmail me: mailto:gonoscards@gmail.comHave a #HappyHobby!Podcast Music: “I dunno“ by grapes - 2008 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

Each Happy Hobby Sports Card Newsletter For Collectors has a handful of great sports card subjects, helping sports card collectors working with limited budgets!Comeback Collecting and Other Cold Weather Sports Card Collecting Topics! - Ep. 3.04With Winter Storm Fern keeping us inside all weekend in Central Texas, I had some time to think about card grading, Comeback Collectors, and many other sports card collecting topics!We’re hoping to get more card collectors to take advantage of our great Happy Hobby Sports Cards chat on this website! You can ask questions, answer questions and ponder which cards you like better than other cards!Let us know if you if you are a Comeback Collector, an old school collector, or if you are brand new to the game! Drop a comment below!Got some content ideas for me? Shoot me a note at gonoscards@gmail.com !***Important Card-Collecting Articles on DavidGonos.com**** Best Baseball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1941* Best Basketball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1948* Best Football Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1956* Best Hockey Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1951* 23 Best Sports Cards Supplies To BuyConnect with David Gonos on:* Facebook* Twitter/X @DavidGonos* Instagram @DavidGonos* TikTok* Link TreeEmail me: mailto:gonoscards@gmail.comHave a #HappyHobby!Podcast Music: “I dunno“ by grapes - 2008 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

Each Happy Hobby Sports Card Newsletter For Collectors has a handful of great sports card subjects, helping sports card collectors working with limited budgets!2025 Rookie Card Power Rankings! Top 15 Topps Rookie Cards - Ep. 3.03With 282 rookie cards produced in 2025 Topps Series 1, Series 2 and Topps Update combined, it’s no wonder baseball card collectors would get dizzy wondering which rookie cards are the best ones!We settle it for now, ranking the top 15 rookie cards from all those series combined, helping you improve your card collection without chasing everything at once.Let us know if you like a 2025 Topps rookie card more than I do, or if you think I have a rookie card up too high in our power rankings! Drop a comment below or shoot me an email at gonoscards@gmail.com.Got some content ideas for me? Shoot me a note at gonoscards@gmail.com !***Important Card-Collecting Articles on DavidGonos.com**** Best Baseball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1941* Best Basketball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1948* Best Football Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1956* Best Hockey Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1951* 23 Best Sports Cards Supplies To BuyConnect with David Gonos on:* Facebook* Twitter/X @DavidGonos* Instagram @DavidGonos* TikTok* Link TreeEmail me: mailto:gonoscards@gmail.comHave a #HappyHobby!Podcast Music: “I dunno“ by grapes - 2008 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

Each Happy Hobby Sports Card Newsletter For Collectors has a handful of great sports card subjects, helping sports card collectors working with limited budgets!If you’re a sports card collector working with a limited budget, then you are like me — and like most of us that roam around on this newsletter and podcast!We love sports cards, but we don’t spend thousands of dollars chasing MLB Debut Patches or picking up four-figure vintage cards or insane parallels for baseball prospects who might never see the majors.So we came up with seven fun goals that a sports card collector can enjoy in 2026, as opposed to the flipper/investor. We don’t look down at those guys — we just don’t relate to them as much. You can find the written version of this article in our newsletter from last week right here:Let us know if there are some things you will do differently in 2026 that you did in 2025, or are there some things you did in 2025 that were big improvements to your collection from 2024? Let us know in the comments or shoot me an email at gonoscards@gmail.com.Got some content ideas for me? Shoot me a note at gonoscards@gmail.com !***Important Card-Collecting Articles on DavidGonos.com**** Best Baseball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1941* Best Basketball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1948* Best Football Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1956* Best Hockey Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1951* 23 Best Sports Cards Supplies To BuyConnect with David Gonos on:* Facebook* Twitter/X @DavidGonos* Instagram @DavidGonos* TikTok* Link TreeEmail me: mailto:gonoscards@gmail.comHave a #HappyHobby!Podcast Music: “I dunno“ by grapes - 2008 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

Each Happy Hobby Sports Card Newsletter For Collectors has a handful of great sports card subjects, helping sports card collectors working with limited budgets!If you’re a sports card collector working with a limited budget, then you know every purchase and every dollar means something good or bad for your collection.We’ve laid out some steps to help you get a better understanding of what you purchased, trade and sold over the past 12 months.Project managers often do post-mortems after a project is completed to assess what went well, what went wrong and where they can make some adjustments for future projects.In the sports card collector’s world, it’s all about learning from last year so you can make next year better!You can find the written version of this article in our newsletter from last week right here:Let us know if there are some things you will do differently in 2026 that you did in 2025, or are there some things you did in 2025 that were big improvements to your collection from 2024? Let us know in the comments or shoot me an email at gonoscards@gmail.com.Got some content ideas for me? Shoot me a note at gonoscards@gmail.com !***Important Card-Collecting Articles on DavidGonos.com**** Best Baseball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1941* Best Basketball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1948* Best Football Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1956* Best Hockey Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1951* 23 Best Sports Cards Supplies To BuyConnect with David Gonos on:* Facebook* Twitter/X @DavidGonos* Instagram @DavidGonos* TikTok* Link TreeEmail me: mailto:gonoscards@gmail.comHave a #HappyHobby!Podcast Music: “I dunno“ by grapes - 2008 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

Each Happy Hobby Sports Card Newsletter For Collectors has a handful of great sports card subjects, helping sports card collectors working with limited budgets!Did you miss one of our most valuable pieces of sports card content!?!We’re going to review the most popular rookie cards clicked on, pages, newsletters, videos, and podcasts from the HHSC world.My goal is to create a little Happy Hobby community, where card friends help card friends. I’m trying to turn my YT viewers into newsletter subscribers, and my newsletter subscribers into podcast listeners.How the Happy Hobby Sports Cards world works:* Everything revolves around my rookie card links on DavidGonos.com.* That’s how readers/viewers/listeners can support our content.* Evergreen content also goes on DavidGonos.com, which is stuff that will live longer than a week or two, or can be linked to from multiple newsletters, etc.* An idea becomes a Happy Hobby Sports Cards newsletter on Substack.* A newsletter becomes a video on the David Gonos YouTube channel.* The audio from that video becomes a podcast posted on Apple and Spotify.Your comments often shape new content in different forms, so keep the comments and ideas coming!Top 10 Most Popular Happy Hobby Content Pieces!We share our top-10 lists of which rookie cards are clicked on most at DavidGonos.com, which podcasts were the most downloaded over this past year, which newsletters were the most read, which articles were read the most at DavidGonos.com, and which videos had the most views over at our YouTube channel!Got some content ideas for me? Shoot me a note at gonoscards@gmail.com !***Important Card-Collecting Articles on DavidGonos.com**** Best Baseball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1941* Best Basketball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1948* Best Football Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1956* Best Hockey Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1951* 23 Best Sports Cards Supplies To BuyConnect with David Gonos on:* Facebook* Twitter/X @DavidGonos* Instagram @DavidGonos* TikTok* Link TreeEmail me: mailto:gonoscards@gmail.comHave a #HappyHobby!Podcast Music: “I dunno“ by grapes - 2008 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

Each Happy Hobby Sports Card Newsletter For Collectors has a handful of great sports card subjects, helping sports card collectors working with limited budgets!The final flagship product finally got released by Topps this month, and several sports card content creators, including myself, shared their 2025 Topps Update Rookie Card Rankings. What we do each time one of these Topps flagship products comes out is to take everyone’s rankings, mash them together, then average them out to figure out Average Rookie Card Rankings!If you’ve ever played Fantasy Football, then you’re likely familiar with ADP (Average Draft Position), which averages out where players get drafted across thousands of Fantasy Football leagues. That’s what we’re attempting to do here – give you a wide angle perspective on what the best rookie cards to chase are from this product.2025 Topps Update Average Card RankingsBelow is the final ranking, but listen to the podcast to understand what we thought about these players.Note that we used the rookie card rankings from these card content creators:* DavidGonos.com* Scottie B Cards YouTube Channel* Topps Ripped* Cardlines.comLet us know if you are a content creator and you’d like to have your sports card rankings added to our Average Rookie Card Rankings (ARCR)! Drop a comment below or shoot me an email at gonoscards@gmail.com.Got some content ideas for me? Shoot me a note at gonoscards@gmail.com !Don’t forget to vote for the 2025 Rookie Card Awards and win a chance at a 2011 Topps Freddie Freeman RC PSA 9 slab! Deadline to vote is midnight, Dec. 22, 2025. Vote here: https://forms.gle/2KnyEtX8NoYob4dy6***Important Card-Collecting Articles on DavidGonos.com**** Best Baseball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1941* Best Basketball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1948* Best Football Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1956* Best Hockey Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1951* 23 Best Sports Cards Supplies To BuyConnect with David Gonos on:* Facebook* Twitter/X @DavidGonos* Instagram @DavidGonos* TikTok* Link TreeEmail me: mailto:gonoscards@gmail.comHave a #HappyHobby!Podcast Music: “I dunno“ by grapes - 2008 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

Each Happy Hobby Sports Card Newsletter For Collectors has a handful of great sports card subjects, helping sports card collectors working with limited budgets!A few weeks ago, I laid out my reasons on why I believe sports cards will explode in 2026, and many of you agreed with me!But many of you also thought I was just this side of cuckoo! Commenters laid out their disdain for Fanatics getting three of the four major sports card licenses, and they shared several reasons they thought the hobby was on the precipice of disaster! Got some content ideas for me? Shoot me a note at gonoscards@gmail.com !Don’t forget to vote for the 2025 Rookie Card Awards and win a chance at a 2011 Topps Freddie Freeman RC PSA 9 slab! Deadline to vote is midnight, Dec. 22, 2025. Vote here: https://forms.gle/2KnyEtX8NoYob4dy6***Important Card-Collecting Articles on DavidGonos.com**** Best Baseball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1941* Best Basketball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1948* Best Football Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1956* Best Hockey Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1951* 23 Best Sports Cards Supplies To BuyConnect with David Gonos on:* Facebook* Twitter/X @DavidGonos* Instagram @DavidGonos* TikTok* Link TreeEmail me: mailto:gonoscards@gmail.comHave a #HappyHobby!Podcast Music: “I dunno“ by grapes - 2008 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

Each Happy Hobby Sports Card Newsletter For Collectors has a handful of great sports card subjects, helping sports card collectors working with limited budgets!My childhood is full of great stories about the beginning of my love of the hobby, but there is one huge black spot that has sullied my conscience for decades. It’s time I share what happened, why I did it, and how it affected me up until this day!Got some content ideas for me? Shoot me a note at gonoscards@gmail.com !Don’t forget to vote for the 2025 Rookie Card Awards and win a chance at a 2011 Topps Freddie Freeman RC PSA 9 slab! Deadline to vote is midnight, Dec. 22, 2025. Vote here: https://forms.gle/2KnyEtX8NoYob4dy6***Important Card-Collecting Articles on DavidGonos.com**** Best Baseball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1941* Best Basketball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1948* Best Football Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1956* Best Hockey Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1951* 23 Best Sports Cards Supplies To BuyConnect with David Gonos on:* Facebook* Twitter/X @DavidGonos* Instagram @DavidGonos* TikTok* Link TreeEmail me: mailto:gonoscards@gmail.comHave a #HappyHobby!Podcast Music: “I dunno“ by grapes - 2008 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

Each Happy Hobby Sports Card Newsletter For Collectors has a handful of great sports card subjects, helping sports card collectors working with limited budgets!Over the years, there have been some amazing sports card innovations and ideas! Many of them could be called “gimmicks,” if only because they were only around for a short time, and then they went away.Well, we want some of those gimmicks to come back! And we want the others to go far, far away! Help us decide on which ones were awesome, which ones were alright, and which ones were awful!Got some content ideas for me? Shoot me a note at gonoscards@gmail.com !Don’t forget to vote for the 2025 Rookie Card Awards and win a chance at a 2011 Topps Freddie Freeman RC PSA 9 slab! Deadline to vote is midnight, Dec. 22, 2025. Vote here: https://forms.gle/2KnyEtX8NoYob4dy6***Important Card-Collecting Articles on DavidGonos.com**** Best Baseball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1941* Best Basketball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1948* Best Football Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1956* Best Hockey Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1951* 23 Best Sports Cards Supplies To BuyConnect with David Gonos on:* Facebook* Twitter/X @DavidGonos* Instagram @DavidGonos* TikTok* Link TreeEmail me: mailto:gonoscards@gmail.comHave a #HappyHobby!Podcast Music: “I dunno“ by grapes - 2008 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe

Each Happy Hobby Sports Card Newsletter For Collectors has a handful of great sports card subjects, helping sports card collectors working with limited budgets!It’s the end of the year and that usually means we should look back before we look forward to the new year! We nominate base rookie cards in four different categories for four different main sports that people like to collect, with several releases of Panini, Topps and Upper Deck flagship products!You can vote here: https://forms.gle/2KnyEtX8NoYob4dy6By voting, you are eligible to win a 2011 Topps Freddie Freeman RC PSA 9 slab! Voting ends at midnight, Dec. 22, 2025, and the winner will be announced shortly after!The four categories for each sport (baseball, basketball, football and hockey) we listed are:* Best Rookie Card!* Best Rookie Card Comeback!* Best Sleeper Future Star Rookie Card!* Biggest Rookie Card Bust!There are many great rookie cards that came out this year, from Topps Series 1, 2 and Update, as well as Prizm Basketball, Prizm Football, and Upper Deck Hockey Series 1, 2 and Extended! We need your help to discover what the very best rookie cards were in each category!Got some content ideas for me? Shoot me a note at gonoscards@gmail.com !***Important Card-Collecting Articles on DavidGonos.com**** Best Baseball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1941* Best Basketball Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1948* Best Football Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1956* Best Hockey Rookie Cards From Every Year Since 1951* 23 Best Sports Cards Supplies To BuyConnect with David Gonos on:* Facebook* Twitter/X @DavidGonos* Instagram @DavidGonos* TikTok* Link TreeEmail me: mailto:gonoscards@gmail.comHave a #HappyHobby!Podcast Music: “I dunno“ by grapes - 2008 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) Get full access to Happy Hobby Sports Cards Newsletter For Collectors! at gonos.substack.com/subscribe