Claim Ownership10K Card Journey: Sports Card Collecting and Investing Podcast
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10K Card Journey is a sports card collecting and investing podcast documenting my experience building a sports card portfolio from the ground up. In each episode, I break down real card buys and sales, decisions such as buying a PSA graded card vs. raw or BGS/SGC, testing out new platforms, attending card shows, and overall lessons learned navigating the hobby. If you're getting into sports card investing or looking to collect smarter, follow along and learn from my wins and mistakes.
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📩 Subscribe to my newsletter for deals, insights, and hobby thoughts: 10kcardjourney.beehiiv.comIn this episode, I take you inside my personal sports card collection and highlight some of my favorite cards — the ones that mean the most to me as a collector and investor.I share why I bought them, what makes them special, and how they fit into my long-term strategy for 10KCardJourney.This is my first time experimenting with a video format, so let me know if you’d like to see more collection showcases in the future.
📩 Subscribe to my newsletter for deals, insights, and hobby thoughts: 10kcardjourney.beehiiv.comIn this episode, I explore how broader economic trends can influence the sports card market — even if nothing about the cards themselves has changed.Sports cards may feel like their own world, but they’re still part of a larger economy. When consumer spending tightens or financial conditions change, it can affect how collectors buy, sell, and value cards.This episode isn’t about predicting a crash or telling anyone what to do — it’s simply about encouraging collectors to think about the bigger picture and how macroeconomic factors could influence the hobby.As always, this is just my personal perspective as I document my own journey building a sports card portfolio with a $10K starting budget.
📩 Subscribe to my newsletter for deals, insights, and hobby thoughts: 10kcardjourney.beehiiv.comIn this episode of 10K Card Journey, I talk about a recent opportunity I had to pick up a couple of cards on COMC that I’ve been really interested in. Rather than having them shipped to me first, I decided to try something a little different — sending them directly from COMC to PSA for grading.Now the waiting game begins.In about six months we’ll find out whether this turns into a great investment, an average one, or a lesson learned. Either way, it’s part of the process of experimenting, learning, and trying to find value in the sports card market.In this episode I talk about:Why I liked these particular cardsWhy COMC can be an interesting place to find dealsThe strategy behind buying raw cards with grading in mindWhy sometimes the best outcome is simply the learning experienceNo matter how this one turns out, it’s all part of the journey.
📩 Subscribe to my newsletter for deals, insights, and hobby thoughts:10kcardjourney.beehiiv.comIn this episode, I talk about some of my favorite tools that help me navigate the sports card hobby.But I also dive into a topic that many collectors have been feeling lately: the rapid increase in box prices. As products become more expensive, the gap between the cost of a box and the value collectors actually receive is starting to leave many people feeling unsettled.
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In this episode of 10KCardJourney, I break down how I use comps when buying and selling sports cards on eBay.I share how to think about comps strategically, when to lean on them, when to ignore them, and how to use them to your advantage depending on whether you’re buying or selling.I also touch on additional eBay factors that can impact pricing and understanding when you actually have pricing power.
In this episode, I walk through the specific attributes that enhance the value of a card in my eyes — beyond just grade. From serial number significance (1/xx, jersey match, bookends) to patch quality, autograph execution, production year context, and visual elements like color match, these are some of the smaller tangible factors I personally look for.
In this episode of 10K Card Journey, I break down a recent sports card sale from start to finish — including the purchase price, sale price, shipping costs, platform fees, and what I actually walked away with.What looked like a big win at first turned into a much smaller profit once the real numbers came in.If you're flipping cards or tracking your portfolio seriously, understanding true ROI is everything. This episode is a reminder that gross profit and net profit are two very different things in the hobby.
The CJ Stroud Downtown PSA 10 wasn’t meant to be a forever hold.It was a strategic buy.In this episode, I walk through how I flipped it into two cards that much better align with my long-term thesis.I talk:Liquidity vs. ConvictionHow flipping can fund higher-upside playsWhy experimentation helpsFlipping isn’t my core strategy by any means, but it is a part of the sports card collecting hobby that I'm becoming more familiar with.
I recently lost out on a card that would’ve been a centerpiece of my collection.I didn’t name it publicly — but I felt it.In this episode, I talk about the disappointment, the second-guessing, and the “what if” spiral that comes after losing a big auction… especially when I was that close.But more importantly, I unpack what it taught me:• What makes a card a true grail• Why grail cards require different bidding psychology• When you should be willing to stretch• And how this actually made me more excited about the hobbyMissing this card didn’t discourage me — it clarified my strategy.
Shohei Ohtani’s card market has gone absolutely parabolic. With his continued dominance and global appeal, prices across his rookie cards have surged — especially graded base rookies.But are collectors overlooking something important?In this episode of 10K Card Journey, I break down:Why Ohtani’s market has accelerated so quicklyHow PSA pop reports impact long-term price ceilingsWhy high-pop rookie base cards may carry more downside risk than people think
In this episode of 10K Card Journey, I share my experience selling a card off eBay using PayPal Goods & Services for the first time.Up until now, most of my sales have been through eBay, where the platform handles payments, protection, and logistics. This time was different. I walk through why I agreed to the deal, what precautions I took, how the process works, and the risks that come with selling off-platform.For newer sellers, PayPal can feel intimidating — especially when it’s your first time. I break down what I learned and what I would (and wouldn’t) do again.I’ll follow up with a second episode once the card is delivered to share how everything ultimately plays out.
When buying high-end sports cards, recent comps often drive pricing decisions — but what happens when sales are infrequent and one new comp resets the entire market?In this episode, I break down the danger of relying too heavily on comps, especially for expensive or thinly traded cards. I discuss how low sales volume, auction dynamics, and outlier results can distort true value — and how I think about risk when buying higher-end cards.If you’re collecting or investing in sports cards or analyzing PSA comps before a purchase, this framework can be useful to avoid making costly mistakes.
In this episode, I break down my first visit to the newly opened CardVault by Tom Brady in San Francisco. I share my impressions of the store and some interesting offerings that it has.I also walk through a super risky purchase I recently made — a CJ Stroud Donruss Optic Downtown PSA 10. I discuss why I bought it, the potential upside / downside, and how it goes against my usual collecting strategy.
In this episode, I walk through how I’d approach the sports card hobby if I were starting over today — with the benefit of experience.I break down what I’d do differently and what I’d largely keep the same. Rather than a checklist of “must-buy” cards, this episode is about mindset, process, and learning how to navigate the hobby more intentionally.If you’re new to cards, getting back in after some time away, or simply reassessing your own approach, this episode is meant to help you think a little more clearly about how — and why — you collect.
In this episode, I break down one of the most meaningful purchases I’ve made in the hobby: a 2007 Upper Deck Employee Exclusive card featuring jersey patches from Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant.I walk through why this card stood out to me and the process for me finally deciding to make a purchase for $1600 (after months of waiting for the right card to appear).
A recent controversy involving Packman has sparked a lot of uncomfortable conversations in the hobby — and I wanted to share my honest take. As someone who watches his YouTube content (but does not participate in his breaks), this situation hits closer to home. In this episode, I talk about the dangers of breaking, how pressure and incentives can distort decision-making, and why collectors need to be extremely cautious when buying into breaks.
The 2025 Topps Chrome Basketball release is producing some eye-popping prices — especially for cards like LeBron refractors. In this episode, I compare those prices to his 2003 rookie cards and explain why the market is valuing the cards so highly. We dig into card population, production era, and why not all “rare” cards are created equal — plus why I’m cautious about the long-term outlook for these modern cards (even if I end up being wrong).
After selling two basketball cards on the same day that had both been up for months, I'm wondering if the NBA card market is picking up. In this episode, I walk through the sales, net payouts, what surprised me, as well as a recent eBay store mistake that I hope you all do not make.
With baseball season approaching, I’ve started buying a small group of 1st Bowman autographs to better understand how prospect hype actually works. In this episode, I talk through why I’m doing this, how I’m thinking about timing the market, and what I hope to learn about when (and why) prospects peak in value
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