In this opener to my “Year 1” mini-series, I break down everything I learned on the buy-side of the sports-card game—what worked, what wasted money, and how to buy with exits in mind. From the Spain/Messi spark to my first PSA submission (and why it lost), we cover pre-grading, avoiding “rarity for rarity’s sake,” the meaning of liquidity, negotiating bulk discounts, timing buys around seasonal cycles, and using hype as a catalyst—not a crutch.

You’ll learn

• Why pre-grading and note-keeping beat wishful thinking
• How to identify motivated sellers and structure bulk discounts
• A clean framework for liquidity-first buying (picture the exit)
• Seasonality: offseason entries → on-season exits
• The “Sleep On It” rule to avoid impulse buys

Key Takeaways

• Liquidity beats rarity: buy what you can actually sell
• Spend $3 on pre-grade to save $22 bad subs
• Bundle to capture extra 10–15% discount
• Sell into visibility; don’t chase the top
• Track predictions vs results—process compounds edge

Follow & Support

• Instagram: @slabnomics
• eBay: The_Canary_Cards
• YouTube: Slabnomics

Website: Slabnomics.com
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