Sports Cards Nonsense

Mike and Jesse are back with Papa Gio to take on the viral 2016 vs 2026 challenge by looking back at the state of the sports card hobby exactly ten years ago. They break down the shocking price differences for iconic cards like the Michael Jordan rookie and Tom Brady Bowman Chrome to see just how much the market has exploded since COVID and the pre-investor era. The guys also react to some wild statistics about box prices from a decade ago and debate whether the "pure collector" days of 2016 were truly better than the modern hobby. The crew also breaks some MASSIVE NEWS regarding the upcoming 2026 Topps Series 1 release. They reveal that the product will be the exclusive home for the legendary 1952 design on rookie cards, including Jonah Tong (Mets), Jacob Misiorowski (Brewers), Payton Tolle (Red Sox), Carson Williams (Rays), CJ Kayfus (Guardians) and more. They'll all also have on-card autos. After this, the 1952 design will be gone for good. Later in the show, they discuss the sold-out Disney packs on Arena Club and do a live rip of a $100 slab pack to see if Mike can pull a monster card. Finally, they wrap up with the latest release calendar, a Denver news station contacting the show for Jarrett Stidham analysis, and a mailbag segment featuring selling tool questions and Malik Willis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the NFL playoff market setting a massive trap for collectors? Mike and Jesse are joined by BCW Tim to break down the wildest market spike of the week: Jarrett Stidham rookie cards have skyrocketed over 600% following the news that he'll be quarterbacking the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game. Base PSA 10s went from $6 to $50 overnight—is this a legitimate buying opportunity or the ultimate "sell the hype" moment? The guys debate whether these prices are fake and what it means for other playoff contenders. Plus, Mike gives a massive update on the $50,000 card collection he bought. He reveals what it’s really like sorting through thousands of slabs, unearthing hidden $800 gems (like a rare Cal Raleigh), dealing with the random cards and his strategy to hit a $60k return. Later, they call a listener, Phil, who just set up at his first local card show with his 10-year-old son. They discuss the reality of selling at tables versus the glamorous "Instagram" version of the hobby. And, we end with a mailbag! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike dropped $50,000 cash on a massive sports card collection to stock up for eBay Live and barely looked through it before buying. In this episode of Sports Cards Nonsense Mike and Jesse are joined by Shep as Mike breaks down the deal, how he fit 20,000+ cards into a Suburban, and the huge hidden gems he found including WNBA Prizm and NFL quarterbacks. Plus, the guys discuss the major news from the Topps/Fanatics town hall where they announced they are effectively closing applications for new card shops unless they are already in the process. We debate if this move is truly "doing right by the collector" or if it is hurting new businesses. We also react to the latest updates from PSA President Ryan Hoge regarding the future of SGC and Beckett. The guys also debate the benefits of shared "Pop Report Hygiene" to fix population counts and argue why cross-over grading standards need to change immediately. Then, we tackle the controversy from the Dallas Card Show involving Beckett’s new $65 raw review fee and discuss if it is a strategic move to create "Price Quality Bias". Finally, Jesse rips open the new Arena Club Disney packs live on the show hunting for a grail and hitting an Enchanted card. Plus, we tease some massive high-end cards coming up for our "Big Game" auction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jesse are back to recap a wild NFL Super Wild Card Weekend before diving headfirst into one of the biggest baseball releases of the year in Bowman Draft. The guys react to the market fallout from the playoffs, discussing Caleb Williams flipping the narrative to clutch leader, why Jordan Love might be a smart buy with Micah Parsons returning, and why Mike argues you couldn't pay him to touch Justin Herbert cards right now after a pathetic showing. They also touch on Sam Darnold’s potential upside with a matchup against the 49ers coming up and Drake Maye’s debut. Then, Aram Leighton from Just Baseball joins the show to preview 2025 Bowman Draft and explain why the pricing, over $750 for Hobby boxes and nearly $1,000 for the new Breaker’s Delight SKU feels totally out of whack for a class considered weaker than last year’s. Aram and the guys break down the top chases, including Nationals shortstop Eli Willits, high-upside Pirates pitcher Seth Hernandez, and other top prospects like Kade Anderson and Tyler Bremner. They also dive deep into the sleepers and value picks you need to know, such as Blue Jays infielder Jojo Parker, the Cubs' Ethan Conrad, and why the Tigers' trio of Kevin McGonigal, Jordan Yost, and Michael Olavetto might make Detroit the best break value in the product. Finally, the guys wrap up by discussing the unique Sadaharu Oh retrofractor chase, deciphering the confusing new "Super Jumbo" wax configuration. They then open the mailbag to address questions about grading companies, specifically why TAG and BGS still struggle to overtake PSA’s market dominance. They also discuss the impact of LeBron James' new "23rd Season" jersey patch on future card values and whether coaching changes can actually move the hobby needle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of Sports Cards Nonsense, Mike and Jesse dive deep into the current state of the card market to answer a burning question: Are we experiencing another high-end bubble? Mike brings the data, comparing current sales of iconic "GOAT" cards like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Mickey Mantle against their peak prices during the 2020-2021 COVID boom. The guys break down why cards like the '89 Upper Deck Griffey and '56 Mantle are actually seeing higher prices now than they did during the pandemic craze. Later, Jesse doubles down on his Carolina Panthers take. After claiming Bryce Young still has potential, Mike challenges him to put his money where his mouth is. Plus, the guys discuss Upper Deck’s major announcement regarding NHL Rookie Debut Jersey cards and how they compare to Topps’ recent innovations. They also tackle the frustration of sticker autos versus on-card signatures , the confusing release schedule for upcoming products like "Midnight" , and open up the mailbag to discuss Shaquille O’Neal’s market value and Patrick Mahomes prices following his injury. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jesse are back to break down the NFL playoff picture and what it means for the sports card market. They discuss which quarterbacks have the most price upside heading into Wild Card Weekend (is Bryce Young a buy?!) and which stars they are looking to sell immediately, including Aaron Rodgers and Trevor Lawrence. Later, the guys welcome Aaron Abrams (25:10), Director of Entertainment and Pop Culture Cards at Topps, for a fascinating look into the non-sports boom. Aaron shares the chaotic, cross-country story of how Topps secured the Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman dual on-card autos for Marvel Chrome, discusses the "Product of the Year" success of Disney Chrome, and teases a massive surprise coming in Pixar Gold. The guys close out the episode by looking at the final Gem Rate numbers from 2025, reflecting on surprises in the card grading market from last year. And then answer a bunch of mailbag questions including everything from their favorite products of 2025 to chest bumps in the wild and why baseball got the short end of the stick with Exquisite Collection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The hobby news cycle is moving fast. Just days after the Collectors/Beckett announcement, a U.S. Congressman has sent a letter to the FTC asking for an investigation into monopolistic practices in the trading card industry. Is this a legitimate legal threat, or just political grandstanding? Plus, the hobby hype for Cooper Flagg has officially reached dangerous levels. With his first licensed Topps Chrome cards hitting the market, collectors are already paying NBA superstar prices for an unproven rookie. Is the hobby losing its mind? In this episode, Mike and Jesse dive deep into the numbers surrounding the Cooper Flagg Topps Chrome release. Mike crushes the math, comparing Flagg's current pre-sale pricing, where base cards are hitting $250-$400, directly against established talent Victor Wembanyama. They discuss why the "new toy syndrome" combined with the return of licensed Topps Chrome basketball has created a market bubble that makes zero statistical sense. If you are thinking about investing in Cooper Flagg right now, you need to watch this market reality check first. Later, they discuss the polarizing tweets of Geoff Wilson (Sports Card Investor). Is he "out of touch," or is he actually the smartest marketer in the room playing the engagement algorithm perfectly? Finally, the guys open up the mailbag to discuss sunk cost fallacies in flipping, why retail pricing is never coming down, and who ranks as the most collectible "bust" in sports history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jesse debate the massive acquisition of Beckett (BGS) by Collectors, the parent company of PSA. The guys have vehemently different reactions to the deal: Jesse believes Collectors will "save" the brand by leveraging its history and media assets, while Mike argues BGS is destined to be "gutted" like SGC. They discuss what this "monopoly" means for the hobby and whether it will actually improve PSA’s turnaround times. Then, Gordy Bonker joins the show to break down a major shift in the vintage market, with record-breaking sales for Mickey Mantle and Roberto Clemente cards. He discusses Ken Goldin’s theory about institutional money entering the space and whether hedge funds are finally treating cards like art. Plus, the guys discuss the London Card Show scandal, the new Arena Club "FR34K" packs, and answer a very timely mailbag question about what Collectors might buy next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Gioseffi and Jesse Gibson are back with the biggest stories in the hobby and on the field. Is now the perfect time to buy Patrick Mahomes (5:05) sports cards at a reasonable price, given his ACL tear and the Chiefs' first losing season with Mahomes as the starter. His pricing has been down for the last year or so, with his 2017 Prism Silver PSA 10 down 16% and his 2017 Optic PSA 10 down 20% on the month. Plus, Bo Nix's play (10:00) has closed the gap with Drake Maye, changing the narrative in the QB market. They also review buying opportunities for quarterbacks like Bryce Young, Trevor Lawrence, and Jordan Love. In case you missed it, the Sports Cards Nonsense Fanatics Live channel is now Hobby Nonsense (3:00) and there's a new Sports Cards Nonsense channel on Fanatics Live. Starting this week, the new SCN channel is running huge giveaways so you'll want to head on over to follow the account! The guys also discuss multiple breakers reportedly losing their Fanatics Breaker Program access, possibly due to a low "breaker scores." Plus, this week features the return of the iconic brand, Topps Chrome Basketball, with Hobby cases running about $6,000 and the Breakers Delight cases around $7,500–$8,000. Mike and Eddie are giving away boxes of both Topps Chrome Basketball and Topps Cosmic Baseball on Fanatics Live this week. To close out the episode, today's mailbag questions cover Mike's thoughts on Chrome basketball pricing , the difference in retail blasters and hobby boxes and if you'd rather have 1 $20 card of 4 $5 cards. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jesse are back and are joined by attorney Paul Lesko who dissects the Panini-Fanatics antitrust lawsuit, revealing a major conflict: Panini is risking its own court credibility by showing potential buyers documents that claim their unlicensed products can outperform licensed ones, directly contradicting their courtroom defense. He also touches on the related Wild Card lawsuit, where Panini is accused of threatening distributors who worked with Wild Card. Separately, the Nikola Jokic card market is poised for growth as the star is officially signing with Topps. Plus, the guys debate which NFL quarterbacks to buy now and flip before the Super Bowl. Mike argues for Matthew Stafford, who is quietly building an unbelievable Hall of Fame resume, ranking top-10 all-time in major passing stats and is currently a top MVP candidate alongside Drake Maye. The ultimate market wild card is 44-year-old Philip Rivers who is joining the Colts' practice squad and could end up starting for them this season. In the baseball world, it's free agency time and Mike vents about the Red Sox refusing to sign big free agents, like Pete Alonso, despite the team's need for a power bat. Are young Orioles stars like Adley Rutschman and Gunner Henderson sneaky good value buys right now? The episode concludes with a look at the enduring cultural power of Pokémon cards among modern athletes and the high sale prices of crossover collectibles. Plus, upcoming card releases the guys will be breaking over the next few days. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices