The Hobby Handbook

Alex and Trent are back with another Hobby Handbook episode, and Trent has been listing cards like a madman on eBay the last few weeks. Alex and Trent go through some recent pickups. Trent is back on top of The SCN Challenge with Brendan right behind him. Plus, we go through MLB Postseason Buy or Sell! 0:00 - Intro + Update on Alex’s massive card lot he bought 4:00 - Trent has been listing like a...

Alex and Trent are back, as Trent is leading the SCN Challenge after Week 2. Alex had to make his first waiver move in the SCN Challenge. Plus, we have an update on a new trend of fake cards and what one consignor is doing about it. Wrapping up with the mailbag: how long is too long to hold a card? 0:00 - Trent is now leading the SCN Challenge 4:30 - Will Alex’s move go through, and should he take...

Alex and Trent are back, but what is with the slow breaks around Bowman Chrome? Alex bought a 100,000-card collection over the weekend and has spent most of the week sorting it out. What do you do with 100,000 cards? How many are worth re-selling? Plus, we get the latest on the Fanatics Collect Emanate debacle, and with grading taking forever and being so expensive, are raw cards cool again? 0:00...

With football season here, Drake from Jet Breakers steps in for Trent this week as he and Alex preview the upcoming season, look ahead to Topps Football products, and discuss what exactly football fans should be chasing in the new products. Plus, Drake grades Alex and Trent's teams in the SCN Challenge! 0:00 - Drake is filling in for Trent this week.  4:45 - Drake got into football cards beca...

A packed show with Alex and Trent. Trent's wife is getting into cards during his "funemployment." Alex is a maniac who placed 500 bids on eBay over the last 24 hours. Diving into why pitchers just don't retain their hobby relevance as long as hitters. Plus, Sapphire products hold up after the initial hype. Wrapping up with a rising market and why yesterday's price isn't always today's price when c...

A busy show on the Hobby Handbook as Trent and Alex open up, discussing their pickups of the week and why people are sleeping on platforms that aren't eBay. Carl Abrams joins to discuss the GPK x MLB market. Plus, we look at Flagship Football and why everyone is wrong about it and why the Fernando Mendoza All Kings being redemptions is actually good. 0:00 - Pickups of the Week 8:00 - Why buying si...

Trent is back, teaming up with Alex, and he made some big pickups while he was out. Alex and Trent debate a Mega Box vs. Logofractor box. Why you should buy cards of PC players from lesser sets. Plus, Alex visited one of the worst-run card shops in the country and lived to tell the tale. We wrap up with some thoughts on best practices for being a vendor at a card show. 0:00 - Trent is back and mad...

Alex is back solo this week with Trent in Mexico enjoying his time off. He dives into something that came up on The Ballcard Show last week - are comps dead? Plus, educating and protecting yourself in the hobby. 0:00 - Intro 9:00 - Are Comps Dead? 17:00 - Buying/Selling and how to use comps in negotiations 19:50 - We are moving away from “Comps are everything” because of how quickly things change...

Alex and Trent are back from Rosemont after a week at The National. We look back at what worked and what didn't in and around The National. Plus, plans to make it bigger next year? We dive into pricing around The National and whether it was as bad as some people said. Pickups of the show, Silver Packs, Grading, and so much more! 0:00 - Intro and back from The National 9:00 - The National could be...

A jam-packed Hobby Handbook today as Alex and Trent are back from Fanatics Fest, prepping for The National, and also getting ready for the 2026 Topps Chrome Baseball release day. 0:00 - Everyone is back from Fanatics Fest 7:00 - Is it okay to have cards that aren't for sale in your showcase? 14:00 - Favorite pickups from the show 23:20 - Favorite moments from Fanatics Fest 38:55 - Darren Rovell’s...

Alex and Trent play a game where they start with $20 and a list of 15 players. They each need to build a PC of five players with their $20. Unfortunately for Trent, the exercise does not go well for him. 0:00 - Fanatics Fest week is here, and Trent is no longer staying at The Meadowlands 3:00 - The reactions to Topps’ announcement about unsealed mega boxes make no sense.  10:00 - Getting read...

It is very rare we get breaking news in the middle of a show, but after a major Topps announcement, we break down what their new pilot program with 2025-26 Topps Chrome Update Basketball mega boxes means. Plus, going through card show etiquette, the mailbag, and more! 0:00 - Alex is back and Trent’s Story about Facebook 10:00 - Alex’s buying habits on Fanatics Collect might be changing if they hav...

On Hobby Handbook this week, Alex has another consulting session, this time with Zack's Bowman Hacks! 0:00 - Intro to Zack and his business 4:50 - Selling cards, but not live selling or at card shows, and a move to full-time in cards. 10:00 - The reality of being a live-seller and how Zack is trying to balance life and also sell cards 16:10 - How Zack uses Bowman to fuel his business and how he pi...

Brandon Stuff has gone from zero followers to nearly 40,000 followers on Instagram in less than a year as he continues to build his card business. While he's focused on buying Shohei Ohtani and Paul Skenes for himself, he still moves cards at shows, online, etc. 0:00 - Trent’s intro with the release schedule this week 2:45 - Introing Brandon Stuff and his backstory in the hobby 6:00 - His card-col...

On this episode of The Hobby Handbook with Alex and Trent, we discuss the release of Topps Dynasty and how with a product like this the singles market will always be your friend. Plus, Nationals No. 2 Prospect, P Travis Sykora, joins the show to discuss his own collecting journey and how collecting forced him to improve his own signature! 0:00 - Intro/Trent’s Big Reveal 3:15 - Topps Dynasty Releas...

A loaded episode of The Hobby Handbook with Alex and Trent. Series 2 released today. The importance of having a relationship at your LCS. Plus, a case hit/SSP draft, PSA backlog update, and more! 0:00 - Series 2 release day, and Alex pulled a 1/1 for the first time himself, and it was a 1/1 auto at that. 4:55 - The importance of having a relationship with your LCS. Alex picked up two huge cards at...

In this episode, we welcome back Alex and Trent and dig right into the Wemby vs. Ohtani debate. Plus, a look at the state of grading in 2026, post-PSA shutdown of value tiers. What should you grade, where should you grade it, and more importantly, when should you grade it? 0:00 - The boys are back! 3:00 - Have you been to any shows lately?  9:30 - Wemby is a 1-of-1 and people turn in to watch him...

In this episode of The Hobby Handbook, Doug breaks down the massive Wemby sale and is joined by Aaron Amarant of AAMint Cards. 0:00 - Intro 6:20 - Doug finished his latest set! 9:10 - Aaron from AAMint joins the show! 11:45 - How AAMint got on the map 19:00 - Starting a brick-and-mortar store 30:25 - The Toughest part of owning a sports card shop and breaking company 46:00 - The one product he buy...

In this episode, Doug takes a look at the greatness of Victor Wembanyama and his market. Plus, we dive into a debate about in-person autographs and look at the latest grading data from Gem Rate. 0:00 - Show intro and what is coming up on the show 04:30 - Buy/Sell/Hold Victor Wembanyama 13:00 - Wayne Gretzky's Rookie Card is going to set numerous records 17:30 - Do in-person autographs do anything...

In the Hobby Handbook this week, Doug Plagens breaks down the names moving the most at card shows over the last month. Plus, how he consumes Bowman in the most boring way possible, but it is a money-maker. Doug dives into: The athletes moving the most at card shows right now The one athlete he was surprised to get asked about the most Doug's boring, but effective, way of consuming Bowman Baseball...

2026 Bowman Baseball is almost here and this episode of the Hobby Handbook breaks down EVERYTHING you need to know before release day. Trent dives deep into: • eBay’s new repack policy and what it means for sellers • Travis Bazzana’s new Topps NOW rookie card • Full 2026 Bowman Baseball product breakdown If you’re ripping Bowman, prospecting, or buying into breaks this year, this episode is packed...

Are sports cards becoming too expensive for the average collector? In this episode of The Hobby Handbook, we’re joined by Gary LeMaster and Jason Otero from The Ball Card Show to break down what’s really happening in the hobby right now. From skyrocketing wax prices and overloaded release calendars to the growing gap between breakers, hobby shops, and everyday collectors, we dive deep into why so...

The NFL Draft is Here! Clever Cuban Cards and Trent dive into the upcoming NFL Draft and take a closer look at Fernando Mendoza. Does he have true franchise potential, or are expectations getting too high? We also break down the current state of Topps Chrome Football, from skyrocketing box prices to what the singles market is telling us, and whether ripping wax still makes sense right now. Next, w...

Topps Chrome Football is finally here, and the hobby is already reacting in a huge way. Clever Cuban Cards and Trent break down release day prices, early singles sales, Breaker’s Delight buzz, and whether Topps Chrome Football is already getting too expensive for collectors. They talk through hobby boxes vs. Breaker’s Delight, the Fanatics credit card debate, and the bigger question of whether thi...

In today's episode of The Hobby Handbook, Clever Cuban Cards  breaks down the biggest takeaways from Day 1 at the Topps Industry Conference, including Fanatics’ focus on wax health, more entry-level products, and what a sustainable hobby should actually look like. He also gives his honest reaction to the new #fanatics credit card, why he’s planning to apply, and which perks could actually matter f...