10K Card Journey: Sports Card Collecting and Investing Podcast

Tennis Card Collective Store: https://tenniscardcollective.com/ Tennis Card Collective Podcast Link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5uaXAxMq5C7M5p05jRU1OH?si=Cn2S31uKRLO5Ox_wmbzjcA Tennis Card Collective YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TennisCardCollective After building 10K Card Journey through blog posts, podcasts, videos, and many hours in the sports card hobby, I’ve decided to offi...

📩 Subscribe to my newsletter for deals, insights, and hobby thoughts: 10kcardjourney.beehiiv.com In 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...

📩 Subscribe to my newsletter for deals, insights, and hobby thoughts: 10kcardjourney.beehiiv.com In 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,...

📩 Subscribe to my newsletter for deals, insights, and hobby thoughts: 10kcardjourney.beehiiv.com In 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...

📩 Subscribe to my newsletter for deals, insights, and hobby thoughts: 10kcardjourney.beehiiv.com In 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 collecto...

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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 p...

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...

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. Conviction How flipping can fund higher-upside plays Why experimentation helps Flipping isn’t my core strategy by any means, but it is a part of the sports card collecting hobb...

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...

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 quickly How PSA pop reports impact long-term price ceilings Why high-pop r...

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 s...

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...

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 strate...

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 so...

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...

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 the...

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

Collectors often think buying a rookie card is the best way to “bet” on a player’s future—but the market doesn’t always reward you, even when the player meets expectations. In this episode, I break down why rookie cards can stagnate or fall despite strong on-field performance, and why prediction markets offer a different way to forecast players careers (in certain cases).

In this episode, I share my honest take on unlicensed cards — why they can look great, have strong designs, and still struggle to appreciate meaningfully over time. I break down the structural challenges they face, how collectors treat them, and why I don’t see them becoming long-term value drivers in the hobby.

In this episode, I explain why I’ve slowed down my buying even though the card market is performing well. I break down how staying disciplined helps me avoid purchases I might regret—and why holding cash now sets me up for better opportunities later.

In this episode, I break down a trade I recently made — sending out a 2003 Topps Chrome LeBron and a 2023 Prizm Victor Wembanyama in exchange for a mix of Caitlin Clark, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant cards. I walk through why I felt it was the right time to move off two modern stars, what appealed to me about the pieces I got back, and how this trade fits into my broader collecting strategy. Whe...