Global Card Collectors

Will sits down with John again for a brand new episode of Global Card Collectors, and this one is a must-listen for serious hobby heads. The conversation centers around John’s three-year odyssey to acquire his ultimate grail card: the 2015 National Treasures International Treasures Nikola Jokić rookie, numbered to just /85. Ultra-rare, on-card auto, and far from cheap — this is the kind of card th...

The PCTR Winter Card Festival in Kozyatağa, Istanbul ended up being one of the most encouraging card shows we’ve attended in Turkey. Going in, expectations were low. The event leaned heavily toward Pokémon and One Piece, and as sports card vendors, we weren’t sure what to expect. What we found instead was real interest, real conversations, and a growing group of collectors who genuinely care about...

In this episode of Global Card Collectors, Will and John break down one of the biggest moments in Will’s collecting journey: finally landing a Giannis Antetokounmpo rookie autograph with his early, full signature after more than a year of chasing it. They walk through the entire process behind the acquisition, from missed bids and dead ends to offers, counteroffers, and ultimately getting the deal...

In this episode, of Global Card Collectors Will sits down with Kaan, the organizer of PCTR Winter Card Fest, an upcoming trading card event taking place in Istanbul on February 1, 2026The interview starts with Kaan’s personal card collecting origin story—from collecting as a kid, to a life-changing trip to Japan where he opened a pack of Chilling Reign and pulled a chase card that reignited his pa...

This week, John (@istanbulcards) is joined by Conor Sen, a Bloomberg Opinion columnist who loves sports cards like the rest of us, but also brings a sharp understanding of the macroeconomic forces shaping the hobby. Conor discusses how broader economic trends dovetail with the sports card market, reflects on his childhood and young-adult sporting heroes, and shares how he’s thoughtfully re-enterin...

In this episode of Global Card Collectors , Will, John, and Justin come together to share their Top 5 card pick ups from 2025 which is wide-ranging and engaging collection of cards that spans over 100 years of trading card history . They showcase an impressively diverse lineup, featuring everything from vintage boxing and vintage football to ultra-modern cards . Across all three Top 5 lists, a few...

In this episode Will and John sit down to catch up after The Card Clan Trade Day, their final event of the year. While it may not have been the biggest show on the calendar, it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable. As vendors, they had the chance to slow down, reconnect with familiar faces, and spend real time talking about collecting, sports, and the hobby with regulars who make days like t...

Dive into the world of Spanish sports cards with this special episode featuring Jon @eurofractor a passionate collector, historian, and expert on Spain’s unique place in the hobby. We break down his latest grail pickup (a stunning Sergio Rodríguez card), explore how Spanish collectors approach basketball vs. football, and dig into why teen star Hugo González is generating major buzz among NBA-focu...

In this special **100th episode**, John and Will take a heartfelt (and hilarious) look back at the journey that brought us here. From the moment Will went off and bought microphones for our first episode, to interviewing our first guest outside our circle of friends, it’s been a wild ride—and we’ve loved every minute of it. We reflect on the friends we’ve made along the way, the unexpected opportu...

Boxing cards are officially back so Justin & Will are coming out swinging in this explosive episode of Global Card Collectors. We break down the long-awaited return of Topps Chrome Boxing, the first Topps boxing set in more than 70 years. What does it get right? Where does it stumble? And is it really the future of the boxing-card hobby? Then we step into the ring with Panini’s Combat Antholog...

In this episode of Global Card Collectors , John finally lands one of his lifelong grails — an authenticated, on-card Dražen Petrović autograph , the crown jewel of his Balkan basketball PC. We break down why it’s so meaningful, and why it instantly becomes the centerpiece of his collection. From there, we dive into our biggest hobby wins: 🔥 From John scooping a Megacracks Cristiano Ronaldo PSA 5...

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Omar Khokhar, the founder of Sportsnection, one of the most intriguing new companies in the cricket card hobby. Omar opens up about how Sportsnection began, the challenges they faced with Series One, and the many lessons they’ve carried forward as they plan the next chapter. We talk honestly about criticism, growth, and what it takes to build a collectible bran...

In this episode of Global Card Collectors, Will and John catch up on their latest moves in the hobby—focusing on consolidation, strategic collecting, and tapping into the growing Turkish card market. Will shares his mission to sell off lower-value cards in pursuit of a major grail piece—possibly a Giannis rookie auto—while John adds a massive 1/1 Bogdan Bogdanović to his Balkan Ballers PC. Will al...

In this episode, Will sits down with one of his closest friends, Paul, someone he's known for almost 20 years- to talk hoops, card collecting, and how sports (and sports cards) help us build lasting memories with our kids. What makes this conversation so refreshing is that Paul is deep into the NBA but hasn’t collected cards since childhood. That means his perspective is totally untainted by t...

Basketball cards are exploding across Asia — and Courtside Investor host Pang Ming is at the center of it all. He joins us to talk collecting, investing, and how the Asia-Pacific region is shaping the global hobby. We also talk about how he first got into collecting, how his finance background shapes his investment strategy , the ASCC and we even debunk some long held beliefs about Asia’s sports c...

The NBA season is upon us, and Nathanael joins the pod to discuss some recent pickups, how he's navigating the market, and what is new in the land of through the mail autographs. He and John then break down the players they are watching this year both for real and card performance as well as their top three sets of the Panini era.

In this episode, John and Will sit down with Neil @neilcollectscards a die-hard Toronto Raptors superfan on an unbelievable mission — to collect an autograph card from every single player who’s ever worn a Raptors jersey! From obscure one-season players to franchise legends, Neil’s dedication to preserving Raptors history through cards is seriously next-level. But that’s not all — Neil also gives...

In this week's episode Justin sits down with his friend of over 20 years, Jason, to discuss his nostalgic approach to the hobby. Also known as "The Godfather" for getting Justin back into the hobby nearly seven years ago, Jason discusses his everything from his early collecting days, to his choice to focus on vintage football, to the experience of introducing his 11-year-old son to t...

Paul  @NealSportsCardStories  joins the show again to deep dive a topic that he and John both find fascinating: why Balkan athletes punch so much above their weight in team ball sports, especially basketball and soccer. An episode more about the confluence of sports, history, and culture than sports cards. As always, comments and perspectives are most welcomed.

John and Will sit down to recount their whirlwind weekend as vendors at the Istanbul Card Show 2025. From the early mornings and long hours behind the table to the constant energy of collectors stopping by, they share the real grind of being on the vendor side of a major card event—where fatigue becomes part of the package. But this wasn’t just any show. Selling in Turkey brought its own unique tw...

Join host Will as he chats with Amit—better known as @mr_tradecard_gamer on YouTube and Instagram—a true card enthusiast and a well known collector in the Indian card scene. Amit reveals how he fell into card collecting with a unique origin story, what is driving the rapidly emerging Indian card market, and how his time studying in Otago fueled his love for the Black Caps and Kiwi cricketers. They...

In this episode Will sits down with Turkish card content creator Pokezed to talk about the upcoming 2025 Istanbul Card Show. Pokezed shares what’s in store for collectors this year—from double the number of vendors offering everything from TCG to sports cards and memorabilia, to exclusive giveaways and incredible promo cards that are set to make the show unforgettable. Beyond the event, Pokezed gi...

A few weeks ago, Will interviewed Steve Guinee about the 2025 Auckland Card Show. Now, he’s back—joined by Matt Rogers, the mastermind behind the massive TCG tournaments—to catch up on how it all went down and look ahead to what’s coming next. To begin, Matt talks about what it took to run those epic tournaments—spanning titles like Flesh and Blood, Grand Archive, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Disney Lorcana. Th...

As the curtain falls on the Panini era, Will and John sit down for a reflective farewell before they go. From sticker autos to Gold Prizm and National Treasures RPAs, the boys take a nostalgic stroll through the highs and lows of Panini’s reign from 2009 to 2025. They each reveal their Top 5 Most Iconic or Memorable Cards of the Panini era- some picks are obvious, but the pop reports and long-term...

 In this episode, we sit down with James @cardkiwi, to hear the incredible story of how a $750 card sale in 2020 launched a five-year journey of buying, selling, and grinding his way to an $80,000 boat - all without touching a cent from his day job. James shares how deep market research, disciplined goal-setting, and a love for the hobby helped him turn cardboard into real-life assets. He then wal...