Hobby Nonsense

In this episode of Hobby Nonsense, Jesse and Ray open with breaking news that’s shaking the hobby: reports of hundreds of millions of dollars in forged autographs and fake certificates of authenticity. With autograph collectors now facing serious risks, the team brings on a uniquely qualified guest—Cliff Panezich, a former forger who once ran a multi-million dollar counterfeit autograph operation....

In this episode of Hobby Nonsense, Jesse and Ray kick things off by recapping the Nash-ional, the booming Nashville Card Show that’s quickly evolving into a Pokémon-focused destination. Ray shares details on a major find and how the vibe of the show has changed for collectors. Then they’re joined by David Campos to finally dive deep into the world of Disney Lorcana. David breaks down: What’s curre...

In this milestone episode, Jesse officially welcomes Ray Solorio as the new co-host of Hobby Nonsense! Ray will bring his expertise on WWE and modern Pokémon, while diving deeper into the world of non-sport collecting alongside Jesse. They kick things off with a breakdown of the Dodgers' One Piece promo cards, which were handed out at a recent game and are already dominating the resale market. The...

In this week’s episode, Jesse kicks things off with a major update: the Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy collaboration is now officially the best-selling MTG crossover to date. He explores what that means for future collaborations—and what it might say about past ones, too. Then it’s on to a new release from Upper Deck: a Scooby-Doo trading card set, complete with surprising inserts and some s...

In this week’s episode, Jesse is joined by Ray Solorio to unpack Fanatics Fest from the non-sport card collector’s perspective. Jesse shares his thoughts on the card selection compared to last year and what the experience was like for non-sport fans. Also joining the show is Bryce Joyner, who was set up as a dealer at the event. He shares his firsthand insight on what it’s like to be a Pokémon sel...

In this week’s episode, Jesse starts with some big hobby news: a VeeFriends Superfractor—ungraded—just sold for $25,000. Is that too high? Too low? Jesse weighs in on the significance of the sale and where it places VeeFriends in the larger card market. Then, things get a little wild in the world of Pokémon overload. From Hershey’s Kisses with Pokémon wrappers to browser-based Pokémon catching to...

In this episode, Jesse is joined again by Ray Solorio to unpack some of the most buzzworthy topics in the non-sport and pop culture collecting world. They kick things off with a look at the upcoming 2025 Topps Marvel release, discussing what makes it one of the biggest Marvel card sets ever—from the sheer volume of characters to a wide range of inserts and chases. Jesse shares why he’s especially...

In this episode, Jesse kicks things off with a live opening of a Pokémon repack—and absolutely crushes it! From there, he reflects on the current summer lull in non-sport product releases and whether that’s a good or bad thing for collectors. He also dives into the upcoming Rolling Stone card set, analyzing whether it has hit potential or if it might be another swing-and-miss. Next, Jesse breaks d...

In this episode, Jesse kicks things off by revealing a new personal collection (PC) character he picked up over the weekend, and reflects on the rising popularity of non-sport cards, including a surprising new social media follower who made his day. Next, Jesse covers some policy changes at GameStop aimed at getting more product into collectors' hands and weighs in on a possible Simpsons trading c...

In this episode, Jesse and Ray kick things off with a recap of Nashville Poké Fest, a non-sport card-only show that drew an impressive crowd. They break down the turnout, vendor mix, and collector demographics, offering a snapshot of what’s working in today’s hobby events. Then, Adam Gellman, known as the go-to voice on wrestling cards, joins the show to discuss the explosive growth of WWE in the...

In this episode, Jesse opens with a look into why Topps Chrome VeeFriends, the GaryVee-backed product, is seeing a massive surge—boxes have now 4-5x’d in value, and he shares his theory on what’s driving the demand. Next, Jesse breaks down a troubling update about a fake autograph in last year’s Leaf Pop Century product and what it means for collectors chasing celebrity autos. Then it’s on to the...

In this episode, Jesse kicks things off by sharing his firsthand experience with 2025 Leaf Pop Century, now that he's had the chance to go through the product himself. From surprises to standout autos, he gives his honest thoughts on one of the most anticipated celebrity autograph releases of the year. Then, Jesse is joined by Stephanie Garcia of Mama Breaks for a deep dive into the huge wave of e...

In this episode, Jesse kicks things off with a recap of the Topps announcements from WrestleMania weekend in Las Vegas, including the introduction of WWE Debut Patches and the buzz around Cactus Jack/WrestleMania boxes, which are already commanding prices north of $1,000 on the secondary market. Then it’s on to one of the hobby’s biggest celebrity-driven products—2025 Leaf Pop Century. Jesse break...

In this episode, Jesse brings back Ray Solorio for a wide-ranging conversation that covers everything from Pokémon market trends to garage sale flipping tips. The show kicks off with some unexpected WrestleMania weekend energy, as Jesse and Ray acknowledge the hype in the wrestling world. Then it’s on to the latest non-sport releases, with Jesse giving a detailed breakdown of Topps Star Wars Maste...

In this episode, Jesse kicks things off with a thank-you to the team at Super Break and announces a Bruce Lee Keepsakes giveaway for users of Courtyard.io. From there, the spotlight turns to some of the latest non-sport card releases, including Topps Stranger Things and a closer look at 2024 Topps Star Wars Masterwork. But the biggest surprise of the week? 2024 Panini Minecraft—a true dark horse i...

In this episode, we start with some wild hobby news—Pokémon collectors are taking on bots by selling photos of ETBs instead of the actual boxes, in an attempt to tank resale prices. But while it's clever, unsuspecting human buyers might be getting scammed. Next, we dive into the world of influencer cards with the debut of MrBeast’s first official trading card, and why it could become a major pop c...

This episode kicks off with a refreshing look at collecting in its purest form—through the eyes of Atticus Gibson, an 11-year-old Pokémon enthusiast(and Jesse's nephew) who collects not for value, but for the love of the characters and artwork. We dive into what it’s like to be a kid in the Pokémon hobby today, his thoughts on new releases, and whether he’s excited about the first-ever Pokémon + L...

This episode kicks off on a real note, addressing some of the negativity swirling in the hobby and the impact it can have on collectors. Then, we jump into some wild auction news—Goldin is currently selling a Michael Jordan “Jumpman” Cheeto, and it’s already hit $7,000! Next, we break down a major controversy in the Pokémon world—MJ Holdings, the largest Pokémon distributor in the U.S., has been c...

Fresh off a trip to Ireland, this episode kicks off with a recap of the Dublin Card Show and some of the unique hobby experiences from overseas including an interview with Fionn O’Murchu, an Irish hobbyist who runs a post office/grocery store packed with model truck collectibles, Legos, and toys—a true hidden gem for collectors! Next, we break down some recent non-sport auctions that raised eyebro...

Join me as I visit the Dublin Card Show, one of the most exciting events for sports card enthusiasts, collectors, and fans of all things memorabilia! In this video, I'll be exploring the wide variety of cards and collectibles, meeting fellow collectors, and checking out some incredible finds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode kicks off with one of the wildest auctions in recent memory—the “Cheetozard,” a Flamin’ Hot Cheeto shaped like Charizard, is climbing past $6,700! Then, we break down some big changes (and issues) at GameStop that could impact collectors (0:33) Next, the hype continues with major announcements: Magic: The Gathering is set to release an Avatar: The Last Airbender set, and for the first...

Jesse is joined by childhood friend Ray Solorio and they start with Nonsense News where they discuss Topps Now releasing its first-ever Marvel Cinematic Universe card! Then, they dive into the increasing popularity of Cardsmiths’ Currency Series cards, where collectors are chasing currency cards including a staggering $100,000 Bitcoin crypto card (8:03) Next, Jesse and Ray discuss the ethical do's...

In this episode, Jesse kicks things off with a personal review of the latest non-sport releases, including a hands-on review of Star Wars Galactic Antiquities (0:56). He also breaks down upcoming product drops and provides an update on the latest shifts in Pokémon pricing. Later, special guest Mike Midgette joins the show to discuss the presence of non-sport cards at local card shows. Together, th...

In this episode of Hobby Nonsense, we kick things off with details of the shocking story of forged Pokémon prototype cards that CGC mistakenly graded. How did this happen, and what does it mean for collectors (2:01)? Then, we sit down with Aaron Abrams, Topps’ Director of Culture and Entertainment Cards, to break down the latest Star Wars and X-Men 97 trading card releases. We discuss what makes H...

Jesse starts the pod by talking about Goldin Auctions using CT scanning to verify contents of an upcoming pokemon auction (6:36)), then he breaks down everything you need to know about the newest Star Wars release (8:26). Later, he is joined by Ryan Cracknell from Beckett to talk about ‘Back to the Future,’ Simpsons chase cards, Batman autos, and many other 80s and 90s non-sport cards (14:18)! Lea...