In Sports Cards We Trust.

This week, Justin & Neil dive head-first into Topps Chrome Football — the biggest football release of the new Topps/Fanatics era — and break down why the product matters, what collectors are chasing, and whether the real opportunity is in sealed wax or singles. From Superfractors and Kaiju's to Tecmo Super Bowl autos, helmet-off image variations, retail hits, and first-year licensed Topps...

The boys are back in town with a recap of the biggest hobby controversies of 2025—and what they actually mean for collectors going forward. From “soaking” and hobby accountability to the Whatnot/Backyard chaos, they break down what mattered, what didn’t, and what to watch for next. From there, they zoom out to the business side: Fanatics/Topps’ evolving playbook, Topps Chrome demand vs. “garbage”...

This week, Justin & Neil dive head-first into the Mantle Hobby Awards — and break down what the hobby got right, what it got wrong, and what made absolutely no sense. From breakers to grading, memorabilia to innovation.     🎙️ Breaking Platforms — Why Whatnot is unstoppable, why eBay Live feels like an intrusive neighbor. 🏛️ Auction Houses — REA, Sotheby’s, Fanatics Collect, Heritage, Pristine...

This week, Justin & Neil ask the uncomfortable question at the heart of the hobby:  how much trust is really left? From the latest  bidding controversy  to the blurred lines between  self-bidding and price protection , they dig into what integrity means in a market where emotion, money, and reputation all collide. Along the way, they break down: 💸 How market makers and influencers shape comps...

Neil & Justin are back breaking down the week’s wildest headlines in the sports-card world. 💸 Whatnot’s $225 Million Series F Raise → $11.5 B valuation, new investors, and what it says about tech money flowing back into collectibles. 🧢 Fanatics’ grip on the game → licensing power, product control, and whether anyone can keep up. 🏀 Topps Basketball returns! → print runs, parallels, and that...

In this episode of In Cards We Trust , Neil and Justin sit down with the legendary collector and hobby thinker, Spinotron (Dingyu). From his early days opening packs in Beijing to assembling one of the most respected collections in the world, Spino shares his origin story, his academic background in math and physics, and how those skills shaped his unique way of analyzing the card market. 🏀 Spino...

On this week’s episode of  In Cards We Trust , Neil and Justin dive headfirst into one of the hottest auction nights the hobby has ever seen. With major sales happening simultaneously on Alt, Fanatics Premier, and Goldin Elite, the guys break down the nuclear numbers and what they mean for the market. 🔥  Winners & Losers  – Soccer cards lead the charge with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi...

Episode 13 – Wrestling, Soccer & the State of the Hobby. This week on  In Cards We Trust , Justin and Neil welcome Miles Ngo — aka MQN.Collection, the “Soccer Oracle” — for a deep dive into the beautiful game’s place in the hobby. From Messi magic to Haaland hype, they break down why soccer cards are heating up, how the market stacks up against other sports, and what collectors should watch as...

Fresh off the biggest National Sports Collectors Convention ever, Justin Wickizer (reporting from Austin) and Neil Rock (holding it down in Denver) return to In Cards We Trust for a jam-packed, no-holds-barred episode. From wild wax rips and Jordan buybacks to the state of trade night, the repack bubble, and Panini’s checklist chaos—this one has it all. Justin shares stories straight from the show...

In this deep-cut edition of In Cards We Trust , Neil and Justin peel back the layers of the hobby—exploring what’s real, what’s hyped, and what might be crumbling under the weight of a perfect PSA 10 slab. From golden tickets to greening Kobes, this one is a collector’s reality check. 💥 2025 Contenders Football – is the legacy fading? 🧪 The grading illusion – when slabs outshine the card 🌱 The...

Episode 10: “Sticker Shock: The Messi Auto Scandal & State of the Hobby”. This week on In Cards We Trust , Justin Wickizer and Neil Rock dive into one of the most controversial hobby stories—and pull no punches. 🔍 Fanatics & the Messi Autograph Meltdown Hear the full breakdown of the Lionel Messi Topps Dynasty scandal and PSA’s role in exposing fake signatures. 💸 The Hidden Costs of Chas...

In this episode of In Cards We Trust, hosts Justin Wickizer and Neil Rock take you through the Alt.xyz Weekly Auction. No detours, no distractions—just pure Weekly action. From grails to sneaky sleepers, they dissect what makes a card pop and why some slabs don’t tell the whole story. 🃏 The LeBron Tribute Crusade — Caitlin Clark’s Gold Vinyl 1/1 takes center stage as Justin pushes for its “LeBron...

In this episode of In Cards We Trust , hosts Justin Wickizer and Neil Rock take you inside the May 2025 Fanatics Premier Auction , where it’s officially grail season . From legendary LeBrons to exquisite Jordans, they discuss the most coveted cards up for bid — blending sharp market insights with their signature banter. Key auction highlights include: 🏀 LeBron James Exquisite RPA BGS 8.5 — patch...

🏀 In this special edition of In Cards We Trust , hosts Justin Wickizer and Neil Rock kick off a deep-dive series into one of the hobby’s most legendary chases: the NBA Logoman . With Flawless Basketball in full swing, there’s no better time to explore the legacy, rarity, and mystique behind Logoman cards. 📚 In Part 1 of Cards Unknown: The Logoman , the duo covers: 🔥 The origin story of the NBA...

Flawless or Flawed? Inside the 2024 Flawless Basketball Craziness. Hosts Justin Wickizer and Neil Rock dive deep into the New Flawless Basketball release—one of the most talked-about products From Triple Logoman madness to Dutch auction prices , Justin and Neil break down: 📦 The difference between First Off The Line (FOTL) and retail Flawless 🔥 Massive hits including the LeBron/Steph/Wemby Tripl...

In this episode of In Cards We Trust, hosts Justin Wickizer and Neil Rock break down the recently concluded April 2025 sports card auctions from Fanatics Premier and Goldin Elite. They discuss the $162,000 record-breaking sale of the 2006-07 EX Essential Credentials Michael Jordan, the resilience of Kobe Bryant cards, and the importance of understanding provenance with LeBron James Exquisite RPAs....

Episode 4: Cards Unknown - Game-Used Glory: 2003-04 Fleer Patchworks and the Rise of the Jersey Card In this quick-hit 13-minute episode of  In Cards We Trust , hosts Justin Wickizer and Neil Rock turn back the clock to spotlight the  2003-04 Fleer Basketball Patchworks  set—a product that helped define the modern era of  game-used jersey cards . From early LeBron James memorabilia to forgotten pa...

Episode 3: Cards UnKnown - Deep Cuts: 1972 ComSpec, Icy Bear, and the Stories Cards Tell . . . . In this 29-minute episode of  In Cards We Trust , hosts Justin Wickizer and Neil Rock explore two of the hobby’s most elusive and intriguing sets: the  1972 ComSpec basketball cards  and the delightfully oddball  Icy Bear Slurpee cards . They dig into the design, production quirks, and  market dynamics...

Episode 2: Auction Heat – Jordan, Ja, and the Prizm Debate In this jam-packed episode of  In Cards We Trust , Neil Rock and Justin Wickizer dive into the April 2025 Fanatics Premier and Goldin Elite auctions. From Michael Jordan game-worn autographs to Ja Morant’s Gold Prizm and Patrick Mahomes RPAs, they break down the stories behind the slabs—and the hype. Expect strong hobby opinions, historica...

In this debut episode of In Cards We Trust , Neil Rock and Justin Wickizer dive deep into the trading card hobby—from market mechanics to collecting strategy. They break down what's moving in the space, including: 🔍 A live review of Alt and Fanatics auctions , including standout cards like a Jackie Robinson cut auto, a Barry Bonds rookie, and an MJ-Rodman dual 📈 The latest on LeBron James Exquis...