The Hobby Handbook

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...

Clever Cuban Cards and Trent are back for another wild week in the sports card hobby. They start with Bowman’s Best, including recent pulls, break ROI, standout patch autos, and why the product has been getting so much attention from collectors and breakers. Then the conversation shifts to the Huntsville card show, where Alex shares an unbelievable story about someone leaving behind a cash bag wit...

In this episode of The Hobby Handbook, Clever Cuban Cards and Trent break down the Bowman Basketball release chaos, including massive wait times, checkout issues, instant sellouts, and the growing frustration around bots grabbing product before real collectors can get it. They also dive into the Yoshinobu Yamamoto market debate after a massive recent sale, asking the big question collectors are wr...

Clever Cuban Cards and Trent break down a huge week in the hobby, starting with the fallout from the World Baseball Classic, including Team USA’s loss, which players could see a card bump, and how collectors should think about selling into short-term hype windows. They also touch on a Jayden Daniels mailbag question and the bigger hold-versus-flip mindset that comes with timing the market. Then th...

In this episode of The Hobby Handbook, Alex aka Clever Cuban Cards and Trent aka JetBreakersTrent dig into one of the biggest collector questions in the hobby: if you had real money to spend on Shohei Ohtani, which rookie card would you buy and why? They debate flagship vs. Chrome, paper vs. refractor, pitching image vs. batting image, and which Ohtani cards feel strongest as long-term holds. They...

Clever Cuban Cards kicks off a new era of The Hobby Handbook by officially introducing a new co-host: Trent Litjes (AKA JetBreakersTrent)First, Alex and Trent do a quick Trent deep dive, including his background as an active-duty U.S. Air Force captain, how he got into collecting, and why he keeps cards as a fun side hustle (plus who he’s chasing right now and why).Then they jump into the hobby ch...

In this episode of The Hobby Handbook, Clever Cuban Cards breaks down the Topps Pristine “missing hits” situation and what happened after Topps confirmed five missing autographs and tried to make it right. The turnaround was fast, but the replacement autos and their value raise a bigger question: What does “making it right” actually mean in a $470+ box product? Then we pivot to a full recap of the...

This week on The Hobby Handbook, Clever Cuban Cards is joined by Jetbreakers Trent to break down everything you need to know ahead of the 2026 MLB season. But before we get to the baseball, we have to talk about Clever Cuban's horror story about ripping 2026 Topps Pristine (missing 5 autos in 4 boxes!) and the frustrating state of "insufficient evidence" claims when you get shorted. The duo also d...

On this week's episode of the Hobby Handbook, Clever Cuban Cards is diving deep into the most common question in the hobby: how do you figure out what your cards are actually worth? He breaks down the difference between list price and sold price, and walks you through the exact tools he uses, like 130 Point and CardLadder, to get accurate numbers for your collection. We also cover the latest hobby...

This week on The Hobby Handbook, ⁠ @CleverCubanCards ⁠ is joined by Nick from ⁠ All Day Collectibles ⁠ to break down the biggest story in the hobby: the Packman "Midnight Basketball" controversy (10:59). We look at the situation not to pile on, but to ask the real questions: how did a veteran creator end up "crashing out" on stream, and more importantly, how can sellers handle a dead room without...

This week, Clever Cuban Cards comes to you from a frozen Nashville to break down a week filled with broken trust in the Hobby. We dive into the 2025 Stadium Club pre-order fiasco. Topps originally marketed Hobby boxes as containing 9 Chrome cards, only to quietly change the packaging and announce via email that the final product will have zero Chrome base or parallel cards. We also turn our attent...

In this episode of the Hobby Handbook, Clever Cuban Cards recaps his first eBay Live, sharing insights from his first experience on the platform. He discusses the highs and lows of the event, including unexpected bidding wars and the challenges of extended bidding times. Alex also explores the intricacies of card valuation and the importance of pre-listing items for transparency. Plus, Montgomery...