The Shallow End

Today in this 18-part limited series we’re talking with John, co-host of the Global Card Collectors podcast and @Istanbulcards on Instagram. John is a basketball and soccer collector. He’s thoughtful. He’s deliberate and disciplined. Yet anyone, even collectors who stay on their path, are not immune from a painful lesson: Not all 1-of-1s are created equal. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwart...

Today we’re talking with someone who has been a great help to many in the collecting space, Zan, @zanoo23_sportscards on Instagram. These days those who follow Zan know him for his refined collection of football and baseball cards, and for his ability to spot fake serial numbers in some of the hobby’s most popular sets. But when Zan first re-entered the hobby, he wasn’t drawn toward singles, he gr...

In this episode we welcome Jeff, @MyFavoriteCardboard on Instagram and part of two wonderful shows, Blabbin’ 'bout Slabbin’ and Spitballin’ Cards . I appreciated Jeff’s willingness to share some of his stories because he’s such a good storyteller, but also because they’re so relatable. This is an episode about the persistence of hope, even when there is none, and a reminder that sometimes the...

Today we welcome to the program Josh Adams, @MidwestVintageCards on IG and one of the driving forces behind the 90s Auctions platform. Many years ago, nearly two decades, Josh said he had a great plan to make some money in the hobby. He’s here today with a warning for all of us: Not all plans … work out. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Today’s guest is Mark, @mjs_sportscards on Instagram. These days, Mark is known for a few things, from his Jrue Holiday collection, to the WNBA, and of course his beloved L.A. Lakers. But when he first got back into the hobby, he made the sort of moves and mistakes that might have sent many right back out of the hobby, perhaps for good. Yet Mark stuck around. And just as importantly, he learned, a...

Today we welcome to the show Nick, the Instagram user known as @TastyCardSandwich . Among other things, Nick is a connoisseur of early 2000s cards. But sometimes, as he points out, it’s possible to become SO focused on your lane that you miss out on what’s happening around you. In Nick’s case, it was the rise of some of the biggest modern cards in The Hobby. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwa...

Today’s guest is Jonathan, better known on IG as @sportscards.and.sunsets . As one-third of the Rough Cuts Vintage Card Podcast, Jonathan and his partners have fun discussing vintage cards and all related topics, which is why you’ll find this conversation so interesting. This is Jonathan’s tale of what can happen when one wanders a little too far from what makes a collection, a collection. The Sha...

Today’s guest is Robert, @robertm_cards on Instagram, where his feed is full of some of the coolest game-worn cards you’ll find. There was a time, a span of about 15 years, when Robert built the sort of collection many of us would love to have. Until, one day, someone came along with an offer he couldn’t refuse. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Today’s guest is Craig, @NewYorkCitySportsCards on Instagram. Years ago he decided to buy lots of cards of an up-and-coming basketball player, and wouldn’t you know it, Craig nailed his assessment. The player became one of the greatest of his generation. When he decided it was time to sell, what he discovered is sports cards are about the long game, and the first urge to sell might be a better tim...

Today’s guest is Dr. Jim Beckett, host of the long-running podcast, " Dr. James Beckett Sports Card Insights ." It might be hard to believe now, but there was a time when Beckett Media was the upstart underdog. As they began to pick up momentum, Dr. Beckett, who sold the company two decades ago, considered how to manage a then-growing company. But as he learned with one decision, bigger is not alw...

Today’s guest is Chad, @Blackhat_Cards on IG. Have you ever really wanted to collect a player, so you buy a card online, it arrives, you look at it, and it doesn’t really do it for you? That’s what happened to Chad. Then it happened again. And again. And, well, you get the picture. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Today’s guest is Dave Spinrad, @ratedrabbi on Instagram, and as you’ll hear at the top of this episode, he’s worn lots of different hats in his life. The one constant, he says, has been failure. But, he wouldn’t have it any other way. In this hobby, sometimes you have to figure out what you DON’T like before you figure out what you do. The Shallow End is hosted by @iowa_dave_sportscards

Today’s guest is Andrew, who is @FairStarCards on Instagram. Andrew collects hockey and other sports, and he’s a collector who seeks personal connections within the cards he collects. As an educator, he knows that learning can sometimes be painful, but it’s what you do with that pain, and how you react, that makes the difference. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Today’s guest is Theo, who’s ClementeCollector on IG and YouTube. He’s a smart, thoughtful collector, he’s got a growing YouTube audience, and he was a big contributor to this year’s Hobby Palooza. But when he first got back into the hobby, he learned the hard lesson that some cards are irreplaceable. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Today’s guest is Andrew, who’s @StCroixCards on Instagram. Andrew is a soccer collector, among other things, and a contributor to the Slabstox network. These days, Andrew’s collection is in great shape, but there’s one decision he made when he first got back in the hobby that taught this teacher a lesson he’ll never forget. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

What if? That's the question two notorious baseball card overthinkers started from when they decided to start a new show. In this debut episode, how might the hobby be different today if Topps had introduced a full set of parallels beginning in 1952? Welcome to Overthinking Baseball Cards. For the full experience, see our YouTube channel . Hosts: Jason @Contrarian_Cards Dave: @Iowa_Dave_Sports...

What began as a labor of love for Kevin turned into a hobby quest. Five years ago he picked up his first 1999 Topps Chrome baseball refractor. Last month, he completed a 637-card master refractor set that includes the inserts. This is the story of how Kevin ( @Colorado. Collector ) did it. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

In this wide-ranging discussion about rookie cards, Robert ( @BobHostaCollection ) and Dave get into a challenge each is facing: Should they get the iconic 1954 Topps Hank Aaron rookie? Or should they get the card they agree better captures Aaron the player and person, his 1958 Topps? The Shallow End is hosted by @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Dan ( @CardsAndCardio on IG) paints a picture of what it means to collect with direction. From Jesse Owens, to Otto Graham and other vintage QBs, to Jackie Robinson, to actor and comedian Bill Murray, Dan makes sure every individual card he picks up connects to the larger collection he's trying to build. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards .

Longtime friend of The Shallow End Samuel Evans returns to chat with Dave about The National, Samuel's role within the NSCC, and how The National is about the cards yet so much more. Find Samuel on Instagram @thesprtzcardcoltr . The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

We all deserve a good meal. Don't you think? Thank you to Steven Rodel and Cameron Ross Steiner for the inspiration.

When a consigner potentially mislabeled my sports card to such a degree that its value began to tank, I was faced with a decision: take a financial hit, or bid on my own card. In this episode, I talk through the situation and explain why I felt it was important not to bid. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Jason ( @contrarian_cards on IG) and Dave begin with the premise, What should a longtime Panini football and basketball card collector know about Topps as Fanatics readies to take over the NFL and NBA card licenses? From there, it's a free-wheeling discussion about what it's like to collect and understand baseball cards in 2025.

In this podcast audio essay, Dave confronts the realities of breaking and sports cards, and the false narratives used to make excuses for it. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

We've all got a horror story, a past decision in our collecting that haunts us. Today's guest, Andrew (IG: @fairstarcards ), knows more about failure than most. He preaches it to his students. In this episode, we become his students as he shows us why those past failures should be embraced, not forgotten. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards