WaxPackHero Sports Card Minute

Today, I talked with Ivan Lovegren aka @WatchTheBreaks! We discuss his collecting background, how he became a sports card personality, and some advice on balancing cards and family. Follow him on Twitter (@WatchTheBreaks) , and watch his weekly show Go GTS Live (@GoGTSLive) ! Sponsors for this show: Udogcollect.com Starstock.com

A listener sent me an email a couple weeks ago asking if I could discuss where to find player and team checklists.  So I decided to spend a few minutes breaking down my go-to resources for set, team, and player checklists! I know you probably have some great sources of your own, so please share them in the comments or on the Facebook and Twitter threads for this episode so everyone can learn!...

Today I sit down with Adam Palmer. Adam returned to the hobby in 2018 and quickly built an interest in the business side of the hobby.  He launched a the Hero’s for Sale Podcast and TikTok channel to document the process of learning about the industry and building his collection. I think he brings a fresh perspective and demonstrates authentic vulnerability in his show, and I wanted to give y...

In 1990, Topps began producing their own full color magazine .  I thought I’d spend a few minutes going back through the first couple issues and sharing my memories of the mag. I have a write up of the first issue if you’d like to see some pictures. Did you read Topps Magazine?  Let me know in the comments below! You can support the show by visiting the following links to our sponsors: S...

In this episode, I talk with Ryan Cracknell (@tradercracks) about his start as a collector and a writer.  We talked about what it's like being a collector in Canada, making a career as a writer, and what types of things he’s pursuing for his own collection! Take a listen and let me know what you think! Follow Ryan on Twitter @TraderCracks Read his content at Beckett.com Sponsors in this episo...

Don’t let the fear of the unknown keep you from growing and trying new things! A few weeks ago I was considering making a big Soccer card purchase.  I don’t know anything about Soccer, can only name about 5 players, and have little to no understanding of the different leagues.  I had a lack of confidence in my ability to potentially profit due being so uneducated on the sport.  I ul...

In this episode, I talk with Joey Shiver aka Dub Mentality about his start as a collector and a writer.  He provides some fantastic insight on how to work to both develop your craft as well as getting exposure to the quality content you create! Take a listen and let me know what you think! Follow Joey on: His Blog Dubmentality.com Twitter @dubmentality or on Youtube Sponsors in this Episode:...

There is a lot of talk about the economic impacts we’re seeing in the card market. I thought I’d take a few minutes to share how my card sales, web traffic, and podcast trends have played out over the last few weeks. It will serve as somewhat of a baseline as we see how things develop over these coming weeks and months. Let me know what you think! Support the show by using these links from our spo...

I had a chance to talk with Collector, Author, and Podcaster Tanner Jones!  We discuss writing, podcasting, focused collecting, and how he creates a self sustaining collection.  We also cover how his faith influences his hobby. Tanner’s book Confessions of a Baseball Card Addict can be found in this link, and you can check out his podcast on Spotify by clicking here ! I wrote a review of...

Topps created single panel cartoons on several sets throughout their history, and some of those cartoons are pretty darn entertaining. Some of the cards mentioned in this episode were discussed in this blog , and are listed below: 1963 Topps Jim O’Toole #70 . 1962 Topps Don Zimmer #478  1970 Topps Paul Schaal 1970 Topps Steve Huntz 1970 Topps Billy Harris 1970 Topps card, Pedro Borbon 358 195...

A few years ago Brad Balukjian embarked on quite a journey.  While sitting in the stadium at an Oakland A’s game, he found himself reminiscing about the players of his youth.  He thought about opening packs of baseball cards, and the enjoyment that came from  learning all he could about his cardboard heroes. That got him wondering where those players are now.  So he tracked dow...

Over the last few years, we have seen a rise in On Demand sets from the manufacturer.  These sets are typically either based on creating “real time” versions of cards celebrating key events, or cards available for a short term order window.  There is no predetermined print run, the manufacturer makes exactly the number of cards that are ordered. In this episode I discuss my thoughts on t...

One of questions I recently received was “How do you go about sorting these large collections you buy?” The answer really depends on a couple things.  First of all, what is your end goal?  How you sort is dependent on how you collect or how you sell.  Do you sell on COMC, eBay Sportlots?  Do you sell singles or primarily put together sets and player/team lots?  Those are t...

Do you enjoy collecting cards? Do you find the hobby enjoyable or does it only add frustration? If it’s the latter, then maybe you should consider walking away. Just Quit! Let me know what you think of the episode by reaching out on Twitter @TheMikeSommer!  I’d also love it if you checked out The Hobby Hotline!  It’s a live call in show on Saturday mornings which is hosted by several of...

Today, I interview Nigel Eccles.  He was the Co-Founder and former CEO of FanDuel, and now he is the Co-Founder of Starstock.  We discuss how he sees them fitting in to the marketplace amongst the other great card platforms like eBay and COMC.  He shares how his experience building FanDuel will translate to this new venture, and how growing the card market is one of his primary goal...

I recently set up at a local card show, and 2x World Series Champion Scott Spiezio was there as an autograph guest.  I had a chance to spend a few minutes chatting with him, and I’ve got that interview here for you in this episode. I also spend a few minutes discussing my show setup and what strategies have worked well for me at this local monthly show. Take a listen and let me know what you...

The Topps 582 Montgomery Club opened for membership in late 2018 and ran for the 2019 calendar year.  It was offered again in 2020 with a few modifications. Read about the full year of 2019 Club releases in this series of posts.  And then follow along with the 2020 products in this one ! Please take a second to let me know what you think of the show and I’d really appreciate it if you to...

I had a chance to speak with a local Rotary Club about collecting sports cards. Many in the audience were unfamiliar in the hobby, so I decided to give both a brief history of cards and tell my own collecting story. The audio is a bit soft, but I thought some listeners may still enjoy hearing the talk to a “non-traditional” card audience. Let me know what you think!

This is the third episode in a series about buying and selling on COMC.  Once time constraints required me to find a new way to scale my card sales, I began submitting cards to COMC. Things to Consider for some quick wins: 1) Identify cards to submit that can be listed for $1-$20 on the site and still be the lowest listed. 2) Start by sending 100-200 cards so that the upfront processing cost...

This is the second episode in a series about buying and selling on COMC.  Flipping is how I got started on the site, and I share several of the strategies I used to build up my store credit! Things to Consider for some quick wins: 1) Change your account to “Advanced Reseller Mode” 2) Try to find cards that will give you a 2-3x return while still being the lowest priced on the site. 3) Filter...

Today, we start a series about buying and selling on COMC.  First up is buying, and I can’t think of a better way to start than with an interview with COMC’s own, James Good! Take a listen and let me know what you think! Contact Info: COMC.com COMC Blog COMC Twitter @checkoutmycards James Good's Twitter @rungoodlife WaxPackHero review of COMC

This podcast discusses both the hobby and business sides of collecting.  In Episode 13, I  thought I’d take a few minutes to discuss the business side! Listen as I breakdown the sources of revenue and whether or not I’m happy with the results.  I also cover aspects of my expenses for the month and what the net result is! My “self-sustaining” goal was accomplished for the month, but...

I love these promo cards. Here is the definitive guide to 7-Eleven Cards including checklists to all the sets over the years! Also, in the show I mention using 16 pocket pages to store and display the coins, but I wanted to mention there are actually 20 pocket pages that work even better! Links to show for the sets and supplies: 7-Eleven sets 20 Pocket Pages Don’t forget to subscribe to the pod, r...

I share a few things I learned while returning to the hobby after a 20 year hiatus. If this is you, then take a listen and let me know what you think!  If you are a hobby vet, then maybe you can share this episode with some other collectors you know who are just getting their feet wet. 1) Narrow Your Focus 2) Buy and Sell Cards to Help Offset Your Cost 3) Get Connected to Other Collectors I t...

Minimizing your shipping costs is critical for maintaining a self-sustaining hobby.  In this episode I discuss some strategies to save money on postage. 1) Use the right packaging   2) Print your own labels - You can save a ton by printing your own postage labels on eBay or Paypal. 3) Equipment and Supplies Here’s what I use! Label Printer Dymo Refil Labels Bubble Mailers USPS boxes and...