10K Card Journey: Sports Card Collecting and Investing Podcast

After selling two basketball cards on the same day that had both been up for months, I'm wondering if the NBA card market is picking up. In this episode, I walk through the sales, net payouts, what surprised me, as well as a recent eBay store mistake that I hope you all do not make.

With baseball season approaching, I’ve started buying a small group of 1st Bowman autographs to better understand how prospect hype actually works. In this episode, I talk through why I’m doing this, how I’m thinking about timing the market, and what I hope to learn about when (and why) prospects peak in value

Collectors often think buying a rookie card is the best way to “bet” on a player’s future—but the market doesn’t always reward you, even when the player meets expectations. In this episode, I break down why rookie cards can stagnate or fall despite strong on-field performance, and why prediction markets offer a different way to forecast players careers (in certain cases).

In this episode, I share my honest take on unlicensed cards — why they can look great, have strong designs, and still struggle to appreciate meaningfully over time. I break down the structural challenges they face, how collectors treat them, and why I don’t see them becoming long-term value drivers in the hobby.

In this episode, I explain why I’ve slowed down my buying even though the card market is performing well. I break down how staying disciplined helps me avoid purchases I might regret—and why holding cash now sets me up for better opportunities later.

In this episode, I break down a trade I recently made — sending out a 2003 Topps Chrome LeBron and a 2023 Prizm Victor Wembanyama in exchange for a mix of Caitlin Clark, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant cards. I walk through why I felt it was the right time to move off two modern stars, what appealed to me about the pieces I got back, and how this trade fits into my broader collecting strategy. Whe...

The sports card market has been on a strong run lately — prices are up, auctions are competitive, and demand feels higher than it’s been in a while. But when the market heats up, it’s also the perfect time to take a step back. In this episode, I talk about why it might make sense to lock in some profits , how I think about which cards are true long-term holds versus short-term flips, and why havin...

In this episode, I take a step back to reflect on how my collecting strategy has evolved over time—and why being flexible is one of the most valuable skills you can have in the hobby. From focusing on certain players and sets to shifting my buying and selling approach, I share the lessons I’ve learned along the way and how adapting your strategy can help you find more enjoyment, better deals, and...

In this episode, I break down one of my more successful card flips — how I bought a card for $665, sold it for $1,099, and ended up outperforming the S&P 500 over the same period. But while the profit was great, I use it as a reality check: even when things go well, sports cards aren’t a guaranteed way to beat the market. I talk through the math, the timeline, and what this example can teach u...

In this episode, I share my experience buying my first redemption card — and why it ended up being way cheaper than just buying the actual card outright. I break down how redemption cards work, why many collectors avoid them, and how that creates a pricing gap that savvy buyers can take advantage of. Plus, I talk through what to watch out for when buying redemptions and how long the wait really is...

In this episode, I break down why selling through consigners like PSA or Fanatics Collect can sometimes actually cost you less in fees than running your own eBay store. While it might seem counterintuitive, consigners often get preferred fee structures, better visibility, and added trust that leads to stronger final sale prices. I talk through the math, compare it with eBay’s standard seller fees,...

In this episode, I share why I’m shifting my collecting focus away from chasing PSA 10s and instead putting more attention on picking up PSA 8s and 9s at a discount. From price gaps between grades to the risk/reward tradeoff, I talk about how this approach fits my collecting strategy, why I think it creates better value over the long run, and how it can still give you cards you’re excited to own w...

A new initiative called the Pickle Vault just launched, aiming to corner the market on Ben Johns rookie pickleball cards by tying them to a crypto token. In this episode, I break down what the Pickle Vault is, how it works, and share my honest thoughts on whether it’s an innovative idea or just a bit too shady.

Running a sports card business isn’t as simple as flipping singles on eBay—especially when fees eat into every sale. In this episode, I break down what it really takes to make a card business sustainable. From cutting out marketplace fees, to getting access to better inventory, to building out a middleman or content-driven model, I share the three paths that I think can actually work in the long r...

In this episode, I break down one of the most frustrating parts of the card market: shill bidding. I share what shill bidding actually is, how it impacts collectors, and an example I recently came across that raised red flags for me.

In this episode, I break down how card vaults like PSA Vault and Fanatics Collect Vault actually work. From sales tax advantages on purchases to what really happens when you withdraw your cards, I share the key details every collector should understand to help decide if vaulting is worth it.

In this episode, I share how my collecting strategy has taken me down two very different paths. On one side, I’ve been narrowing in and targeting certain high-end cards—focusing my budget and attention on cornerstone pieces that I really want in my collection. On the other, I’ve widened my aperture, exploring lower-value cards that are fun, affordable, and open up new opportunities to experiment....

In this episode, I share my first experience selling a card through eBay’s auction format—and how the outcome turned out much better than I expected. I talk about what made me try auction instead of Buy It Now, the nerves of letting the market decide the price, and the lessons I learned that might help other sellers thinking about testing out auctions.

In this episode, I’m excited to share a new project I’m launching — The $25 Card Hunt. Every day, I’ll be buying and showcasing one sports card under $25, focusing on undervalued legends, hidden gems, and cards with stories worth telling. This is about the fun of collecting, not financial advice — and I’ll be posting every pickup daily across my blog, social, and a brand new Substack newsletter....

In this episode, I share a couple of recent experiences I’ve had selling cards with eBay Standard Envelope—one where tracking never updated to “delivered” and another where the package was marked as delivered but didn’t actually show up. These situations highlight some of the risks and quirks sellers face when using eBay’s cheapest shipping option. I’ll break down what happened, what I learned, an...

In this episode, I dive into how opening an eBay seller account has done more than just help me move cards—it’s also helped me qualify for business credit cards I couldn’t access before. I share why these cards can matter, the perks they bring to my sports card collecting journey, and how other sellers can use the same strategy to maximize rewards and savings.

In this episode, I share my recent experience selling sports cards and the types of cards that have been gaining traction—older patch cards, unique cards of niche players, and cards of legends (who in my opinion have always been severely undervalued compared to prospects). I also reflect on the lessons I’ve learned along the way, from pricing strategies to understanding buyer demand.

In this episode of 10KCardJourney, I share two exciting recent additions to my collection — a vintage 1965 Swedish Candy Cassius Clay and a modern JuJu Watkins 1st Bowman Auto PSA 9. Beyond the cards themselves, I break down the key takeaways from each purchase, from staying true to your price while also being comfortable putting a take it or leave it offer. Whether you’re into boxing legends or t...

In this episode of 10KCardJourney , I dive into one of the most commonly used (and misunderstood) concepts in the hobby: comps. While past sales are helpful in setting a general price range, they don’t tell the full story. I talk about why comps should be treated as a baseline—not a rulebook, and explore the many factors that can affect a card’s true value: platform, grading, rarity, the seller’s...

In this episode of 10KCardJourney, I walk through exactly how I ship the sports cards I sell—whether they’re low-end singles under $20 or higher-value cards over $20. I cover the step-by-step process I use for eBay Standard Envelope and USPS Ground Advantage, plus the tools and supplies that make shipping faster, safer, and more efficient. Whether you're just starting out or looking to streaml...