The 1914 Babe Ruth Baltimore News just sold for $4.02M—about $3M less than last year’s $7.2M result. Is the hobby crashing? Nope. I walk through two-bidder auction dynamics, liquidity, macro vibes, why rarity + narrative still matter, and how this compares to modern grails (MJ/LeBron/Kobe). Quick story, four takeaways, and what it might mean for vintage vs. modern over the next decade.
Timestamps
0:00 Cold open — what sold, where, and the $3M gap
0:45 Quick story: 1914 Baltimore News Ruth (19-year-old minor-leaguer)
1:20 Why auctions drop: the two-bidder reality (not 100k voters)
3:40 Takeaway #1: Auction competition drives big swings
4:45 Takeaway #2: Liquidity & macro conditions matter
6:35 Takeaway #3: Narrative + rarity still rule (Ruth’s historical weight)
8:50 Takeaway #4: This isn’t hobby doom — one sale ≠ the market
10:40 Modern heat check: MJ/Kobe/LeBron/Ohtani vs vintage over time
12:30 Wrap + what I’m watching next (and Chicken Nugget Nation)
In the final part of our 3-part Hobby Awards breakdown, we dive into the last—and spiciest—categories including Best Sold Memorabilia, Grading Company of the Year, and Creator of the Year. There’s drama, there’s emotion, and there’s Paul Skenes catching strays. Buckle up, nuggets.
Timestamps:
0:00 – What’s Up, Chicken Nuggets
1:10 – The Final 6 Hobby Award Categories
2:00 – Best Sold Memorabilia Debate
5:00 – Babe Ruth vs. Kobe’s Rookie Jersey vs. MJ/Kobe Logo Man
7:30 – Why I Can’t Vote for Paul Skenes 😬
10:10 – Collectibles Executive of the Year Pick
13:40 – Best Media Platform (SCN Shoutout!)
17:15 – Grading Company Drama: SGC, PSA, TAG
21:00 – Creator of the Year: Kyle vs. Josh vs. Mojo
25:00 – Final Thoughts + Chicken Nugget Nation Drop
Tyler dives into the next 5 categories of the 2025 Hobby Awards, including Best Auction House, Non-Sport Product, and Innovation of the Year. From Fanatics Collect to Gary Vee’s VeeFriends, we talk through what’s hot, what’s hype, and what’s just hilarious.
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro & hobby reminder (“A compliment to one isn’t an insult to another”)
2:15 Best Auction House: Fanatics Collect vs. Golden vs. Heritage
5:00 Gary Vee & the rise of VeeFriends in the hobby
7:00 Innovation of the Year: Lux vs. ColleX showdown
9:40 Sneak peek at next episode & free giveaway for Chicken Nugget Nation
Join the drop: SportsCardsAreDope.com
Vote here: TheHobbyAwards.com
Tyler dives into the first-ever Hobby Awards hosted by Mantle and breaks down his votes across five key categories—from best breaking platform to best hobby shop. Expect hot takes, personal experiences, and why Tyson Beck and Card Vault might just be redefining the hobby.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro: Mantle & the Hobby Awards Explained
01:10 – Ghostrite trophies & genius branding
02:50 – Best Breaking Platform (eBay vs Whatnot vs Fanatics Live)
05:00 – Best Custom Art Card Artist (Why Tyson Beck wins my vote)
07:30 – Best Collectible Show (Fanatics Fest vs The National)
09:50 – Best Marketplace (eBay’s dominance and the rising contenders)
12:00 – Best Hobby Shop (Card Vault, Burbank, and the future of retail)
17:50 – Final thoughts & how to join Chicken Nugget Nation
http://sportscardsaredope.com
I bought four memorabilia pieces (MJ, Bulls, Team USA, and an Ali glove) for $650—knowing there’s an ~80% chance they’re fake. Here’s why I did it anyway, how I value uncertified items, and five red flags to spot forged autographs (even when a slab says “authentic”).
Timestamps
0:00 Welcome, context: why I bought likely-fake memorabilia
0:53 The haul: Ali glove; Bulls 3-Peat hat; Team USA practice jersey; MJ White Sox mesh
2:35 Seller backstory + pricing logic vs certified comps
4:45 Why certification isn’t bulletproof (PSA/JSA examples, human judgment)
7:40 My two reasons for buying anyway (aesthetics + vintage value)
9:45 Community poll results on “does it look legit?”
11:40 5 Red Flags: no COA; weak backstory; too much inventory; identical pen pressure; ignoring signature evolution
15:30 Two case studies: PSA-slabbed Kobe I don’t trust vs. a “bad” Brady auto I know is real
19:00 Final mindset: buy the story, not the sticker; price for the risk
https://www.sportscardsaredope.com
PSA upcharges are back in the spotlight after Geoff Wilson (Sports Card Investor) shared a $4k upcharge email. Is PSA “creating” value—or just charging more after the grade? I break down both sides (including Ballpark Cards Alex’s response), read PSA’s policy, and give my take on what’s fair, what isn’t, and how collectors should play it.
Timestamps
0:00 Cold open: why this PSA upcharge post exploded
0:44 The email: PSA re-tiering & $4,058.99 upcharge
1:56 Geoff’s stance: “I welcome these fees” (value created?)
3:05 The pushback: Ballpark Cards Alex’s counter-argument
4:28 Hooks vs. tone: why phrasing matters for the hobby
5:10 PSA policy in plain English (re-tiering, decline = raw return)
6:15 Pro-PSA arguments (liability, guarantee, pricing by value)
7:12 Anti-PSA arguments (service didn’t change, appraisal analogy)
9:10 My position: comps, trust, and market dominance vs. customer value
12:10 SGC’s momentum, acquisition headwinds, and the “race with rocks”
14:20 What collectors can do next (risk control & platform choices)
In this episode of the *Sports Cards Are Dope Podcast*, Tyler breaks down Whatnot’s brand-new rules on repack sellers—and why it might be the biggest shakeup in live breaking history.
Whether you're a buyer, seller, or just nosy (we see you), you'll want to hear why transparency just leveled up and how it’s about to impact the entire card game.
⏱️ Timestamps:
0:36 – What changed? The new Whatnot repack policy
1:57 – No more floor/ceiling claims? Bye, mystery math!
3:40 – Enforcement: How Whatnot plans to crack down
6:10 – Who wins, who loses? (Hint: Not everyone’s happy)
9:40 – Arena Club: Doing it right (shoutout)
13:20 – Small sellers: What you should do *this* month
16:40 – Will this even be enforced long-term?
20:02 – The long-term hobby impact: less casino, more collecting
💬 What do YOU think of the new rules? Drop your take in the comments or hit us on socials @tylertarver.
Topps just made it official: NBA Debut Patches. Using real MLB debut-patch comps (Jackson Holliday, Wyatt Langford, etc.), Tyler projects 3–6× multipliers for NBA rookies and puts numbers on Cooper Flagg, Wembanyama, and Chet. Plus five market factors that could push/pull prices in Year 1.
Timestamps
0:00 Intro: “Debut Patch” goes NBA + Cooper Flagg promo
1:32 Why this becomes the clear “best rookie card”
3:40 MLB comps: Holliday $200k (≈3×), Langford $183k (≈5.6×) → the 3–6× range
6:45 NBA projections: Wemby $1.5–3.0M; Chet $400–800k; Cooper Flagg ≈ $2M
10:45 Why social + league promos matter (Fanatics/NBA alignment)
12:00 Five price drivers: narrative, hard supply cap (1 of 1), timing, brand transition, auction marketing
16:30 What it means for the broader market + collectors
18:50 Community + Patreon: sportscardsdope.com (free sub + Chicken Nugget Nation)
A grail chase with receipts. Tyler tells the full Jordan Poole True Gold Prizm /10 story—from pulling one in his first-ever break, to the $12K sale he watched from afar, to losing an eBay snipe by fifty bucks, and why the chase still matters.
Timestamps
Tried PSA’s new buyback on a fresh 17-card submission. They offered on 3 slabs; I sold 1 and passed on 2. Here’s the exact math, comps logic, and my quick framework so you can decide when to take the offer and when to hold.
Timestamps
0:00 Intro — PSA’s buyback in plain English
0:52 The 3 offers (Brink / Strickland / Brady)
2:48 Why I accepted the Strickland
4:05 Why I passed on Brink + Brady
5:10 My “Offer vs Net” checklist (use this!)
6:40 Is this good for the hobby?
7:35 Top 5 times I’d take PSA’s offer
8:30 Final takeaways + next steps
A sweaty truck confessional about hobby humility. Tyler breaks down why your taste isn’t truth, how nostalgia drives bids, what the $13K Walt Disney pull actually signals, and how to set your show table so more people stop and buy. Quick, honest, useful.
Grading isn’t just about chasing 10s. In this episode, I break down five real reasons I grade cards—and the #1 reason has nothing to do with money. We talk PSA offers, “nines are fine,” how grading reframes comps on rare cards, and why the story inside the slab matters most.
Timestamps
Topps (Fanatics) is officially rolling out NBA-licensed cards for 2025–26. I break down what this means for Panini, Cooper Flagg, “First Cards,” potential LeBron/MJ autograph implications, overproduction fears, and how to play the market without getting wrecked. Drop your take below and let’s build smarter as a community.
Timestamps
In this episode of Sports Cards Are Dope, Tyler breaks down Rick Probstein’s shocking departure from eBay after 20+ years and nearly a billion dollars in card sales. He’s launching a new auction platform, Snype, with lower fees and community features—but will it work, or repeat past failures like Bidtopia and YardSeller?
Timestamps:
0:52 – Who is Rick Probstein?
2:20 – What Snype promises (fees, shipping, chat)
4:05 – Lessons from failed eBay spinoffs
7:10 – Why sellers may come, but buyers may not
12:00 – The problem of market fragmentation
15:50 – Community + creators = key to success?
20:00 – The Yahoo Screen lesson: why experience matters
22:50 – Final thoughts: Can Snype survive?
cmon PSA, do better
fun lil livestream
In this episode of Sports Cards Are Dope, Tyler and his “best friend Chad GPT” break down five NBA players whose sports cards could rise in value this season. From Luka Doncic under the Lakers’ bright lights to Josh Giddey’s breakout in Chicago, we’re looking at the hobby through a lens of media attention, playoff potential, and market buzz.
⏱️ Timestamps
0:00 – Intro & why AI helped with this list
1:01 – Luka Doncic: LA spotlight + revenge tour
4:54 – Bradley Beal: Clippers’ hidden weapon
6:49 – Jalen Green: Suns’ young scorer with upside
10:12 – Desmond Bane: Perfect fit in Orlando
13:57 – Josh Giddey: Bulls’ new floor general
17:45 – Tyler’s sleeper pick (Jordan Poole to the Pelicans)
19:45 – Final thoughts: what drives card markets
In this episode of Sports Cards Are Dope, Dr. Tyler Tarver breaks down Topps’ first-ever Collector Appreciation Day — what it is, why it matters, and how it could reshape the hobby. From Willy Wonka golden ticket vibes to McDonald’s Monopoly collabs, Tyler gives six takeaways on why this could be huge for collectors.
Timestamps:
In this episode of Sports Cards Are Dope, I break down Fanatics Fest vs. The National. From timing around the World Cup to costs, cards, and memories, here’s what collectors need to know.