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.
We break down the viral Lake Worth Sports Cards & Collectibles Show post banning attendee‑to‑attendee deals (yes, even “bathroom deals”), and map the real economics: table fees, sit‑down tax, buyer flow, and better solutions that help collectors and dealers. Entertainment + education; not financial advice.
Timestamps:
00:00 Cold open & setup
00:32 Context: the viral Lake Worth post
01:04 “Epidemic” + bathroom‑deal bit
03:38 Hobby vs. business framing
04:20 The “booth in the bathroom” joke
05:23 Pros vs. cons of a trading ban
06:00 Table fees & the Sit‑Down Tax
09:59 Smart fix: “We Buy Cards” front table
10:24 Why the ban reads “Darth Vader”
11:48 Dealer vibes that invite buyers
13:15 Comps talk: how to be re‑deal‑able
15:19 Napster/StockX analogies (control vs. growth)
17:29 Wrap & merch plug
PSA just announced a major shift in the hobby — giving collectors the option to sell their freshly graded cards instantly for around 90% of Card Ladder value. This move could change comps, liquidity, and the balance of power in the card world. Tyler Tarver breaks down the three biggest implications, drawing parallels to Zillow, Amazon, and pawn shops.
Timestamps:
0:00 – PSA’s shocking announcement
1:35 – Instant cashout explained
3:00 – Zillow & real estate parallels
7:00 – Conflict of interest concerns
10:30 – Pawn shop meets Wall Street
14:00 – Long-term implications for comps
We break down how real‑life trades ripple through the sports card market: the instant attention spike, the new fanbase effect, and why jersey/legacy still drive long‑term value. We run scenarios around Micah Parsons, Jordan Poole, Lakers‑centric hype cycles, Brady’s uniform shift, and more. Entertainment + education; not financial advice.
Timestamps:
00:00 Cold open chaos & setup
00:36 Why trades move prices (attention > performance)
01:02 Jordan Poole to Pelicans mention
05:29 Immediate Hype vs. Long‑Term Value framework
07:54 Lakers/Westbrook case study
10:54 New Fanbase Effect explained
12:20 Legacy/Jersey & narrative shifts (Brady, Haliburton)
14:18 Young‑star trade scenario talk (Parsons/Luka hypotheticals)
17:28 Fun run: iconic players in weird uniforms (AI Grizzlies, Hakeem Raptors, GP Heat/Lakers, MJ Wizards)
21:01 Wrap + audience prompt
