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In this episode, Hank & Mick discuss the current state of the market - which is scorching hot! We discuss our tactics and thoughts of collecting through a bull market, from consolidation to fewer but more significant cards, pivoting to cheaper and more attainable side PCs, and selling into the hot market.

With every up, there must come a down. So try not to lose your head. Stay calm and focused... and warm up by the fire, but dont get burnt!

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In our biggest and best episode yet, Hank & Mick get out a pair of stone tablets, and chisel our 10 Commandments for The Hobby. From tips such as avoiding the hype, embracing selling cards, and adding cornerstone cards, we dig deep on the most important guidelines for our current collecting journey.

So lace up, grab a ball and bumper bowl your way to hobby happiness!

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In this second part of our ongoing Grading discussion, Hank & Mick chat who we grade with - for us, its a choice between PSA and BGS. BGS has sub grades, half grades and a sturdier slab, where PSA is the industry leader and PSA 10s are getting harder to land. We discuss the key differences between the two, regrading cards across each grading company and preparing cards for grading. Modern cards are virtually worthless unless they hit a PSA 10. For 90s cards a PSA 10 means you hit the jackpot.

We also talk about how grading standards have changed in recent years, how there are companies like MBA, who grade graded cards... and how AI might impact the grading market in the near future.

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In this Bonus Episode, Hank and Mick begin a multi-part discussion about all things Grading. This episode is all about the beginnings of grading in the 1990s. We reminisce about how when we ran our cards store in 1993, grading was purely subjective: it was up to us to decide the grade of a card. Beckett magazine was our price guide and hobby bible.

PSA changed the game in 1991, but it wasn't until later in the '90s when the hobby got on board the grading train. Mick thinks grading is probably the single biggest change to collecting cards. It provides a universal scale which is used (and overused) to judge card condition and value.

Fun fact, by 2001 Beckett magazine had a 4 page Graded Card price guide at the back of their magazines. 4 whole pages!

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In this Episode, Hank & Mick discuss collecting Vintage vs Modern cards, and which has the better long term value. Vintage cards are all about condition: centering, corners, registration, surface etc... In 1986 Fleer, there were approximately 3 Jordan rookies in each box. They aren't rare cards - but their value is all tied up in condition. In Modern collecting, the most valuable cards are the scarce parallel cards and inserts.

Hank thinks these scarce modern cards will have great long term value. Mick is concerned with retired players vs active players, and how important is Legacy in cementing their card prices. Is long term value more closely connected to cultural significance?

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In this episode, Hank and Mick discuss everything to do with inserts and parallel cards. We kick-off sorting out what actually is an SSP, and then deep-dive about how inserts shaped the 90s era and how parallels have dominated the modern era. Hank thinks inserts have been killed by the hunt for serial cards like the gold/10 and Black 1/1s parallels. Mick has other thoughts and discusses how certain modern inserts like Color Blasts, Downtowns and Kabooms! still have huge demand with modern collectors.

We obviously love inserts and parallels, which make up the bulk of both of our collections, and you can clearly hear Hank more excited than ever when he gets to chat about this stuff. Strap yourself in for all things Inserts and Parallels!

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In this episode, Hank and Mick are excited to discuss Card Shows in Australia and Overseas. We chat about the upcoming Hobby Hangout XL show in Melbourne, Collect Fest in July and The Oz National in September. We talk about buzz of attending these card shows, connecting with other collectors in-person, and what we have learnt buying and selling at these shows over the last couple of years.

We also discuss the anticipation of attending larger scale international shows like the West Coast Card Show in LA. If you love cards, and love card shows, this is the episode for you!

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In this episode Hank & Mick discuss selling cards and the variety of platforms we use in Australia and overseas. From everything from Ebay, Fanatics Collect, Alt, Consignment services, FaceBook Marketplace and selling at Card Shows - we cover it all. We also discuss the benefits of selling buy-it-now versus Auction.

Selling cards is an important step for most of us in building our collections, and its a tricky space for us in Australia as we lack the auction sites and ebay.com eyeballs of our American counterparts. Hopefully this chat helps shed the light on the varied ways you can sell your cards to help build up your collection... or pay off your new house (Hank would rather keep the money in cardboard, but thats life.)