Sports Cards Live

Part 5 is the back half of the episode where the chat drives the direction, the panel ties bows on the biggest themes, and the show lands the plane on a classic Episode 300 sendoff.

We start by reacting to the comment stream and a surprisingly useful debate: what percentage of card show purchases are actually planned vs pure impulse. The answer matters more than people think, especially if you’re a dealer deciding what to put in the case.

Then we pivot into a second topic that hits everyone who buys online: photo integrity. Sticker auto vs on-card is the example, but the real question is bigger. How much editing is acceptable, what crosses the line, and what buyers should do when an image feels off. The takeaway is simple: if the photo is misleading, the sale is contaminated.

We also touch the Hobby Spectrum directory snapshot, the ongoing Michael Jordan one-of-one decision, merch plans, and wrap Episode 300 with some fun “300” facts and community shoutouts.

At a card show, are you a checklist hunter or a “let’s see what hits me” buyer?

Have you ever bought a card where the photo made it look better than reality?

What should be the rule for auction houses: zero editing, or “reasonable” adjustments?
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Part 4 shifts from card alteration to the everyday reality that actually shapes most collections: buying behavior in the moment.

We break down the two main modes of acquiring cards. The long-planned hunt where you research, budget, and wait. And the lightning-strike buy, whether it’s a card show table surprise or an auction ending in 14 minutes that suddenly feels like fate. The panel debates which one feels better, which one backfires more often, and why “spontaneous” isn’t always reckless if it still fits your collecting formula.

We also get into the hidden danger nobody wants to admit: the slow budget bleed. A couple hundred bucks here and there feels harmless until you realize you just torched the funds you needed for the card that actually mattered.

Are you more premeditated or more impulse, and has it helped or hurt your collection?

Do you allow “short-term PC” cards, or do you only buy with lifetime intent

What rule keeps you from death-by-a-thousand-deals?
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Part 3 goes straight into the messiest debate in the hobby right now: card “work” that gets cards into PSA slabs, then quietly back onto the market. A Facebook thread shows collectors openly soaking and pressing Gretzky rookies using Kurt’s Card Care, talking about submitting to PSA, and selling afterward. We walk through why that should scare buyers, even when the card ends up in a straight numeric holder.

Then we address a comment that tried to lump Mr Minty into the same bucket. We draw a hard line between inspection tools that help you see a card more clearly and products or processes that change the card itself. The distinction matters, and confusing it muddies the conversation.

The real core of this segment is the question behind the episode title: are all PSA cards truly the same if the label says the same number? We debate grade worship vs card worship, provenance, disclosure, whether experienced collectors can spot things graders miss, and what happens when the “fix” literally does not last.

Where’s your line? Microfiber wipe is fine, but what crosses it for you?

Would you pay less for a slabbed card if you knew it was soaked or pressed, even if it is a “9”?

If PSA offered a clearly labeled “altered” holder, would you want that market to exist or be banned outright?

Subscribe for Part 4 and Part 5 as Episode 300 keeps building.
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Part 2 of Episode 300 brings Leighton Sheldon into the mix and the conversation immediately jumps into rare territory. Two T206 Honus Wagner cards are set to hit the auction market at the same time, something most collectors will never see in their lifetime. We break down how that happens, why one will almost certainly outsell the other, and whether simultaneous offerings actually hurt or help the market.

From there, the focus shifts to card shows and expansion. The Dallas Card Show is heading to New Jersey, and that raises a bigger question. What actually makes a card show succeed in a market that has failed before? Location, vendors, buyers, travel radius, brand power, and even food all come into play. The panel digs into why some shows flourish while others fade.

Then the conversation turns to liquidity and data as Mantle introduces its new Slam Score. Is it a useful tool for collectors, a metric for operators, or just another number in a hobby already full of them? We debate momentum, fundamentals, eye appeal, and whether liquidity can ever be captured cleanly in a single score.

Drop a comment with your prediction. Which Wagner sells for more and why?

If you run tables or attend shows, what makes a show worth traveling for?

Let us know if you would ever use a Slam Score when buying or selling a card.

Subscribe so you do not miss Parts 3, 4, and 5 from Episode 300.
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We kick off Episode 300 of Sports Cards Live with a milestone check-in, a quick run through key updates, and a hobby conversation that goes deeper than most collectors ever think to look. We share progress on POPs & COMPs, a behind-the-scenes update on Hobby Spectrum, and a real discussion about the “invisible layer” behind many online auction houses: third-party platforms, data access, and why understanding the rules and infrastructure matters.

Then the night takes a turn when Joe recounts his Fanatics Collect Premier Auction moment, dropping a record bid to land a serious Steph Curry grail. The best part is the card is actually nasty.

If you’ve taken the Hobby Spectrum assessment, send feedback on any questions that didn’t fit. That’s how we tighten it before wider rollout.

Drop a comment: do you care whether an auction house uses proprietary software vs a leased platform? Why or why not?

If you’re listening on audio, make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss Parts 2–5 from Episode 300.
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