Episodes

June 19, 2024

1236 - Father/Son: Steve/Chris Ivy, Heritage Auctions, Part 2

We explore the parallels between coin and sports card collecting, focusing on concepts like historic, contrived, and conditional rarity. They discuss the shift in both markets towards high-end items, the influence of wealthy ...

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June 17, 2024

1235 - Father/Son: Ron/Khyber Oser

Dr. Beckett welcomes seasoned auction experts Ron and Khyber Oser for an engaging discussion delving into the nuances of catalog writing, the impact of meticulous storytelling on auction prices, and their journey in the sports memorabilia industry. ...

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June 14, 2024

1234 - Father/Son: Ken/Paul Goldin, Goldin Touch

Featuring guests Ken Goldin and his son Paul Goldin delving into the rich history and legacy of sports card collecting, sharing stories from Ken's father and the early days of establishing a business in the hobby. Ken navigated the ever-evolving …

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June 13, 2024

1233A - Tribute: Jerry West

We pay tribute to the late Jerry West, who passed away yesterday at 86. We reflect on his illustrious career from a stellar college player to a gold medal-winning Olympian, and his impactful role in developing NBA franchises such as …

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June 12, 2024

1233 - Father/Son: Bob/Shane Zaiger

Dr. Beckett has an in-depth discussion with Shane Zaiger, son of the late Bob Zaiger. They reminisce about their fathers, the legacy they left behind, and their shared experiences within the sports card hobby. Shane recounts his early days at …

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June 10, 2024

1232 - Father/Son: Steve/Chris Ivy, Heritage Auctions

In this special Father's Day week episode Dr. Beckett interviews Steve Ivy and his son, Chris Ivy. Steve, co-founder of Heritage Auctions, joins his son Chris, who has carved out a significant niche within the sports memorabilia division at Heritage...

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June 7, 2024

1231 - Millennial Podcasters, with Cage Lawyer

Dr. Beckett and fellow podcaster Cage Lawyer reflect on their journeys as 'millennial podcasters', who have each published well over a thousand episodes. They discuss the unique challenges and perspectives that come with producing such a volume of co...

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June 5, 2024

1230 - Dueling Questions with Chris Sewall 4.0

They delve into why Chris (also) enjoys rummaging through monster boxes, including dollar boxes at shows, the challenge and pleasure of sorting cards, and strategies for buying and selling. They discuss the importance of staying sharp in identifying ...

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June 3, 2024

1229 - Fixing BGS, with Cage Lawyer

Dr. Beckett is asked directly by Cage how he personally would improve BGS to regain its former position and prestige. Addressing the competitive landscape of grading companies, they deliberate on BGS's challenges and Dr. Beckett's suggestions for imp...

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May 31, 2024

1228 - Upper Deck Hockey Hobby Box Semi-Finals

Box battle with four current hockey card products from Upper Deck. He evaluates the boxes based on contents from 2023-24 Trilogy, 2023-24 Black Diamond, 2022-23 Ultimate Collection, and 2023-24 SP Game Used. Initially ranking Trilogy the highest, the...

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May 29, 2024

1227 - Michael Jordan XRC Rejoinder

Dr. Beckett reviews Darren Rovell's investigative article and provides insights into the history and classification of the Michael Jordan Star Company XRC, including misconceptions around the XRC designation and reflects on the broader implications f...

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May 28, 2024

1226A - Tribute: Bill Walton

A heartfelt tribute to the late Bill Walton, reflecting on his illustrious career and his memorable moments at UCLA and in the NBA. Dr. Beckett shares personal anecdotes and insights into Walton's impact on the sport and his presence in …

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May 27, 2024

1226 - Michael Jordan XRC, with Darren Rovell

Dr. Beckett is interviewed by investigative journalist Darren Revell. They delve into the history of Michael Jordan's XRC and the role of major grading companies. Dr. Beckett shares his insights on the early days of card grading, interactions with va...

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May 24, 2024

1225 - Recap: Podcast Episodes 1201-1224

Recapping and amplifying episodes 1201 to 1224. Overall, this recap presents a rich tapestry of topics, from the evolution of sports card collecting, market dynamics, historical perspectives, to personal growth stories within the hobby. 00:28 Founder...

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May 22, 2024

1224 - Dueling Questions with Chris Sewall 3.0

Nuances of collecting cards with a focus on buying collections, exploring the excitement around both high demand and low supply cards, and their mutual preference for low supply, low demand cards. They also discuss the significance of grading, with a...

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May 20, 2024

1223 - Dueling Questions with Chris Sewall 2.0

Dueling Questions with Chris Sewall, a discussion that spans various aspects of the sports card market. They touch on recognizing undervalued cards not reflected in price guides, share personal stories about discovering short prints, and delve into t...

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May 17, 2024

1222 - Basketball Tall Boy Hypothetical, with Cage Lawyer

A purely hypothetical discussion unfolds on the future of basketball cards, involving an upper level NBA leadership decision to shift all future basketball cards to 'tall boy' format to emphasize athletes' height and athleticism, diverging from the t...

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May 15, 2024

1221 - Dueling Questions with Chris Sewall

Dr. James Beckett interviews Chris Sewell, Baseball Card Collector Investor Dealer In That Order. Chris shares his transition from collecting to dealing full-time, and the inception of his YouTube channel to support his career in sports cards. He exp...

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May 13, 2024

1220 - Out-Takes on Topps Conference from Hobby Hotline 050424

Various crucial aspects of the sports card industry are examined, starting with the role of KPMG in auditing the fairness of case hits among bigger breakers, sparking a broad conversation on the perceived integrity within the distribution process. We...

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May 11, 2024

1219A - Panini Select vs. Panini Recon

In this special Saturday episode, Dr. Beckett celebrates his birthday unboxing basketball cards from Panini, comparing Recon and Select boxes. He discusses the pricing, the appeal of each brand, and the anticipated value from opening each type of box...

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May 10, 2024

1219 - My Dirty Jobs

In this special birthday episode, Dr. Beckett takes a personal dive into his life's journey, covers his early experiences, navigating through various challenging and enlightening jobs. He shares tales from his high school and college days, marked by ...

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May 8, 2024

1218 - Listener Questions on Grading, Alteration, and Restoration

The dialogue begins with debunking the myth that card grading is a scam, illustrating the rigorous checks, balances, and competitive nature of grading companies. Dr. Beckett emphasizes the importance of trust in these companies and how a grading syst...

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May 6, 2024

1217 - Non-Response

We explore the challenges inherent to large companies in maintaining effective communication and responsiveness to consumer inquiries and concerns. With an illustrative use of the starfish story, he portrays the significance and limitations of indivi...

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May 3, 2024

1216 - Ten Listener Questions

The episode kicks off with a discussion on the relationship between show dealers and buyers, highlighting preferences for pricing transparency and the strategic reasons some dealers choose not to display prices. Dr. Beckett shares personal anecdotes ...

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