Stacking Slabs

Brett McGrath
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Welcome to the Stacking Slabs, a podcast for sports cards collectors. There's been a tremendous amount of change to our Hobby over the last few years and the one constant has been the passion from the collecting community. Stacking Slabs is built by the collector and lives to tell stories for the collector.

  1. 2016 Donruss Optic: The Debut Set Hiding in Plain Sight

    2 HR AGO

    2016 Donruss Optic: The Debut Set Hiding in Plain Sight

    In this episode, Brett examines a product that rarely gets treated like a true origin story. 2016 Donruss Optic was the first Optic.The first Gold Vinyl 1/1 in the brand.The first time Donruss moved to chrome stock. Yet it does not carry the same cultural weight as 2012 Prizm or 2013 Select. After spending time with his own Andrew Luck Gold Vinyl 1/1 run, Brett started asking a bigger question. Why doesn’t 2016 Optic get debut chrome respect? He breaks down: • Why Panini launched Optic in 2016 • How Optic fit into the product portfolio next to Prizm • The parallel hierarchy in football vs basketball • Why Gold Vinyl became hobby language • Why the market prices players first and sets second in this release He also pulls real sales data from Card Ladder to frame the conversation. Stephen Curry Gold Vinyl 1/1 sold for $25,000.LeBron James Gold Vinyl PSA 10 once sold for $4,495. Are those numbers reflecting origin status? Or is perception lagging behind structure? If you care about first year anything.If you chase Gold Vinyl.If you value context over comps. This conversation matters. Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok2016 Donruss Optic: The Underrated Debut That Started Gold Vinyl ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    23 min
  2. Passion to Profession: Building Goldin, Betting on Yourself, and Understanding the Real Market with Dave Amerman

    1 DAY AGO

    Passion to Profession: Building Goldin, Betting on Yourself, and Understanding the Real Market with Dave Amerman

    What does it look like when a lifelong collector turns obsession into a career? In this episode of Passion to Profession, sponsored by eBay, I sit down with Dave Amerman, Head of Revenue at Goldin. We cover: The Logan Paul Illustrator sale and what this moment means for the hobby How Goldin scaled from $25M a year to nearly $500MWhat changed inside the hobby after the pandemic boomWhy understanding how to sell is the key to learning how to buyThe risk Dave took leaving a stable finance career to start overDave shares stories from: Buying collections in college for cashStarting his own auction house in his early 20sTurning a few hundred thousand dollar auction business into an $8M operationJoining Goldin before the Netflix spotlight and helping fuel its growthWe also talk about sustainability in this market. The 86 Fleer Jordan PSA 10 ride.The flood of supply after peak hype. The difference between pop 2 and pop 300. If you collect.If you flip. If you dream about working in the hobby. This conversation will hit. A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card. Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    43 min
  3. Booked to Last: WrestleMania Heat, Bron Breakker Fallout, and Why Wrestling Singles Are Exploding

    3 DAYS AGO

    Booked to Last: WrestleMania Heat, Bron Breakker Fallout, and Why Wrestling Singles Are Exploding

    We’re on the road to WrestleMania. Elimination Chamber is set. Bron Breakker is injured. And wrestling card singles are moving in a way we haven’t seen in a long time. Adam and Ryan break down: What Bron Breakker’s injury means for his long-term marketWhy Oba Femi might be the next major riserThe real impact of WrestleMania season on singles demandA wild $4,100 John Cena Baby Milo 1/1 saleWhy Roman Reigns’ first FCW card still matters in any gradeThey also answer listener questions, talk tough deal stories, and Ryan cuts a promo that you did not see coming. If you collect wrestling cards, this is the time of year that tests your discipline. Are you buying smart?Or are you chasing noise? Let’s talk about it. Check out RbiCru7 for all your wrestling and sports card needs! Join Adam's Main Event Wrestling Cards group for free Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Ryan: | Instagram | Website | YouTubeFollow Adam: | X | InstagramFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    1h 9m
  4. The Football Card Podcast #34: Ricky Williams, Super Bowl MVPs, and the $70K Bryce Young Sale

    4 DAYS AGO

    The Football Card Podcast #34: Ricky Williams, Super Bowl MVPs, and the $70K Bryce Young Sale

    On this episode of The Football Card Podcast, Pack Nicholson and Brett McGrath break down one of the most fascinating football card weeks of the year. They start with Ricky Williams. The hype. The trade. The suspension. The comeback. And the uncomfortable truth that his top card sales still lag behind other running backs from his era despite 12,000+ scrimmage yards and 74 touchdowns. From there, they dive into market shock. A verified $70,000 Bryce Young Gold Vinyl Downtown.A $31K Matthew Stafford Superfractor rookie.A Derrick Henry 1/1 Select PSA 10 that raises serious Prizm vs Select questions. They also revisit the Legion of Boom, debate who becomes the face of quarterback liquidity in 2026, and examine what it really means to time a card sale on Super Bowl night. If you care about context over hype and understanding why certain players move markets while others stall, this episode delivers. Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking Slabs Follow The Football Card Podcast on Instagram for memes and stuff. Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | TiktokFollow Pack: | Instagram ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    1h 8m
  5. '90s Demand Is Different: Josh Adams on PMGs, Patience, and Playing the Long Game

    5 DAYS AGO

    '90s Demand Is Different: Josh Adams on PMGs, Patience, and Playing the Long Game

    What is really happening in the '90s category right now? Josh Adams from 90s Auctions joins me to break it down. We talk about healthy growth, why some grails spike and then cool off, and what collectors misunderstand when they look at big comps in isolation. We unpack the recent 1998 Metal Universe Peyton Manning PMG sale and why the PSA 8 brought $24K while BGS copies trailed far behind. Is it a PSA premium? Timing? Platform? Or something deeper about collector cards versus commodity cards? Josh shares how he thinks about patience, consolidation, and why he stops checking comps once a card hits his PC. We also walk through key pieces from his collection, including a 1998 PMG Frank Thomas, 1997 Diamond Dimensions Jordan, and a 1997 Essential Credentials Future Jordan he consolidated heavily to land. If you care about scarcity, availability, and building a collection that lasts, this one is for you. Check out PSA Vault's Spotlight AuctionFollow Andy (@byebyebabycards)Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    44 min
  6. Scarcity Is About Who Owns the Card

    6 DAYS AGO

    Scarcity Is About Who Owns the Card

    Scarcity in sports cards is not a print run problem. It is an ownership problem. In this flagship episode, I break down why some cards feel impossible to find while others never stop circulating. The difference is not how many exist. The difference is who owns them and whether they sell. Using real examples from modern, 90s, and vintage cards, Brett walks through how ownership concentration, churn, and collector behavior shape what scarcity feels like in the market. If you want to slow down, stop overpaying for hype, and build a collection with intention, this episode gives you a new lens. One that helps you ask better questions before you spend your money and chase the next card. Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you. Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    25 min
  7. The Staging Area #18: First to Market, First to Matter

    10 FEB

    The Staging Area #18: First to Market, First to Matter

    January set a record. $445M in online sales across the hobby. Tory from dcsports87 felt it firsthand with $14M in sales in one month and no slowdown in sight. This episode lives at the intersection of data, demand, and decision making. We break down what record volume looks like inside one of the largest eBay sellers in the world, why first public sales still shape collector behavior, and how a Tiger Woods party exclusive card became a $27,600 moment of cultural debate. We also get into live selling at the Super Bowl, why starting a $40K card at $1 works when the audience is right, and what it means for collectors when platforms like eBay push live formats to the front of the app. This is a look at the hobby from The Staging Area before the action hits the field.  A special thank you to dcsports87 for supporting this series. Check out dcsports87 for your eBay consignment needs and visit the dcsports87 eBay store to find great cards ending every night. Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow dcsports87: | Website | eBay | Instagram | Twitter  Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    44 min
  8. Passion to Profession: Trust Is the Operating System of a Hobby Business with Sharon (BlackJadedWolf)

    9 FEB

    Passion to Profession: Trust Is the Operating System of a Hobby Business with Sharon (BlackJadedWolf)

    Trust is not a marketing tactic. It is the foundation. In this episode of Passion to Profession, I sit down with Sharon of BlackJadedWolf to talk about what it takes to build a hobby business that lasts. We get into what she’s seeing in the market right now. Repacks. Comps that don’t tell the full story. Where liquidity is real and where it is fragile. Sharon shares how she thinks about responsibility when customers hand her cards that carry real value. Sometimes financial. Sometimes emotional. We talk about why data is a starting point and not a decision-maker. Why research still matters. Why relationships matter more. This is a conversation about independence. About accountability. About playing the long game in a hobby that often rewards short-term thinking. This episode is sponsored by eBay. A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card. Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    41 min
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About

Welcome to the Stacking Slabs, a podcast for sports cards collectors. There's been a tremendous amount of change to our Hobby over the last few years and the one constant has been the passion from the collecting community. Stacking Slabs is built by the collector and lives to tell stories for the collector.

Information

  • Creator
    Brett McGrath
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    871
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Stacking Slabs
  • Show Website
    Stacking Slabs

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