The Hobby Handbook

Alex Llansó
  • 4.8 (33)
  • Sports
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to The Hobby Handbook, your go-to guide for turning passion into profit in the world of sports card collecting. Hosted by the Clever Cuban Cards, this podcast peels back the layers of the fast-growing trading card industry, showing how a simple hobby can become a side hustle or even a full-time gig. From flipping cards to grading, building community to leveraging market trends, each episode dives into the real business behind the cardboard. Whether you're ripping packs for the thrill or stacking slabs with intention, The Hobby Handbook is here to help you use the hobby to fund the hobby. Featuring collectors, creators, and industry insiders, the show offers inspiration, education, and behind-the-scenes access to a world full of potential. Because this isn’t just collecting, it’s building. Let’s get into it. Whatnot - https://whatnot.com/invite/clevercubancards YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@CleverCubanCardsTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@clevercubancardsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/clevercubancards/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577842226204Website - https://www.clevercubancards.com/

  1. 3d ago

    Are Raw Cards Cool Again?

    Alex and Trent are back, but what is with the slow breaks around Bowman Chrome? Alex bought a 100,000-card collection over the weekend and has spent most of the week sorting it out. What do you do with 100,000 cards? How many are worth re-selling? Plus, we get the latest on the Fanatics Collect Emanate debacle, and with grading taking forever and being so expensive, are raw cards cool again? 0:00 - Are we in a market lull, or are prices just too high? 9:00 - Alex bought a 100,000-card collection 16:50 - There’s a ton of Bowman in this collection that Alex picked up.  27:00 - Dealing with eBay listings, Alex is a self-described diva.  29:45 - How do you feel about eBay's authenticity guarantee?  40:00 - Alex and Trent have been buying singles on WhatNot and Fanatics Collect and have found surprisingly good results 45:20 - The Fanatics Collect Emanate debacle 54:30 - Are raw cards cool again, or are people just over paying high prices for grading? 59:40 - Alex’s rule for grading cards right now Follow Sports Cards Nonsense: https://www.tiktok.com/@sportscardsnonsense https://www.instagram.com/sports_cards_nonsense/ https://x.com/SCN_Pod https://www.facebook.com/groups/sportscardsnonsense https://collectibleslife.beehiiv.com/subscribe https://scnchallenge.com/ https://linktr.ee/SportsCardsNonsense?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=5764ed98-4893-4eae-bf91-0bd89949ed99 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  2. Sep 9

    Where Does the Football Market Go From Here?

    With football season here, Drake from Jet Breakers steps in for Trent this week as he and Alex preview the upcoming season, look ahead to Topps Football products, and discuss what exactly football fans should be chasing in the new products. Plus, Drake grades Alex and Trent's teams in the SCN Challenge! 0:00 - Drake is filling in for Trent this week.  4:45 - Drake got into football cards because of his love of fantasy football.  8:00 - Paul Skenes and Jacob Misiorowski broke the mold in baseball; can the quarterback-focused market be broken in football? 15:20 - What happens if Fernando Mendoza doesn’t play in 2026?  20:00 - What products would you like to see come to the football side of the hobby? 24:30 - Drake looks at Alex’s SCN Challenge team and grades his 40:00 - Looking ahead to the football season and awards and how to use that in the market 59:00 - What do you think of Bowman football? 1:08:00 - Where does the football market go from here? 1:17:30 - The best answer for “What should I collect?” Follow Sports Cards Nonsense: https://www.tiktok.com/@sportscardsnonsense https://www.instagram.com/sports_cards_nonsense/ https://x.com/SCN_Pod https://www.facebook.com/groups/sportscardsnonsense https://collectibleslife.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  3. Sep 2

    Yesterday's Price Isn't Today's Price

    A packed show with Alex and Trent. Trent's wife is getting into cards during his "funemployment." Alex is a maniac who placed 500 bids on eBay over the last 24 hours. Diving into why pitchers just don't retain their hobby relevance as long as hitters. Plus, Sapphire products hold up after the initial hype. Wrapping up with a rising market and why yesterday's price isn't always today's price when comps keep going up. 0:00 - Trent is still funemployed for another week, and his wife is now getting into cards. 4:45 - Alex has spent a lot of time sourcing cards this week. He placed over 500 bids on cards this week.  10:00 - A debate about Sapphire and how it holds up 12:30 - Sapphire Update: Basketball comes out at an outrageous price. 16:00 - Bowman Chrome releases next week! 28:45 - Trent doesn’t chase Bowman for the prospects; he chases the fun inserts and SSPs 30:30 - SGC is now unusable as a grading service after the latest service update.  36:55 - Topps brought Instant Rips to Topps Chrome Black 46:00 - Debut Patch Autos should all be redemptions  53:50 - Kade Anderson called up, and his pricing isn’t up; it is so hard for pitchers to hold value long-term. Plus, looking at Paul Skenes’s season.  58:30 - Going through all the pitcher phenoms that fizzled out after a few years.  1:02:00 - When someone has an award locked up, it’s already too late to buy in on the hype, but it does make a good selling opportunity.  1:10:10 - When markets are heating up, if you’re not willing to overpay the last comp, you won’t win. Follow Sports Cards Nonsense: https://www.tiktok.com/@sportscardsnonsense https://www.instagram.com/sports_cards_nonsense/ https://x.com/SCN_Pod https://www.facebook.com/groups/sportscardsnonsense https://collectibleslife.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  4. Aug 25

    GPK's Place in the SSP Hierarchy

    A busy show on the Hobby Handbook as Trent and Alex open up, discussing their pickups of the week and why people are sleeping on platforms that aren't eBay. Carl Abrams joins to discuss the GPK x MLB market. Plus, we look at Flagship Football and why everyone is wrong about it and why the Fernando Mendoza All Kings being redemptions is actually good. 0:00 - Pickups of the Week 8:00 - Why buying singles on platforms like Fanatics Collect is great because some people don’t look outside of monster cards 9:45 - Topps is sending out multiple redemptions to the same people and mistakes do happen 17:30 - Introducing Carl Abrams 19:30 - The growth of the GPK market 29:00 - Topps continues to find a balance with inserts/case hits 33:00 - Looking at the GPK market and the differences between each series 41:50 - GPK thoughts 45:15 - Trent is a football guy now? 49:50 - People are missing the point of Flagship Football 53:20 - Fernando Mendoza has redemptions for All Kings 54:40 - The one card you could remove from hobby history 1:06:20 - Pop Counts Don’t Matter As Much As People Think Follow Sports Cards Nonsense: https://www.tiktok.com/@sportscardsnonsense https://www.instagram.com/sports_cards_nonsense/ https://x.com/SCN_Pod https://www.facebook.com/groups/sportscardsnonsense https://collectibleslife.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  5. Aug 19

    One of the Worst Card Shops Ever

    Trent is back, teaming up with Alex, and he made some big pickups while he was out. Alex and Trent debate a Mega Box vs. Logofractor box. Why you should buy cards of PC players from lesser sets. Plus, Alex visited one of the worst-run card shops in the country and lived to tell the tale. We wrap up with some thoughts on best practices for being a vendor at a card show. 0:00 - Trent is back and made some big pickups 5:00 - Topps Chrome Mega Box vs. Logofractor 13:10 - Topps Chrome is an investment-level set, but if you just want an auto from someone, look at other lower-end sets 17:10 - Alex reacts to one of the worst shops he’s been to 36:25 - Alt having the bounty auction for the Cooper Flagg Rookie Debut Patch Auto 1:00:00 - Card show etiquette for vendors buying cards Follow Sports Cards Nonsense: https://www.tiktok.com/@sportscardsnonsense https://www.instagram.com/sports_cards_nonsense/ https://x.com/SCN_Pod https://www.facebook.com/groups/sportscardsnonsense https://collectibleslife.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  6. Aug 12

    Have We Evolved Past Comps?

    Alex is back solo this week with Trent in Mexico enjoying his time off. He dives into something that came up on The Ballcard Show last week - are comps dead? Plus, educating and protecting yourself in the hobby. 0:00 - Intro 9:00 - Are Comps Dead? 17:00 - Buying/Selling and how to use comps in negotiations 19:50 - We are moving away from “Comps are everything” because of how quickly things change 21:00 - Theft in the hobby 25:00 - Protecting your investments in the hobby and the importance of security and insurance. 33:40 - Education in the hobby is a tough conversation with friends and family trying to re-enter the hobby Follow Sports Cards Nonsense: https://www.tiktok.com/@sportscardsnonsense https://www.instagram.com/sports_cards_nonsense/ https://x.com/SCN_Pod https://www.facebook.com/groups/sportscardsnonsense https://collectibleslife.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  7. Aug 5

    The National Was Bigger and Better Than Ever

    Alex and Trent are back from Rosemont after a week at The National. We look back at what worked and what didn't in and around The National. Plus, plans to make it bigger next year? We dive into pricing around The National and whether it was as bad as some people said. Pickups of the show, Silver Packs, Grading, and so much more! 0:00 - Intro and back from The National 9:00 - The National could be bigger and better next year, but how could it be bigger? 12:00 - How was pricing at The National? 22:20 - Grading at the National 29:00 - Pickups of the Show 42:00 - Meeting Gronk and Bo Jackson 50:00 - Topps Silver Packs 58:25 - What could have been better? 1:03:00 - Trent finally got his massive Judge 1:06:00 - Wrap up with Topps Chrome Update Basketball Release. Follow Sports Cards Nonsense: https://www.tiktok.com/@sportscardsnonsense https://www.instagram.com/sports_cards_nonsense/ https://x.com/SCN_Pod https://www.facebook.com/groups/sportscardsnonsense https://collectibleslife.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  8. Jul 22

    Fanatics Fest Recap & Topps Chrome Release Day

    A jam-packed Hobby Handbook today as Alex and Trent are back from Fanatics Fest, prepping for The National, and also getting ready for the 2026 Topps Chrome Baseball release day. 0:00 - Everyone is back from Fanatics Fest 7:00 - Is it okay to have cards that aren't for sale in your showcase? 14:00 - Favorite pickups from the show 23:20 - Favorite moments from Fanatics Fest 38:55 - Darren Rovell’s hot take and why it was so wrong 46:25 - Topps Chrome Baseball Release Day 48:30 - Ohtani Back-to-Back Dual Logoman vs. ‘52 Mantle  51:45 - Alex blind ranks the rookies in 2026 Topps Chrome 56:30 - What do we think of The Minions SPs?  1:02:30 - The National Plans Follow Sports Cards Nonsense: https://www.tiktok.com/@sportscardsnonsense https://www.instagram.com/sports_cards_nonsense/ https://x.com/SCN_Pod https://www.facebook.com/groups/sportscardsnonsense https://collectibleslife.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See All (58)

4.8
out of 5
33 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Hobby Handbook, your go-to guide for turning passion into profit in the world of sports card collecting. Hosted by the Clever Cuban Cards, this podcast peels back the layers of the fast-growing trading card industry, showing how a simple hobby can become a side hustle or even a full-time gig. From flipping cards to grading, building community to leveraging market trends, each episode dives into the real business behind the cardboard. Whether you're ripping packs for the thrill or stacking slabs with intention, The Hobby Handbook is here to help you use the hobby to fund the hobby. Featuring collectors, creators, and industry insiders, the show offers inspiration, education, and behind-the-scenes access to a world full of potential. Because this isn’t just collecting, it’s building. Let’s get into it. Whatnot - https://whatnot.com/invite/clevercubancards YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@CleverCubanCardsTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@clevercubancardsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/clevercubancards/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577842226204Website - https://www.clevercubancards.com/

Information

  • Creator
    Alex Llansó
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    58
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The Hobby Handbook

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