The DARK TRUTH Behind Sports Cards Exploding 

I think a big reason was Covid. Bob is a waiter, middle class. When Covid shut down the restaurant, he was home, bored and reconnected with his old collection. He watched videos and started to get excited again about collecting and eventually selling. When the world opened up again, Bob didn't return to work because he is now a dealer and now it takes forever to get seated and served at the restaurant because he and many didn't return.I know 7 "Bob's" who would have never purchased another card if Covid had not created boredom for them. One of my friends has a $300 a week box ripping habit and another lost $700 because he listened to Geoff Wilson.

The $1300 stimulus was a drop in the bucket. The real stimulus was the easy unemployment with federal bonus benefits, and the PPP loans. Lots of people who live paycheck to paycheck were being paid more to stay home than they made at their jobs and a huge amount of money was made fraudulently, people collecting while working, this pumped millions of dollars into virtually all collectible hobbies.

Gamblers, sneakerheads, retail flippers all moved into cards. That churned the pot, then everyone stuck at home who either collected at one time or saw a way to supplement income also blew things up. Top that with Vegas Dave (Gambler) Gary Vee, Aoki. These guys pumped the market big. All my opinions of course

Dude, all I can say is: new stuff was never an investment. Everyone on You Tube was hyping new shit while, folks investing in investment graded (PSA/SGC/BVG) Vintage HOF'ers (nicely centered with eye appeal) were reaping the rewards for not being foolish or just plain stupid and greedy.

There was more to it than just the stimulus checks that drove in money during covid. There were the increased unemployment benefits that had some workers making more than they ever had with their shitty jobs. They got their unemployment benefits PLUS an extra $600 per week for over a year. I don't think we'll ever see a boom like that anytime soon. You seen the increased prices across the entire collectibles space during that time.

Great video. Grading to value add is an underrated aspect of the hobby. Very rewarding when it goes well and you are also protecting it for the next owner (if selling).

First video I have watched from you. Agee 💯 with your take on the covid pricing and it wasn’t just stimulus $. Also cards need to be “collected” most of the time to gain value and not flipped in weeks or months most of the time. Overall good video and I’ll start watching more. Thanks👊

another great video. Best line I don't follow celebrities or keep up with them. Same here

You’re spot on, brother! It was definitely a rigged False Market in 2019-2020. I remember every time Gary Vee pumped someone up, saying they were underrated (eg Shaq), their prices would skyrocket.

Brother, I am a YT creator have close to 100k, your no fluff chalkboard lectures are addicting! all these other dopes are ALL FLUFF no content! keep it up...great formula!

pretty accurate review. If there is a lot of liquidity (here available money) in a market bubbles form and pop. Great analysis about art and added value with grading. Here we also have a big reason to consider. Not only do we have an emotional attachment to players and teams, we also have hype driving events like games, championships, trades and injuries (neg. hype) we do not see often in other markets. thanks for sharing.

It will happen again, and sooner than the 30 years it took between the late 80s/early 90's first 'boom' until the 2020 'boom'.

I started collecting again 2 years ago, not due to covid. I collect baseball, football and garbage pail kids. I collect for the fun of the rip, its exciting to get a numbered card, if im real lucky an auto.

The big 3 card shops jacked up the prices on unopened products. Any other industry they would be considered criminals the way they corner the market

I love your. Parsing of the subtleties of the “industry” but I am forced to think your future is not in cards, but you are well equipped to find success beyond the vagaries of the sports card market.

Interesting video, I’ve always casually collected cards. I have 3-4 binders full of old cards from when I was a kid and even like 2010-2014 ish just low end stuff cuz I didn’t know much about cards. My buddy gave me a couple Josh Allen rookie cards free in like 2019 before he blew up and one in like 2021 I was looking at those cards. Made me want to start collecting again.

Had nothing to do with covid. It was well on its way when Ezekiel Elliott came out. It changed breaking format. Its when breakers starting auctioning teams. People were paying insane amounts for the cowboys. All the hype and the rest is history. Covid just gave people time to get back in.

Great conversation. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the points you touch on at the end (stocks being where money is made), and while perhaps the smartest thing to do would be to allocate all extra money there cards do bring me more happiness

RIP SCV Sports Cards. Gone but NEVER forgotten-Santiago Sports Cards

Bingo - shady actors FED on the newbs and it was a blood bath of cash. We can't grow bigger if we aren't a better hobby.

Yep, exactly how it happened.. I remember seeing those lebrons sell and thinking, damn I’m about to send it all to PSA .. made about 75k on base garbage cards .. great video!

With the sports gambling being legal everywhere and Cj stroud wemby tearing it up I think if this nfl draft class does well the next boom will happen I’m a sports gambler that crossed over to cards I like gambling on psa

I like your analysis and it’s mostly accurate IMO.

Very insightful, maybe a contrarian. Love an independent mind and a straight talker. Rave on!

2011 had a massive Jordan 90s boom. And the reason was???? Who knows? Who remembers? We have the same situation coming soon.

Another big reason cards exploded, at least for basketball anyways, was the death of Kobe then the Last Dance documentary coming out about the bulls in 2020. I think that sucked in alot of people.

You mentioned a blue card in your video that sold, and the sale blew up on Instagram. You said this like this one sale was the sale that started the whole thing, the flame that burned the forest. And you would be right with your example. Algorithms allowed the news of such sales to quickly spread on social media and reach people in the hobby and beyond the hobby. The impact that social media has had on the hobby, good or bad, is undeniable. And during the isolation of covid many people took to their screens to fritter the day way. And let us not underestimate another component of the hobby, which is that card manufacturers set out to remember past glories and leverage nostalgia in the present. This is powerful stuff that for decades thousands took refuge in with very little to no attention and now they have a digital platform to see and be seen.

Look into Keith Olbermann and the early deluge of slab sales in the late 90s/early 00s.

Tell this day?!

What are your thoughts on JJ McCarthy?

A perspective you may or not find intresting is, my friend and I were never into sports cards at all. We now have a baseline fantasy football bet of a 2022 will levis bowman yellow refractor just to have a goofy serialized great value exodia.

To me, it’s fun. The wins and losses and adding value along the way. I’m down lifetime for sure but I figured out what I want to collect so now, grade and flip is how I can fund that. Taxes are the biggest PITA but that’s why you pay an accountant. You’re good at this but I’m sure you’re having fun - even when you lose a little here and there.

Why no love for Paul skenes? He is going to be a big deal, especially light Dunne factor

I thought that it was related, as well, to the meme stocks the shot through the roof along with crypto during covid. I have heard stories of people taking their stimulus checks and the extra $1k a week from unemployment and putting that into meme stocks and crypto. Then when those things went through the roof people shifted money? But yea, the average joe didnt have the money until then.

TAG is great first step to stopping some of the madness imo

Sports cards are a still a niche past time for most, I’m in NYC and it’s non existent here unless there’s a few card shops and mom & pop shops that sell them. I think it needs to be more visible in a lot of other places if this hobby has to grow.

Yeah, it seems people are constantly pumping these new young players as the next Brady or Jordan or whatever. I wasn’t back in during the big boom. I wish I was, I could’ve dumped a lot of my junk wax for good money. Raw, grade and sell is fun as you need skills in making the right choice on which card will grade well. Then there’s the excitement with waiting to see how well you chose. Then, it’s fun to how much you can get for your graded cards. This year’s QB class is a prime example of every first round QB has been hyped. Maybe two out of that class will turn out to be a good quarterback and maybe one a great QB. Brady was a fifth round QB that had a mediocre college career. I think it might have more to do with what team you’re on. Is the O line really good, are the WR’s really good, is the defense good, is the coach a top notch coach. There’s a lot that goes into making a great QB. That’s why you’re so right by saying sell to make a profit and run. Let someone else hold and watch the price fall. Thanks for the great video!

i subbed for those fucking pythons bro. i agree with the scam of the card industry right now. hype beasts and frauds. but god damn put those things away, my gf is on youtube!

You said the 2018 draft shai had hype? What hype lol, he was drafted and traded. No hype. Ayton had hype

It's your fault that you don't know Bobby and JRod.

hot take but logan paul is one of the main reasons why cards boomed he gets a lot of hate for what he did in the industry he's just an adult who can do what wants we should be thankful for him bringing passion back into the hobby and this is the only good thing i will say about logan paul i will admit i got back into cards cause of him

Wait a minute, you're telling us we can make money adding value to pictures of men and women on cardboard playing with balls and pucks? 🏈⚾🏀🏒