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Stacking Slabs

Brett McGrath

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.

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  • 76 episodes
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  • Avg 54 min
  • English

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  • #1033
    August 1 · 1 hr 7 min

    Booked to Last: Why Wrestling Cards Have Never Felt Bigger

    Adam is joined by Brett for a collector-focused conversation during the biggest week of the year. They discuss why Fanatics Fest increased their confidence in wrestling cards, what the Wrestling Card Takeover represents for the community, and how Topps is putting WWE beside its other sports at The National. The conversation also covers the rookie cycle surrounding Oba Femi, collecting Roman Reigns across different eras, SummerSlam, and recent sales involving Gunther, John Cena, and Roman Reigns. Wrestling cards once felt hard to find at major shows. That is changing. 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 | YouTube Follow Adam: | X | Instagram Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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  • #1035
    July 31 · 1 hr 1 min

    The Football Card Podcast #58: What Changes for Collectors When Football Returns?

    Football season reconnects cards to the games, players, and moments that made collectors care in the first place. Pack and Brett examine what changes when the NFL returns. They discuss the rush of collecting active players, the effect of weekly performance on card prices, and the risk of allowing one game to shape a collecting decision. The conversation covers the offseason price movement of Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, the long-term case for Josh Allen, and the search for value beyond the cards receiving the most attention. Plus, Linebacker Summer rolls through Derrick Thomas, Jack Lambert, and Von Miller. The episode closes with listener questions and sales involving Jayden Daniels, Dan Marino, Drew Brees, and Mark Sanchez. 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 Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok Follow Pack: | Instagram ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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  • #1034
    July 30 · 33 min

    Collect the Card, Not the Stamp: Understanding One-of-One Culture

    More collectors are moving away from quantity and toward concentration. Brett is one of them. One-of-one cards offer something most cards cannot. Finality. There is no copy to upgrade. One collector owns the card. That does not mean every one-of-one deserves attention. In this episode, Brett explores why one-of-ones appeal to experienced collectors, how modern product volume has changed the meaning of scarcity, and what separates a defining card from a manufactured variation. He also shares his framework for evaluating one-of-ones, building a price range without a direct comp, and setting a walkaway number before the fear of losing the card drives the decision. The stamp confirms supply. The collector determines significance. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free 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 Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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  • #1032
    July 29 · 30 min

    When One Card Creates a New Standard

    Some cards enter your collection. Other cards change how you see everything you own. Brett explores what happens after a major acquisition raises the standard for your collection. He examines the role of identity, sacrifice, loss, and emotion when one card forces you to question an old collecting plan. You will learn how to tell the difference between a card that reveals your direction and a purchase you are trying to defend. Before you make your next move at The National, ask yourself one question: Does this card reflect the collector you are becoming? Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free 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 ★

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  • #1031
    July 28 · 30 min

    Shrink the Hobby Sea: Why Collectors Need Rooms of Their Own

    The National shows you how large the hobby has become. It can also make you feel lost inside it. This episode explores why collectors gain clarity when they narrow their focus and find people who understand what they collect. Wrestling Card Takeover serves as the backdrop. Brett shares how a community that spent years fighting for space built its own media, knowledge, relationships, and now an event sanctioned by The National. This is bigger than wrestling cards. Every collector has a sea to shrink. Your lane might be one player, team, set, era, or category. Name it. Find your people. If the room does not exist, help create it. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free 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 Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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  • #1029
    July 27 · 54 min

    Passion to Profession: From One Million Cubs to a Full-Time Card Business with Beau Thompson

    Beau Thompson started One Million Cubs with a goal: trade one million non-Cubs cards for one million Cubs cards. The project took seven and a half years. It also created relationships, operating skills, and a business that changed the direction of his life. Beau joins Brett to discuss the Ernie Banks rookie card that connected two collectors through loss, the 2021 National dinner that gave him the confidence to leave his job, and his move from 60,000 eBay listings to selling on eBay Live six nights per week. They also discuss separating a collection from business inventory, adapting when sales stop growing, and why anyone who wants to work in sports cards needs to treat the work like a business before taking the leap. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free 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 Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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  • #1030
    July 26 · 28 min

    Hobby Jobs: The Hobby Cannot Grow Without Collector Trust

    The National brings the sports card industry under one roof. For collectors, the week centers on cards. For people working in the industry, it offers access to the companies and operators shaping its future. Brett shares how to build relationships at The National, why passion alone will not earn a second conversation, and how the right questions can open doors. He also examines an issue facing every hobby business. Companies spend time and money attracting new collectors while people who already buy, submit, trade, and sell cards struggle to feel supported. Collector support must do four jobs: resolve problems, educate customers, identify patterns, and represent the collector inside the company. The episode also covers Evan Parker’s approach to building with the collecting community and a Collector Relations Lead position at Veriswap that combines category fluency with operating experience. Growth starts with attention. It lasts through trust. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip 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 Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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  • #1028
    July 25 · 1 hr 14 min

    Booked to Last: A Wrestling Collector's Guide to The National 2026

    The National can overwhelm you before you make it through the first aisle. Adam and Ryan are joined by Bryan (@thzsportscard) and Brett to help wrestling card collectors prepare for the week. They discuss why you need a plan, how dealers evaluate trades, which WWE names collectors are chasing, and why rare Panini cards require more than an old comp. The group also previews Wrestling Card Takeover and the chance to bring the wrestling card community together in one room. The cards matter. The people you meet can matter more. RSVP for Wrestling Card Takeover at The National on July 31 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 | YouTube Follow Adam: | X | Instagram Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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  • #1027
    July 24 · 1 hr 14 min

    The Football Card Podcast #57: Private Sales, 1/1 Pressure, and the Football Card Market at The National

    What happens to football card market data when the biggest deals happen away from public marketplaces? Pack and Brett discuss whether collectors should report private sales, why the chase receives more attention than owning the card, and how social media has pushed collectors toward a 1/1-or-bust mindset. They also debate the best three-year era in football cards, compare modern quarterback prices with retired legends, and examine sales of Peyton Manning, Deion Sanders, J.J. Watt, Joe Montana, and Jaxson Dart. The National is here. The cards will change hands. How much of that market will anyone see? 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 Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok Follow Pack: | Instagram ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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  • #1026
    July 23 · 57 min

    Built for the Hobby: Hobby Tech Takes the Main Stage at The National with Scott Lock (InfernoRed Technology)

    The tools required to build a product have become available to everyone. That does not mean every product needs to exist. Scott Lock, CEO of InfernoRed Technology, joins Brett to discuss the growth of hobby tech and what separates an idea from something collectors will use. They also preview Enter the Inferno, a pitch event created by Sports Cards Live and InfernoRed Technology for The National. Hobby founders will present their ideas to Scott, Ed Snyder, Jeremy Lee, and Dr. James Beckett on the main stage. The conversation covers collector engagement, founder conviction, product demand, AI, and why the next hobby platform should offer more than another way to check comps. Enter the Inferno takes place Saturday at 3 p.m. on the main stage at The National. 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 Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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  • #1025
    July 22 · 27 min

    Don’t Let the Show Choose Your Collection

    The National is here. Six hundred dealers. Five hundred thousand square feet. Thirty-six hours of show floor time. That level of choice can make every card feel important. Every deal feel temporary. Every purchase feel necessary. But the best show experience starts before you walk through the doors. In this episode, Brett shares how collectors can build a hunt list, research dealers, set buying rules, create a flex budget, and protect their collecting taste from the pressure of the room. The goal is not to avoid buying cards. The goal is to make sure the show does not make the decision for you. Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free 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 ★

  • #1024
    July 21 · 1 hr 13 min

    The WNBA Card Podcast: Building Around Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings with Jason (@notjasondardick)

    What happens when opening boxes leads to becoming a fan? This week, Katelyn is joined by Jason (@notjasondardic), a longtime collector whose path into the WNBA started with cards and evolved into becoming one of the biggest Dallas Wings supporters around. The conversation explores how collecting shaped his connection to the league, why Paige Bueckers has changed the trajectory of the Wings, and what makes building a focused collection more rewarding than chasing everything. They also discuss: Why one great card can be enough for a player collection The appeal of Logo Women, Gold Vinyls, and cornerstone cards PSA Authentic slabs and Jason's grading philosophy Why the Dallas Wings are one of the most exciting teams for collectors today The opportunity Jason still sees across the WNBA card market Whether you're a longtime WNBA collector or looking for a team to follow, this episode is a reminder that collecting and fandom often grow together. Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of The WNBA Card Podcast Follow the WNBA Card Podcast on Instagram 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 | Tiktok Follow Katelyn: | Instagram ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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  • #1022
    July 20 · 1 hr

    Passion to Profession: The Future of Collecting Starts with Community with Evan Parker of ONIT Athlete

    What does building Xbox, NASCAR, The Athletic, Mantle, and ONIT Athlete have in common? Community. This week on Passion to Profession, brought to you by eBay, Brett sits down with ONIT Athlete CEO Evan Parker to unpack one of the most unique career paths in the hobby. Evan shares lessons from building brands inside sports, media, and startups before explaining why college collectibles represent one of the biggest opportunities in the industry. They discuss: • Why content shapes the future of collecting • Lessons from NASCAR that apply to today's hobby • Building Mantle from zero • Why collectors need more than hype • How ONIT is creating cards for athletes traditional manufacturers overlook • Why brand takes years to build and moments to lose If you're interested in where the hobby is headed and what it takes to build a business that lasts, this conversation is for you. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free 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 Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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  • #1023
    July 19 · 21 min

    Hobby Jobs: Why the Best Hobby Businesses Teach, Not Hype

    Fanatics Fest is built on excitement. Big pulls. Big personalities. Big moments. That energy matters. It brings people into the hobby. But what happens after the excitement fades? In this episode, Brett shares why the next generation of sports card businesses will separate themselves by making customers smarter. From Topps, PSA, eBay, and Card Ladder to Mike Inouye's work in Formula 1 cards, this episode explores why education compounds while hype expires. If you run a hobby business, create content, or want to understand where the professional side of the industry is heading, this episode is about building trust that lasts. Also in this episode: • Lessons from Fanatics Fest after Day 1 • Why informational content creates stronger customers • The difference between building dependency and building capability • How educational content becomes a competitive advantage • This week's Hobby Jobs spotlight featuring COMC's Corporate Counsel, Commercial & Legal Operations role Every business wants attention. The best businesses earn confidence. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip 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 Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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  • #1021
    July 18 · 1 hr 7 min

    Booked to Last: The GOAT Market Is Here. Are Wrestling Card Collectors Ready?

    Record sales continue to reshape the wrestling card market. Adam and Ryan break down the Rock and Stone Cold dual Superfractor sale, Bianca Belair's WrestleMania Patch Auto, Rhea Ripley's momentum, and why collectors are chasing wrestlers who have already cemented their legacy. The conversation goes beyond the sales. They discuss why GOAT wrestlers, GOAT sets, and GOAT cards continue gaining strength while many collectors remain focused on the next prospect. They also preview SummerSlam, share updates on Wrestling Card Takeover at The National, and explain how collectors, dealers, and investors should respond when the market reaches new highs. If you're trying to build a collection with a long-term mindset, this episode is for you. RSVP for Wrestling Card Takeover at The National on July 31 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 | YouTube Follow Adam: | X | Instagram Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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  • #1020
    July 17 · 1 hr 7 min

    The Football Card Podcast #56: The International Legends of Football Cards

    Every collector has cards they understand immediately. Then there are the cards that take years to appreciate. Pack and Brett explore why some football cards become hobby staples while others never seem to catch on. They discuss the history behind PMGs, why Tom Brady continues to separate himself from every other retired player, and what international NFL legends deserve more attention. They also dive into vintage football cards, linebacker legends, recent Card Ladder sales, and answer listener questions that challenge how collectors think about value and hobby history. Topics include: • Building an all-time international football card starting lineup • Why PMGs still divide collectors • Is Tom Brady in a league of his own? • Vintage football cards worth knowing • The latest market sales • Listener mailbag and collecting philosophy 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 Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok Follow Pack: | Instagram ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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Showing 61–76 of 76 episodes