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A walk through the history of recent sports card eras in order to understand supply side economics.

Do cards behave like other assets? Which bucket do they belong in?

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The intersection of collecting, investment, and market theory for sports cards. 

Slabnomics is about bringing financial fundaments to sports cards as a real asset class, not just collectibles.

Guiding Principles concerning Value/Math/Compound Interest.

What to expect next?

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Demand Side Economics!

Hype!

Why do people fundamentally collect? What forms does that commonly take?

What archetypes should you target?

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Learn from my mistakes entering the hobby...

hear about how I got here and where I'm going.

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-a word on Biases and Habits

-5 Biases to avoid

-4 Psychology plays to profit from

-Buying in offseason the life hack to stay logical?

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-First interview for Slabnomics featuring Scott, cofounder of the Soco Expo - THE sports card expo for Soccer enthusiasts.

-What's the soccer market look like and what can we expect from the World Cup?

-How does one even start something like this?

and more

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What Feeds the Marketing Machine?

MLD Back Again.

2 Ingredients to sports card investing success.

Sets by Total Auction Value.

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A solo show highlighting money velocity, liquidity, risk, greed, and how to apply mental models in the intersection of sports card collecting, investment, and market theory.

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Ryan, Founder of Gemrate is on to talk graders, the direction of the hobby, and hidden opportunities.

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Don't forget to like and subscribe, it helps the channel tons! 🐤

In this episode of Slabnomics, host Matthew Worley sits down with Cajun Cardboard (Bryan Denison) to talk about his incredible journey through the sports card hobby. From flipping raw Giannis Antetokounmpo Prizm rookies and Luka Dončić cards to building one of the most respected collections of Michael Jordan inserts, Bryan shares hard-earned lessons on consistency, strategy, and long-term collecting.

We dive into:

*Why consistency in content has fueled Cajun Cardboard’s YouTube growth 

*Market cycles, liquidity windows, and how new money from breakers and repacks is reshaping the hobby.

*Why only “one-name players” (Luka, Tatum, Cade, Messi, Ronaldo) truly sustain card value.

*Card Scouting for the best player on their team only

*Matt's Soccer Mount Rushmore that will enrage 3.5 Billion people

Whether you’re a collector, investor, or soccer card speculator, this conversation offers both caution and opportunity. Learn why Michael Jordan inserts remain bulletproof, why Messi’s 2014 Prizm Gold PSA 10 may be the “Mickey Mantle of soccer,” and how to think about timing, liquidity, and legacy in today’s market.

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-Ryan Sever, Author of Cardboard Profit is on to talk about investment opportunites and strategies in sports cards.

-Time>Money spectrum

-Fast nickels

-Anchor biases and falling knives

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 Slabnomics: The intersection of collecting investment and market theory for sports cards.

 -Market Inefficiencies & Conviction 

- Cross-Market Comparisons 

How do we use Tom Brady's sports card market to evaluate Messi's for cards with old comps?

- Liquidity, Scarcity, and Pricing Power 

- Valuation Convergence & Mispricing 

- Using Outcomes and Catalysts.

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What does it take to build a business in the sports card world? Hear Mark's story on one of the most daunting undertakings in any industry: building a marketplace. 

Mark recounts the journey of MyCardPost, what it took to start, build, and scale a Fee-free app with 14k members and over $3.4M in deals done.

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Practical Buying/Selling tips from the National and SoCoExpo.

These will help you be better on both sides of the table.

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Talking about The National, The Soco Expo, Making your own luck through preparedness, and market trends and evolutions. 

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Welcoming on Chris Mcgill (@Chris_HOJ) to talk OG sports card podcasting in 2018 with House of Jordans, the origin story of Card Ladder, how to become a podcasting data analyst music producer CEO.

We discuss the team at Card Ladder, Underused Tools, Market Dynamics and philosophies, and a peak behind the podcasting curtain.

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Bonus episode of Slabnomics with questions for you to choose from. Questions center around strategy, buying, selling, and brand.

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Ft. Dave Schwartz (@Iowa_dave_sportscards), Host of the Shallow End Podcast.

🎙️ Slabnomics helps sports card enthusiasts make smarter financial decisions. In this episode with Iowa Dave, we explore how compounding knowledge builds like compounding money, why failures are tuition, and how to stick to an investment thesis so you don’t miss the next Shohei Ohtani, but maybe more potently so you don't lose joy in what you do.

 Keywords: sports card investing, sports card financial lessons, card collector investing tips, compounding secrets sports cards, compound interest explained 

 #CompoundingSecrets #CardCollector #SportsCardInvesting #Slabnomics #SportsCards #CollectingTips #SportsCardPodcast #FinancialDecisions 

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Solo Pod - Slabnomics helps sports card enthusiasts make better financial decisions.

Is soccer’s card market in a real bull run—or just riding a rising tide? In this Slabnomics episode, Matt breaks down alpha vs. index returns, shows how to use CardLadder indices as a benchmark, and dissects why soccer is outpacing other sports. We compare Messi 71 BIS and Ronaldo 2002 Mega Craques rookies, first-year Kabooms (2017 Messi/Ronaldo vs. 2013 LeBron/Kobe), population counts, comps, and price discovery in an illiquid market.

What you’ll learn

• How to measure alpha: CL50 vs. sport-specific indexes (soccer vs. baseball/football).
• Why World Cup 2026, Fanatics’ marketing, and cultural momentum matter for soccer cards.
• Using indexes to avoid self-congratulation in a bull market.
• How to sanity-check comps, spot pump-y prints, and triangulate value (supply, demand, pops).
• Deep dives: Messi 71 BIS (PSA 10) run-up; Ronaldo Mega Craques (PSA 10) price discovery; 2017 Kaboom Messi/Ronaldo vs. 2013 LeBron/Kobe.
• Why liquidity concentrates at the top (GOATs) and what that means for risk/reward.

Follow & share
If this helped you think more clearly about soccer cards, share it with a friend and hit Subscribe.
 

IG: @slabnomics 

Disclaimer: Educational content only. Not financial advice.

TAGS / Keywords: soccer cards, Messi 71 BIS, Ronaldo 2002 Mega Craques, kaboom Messi, kaboom Ronaldo, kaboom LeBron, kaboom Kobe, CardLadder index, CL50, sports card investing, price discovery, population report, PSA 10, BGS 9.5, comps, World Cup 2026, Fanatics, Tom Brady hobby, emerging markets, liquidity, alpha vs beta

Hashtags
#SoccerCards #SportsCards #Messi #Ronaldo #Kaboom #PSA10 #CardLadder #WorldCup2026 #SportsCardInvesting #Alpha #PriceDiscovery #Fanatics

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Welcome to another episode of Slabnomics, where sports cards meet finance, collecting, and market theory. Today’s special guest is Jeremy Lee, host of Sports Cards Live and one of the most respected voices in the hobby. With thousands of hours of content logged, Jeremy brings unmatched insight into how collectors balance passion with financial decisions.

In this conversation, we cover:

• How to think about sports cards as an alternative asset class
• The balance between collecting vs investing (and why intention matters)
• Jeremy’s concept of “flight collecting” vs traditional set collecting
• The pitfalls of grading companies, PSA 9 vs PSA 10 premiums, and why eye appeal matters more than the label
• Lessons from 45+ years in the hobby, from vintage Grails to modern hype cycles
• Frameworks for diversification, liquidity, and timing your exits

Whether you’re a seasoned investor or just starting your collection, this episode will give you practical frameworks to make smarter financial decisions in the sports card market—without losing the joy of collecting.

🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on sports card investing, market cycles, and collector psychology.
 📈 Follow Slabnomics on Instagram: @slabnomics

🎙 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts: Slabnomics
📺 Jeremy Lee: Sports Cards Live on YouTube | Instagram @jlee_sportscardslive

#SportsCards #Slabnomics #JeremyLee #CardCollecting #PSA #Investing #SportsCardMarket #CardLadder #AlternativeAssets #SportsCardInvesting

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How Scarcity, Timing, and Community Built an Elite Sports Card Collection

Rigorous, candid, and collector-first. In this Slabnomics episode, Matt sits down with RodmanPC—a Honduras-based super-collector with one of the strongest Lionel Messi collections in the world—to break down how he pivoted from Michael Jordan 90s inserts to modern soccer grails. We cover the realities of collecting internationally (ShipMyCards, Card Hobby storage), building trust for private deals, and why consolidation into true grails beats stacking mid-tier slabs.

You’ll hear how Rodman mapped Jordan’s market structure (BGS 9.5, 90s inserts) onto Messi’s ecosystem (Topps Chrome Gold /50, Red /10, Superfractors 1/1, and ultra-scarce Barcelona game-used patch autos), and why scarcity + global demand make Messi’s top cards structurally different from high-pop Jordan rookies. We also dig into market cycles—why he prefers bear markets, how to time buys around the World Cup 2026 window, and why educated capital is holding, not dumping.

What you’ll learn

• How an international collector builds reputation and executes big deals despite logistics
• The exact pivots from Jordan to Messi: scarcity, print runs, and category leadership
• When to buy/sell around major events (“buy the rumor, sell the news”)
• Why small group chats and community intel create real edge
• The case for consolidation: 10–50 slabs → 1 grail

Key topics
Messi cards, Barcelona game-used patch autos, Topps Chrome Gold/Red/Superfractor, Mega Cracks vs 1986 Fleer pop math, private transactions, ShipMyCards, Card Hobby, Chris McGill (HOJ) stories, price discovery, Fanatics Fest, World Cup 2026 effects, timing cycles after NFL/NBA seasons.

Chapters
00:00 Intro & Honduras collector reality
02:00 Logistics: ShipMyCards, Card Hobby, bulk shipping
03:30 Community edge: group chats, private deals, HOJ story
10:30 Pivot: Jordan → Messi (scarcity framework)
18:30 Market structure: Golds, Reds, 1/1s, game-used patches
19:50 Cycles: spikes, dips, and auction dynamics
29:30 Playbook: consolidation and World Cup timing

If you enjoy data-driven card strategy—subscribe and share this with a collector who's not afraid to make moves.

 lionel messi cards, messi superfractor, barcelona patch auto, mega cracks 2004, michael jordan inserts, bgs 9.5, prism gold, prism blue color match, soccer card market, world cup 2026, fanatics fest, private deals sports cards, shipmycards, card hobby, slabnomics

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Slabnomics is here to help sports card enthusiasts make better financial decisions.

In this practical, numbers-first workshop, Matt breaks down how to evaluate cards using real comps, pop data, and market velocity—through the lens of the foundational 2014 Panini World Cup Prizm set. We compare soccer vs. football Prizm set values, dissect the Messi/Ronaldo “Matchups” grails, and map how domino sales (Fanatics Collect, eBay, Goldin) become forward indicators for the next leg up.

What you’ll learn

• Set-level valuation: Why 2014 WC Prizm’s total auction value outpaces 2012 Prizm Football—and what a “top-heavy” soccer market really means.
• Card-level pricing logic: How silver, blue, red, and unnumbered Pulsars behave across Messi, Ronaldo, and Matchups—including why Matchups silvers command a monster premium.
• Population + rarity effects: How PSA pop growth (e.g., Messi silver 10s 21 → 39) changes pricing power and where scarcity still bites (e.g., Matchups red /149 with ~12% gem rate).
• Forecasting with comps: Using anchor comps (2020–2022) + soccer index levels to normalize time periods and project next sales (e.g., Messi Silver PSA 10, Matchups PSA 10s).
• Bubbles vs. tailwinds: Why today’s run-up is not COVID 2.0—and how World Cup demand + Fanatics era liquidity filter down from whales to the rest of the market.
• Practical buy/sell timing: Which signals to watch (domino auctions, pop stability, color-match premiums) and why liquidity windows beat “top-tick” fantasies.

Chapters

00:00 Intro: Why a practical valuation workshop
 02:10 How to navigate PSA set pages to assess full-set value
05:12 2014 WC Prizm vs 2012 Prizm Football (total auction value shocker)
08:30 Building the Messi/Ronaldo/Matchups spreadsheet (silvers, blues, reds, Pulsars)
14:20 Silver PSA 10s: $34k Matchups vs $17k Messi vs $7.2k Ronaldo (timing-adjusted)
19:45 Pop growth & rarity: why some 2021 comps look “off” (and how to normalize)
24:10 Live indicators: Fanatics Collect Messi Silver 10; Goldin Matchups silver/red
30:05 Bubble talk vs sector tailwinds (World Cup, Fanatics, whales → mid-tier)
36:20 Playbook: spotting the next domino and managing exits
41:30 Recap + where Slabnomics is taking this (site + tools)

Tools & sources referenced

• PSA population + set pages for total auction value
• Card Ladder index levels for time normalization
• Fanatics Collect / Goldin / eBay for live comps
• GemRate for pop-growth context

Who this is for

Collectors and investors who want data-driven conviction on soccer’s flagship set; anyone deciding between holding grails vs. compounding velocity in the Fanatics era.

Call to action

• Join the Slabnomics waitlist for the spreadsheet + ongoing dashboards: Slabnomics.com
• Subscribe for surprise drops and follow-up comp breakdowns
• Instagram: @slabnomics 

2014 Panini Prizm World Cup, Messi Ronaldo Matchups, Messi Silver PSA 10, Ronaldo Silver PSA 10, 2012 Prizm Football set value, PSA population report, GemRate pop growth, Card Ladder index, Fanatics Collect auction, Goldin Auctions, soccer card market 2025, monetary velocity cards, color-match premium, numbered parallels, Pulsar / Blue / Red Prizm.

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In this episode of Slabnomics, Matt sits down with Raul Bustamante — better known as Stockn_Trade on Instagram — to talk about sports cards, content creation, and the evolving market. Raul shares how his background as an actor helped him bring authenticity and humor into the hobby, why being yourself always wins against the algorithm, and how he went from collecting baseball and basketball to diving headfirst into soccer cards.

We explore:

• Raul’s content journey, from COVID hobbyist to one of Instagram’s most creative voices in the card world.
• The importance of authenticity in content and collecting, and why younger audiences spot fakes instantly.
• The rise of soccer cards, Erling Haaland’s “Shaquille O’Neal effect,” and how market cycles around the World Cup create unique buying and selling opportunities.
• Insights into the delicate ecosystem of the hobby — collectors, flippers, breakers, and repacks all playing vital roles.
• Why timing, liquidity, and strategy matter more than hype when navigating card markets across sports.

If you’re a collector, flipper, or creator looking to grow in the hobby, this episode is packed with lessons on authenticity, market cycles, and building content that resonates.

👉 Follow Raul on Instagram & TikTok: @stockn_trade
👉 Subscribe for more episodes of Slabnomics covering sports cards, investing, and market psychology.

sports cards podcast, soccer cards, Erling Haaland cards, Messi rookie, sports card investing, content creation tips, Instagram sports card creators, StockN_Trade interview, card market cycles, World Cup card investing, Raul Bustamante

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On this episode of Slabnomics, Matt sits down with Ryan Alford — serial entrepreneur, marketing titan, and host of “Right About Now” and the new “Trading Cards & Collectibles” podcast — to talk hobby growth, storytelling, and where the market is headed next.

🔑 What you’ll learn
• How a Walmart pack rip with his four sons pulled Ryan back into the hobby
• The attention economy: why “document, don’t overproduce” wins on YouTube/shorts
• Collecting vs. investing: intention, PC boxes, and building value on purpose
• Blue-ocean opportunities in storytelling (beyond comps and breaks)
• 12–24 month outlook: Fanatics/Topps vs. Panini licensing impacts on football, basketball, baseball (and how marketing changes demand)
• Teaching kids business through cards: e-commerce, content, and flipping fundamentals

🧩 Episode highlights
• Nostalgia + new money + family time = hobby tailwinds
• The real role of attention (and why the least-expected videos often pop)
• Why storytellers (not just breakers) will win the next wave
• Market structure matters: licensing, autographs, and league alignment
• Collect first, profit second — how to keep both lanes healthy

⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro — who is Ryan Alford
0:54 Back into cards via a Walmart rip (family story)
3:21 First big hits 
5:00 Why it clicked now for the kids + business lessons
8:19 Macro tailwinds & mainstream attention
10:39 NFL chat + fandom
11:51 The attention economy explained (smartphone + 5G + platforms)
15:24 Creator reality: what actually breaks through
15:59 Why launch a hobby podcast (access + audience)
18:56 Authenticity over perfection
21:55 Storytelling as blue ocean in the hobby
24:49 Identity and collecting
26:56 Collecting vs. investing (intention matters)
31:28 Business lens: treating cards like a market you love
31:43 The next 1–2 years: Fanatics/Topps vs. Panini
35:49 Consumer outcomes & bigger players entering
36:42 Marketing: why Fanatics changes the game
37:58 Wrap + takeaways
38:25 Where to find Ryan
38:55 Sign-off

👤 Guest
Ryan Alford — @RyanAlford • RyanAlford.com
Podcasts: “Right About Now” (marketing/business) • “Trading Cards & Collectibles Podcast”

🎙️ Host
Matt (Slabnomics) — slabnomics.com • @Slabnomics across platforms

👇 Join the conversation
What’s your best family pack-rip memory — and are you collecting or investing this season (or both)? Drop it below and tell us why.

👍 If this helped: like, subscribe, and hit the bell.
🗞️ Get the Slabnomics newsletter: slabnomics.com
🎧 Listen on Apple/Spotify: search “Slabnomics”

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In this episode of Slabnomics, host Matt Worley breaks down one of the most misunderstood concepts in the hobby — liquidity — and why it separates collectors who profit from those who get stuck holding bags.

You’ll learn how market velocity, price discovery, and consolidation cycles drive card prices across every tier — from high-end grails to $20 slabs — and why understanding liquidity is the ultimate advantage for sports-card investors.

Matt explains how sales velocity, buyer pools, and timing exits determine whether your portfolio compounds or stalls, drawing parallels between the card market and financial market theory. If you’ve ever wondered when to sell, when to hold, and why the whales always move first, this episode is your blueprint.

Whether you trade soccer cards, football cards, basketball cards, or baseball cards, Slabnomics teaches you how to think like a market operator — not a speculator.

👉 Topics Covered:

• What liquidity really means in sports cards
• How high-end sales spark mid-tier and low-end market movement
• The link between sales velocity and compound returns
• Why consolidation is a natural part of every collector’s journey
• Frameworks for smarter buying and faster selling

🎧 Listen to Slabnomics — where collecting meets investing and market theory for the modern hobbyist.

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 We get tactical on where to sell (COMC/eBay/shows), how to negotiate, when grading pays, and building a seller’s system that wins in any market. Themes: liquidity > hype, plan the exit, cut losses, protect reputation.

Highlights:

• COMC flow vs. liquidity: when “no work” wins, when it doesn’t
• Negotiation that converts (and why “what’s your best?” kills deals)
• PSA strategy, turnaround math, and stacking velocity
• Rarity vs. demand: why some “rare” cards don’t move
• Timing catalysts (World Cup, case hits) and set premiums (Prizm/Flawless)
• The seller’s checklist: downside, upside, plan, buyer profile, exit

Guest: Trike Cards (IG@TrikeCards/Ebay: trikecards/YT:TRIKE Sports Cards)

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