09/01/2026
Hello sports card freaks — gather ‘round, because I’ve got a handful of quick hits that turned into… well… not-so-quick hits.
🔥 Jordan Cards: The Never‑Ending Supply
I was listening to Sports Cards Nonsense this week, and they made a point that hit me right between the eyes: are Jordan cards actually scarce anymore?
Because good grief — every week there’s a fresh avalanche of them.
Fanatics had around 25 STAR and 86–87 Fleer Jordans this week alone.
A quick eBay search? 1,000+ results (yes, yes, some are reprints or mislabeled, but still).
Then toss in the auction houses…
It makes you wonder: is anyone actually holding these, or is everyone trying to sell at once?
The card isn’t hard to find — the price is the only real barrier.
🔍 eBay Authenticity Guarantee Drops to $200
eBay also announced they’re expanding their Authenticity Guarantee down from $300 to $200.
This is going to pump a lot more cards through the system, and honestly, I’m all for it.
I’d already noticed plenty of sub‑$300 cards getting tagged months ago, so this just makes it official.
🎪 Show Season: I’m Back in the Saddle
My first show in a while is this weekend, and somehow I’ve already booked eight shows through the end of the year — with another one in the works.
Busy, busy… my wife is already lobbying for a vacation.
Meanwhile I’m sorting cards every night like a gremlin in a cardboard cave.
📦 Marketplace Pickup: The Lot That Lied to Me
Grabbed a small Marketplace lot this weekend.
Thought it’d be loaded with $1–$2 cards.
It… was not.
Now I get to do the “sell 200 smalls to break even” dance.
But the real win was the connection — the seller inherited 100,000 cards from his father and is slowly working through them.
If that relationship pans out, I might get first crack at the good stuff.
📈 Bubble or Expansion?
Another podcast topic: Is the hobby in a bubble or an expansion?
My take: it’s both — depending on the lane.
Hobby boxes? Bubble. Prices are wild, and fewer collectors are ripping.
Singles? Expansion. Shows are packed, goats keep climbing, and every few months collectors latch onto a new niche.
Vintage? Absolutely expanding. I’ve seen multiple cards jump 20% since the National.
Breakers? Maybe slowing down — eBay Live is eating into Whatnot.
Dealers? Multiplying like rabbits. Every show has new faces.
But looming over all of this?
A likely MLB strike/lockout.
If it drags out, prospects could get derailed, fans could get alienated, and collectors might shift even harder toward vintage.
We won’t know for six months, but until then, the hobby is still growing like crazy.
🧳 My Inventory Is Evolving
As I prep for the Norwalk show this Sunday, I noticed my cases have quietly leveled up.
I’ve always focused on entry‑level vintage — low‑grade Mantle, Mays, Aaron, etc.
But over the last year, my inventory has crept from 1–2 grades into consistent 4–6 territory.
If you help collectors buy their first vintage card, eventually you need something for their second.
Curious to see how that affects sales over the next six months.
💰 Buying Mode Activated
I’ve got funds ready and I’m actively looking for:
Hank Aaron auto (for my 2026 goal)
Hall of Famers from the 70s and earlier
Prefer raw, but graded works too
📬 Incoming Mail + SGC Update
Fanatics shipment arrives tomorrow — small lot, but there’s a Hall of Fame rookie in there (teaser).
SGC submission? No movement.
And yes, I’m already building another Fanatics lot with another strong card.
🎉 Wrapping It Up
This was supposed to be a short post.
It… did not stay short.
So before I hit “post,” I figured I’d run it through AI to make it more engaging.
Happy collecting, everyone — hope to see you this Sunday in Norwalk!
And welcome to all the new followers!
One last question. Each August/September I typically share pictures of how my retirement collection is growing. These are cards that move to "PC" for when I retire and start travelling to sell cards around the country to pay for these "trips". Is there any interest in seeing this? Give me 5 likes or more to trigger this!
