🚨 $1,000,000+ in PSA graded cards STOLEN, Shohei Ohtani rookie cards dropping in value, and counterfeit PSA slabs showing up at card shows! The sports card hobby has some major stories to discuss this week!

Welcome back to the Collector Investor Podcast! Jeremy (The Texas Snowman), Chris, and Thor break down some of the biggest controversies and questions facing sports card collectors, dealers, and investors.

🔥 IN THIS EPISODE:

🚨 PSA / FedEx Card Theft – A FedEx vehicle transporting PSA submissions was reportedly burglarized, with one collector reporting more than $1,000,000 in stolen cards. Who is responsible, how will collectors be compensated, and should high-value graded cards receive better shipping security?

📉 Shohei Ohtani Card Market CRASH? – Some popular Ohtani rookie cards have dropped roughly 25–33% in the charts discussed. Is this the time to buy the dip, sell before prices fall further, or hold until baseball season returns? We discuss PSA populations, supply, demand, and long-term investment strategies.

⚠️ FAKE PSA SLABS at Card Shows! – Counterfeit-style PSA holders and proxy cards are appearing at dealer tables. Even when disclosed, should these products be allowed at shows? We discuss the risks to collectors and the importance of protecting the hobby.

⚾ $100,000 MICKEY MANTLE DRAFT! – Jeremy and Chris go head-to-head building their ultimate $100K Mickey Mantle collections! With vintage rookies, rare food issues, high-grade cards, and autographs available, who makes the smarter investment picks?

💰 COLLECTOR INVESTOR AUCTIONS UPDATE: We also discuss major upcoming consignments, including an impressive 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan sticker PSA 10, a potential 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle consignment, and our expanded auction facility.

👇 JOIN THE CONVERSATION!

• Would you BUY, SELL, or HOLD Shohei Ohtani rookie cards right now?

• Should card shows ban fake PSA slabs, even when they're labeled as replicas?

• Who won the $100,000 Mickey Mantle draft — Jeremy or Chris?

👍 LIKE this video if you enjoy sports card market discussions!

🔔 SUBSCRIBE for vintage sports cards, hobby news, auctions, market analysis, and collector debates.

Chapters

00:00 Intro & Collector Investor Podcast Banter

04:09 Major Consignments & Upcoming Auctions

06:18 Inside the New Collector Investor Auctions Facility

11:34 PSA FedEx Heist: 1M+ in Cards Stolen

19:20 Should Card Shows Provide Better Security?

21:56 Shohei Ohtani Card Market Decline: Buy or Sell?

33:18 Fake PSA Slabs at Card Shows

38:36 $100K Mickey Mantle Investment Draft

49:09 Mickey Mantle Draft Results & Winner

If you're interested in reaching out to Chris and Jeremy to sell your collection, you can email them directly at Chrisandtexassnowman@gmail.com

If you would like to consign your collection or bid in the next CIA auction, you can visit- https://collectorinvestorauctions.com

CIA YouTube Channel- @CollectorInvestorAuctions

Check out Chris YouTube Channel- @collectorinvestordealer

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Disclaimer: This channel is for entertainment and hobby discussion purposes only. Nothing discussed should be considered financial or investment advice.

#SportsCards #PSA #PSAGrading #ShoheiOhtani #MickeyMantle #BaseballCards #SportsCardInvesting #VintageBaseballCards #CardCollecting #CollectorInvestor

Can PSA really decertify a graded sports card without ever inspecting it in person? In this episode of the Collector Investor Podcast, we dive into a controversial PSA grading decision involving an older PSA 10 Barry Bonds card that reportedly had its certification deactivated after photos surfaced on X.

Should PSA have the power to invalidate a card's grade based on photos submitted by someone other than the owner? What happens to the collector who owns that card? And where does PSA's grading guarantee come into play?

Jeremy, Chris, and Thor debate the implications for vintage card collectors, grading standards, population reports, and the future of PSA-certified cards.

But that's not all! We also break down the latest Collector Investor Auctions results, including a surprising PSA 10 vs. SGC 10 price difference on a Robert Parish rookie card, the booming Kobe Bryant market, and some incredible vintage baseball cards.

Chapters

01:39 New Collector Investor Auctions Headquarters

03:08 Six-Figure Collection & Auction Results

08:08 Why Buy Kobe Bryant Chrome Right Now?

10:54 PSA Deactivates a Barry Bonds PSA 10 Certification

27:06 How to Price Half-Grade Vintage Cards

31:10 Rookie Cards vs. Rare Autographs – Which Is Better?

37:17 Do Influencers Affect Sports Card Prices?

38:12 Are Modern Autographs Overproduced?

40:06 The Most Undervalued Junk Wax Era Players

43:25 The $100,000 Babe Ruth Investment Draft

53:03 Auction Updates & Closing Thoughts

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

Would you be comfortable owning an expensive PSA 10 if PSA could deactivate its certification without physically examining the card?

And if you had $100,000 to invest in Babe Ruth cards, which cards would YOU buy?

Let us know in the comments!

If you're interested in reaching out to Chris and Jeremy to sell your collection, you can email them directly at Chrisandtexassnowman@gmail.com

If you would like to consign your collection or bid in the next CIA auction, you can visit- https://collectorinvestorauctions.com CIA YouTube Channel- @CollectorInvestorAuctions

Check out Chris YouTube Channel- @collectorinvestordealer

VCP for 2 Weeks FREE- http://thevcp.com/?promo=CIACARDS

Disclaimer: This channel is for entertainment and hobby discussion purposes only. Nothing discussed should be considered financial or investment advice.

#SportsCards #PSAGrading #VintageBaseballCards #SportsCardInvesting #BabeRuth #CardCollecting #KobeBryant #SportsCardPodcast #BaseballCards #CollectorInvestor

The sports card market is moving FAST — and this week we're seeing two completely different stories.

🔥 90s basketball legends are taking off. Shaquille O'Neal, Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant and other stars are seeing major movement as collectors begin looking beyond Michael Jordan and toward what we're calling the “second-tier GOAT” boom. Is this the beginning of a much bigger run for 1990s basketball cards?

📉 Meanwhile, one of the biggest cards in the non-sport boom has taken a stunning hit. The Spider-Man first appearance card has seen some grades fall dramatically in a matter of weeks. Is this simply one overheated card correcting, or could it be an early warning sign for the non-sport card market?

We also break down the massive Pete Crow-Armstrong MLB Debut Patch sale and compare it with the multimillion-dollar debut patch market. Did PCA's card sell too low — and are collectors paying too much for modern 1/1 debut patches?

Plus, we tackle your questions about altered and trimmed vintage cards, crossover grading, SGC, COMC, eye appeal premiums, and more.

💬 QUESTION OF THE DAY: Which market would you rather buy RIGHT NOW: 90s basketball stars or non-sport cards? Drop your answer in the comments!

👍 Like the video, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more sports card market discussion, collecting news, auctions and hobby talk from the Collector Investor Podcast.

Chapters

00:00 – Intro & Where Is Snowman?

02:44 – Collector Investor October Auction

04:30 – The Explosion of Card Shows & Dealers

10:39 – Pete Crow-Armstrong’s $1M+ Debut Patch

19:42 – Are Huge 1/1 Cards Really Randomly Distributed?

22:09 – The “Second-Tier GOAT” Card BOOM

28:57 – Is the Non-Sport Card Market Starting to Fall?

29:12 – Spider-Man Card Prices Are CRASHING

34:04 – Why Are Altered & Trimmed Cards Selling So High?

38:28 – PSA Crossover Grading: Is It Worth It?

42:03 – How Much Time Does SGC Have Left?

44:27 – Are Grading Stickers Getting Out of Control?

If you're interested in reaching out to Chris and Jeremy to sell your collection, you can email them directly at Chrisandtexassnowman@gmail.com

If you would like to consign your collection or bid in the next CIA auction, you can visit- https://collectorinvestorauctions.com

CIA YouTube Channel- @CollectorInvestorAuctions

Check out Chris YouTube Channel- @collectorinvestordealer

VCP for 2 Weeks FREE- http://thevcp.com/?promo=CIACARDS

Disclaimer: This channel is for entertainment and hobby discussion purposes only. Nothing discussed should be considered financial or investment advice.

#SportsCards #BasketballCards #CardCollecting #TheHobby #90sBasketball #MichaelJordan #Shaq #AllenIverson #KevinGarnett #NonSportsCards #SpiderManCards #SportsCardInvesting #PSA #TradingCards #CollectorInvestor

Should collectors really AVOID the 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan right now?

On this episode of the Collector Investor Podcast, we react to the argument that collectors should stay away from the iconic 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan and buy the much scarcer 1984 Star 101 Jordan instead. We break down population, historical prices, the massive COVID-era rise and crash, and whether the Fleer and Star Jordans are actually more connected than people think.

Then we tackle a HUGE change coming to eBay auctions: extended bidding. What happens to last-second sniping? Is this better for sellers? Will cards start selling for more money? And could this fundamentally change how collectors bid on eBay?

We also recap the Philly Card Show, including some hilarious deals and stories from the weekend, before answering viewer questions about when to sell cards from your PC, whether to dual-grade autographed cards, grading inconsistencies, and the massive import costs some international collectors are facing.

Whether you're a vintage collector, modern collector, investor, dealer, or just love talking sports cards, there's a LOT to unpack in this one.

COMMENT BELOW: Would you rather own the 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan or the 1984 Star Michael Jordan #101? And what do you think about eBay eliminating traditional last-second sniping?

👍 Like the video

💬 Join the conversation below

🔔 Subscribe for more sports card market discussion, collecting stories, auctions, vintage cards and hobby news!

Chapters

3:10 How Collector Investor Did at Philly

6:23 An 8-Year-Old Makes a Card Deal 😂

9:15 The Babe Ruth Deal That Almost Happened

12:38 A 1910 Drum Tobacco Find

15:48 Should You Avoid the 1986 Fleer Jordan?

27:33 eBay Introduces Extended Bidding

35:57 Viewer Q&A

38:03 When Should You Sell Your PC Cards?

42:19 Should You Dual Grade Autographed Cards?

50:19 International Buyers Getting Hit With Huge Fees

If you're interested in reaching out to Chris and Jeremy to sell your collection, you can email them directly at Chrisandtexassnowman@gmail.com

If you would like to consign your collection or bid in the next CIA auction, you can visit- https://collectorinvestorauctions.com

CIA YouTube Channel- @CollectorInvestorAuctions

Check out Chris YouTube Channel- @collectorinvestordealer

VCP for 2 Weeks FREE- http://thevcp.com/?promo=CIACARDS

Disclaimer: This channel is for entertainment and hobby discussion purposes only. Nothing discussed should be considered financial or investment advice.

#SportsCards #MichaelJordan #1986FleerJordan #MichaelJordanRookie #StarJordan #BasketballCards #eBay #eBayAuctions #CardCollecting #SportsCardInvesting #VintageCards #TheHobby #TradingCards #CardMarket #SportsCardMarket #CardInvesting #PSA #CardGrading #VintageBasketball #CollectorInvestor #CollectorInvestorPodcast #SportsCardPodcast #PhillyCardShow #CardShow #eBaySniping

PSA gave Chris’s 1933 World Wide Gum Babe Ruth a grade that left the guys completely baffled. Is it time to crack it out and submit it again—or is this exactly why sports card grading needs AI?

On this episode of the Collector Investor Podcast, Chris, Jeremy and the crew break down the Babe Ruth card, compare it to other PSA-graded examples, and debate what Chris should do next. The conversation then turns to the bigger question: Could AI grading finally bring more consistency to the sports card hobby?

We also tackle a bunch of viewer questions, including whether PSA will remain the dominant grading company, whether population control exists, TAG and other grading companies, vintage Panini World Cup stickers, grading 1970s baseball sets, the difference between inserts and parallels, and whether discounted card sales should actually count as comps.

Plus, we talk about our favorite players to collect from the 1990s and preview our trip to the Philly Show!

👇 JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

What grade would YOU give the Babe Ruth? Would you crack it and resubmit it? And do you think AI will eventually become the standard for sports card grading? If you enjoy vintage sports cards, grading discussions, hobby news, collecting and investing, make sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and COMMENT!

⏱️ Chapters

00:24 Welcome to the Show

03:41 Chris Reveals the 1933 Babe Ruth

09:45 Should Chris Crack & Resubmit It?

17:35 Will PSA Still Dominate in 5, 10 or 20 Years?

21:00 Could AI Create a Problem for PSA?

26:21 Does PSA Control Populations?

28:28 Why Don’t Other Grading Companies Get More Attention?

31:20 Vintage Panini World Cup Stickers

33:22 Should You Grade 1970s Baseball Sets?

36:16 What Exactly Is a Sports Card Insert?

39:09 Should Discounted Card Sales Count as Comps?

44:30 Our Favorite Players to Collect From the ’90s

46:29 We’re Going to the Philly Show

If you're interested in reaching out to Chris and Jeremy to sell your collection, you can email them directly at Chrisandtexassnowman@gmail.com

If you would like to consign your collection or bid in the next CIA auction, you can visit- https://collectorinvestorauctions.com

CIA YouTube Channel- @CollectorInvestorAuctions

Check out Chris YouTube Channel- @collectorinvestordealer

VCP for 2 Weeks FREE- http://thevcp.com/?promo=CIACARDS

Disclaimer: This channel is for entertainment and hobby discussion purposes only. Nothing discussed should be considered financial or investment advice.

#SportsCards #CardCollecting #PSA #PSAGrading #CardGrading #AIGrading #BabeRuth #VintageCards #BaseballCards #SportsCardHobby #TradingCards #VintageBaseballCards #CardCollector #SportsCardInvesting #TheHobby #CardMarket #TAGGrading #SGC #CGC #BaseballCardCollector #VintageBaseball #CardInvesting #SportsCardPodcast #CollectorInvestor #CollectorInvestorPodcast

PSA just opened a new $59.99 grading tier — but is this actually good news for collectors?

On this episode of the Collector Investor Podcast, Thor and Texas Snowman break down PSA’s latest grading option, the massive backlog, turnaround times, and whether PSA is slowly working its way down through pricing tiers instead of bringing affordable grading back to collectors.

We also recap a HUGE weekend in the hobby, including the Dallas Card Show and Northeast Sports Card Expo, discuss whether collectors are starting to experience card show fatigue, and show off some incredible cards headed toward Collector Investor Auctions.

Plus, we dive into the massive price difference between PSA 10 and SGC 10 cards, the explosion of ’90s inserts, Michael Jordan cards, Disney and other non-sports cards, vintage football, and where we think the sports card market could be heading next.

And we answer collector questions about whether you should grade Jordan inserts now or wait for cheaper PSA tiers — plus what to do when junk wax cards are “bricked” together inside packs.

Chapters

00:25 September Auction Recap

03:05 Northeast Sports Card Expo Recap

05:59 Dallas Card Show — Is 4 Days Too Much?

08:44 Are Collectors Getting Card Show Fatigue?

10:53 Big Card Show Pickups

12:09 Rare 1986 Michael Jordan Card

14:08 Vintage Cards & Upcoming Auction Preview

15:29 INSANE PSA 10 vs SGC 10 Price Difference

20:10 PSA’s NEW $59.99 Grading Tier

21:06 Is PSA’s Turnaround Time Realistic?

22:08 Is $60 Grading Worth It?

24:03 PSA Grading Rant — Are Collectors Being Milked?

27:54 Comment of the Day 29:45 Why Non-Sports Cards Have Exploded

32:17 Is Vintage Football Next?

32:33 Disney Cards vs Sports Cards

35:22 Presidential Cards — What Has Staying Power?

37:02 Viewer Question: Grade Jordan Inserts Now or Wait?

42:01 The ’90s Insert Revolution

42:49 Can ’90s Insert Prices Keep Rising?

44:29 Where Is the Sports Card Market Headed?

47:53 How Do You Unstick “Bricked” Cards?

Topics include: PSA grading prices and backlog PSA vs. SGC Dallas Card Show Northeast Sports Card Expo Card show fatigue Michael Jordan cards ’90s basketball inserts Vintage sports cards Disney and non-sports cards Sports card market predictions Junk wax and bricked cards Collector Investor Auctions

What do YOU think about PSA’s new $59.99 tier? Would you submit now, or wait for cheaper grading to return? Let us know in the comments!

If you're interested in reaching out to Chris and Jeremy to sell your collection, you can email them directly at Chrisandtexassnowman@gmail.com

If you would like to consign your collection or bid in the next CIA auction, you can visit- https://collectorinvestorauctions.com

CIA YouTube Channel- https://www.youtube.com/@CollectorInvestorAuctions

Check out Chris YouTube Channel- @collectorinvestordealer

VCP for 2 Weeks FREE- http://thevcp.com/?promo=CIACARDS

Disclaimer: This channel is for entertainment and hobby discussion purposes only. Nothing discussed should be considered financial or investment advice. Be sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and turn on notifications for more sports card market discussion, collecting news, auctions, card shows, grading talk, and hobby opinions.

#SportsCards #SportsCardCollecting #SportsCardCollector #SportsCardInvesting #SportsCardInvestor #TheHobby #CardCollecting #CardCollector #CardCollectors #CardInvesting #CardMarket #SportsCardMarket #HobbyNews #HobbyTalk #TradingCards #TradingCardCollector #VintageCards #VintageSportsCards #VintageCardCollector #BaseballCards #BasketballCards #FootballCards #MichaelJordan #MichaelJordanCards #JordanCards #90sBasketball #90sInserts #90sCards #CardInserts #PSA #PSAGrading #PSACards #CardGrading #GradedCards #GradingCards #PSAvsSGC #SGC #SGCGrading #DallasCardShow #CardShow #SportsCardShow #CardShowPickup #CardShowPickups #CardShowLife #CardShowVlog #CardShowDeals #NonSportsCards #DisneyCards #VintageDisney #JunkWax #JunkWaxEra #CardPrices #CardValues #CardMarketNews #SportsCardNews #SportsCardPodcast #CollectorInvestor #CollectorInvestorPodcast #CollectorInvestorAuctions

The sports card hobby is getting WILD.

SGC has made a massive grading price increase, and collectors are asking a simple question: Does it still make sense to grade with SGC?

We break down the SGC price hike, turnaround times, the current grading backlog, how SGC compares with PSA, and whether this move could cause longtime SGC collectors to walk away.

Then we dive into another market that has absolutely EXPLODED — vintage non-sports cards.

Batman, Marvel, Mickey Mouse and other vintage non-sports cards have seen incredible price movement, with some cards skyrocketing in just a matter of months. Is this a legitimate market correction for an undervalued category, or are prices moving too far, too fast?

PLUS:

🔥 What actually qualifies as a “vintage” sports card?

🔥 Collector Investor Auctions September Auction preview

🔥 SGC vs. PSA at today’s grading prices

🔥 Batman, Marvel & Disney card market explosion

🔥 Could ungraded cards eventually flood the market?

🔥 $1,000 Collector Investor Auctions giveaway

🔥 Should you grade a Roberto Clemente 1/1 patch?

🔥 Is collecting raw cards dead?

🔥 Viewer questions & plenty of hobby debate

Chapters

00:31 What Year Is Actually “Vintage”?

04:45 Collector Investor September Auction

08:02 SGC’s Massive Price Increase

18:00 Are Vintage Non-Sports Cards About to Crash?

27:16 $1,000 Collector Investor Auctions Giveaway

31:56 Should You Grade a Roberto Clemente 1/1?

35:43 Is Collecting Raw Cards Dead?

39:10 Viewer Question: The “Vegetable Market”

Let us know in the comments:

👉 Would you pay $50 to grade a card with SGC?

👉 Are vintage non-sports cards headed even higher — or toward a correction? 👉 What year do YOU consider the cutoff for vintage?

If you enjoy sports card collecting, vintage cards, card grading, hobby news and market discussions, make sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications for more Collector Investor content!

If you're interested in reaching out to Chris and Jeremy to sell your collection, you can email them directly at Chrisandtexassnowman@gmail.com

If you would like to consign your collection or bid in the next CIA auction, you can visit- https://collectorinvestorauctions.com

CIA YouTube Channel- https://www.youtube.com/@CollectorInvestorAuctions

Check out Chris YouTube Channel- @collectorinvestordealer

VCP for 2 Weeks FREE- http://thevcp.com/?promo=CIACARDS

Disclaimer: This channel is for entertainment and hobby discussion purposes only. Nothing discussed should be considered financial or investment advice.

SportsCards #CardCollecting #SGC #PSA #VintageCards #NonSportsCards #BatmanCards #MarvelCards #DisneyCards #CardGrading #SportsCardInvesting #TheHobby #CollectorInvestor

Is PSA intentionally controlling card populations? And does Fanatics have a conflict of interest when it manufactures the biggest chase cards in the hobby AND operates a marketplace that can sell them?

On this episode of the Collector Investor Podcast, we dive into two major sports card hobby debates.

First, we discuss Fanatics and the massive Cooper Flagg chase card. When a huge card is pulled as a redemption, Fanatics is involved in getting that card to the collector — but it also has its own selling platform. Does that give Fanatics an unfair advantage when it comes to landing some of the biggest cards in the hobby?

Then we get into PSA grading.

Has PSA become significantly tougher on cards from the 1980s and 1990s? Are newer graders judging older card stock against modern and ultra-modern standards? And the biggest question of all: could PSA be intentionally controlling populations on valuable cards?

We also discuss:

🔥 Fanatics and the Cooper Flagg chase card

🔥 Fanatics Collect and potential conflicts of interest

🔥 Why PSA seems tougher on 1980s & 1990s cards

🔥 PSA grading consistency

🔥 The theory of PSA "pop control"

🔥 Why high-value cards may receive more scrutiny

🔥 The lack of transparency in card grading

🔥 Old-label PSA slabs vs. newer PSA slabs

🔥 How we evaluate vintage cards in older PSA holders

🔥 Whether a new grading company could challenge PSA

🔥 Affordable cards of some of the greatest athletes of all time

PLUS — we pick affordable or undervalued cards for hobby GOATs including:

⚾ Mickey Mantle

🏀 Michael Jordan

⚾ Babe Ruth

⚾ Ken Griffey Jr.

⚾ Jackie Robinson

🏈 Tom Brady

🏀 Kobe Bryant

⚾ Ty Cobb

⚾ Shohei Ohtani

Which debate are you more concerned about: Fanatics' growing influence over the sports card hobby or PSA's grading standards?

And do YOU believe PSA population control is real?

TouTube Chapters

4:21 Chris’ “International YouTube Star” Moment

6:15 Fanatics Conflict of Interest?

14:31 Is PSA Too Strict on Older Cards?

24:11 Is PSA Controlling Populations?

28:24 Could a New Grading Company Compete?

35:48 Buying Old-Label PSA Vintage Cards

41:23 Affordable Cards of Hobby GOATs

42:28 Mickey Mantle

44:29 Michael Jordan

46:30 Babe Ruth

48:18 Ken Griffey Jr.

49:42 Jackie Robinson

51:00 Tom Brady

53:05 Kobe Bryant

55:00 Ty Cobb

58:24 Shohei Ohtani

1:00:25 Who Had the Best Card Picks?

Drop your opinion in the comments!

👍 LIKE the video if you enjoy sports card hobby discussions

💬 COMMENT with your take

🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more sports card collecting, grading, buying, selling, and hobby news

If you're interested in reaching out to Chris and Jeremy to sell your collection, you can email them directly at Chrisandtexassnowman@gmail.com

If you would like to consign your collection or bid in the next CIA auction, you can visit- https://collectorinvestorauctions.com

Check out Chris YouTube Channel- @collectorinvestordealer

VCP for 2 Weeks FREE- http://thevcp.com/?promo=CIACARDS

Disclaimer: This channel is for entertainment and hobby discussion purposes only. Nothing discussed should be considered financial or investment advice.

#SportsCards #PSAGrading #PSA #Fanatics #CardCollecting #BaseballCards #SportsCardHobby #VintageCards #TradingCards #MichaelJordan #MickeyMantle #TomBrady #ShoheiOhtani