The Weekly Rip 2.6.25 [comps]
We explore the intricacies the price we pay for the cards that we need.
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The Weekly Rip
Your Stacking Slabs Sunday Update
February 9, 2025
Every collector has that one card.
The one that feels just feel like it’s never going to pop up again. The one that, if it ever surfaced, you told yourself you wouldn’t hesitate.
That card showed up for me this week.
I did what I always do in the morning. I checked eBay, scrolled through my saved searches, and there it was. A 2022 Charlotte Flair Gold Prizm PSA 10. I love a good debut set of Prizm and I think the Flair presents the my favorite photography in the entire set.
It had a price and a best offer. My first instinct told me the price was fair, even before I checked comps. I pulled up Card Ladder and confirmed that if I hit Buy It Now, it would be the highest recorded sale. Not by much, but enough to make me hesitate.
I put in an offer instead.
Then I went on with my morning. I worked out. Ate breakfast. Tried to focus on other things. But the card stayed in my head. I kept thinking about it.
I thought about the first-year Gold Prizm. The PSA 10. The incredible photo.
I thought about how, if I missed it over a hundred dollars, I would never stop thinking about it.
So I went back and smashed Buy It Now.
It was the right decision.
I know this because I bought the card to own, not to sell. Will I ever sell it? Impossible to tell, but this is a card I needed for a collection that I was focused on growing. When I step back and evaluate my collection, this is exactly the type of card I want to hold long term. It checks every box. It fits my vision.
But in that moment of hesitation, I almost let rigid pricing stop me from getting a card I had been waiting on.
This happens to collectors all the time. We rely too much on past sales. We tell ourselves that a card should cost a certain amount because that is what someone else paid for it at some other time.
That thinking is flawed.
Not all comps are created equal. The last sale is a data point, not a rule. Rare, low-population cards do not have a fixed market price. Their value is determined by context.
How often does the card surface for sale?
Who is holding it?
Who is chasing it?
Where is the market for that set or parallel heading?
For liquidity-driven cards that trade hands often, pricing is more predictable. But for true collectibles, the opportunity to acquire them matters more than the price paid.
Collectors who understand this build the best collections. They recognize when it makes sense to pay ahead of the market. They understand that long-term enjoyment outweighs short-term savings.
This does not mean overpaying on impulse. It means understanding all the variables that comps do not account for.
Personal significance
Long-term collecting goals
Condition, eye appeal, and uniqueness
How much regret you will feel if you pass
The cards we remember most are not the ones we let go to save a hundred dollars. They are the ones we had to have and made sure we got.
Next time you see that card, ask yourself one question.
Are you waiting for a deal, or are you securing a grail?
SSP Exclusive Offers For You
I’m working with the PSA team to extend more offers to my audience. We’re kicking off the promotion by giving any first time PSA submitters a $25 discount on your first order. Take advantage of the promotion by using promo code SSP25 on your first submission today.
Joining the Stacking Slabs Patreon is The Best Way to Show Your Support
Collectors are joining Stacking Slabs Patreon to consume exclusive content, connect with other collectors, and promote their cards. I’m putting out new collector focused content in the group on a daily basis and it’s the hub for all of SSP’s video content. If you’re enjoying what I’m putting out on the main feeds check out what the group has to offer. I appreciate your attention and commitment to helping grow the damn brand. Join Today
It was fun to bring Prizm Talk back into the mix this week. We explored the price separation between all of the gold parallels in the latest release of Prizm Football. I love doing a dedicated show like Prizm Talk. We’re constantly releasing new and unique content in the Stacking Slabs Patreon. We launched a free trial in Stacking Slabs Patreon. You can check out the group for 7 days and decide if you want to opt-in or not. Join today to check out exclusive shows like Prizm Talk.
A Collector To Follow
Joaquin is a great collector and even better dude. He goes by @livedrevil_sports_cards on IG and just completed the Patrick Mahomes Gold Prizm run. I love this kind of stuff and think it’s important when we share it. If you want to hear more from Joaquin you can check out episode 481 of Stacking Slabs in the archive.
Be safe and enjoy your Super Bowl Sunday!
Take care,
Brett