The Weekly Rip 6.22.25 [Conversations]
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The Weekly Rip
Your Stacking Slabs Sunday Update
June 22, 2025
Conversations Are Currency
Most collectors don’t need to be reminded to check eBay.
We do it without thinking. Scroll. Refresh. Hope. Repeat.
It’s part of the daily rhythm—morning coffee and marketplace searches. We’re trained to believe that the best cards are out there waiting to be found. And if we don’t stay plugged in 24/7, we might miss them.
But what if the best cards aren’t always listed?
What if they’re tucked away in someone’s collection—cards that never hit the open market? What if the only way to access them isn’t through bidding or BIN…but through conversation?
That’s what I experienced last week.
I landed two cards. They came through relationships. And they came because I’ve spent time talking with collectors—about players, sets, stories, priorities, and purpose.
The first was the 2024 Prizm Pascal Siakam Black 1/1.
It’s his first Pacers Prizm card, in the gold jersey.
My favorite product. My favorite team. A cornerstone parallel.
Everything about this card screamed must have.
I saw it listed with a best offer, submitted one, and moved on.
Then a DM came through—from the owner. He wasn’t a stranger, but we weren’t close either. We got to talking and realized something: I had a card he needed for a project. He had a card I needed for my PC.
We weren’t two buyers. We were two collectors—trying to solve for significance. The more we talked, the more we understood each other’s goals. It took time. There were moments of pause. It wasn’t a quick deal. But in the end, I gave up a card I hadn’t planned to move, received the Siakam and cash back. A completely unexpected outcome from a conversation that didn’t even start with an offer.
The second card was a 2024 Prizm TJ McConnell Nebula 1/1.
It wasn’t on eBay. It wasn’t even on Instagram.
It was posted in a Facebook group I would’ve never checked.
But a collector I follow sent me a screenshot and said, “Thought of you.” That message changed everything. I tracked the seller down, reached out, and said, “I want it. Let’s make it happen.” It wasn’t about squeezing every dollar. It was about appreciation, fandom, and getting the right card into the right collection.
That’s the kind of deal you remember.
You can’t plan for these moments. But you can make them more likely.
And it all starts with this:
Are you spending as much time talking to collectors as you are scrolling listings?
Conversations build visibility—but not the kind that goes viral. It’s quiet visibility. It happens in the DMs. In the comments. In group chats. And over time, you become known for something—your team, your player, your parallel.
That’s when things shift.
You stop being a buyer. You start being a participant.
People look out for you. They send you links. They think of you first.
Every collector wants great cards. But the ones who build long-term, meaningful collections usually spend less time shouting and more time connecting.
If you’re only showing up when you want something, people feel that.
If you’re offering value, showing appreciation, asking good questions—people remember that too.
So here’s your challenge for the week:
Start one new conversation with another collector.
Don’t ask for a price. Don’t try to force a deal.
Ask them what they’re into. Ask about their favorite card.
Tell them you liked a post. Share a story. Create a real moment.
Because down the road, that might be the exact moment that leads to a card you never even knew existed.
This hobby rewards relationships.
The more conversations you start, the more connections you build.
And eventually, the cards follow.
Boom Baby. Go Pacers!
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
The Stacking Slabs Patreon is the only place you can get consistent video of each episode. I drop videos of each episode 24 hours before it goes live on the main feed. I loved this chat this week with Jonah (@jd9cards). It taught me that there are no bounds to what we will do for cards that we need.
Cool Cards at Auction
We reserve this space for members of the Stacking Slabs Patreon Community to highlight cards that are up for auctions. We’ve got 3 bangers to check out this week.
2001 Topps Chrome Black Refractor Drew Brees Rookie /100 (#229) BGS 9.5 Gem Mint
An iconic parallel of a future Hall of Famer. The Black Refractor rookie has long been the premier chase for early-2000s collectors, and this copy graded Gem Mint with strong subgrades makes it even more desirable. It’s the kind of card that anchors a modern QB collection.
2014 Panini Flawless Platinum Peyton Manning Patch /15 (#11) BGS 9.5 Gem Mint
Flawless represents the top end of Panini’s production quality, and this Platinum patch pairs that prestige with a legendary career. A low-numbered gem with a clean design and strong grade, it’s a sharp way to celebrate Peyton’s late-career Broncos run.
2013 Panini Prizm Gold 'Monday Night Heroes' Peyton Manning /10 (#110) BGS 10 Black Label
Gold Prizms are the modern grail. This early insert from 2013 — paired with a pristine Black Label — captures the intersection of rarity, player greatness, and grading perfection. It’s a monster for any Peyton collector or Prizm simp.
Reissue: The Card That Found Him
Rodney (@enjoycards_ig) on Landing a 1/1 Through Persistence, Patience — and Talking Cards
What if the best card in your collection was never meant to be yours?
That’s the story Rodney shared when he joined Stacking Slabs — and it’s the perfect extension of what we’ve been talking about this week. Conversations aren’t just about collecting. They’re how the best cards actually change hands.
Rodney’s a Pacers fan. A Haliburton guy. And like many of us, he didn’t plan for his favorite card to walk into his life. He made it happen.
The 2022 Prizm Black 1/1 Tyrese Haliburton wasn’t listed. It wasn’t part of a curated auction. It showed up for a brief moment in a story sale.
By the time Rodney saw it, it was gone.
But that didn’t stop him.
He started reaching out. First to the seller. Then to the buyer. He didn’t pitch lowball offers or waste time fishing. He made his case. He let them know the card mattered — not because of market value, but because of what it represented to his collection.
Eventually, the buyer agreed. He sold the card to Rodney. Not to maximize a flip. But because Rodney cared.
That’s the kind of deal that never happens in a vacuum. It’s a collector-to-collector transaction built on visibility, persistence, and the courage to speak up.
Let’s break it down.
What We Learned from This Episode
Rodney didn’t luck into owning Haliburton’s best Pacers card.
He asked questions.
He followed up.
He made it known that the card belonged in a real collection — not buried in someone’s inventory.
But it didn’t start there.
Rodney became a collector by first becoming a fan. He watched Halliburton in Sacramento and followed his move to Indiana. He connected with the Pacers as a team and started collecting gold parallels — color matches that felt right. The deeper he got, the more meaningful the journey became.
That’s why the Black 1/1 mattered.
It wasn’t about owning the most expensive card.
It was about significance.
About marking the beginning of a new fandom.
About landing something that would never be topped.
And most importantly, it all came from conversation.
Rodney could’ve stayed quiet.
Could’ve let the listing slip past.
Could’ve assumed it wasn’t possible.
But he didn’t.
He reached out. He followed up. And now the card that defines his collection is right where it belongs.
What This Means for Collecting in 2025
This is exactly what we talked about earlier in The Weekly Rip — the idea that the best cards don’t always come from eBay or auction houses. They come from the collectors who care enough to ask.
Here’s the takeaway:
See something important? Speak up. Let people know you’re serious.
Don't assume silence is a no. Follow up. Make it easy to say yes.
Lead with sincerity, not negotiation. Make your case with care.
Be visible in the lane you collect. That’s how people think of you when the time comes.
Rodney didn’t buy a card. He claimed a cornerstone.
Because he believed in it.
Because he was willing to talk about it.
Because he kept the conversation going.
That’s how it works.
Want to land something you’ll never forget?
Start by talking to someone.
That’s where the best deals begin.
I appreciate your support for Stacking Slabs. Tell a damn friend.
Take care,
Brett
Great article Brett, really enjoy your perspective and message.