The Weekly Rip 6.8.25 [Collector to Collector]
In this week's newsletter we explore why some cards only exchange from collector to collector and introduce Reissue.
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The Weekly Rip
Your Stacking Slabs Sunday Update
June 8, 2025
I’m trying something new this week.
One of the most fulfilling parts of building Stacking Slabs has been the conversations. Real talks with collectors who care. Honest takes on what drives us to keep going in this hobby.
The thing is—I’ve recorded hundreds of episodes.
And unless you’ve been here since the beginning, there’s a good chance you missed a few that still matter. Or maybe they hit different now than they did the first time around.
That’s why I’m adding a new section to The Weekly Rip. I’m calling it Reissue.
It’s where I’ll dig back into the Stacking Slabs archives and resurface an episode that ties into the theme of the week. Sometimes it’ll add more context. Sometimes it’ll reinforce a point. Sometimes it’ll challenge it.
Either way, the goal is the same:
To make the most of the stories we’ve already shared and connect the past to what we’re thinking about right now.
Let’s get into it.
Why Some Cards Only Leave in Trusted Hands
There’s a certain moment in the collecting journey that’s hard to explain until you’ve lived it.
It’s the moment when you finally land a card you’ve wanted for years—not from eBay, not from an auction house, not even from a random marketplace post. It comes from another collector. A real one. The kind who cares more about where the card ends up than how much it sells for.
This isn’t a hypothetical.
It’s a real thing that happens all the time in collecting circles built on trust, shared passion, and mutual respect.
These are the let-go moments. And they only happen when a collector decides that you are the right person to carry the story forward.
Cards like this don’t show up in search results. You don’t find them scrolling your feed. You hear about them in group chats, behind DMs, through relationships that have been built up over time. And you don’t win them with the highest offer. You earn them with intent.
The more time I spend in the hobby, the more I realize this truth:
Some of the best cards aren’t unavailable because of price.
They’re unavailable because of meaning.
They're protected by memory. They’re sitting in someone’s case because that card represents a piece of their collecting story. It’s not locked up with a price tag—it’s sitting still until someone shows up who gets it.
We talk a lot about selling in this hobby.
We talk about price comps, BINs, strong offers.
But rarely do we talk about what it takes to be the kind of collector someone wants to sell to.
That’s what next week’s flagship episode is about. Not the transaction. The transfer. The emotional shift that happens when a collector lets go—but only to someone they trust.
If you’ve been on the receiving end of one of these moves, you know it feels different.
It’s not a flip.
It’s a handoff.
A passing of the torch.
And if you’ve ever held a card like that, you know you have a responsibility to carry the story forward.
It’s the kind of move that builds a stronger hobby. A deeper community. A collector culture where the cards we chase mean something more than the market says they’re worth.
So here’s a challenge for you this week:
Think about the card in your collection that you'd only sell to the right person.
Now flip it—are you that person for someone else?
Because that’s the kind of collector we should all be trying to become.
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
One of the many benefits of joining the Stacking Slabs Patreon is video versions of each show. I drop the video 24 hours before the episode comes out on the main feed. We’ve got video, exclusive content, and a ton of great conversations happening in the group right now.
Reissue: Owning What Matters Most
Chris McGill on Buying a Grail and Building a Better Hobby
What happens when you chase a card so hard that it breaks up someone else’s rainbow?
That’s the story Chris McGill shared on Episode 211 — and it’s not just about landing a Jokic grail. It’s about why certain cards mean so much, how real collectors think, and what kind of hobby we want to build.
Chris didn’t just buy a card. He built trust with the seller. He made his intentions clear. And he made an offer strong enough that the card found a new home — not another auction block.
That’s the kind of collecting energy that matters.
What stood out in this conversation wasn’t the price tag. It was the passion, the patience, and the perspective. This episode is a blueprint for anyone trying to build a real, long-term hobby experience.
Let’s break it down.
What We Learned from This Episode
Chris didn’t stumble into owning the best Nikola Jokic card. He pursued it with intention, persistence, and respect. What started as admiration for a player turned into one of the most meaningful acquisitions of his collecting life.
He zeroed in on the 2015 Prizm Black Rookie 1/1 — the definitive Jokic card. No RPA in National Treasures. No Logoman autos from his rookie year. This was it. The card. The one that mattered most.
But wanting it wasn’t enough.
The collector who owned it had already built one of the best Jokic collections on earth. He wasn’t listing it. He wasn’t fishing for offers. He wasn’t interested in seeing it flipped at auction in six months. He had to be convinced that if he let this card go, it would land in the hands of someone who understood what it meant.
Chris knew that. So he played the long game. He didn’t just show interest — he showed commitment. He made strong offers. He shared his values. He explained how much the card would mean, not as an asset, but as a cornerstone of a personal collection. Eventually, the trust was mutual. And the card changed hands — collector to collector — with no auction house in sight.
But the story doesn’t end with a completed deal. It’s what this card represents that matters more.
Chris wasn’t buying a headline. He wasn’t chasing hype. He was expressing something. His admiration for Jokic. His belief in what kind of career still lies ahead. His desire to own something that could never be topped in that lane of his collection.
It wasn’t about value going up. It was about meaning.
That’s what separates a flip from a foundation.
This episode wasn’t about what to buy. It was about how to think. How to engage. How to become the kind of collector who sticks around, and how to help build a hobby we’re proud to be part of.
What This Means for Collecting in 2025
It’s never been louder in the hobby. But the real stuff is quiet.
Here’s the play:
If you’re chasing a card in someone else’s PC, be prepared to be patient, direct, and respectful. Make it clear you’re not flipping it next week. That’s what closes deals.
If you’re building a collection, spend more time studying other collectors. DM them. Learn from their page. Everyone with a tight PC has something to teach.
If you're here for the long haul, start acting like it. Get serious about what you want to own. Make bold offers. Build real relationships. Learn from every card you chase.
That’s how you make collecting better — for yourself, and for the hobby.
I appreciate your support for Stacking Slabs. Tell a damn friend.
Take care,
Brett