The Weekly Rip 8.4.24 [Funding]
Brett shares a story of using funding to secure a key card on his list.
A big thank you to the Card Ladder team for being the official data sponsor of Stacking Slabs. Card Ladder makes me a better creator and collector. If you’re looking to make more data-driven collecting decisions make sure you give the app a spin.
I was unable to go to The National last week. I can remember the recovery from year’s past though.
There’s a lot to overcome snapping back into reality after several days of sports card stimulation. You’ve got to jump back into family mode, become a professional again, and understand your current financial position after a week of fun. Last year I remember waiting until at least midweek after the show to open up my Chase app to see the damage. The experience is worth it, but it can be a challenge to figure out your collecting priorities after The National. We don’t all of a sudden forget what we like to collect, however, it can be more challenging than ever before to acquire cards because of the money that we just spent the week before on cards.
How do we manage through this process?
Collectors like to buy new cards. That’s what we do. We collect. It doesn’t matter where you’re at in your collecting journey a big part of the joy of collecting is acquiring new pieces in your collection. The mail day experience breaks up the monotony of a regular day and helps remind us why we collect. There’s never an issue with a great mail day, however, roadblocks might exist on new mail days after you leave a big show. There’s a strong chance that you’ve already maxed out your hobby budget. You’re in that period of time that no one likes to be in where you’re in waiting mode. You’re patiently hoping that nothing you need pops up because you’re in the process of replenishing your hobby funds. When you’re in replenish mode you’re on defense. You still look at marketplaces to look for cards, but it’s this weird feeling where you almost hope nothing pops up because you aren’t in a good position to buy it right now. It’s a strange place to be, but very common after making big purchases.
I wasn’t at The National, however, I’ve done some damage over the last month or so. There was the Andrew Luck Finite and Optic Gold Vinyl 1/1 lot purchase. There was the TY Hilton Black Finite 1/1 Rookie purchase. There’s some more purchases that I haven’t even talked about yet. I love buying cards. I love adding to my collection. Also, I love evolving my collection which at times means liquidating cards to fund others. The hobby is an escape for me. I never want it to be financially stressful. If it ever became financially stressful then I’m probably doing something wrong.
Thursday night an opportunity presented itself to me with a card that had been on my list for a long time. It was a simple DM slide from a hobby friend asking me if I was interested in a specific card. I saw the card and I didn’t even need to know the price. The wheels started spinning in my brain. It was a rare opportunity to acquire a key card without any competition. I asked the price, checked sales history in Card Ladder, and told the seller that I would get back to him in the morning. After I went on a run, showered, and grabbed my first cup of coffee I took my collection to judgment day. I made a stack of cards and made a decision to make the deal happen. The difference this time was that I used a service to help facilitate the transaction and it couldn’t have gone more seamless.
If you’ve been listening to Auction Talk you’ve heard Nic (@thewharfsportscards) talk about his new card funding service. The Wharf Sports Cards will purchase a card on your behalf and in return you send Nic cards that will be placed in auction to cover the cost of the purchase. Nic’s normal consignment rates apply and this service is a natural progression to what he’s already been building with his business.
I just taped up a big old box of cards that will be going through auction in the next week or two. It’s sad to see those cards go, but I can’t wait to get my hands on the key card I’ve been wanting for years now.
The best part of this hobby in my mind is the people. It’s not just the collectors we interact with about cards, but also the collectors who are building incredible businesses in the hobby and solving problems for us along the way.
I can’t wait to share the card soon!
A Weekly Content Roundup
It was SSP Collector Appreciation Week. We put out 5 straight days of shows on the main feed. Hopefully, you got a chance to enjoy them. They’ll always be there for you when you need them.
Also, SSP has finally launched our YouTube channel. We’ll be digging back in the archive and bringing some of the previous conversations back to life in video form for the first time. Make sure you like and subscribe to the channel for updates!
We kicked off the week with a bonus Collector Showcase with Chris (@cardicsportscards) where he discussed how he organizes his collection and the cards he pursues. He talked a lot about the Nomar Garciaparra wing of his collection and what’s next. This episode represents the type of content that’s been produced regularly in the Patreon.
Tuesday we hosted another episode of Hobby Shop Talk with Jamison Long at Port City Sports Collectibles. I always love getting a bird’s eye view at what’s going on at the hobby shop level. Make sure you follow Port City Sports Collectibles on Instagram.
The flagship episode covered ways to be content with your current collection when you’re not buying cards. I walked through a moment I had with my collection and why it helped put me at ease.
Auction Talk 23 dropped on Thursday. Auction Talk is becoming a fan favorite for a lot of SSP listeners. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy putting these episodes together with Nic (@thewharfsportscards). If you have funding or consignment needs make sure you hit up Nic.
Finally, Friday’s collector conversation was with long-time SSP staple Kevin (@dacaptain37). We discussed his National experience and how he was able to think outside of the box to get deals done without setting up at the show.
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
A Collector To Follow
I stumbled across a cool mail day video from @calebm2034 this week. He was showing his new pick up of a 2014 Khalil Mack Gold Prizm Rookie card. The card is amazing, but his story on what Mack meant to him was even more special.
Cards are objects. They can transport us to pretty damn cool places though. I love getting reminded that by collectors like Caleb.
I appreciate your support for Stacking Slabs.
Thanks for reading and see you
Take care,
Brett