Dr. Beckett unretires to share sports card stories, analyses, and opinions, based on his six decades of intensive experience.
Episodes
17 hours ago
17 hours ago
Dr. Beckett and Rich Klein share their experience of mediating the division of a large sports card collection. They recount their visit to the owner's house, discovering an unexpected 500,000 cards, and detailing the process of dividing the collection equitably (and quickly). Through effective mediation and their experience in the hobby, they managed to split the collection to the satisfaction of both parties involved, exemplifying their commitment to fair and balanced trade.
00:49 Mediation Process Begins
01:46 Discovering the Massive Collection
03:03 Comparing Past Experiences
4 days ago
4 days ago
Dr. Beckett reviews various sports card products from Panini, including 2024 Donruss Optic Football, 2024-25 Panini Prism Basketball, and 2024 Panini Select Baseball. He also discusses the 2025 USA Baseball high-end pack, reflecting on the advantages and limitations of each product. Drawing from his extensive experience, Dr. Beckett shares his insights on the importance of brand consistency across sports and the future potential for sticker products. He concludes with the idea of creating a time capsule of certain newly-released cards.
01:08 Reviewing Panini's Product Consistency
02:09 2024 Donruss Optic Football Review
04:16 Panini Prism Basketball Mega Box Review
07:44 Panini Select Baseball Review
09:01 2025 USA Baseball High-End Pack Review
6 days ago
6 days ago
Dr. Beckett answers a range of listener questions on various topics. He begins by paying tribute to Mark Dehem, who very recently passed away, reflecting on his contributions and character. The discussion then shifts to Warren Buffett's retirement and drawing lessons from Buffett's investment strategies. Dr. Beckett also delves into other listener queries, touching on subjects like the history of card conventions, Gary V's current involvement in sports card collecting, and insights on the 1956 Topps Baseball set. Additionally, topics like breaking in the hobby, the 1976 SSPC cards, and the value of uncut sheets of the 1996 Sports Illustrated for Kids cards are explored.
00:33 Remembering Mark Dehem
01:19 Reflections on Life and Beliefs
02:52 Warren Buffett's Retirement and Lessons
05:23 The Herd Mentality in Collecting
09:29 Memories of the 1956 Topps Baseball Set
10:25 Autograph Collecting and SSPC Cards
11:41 Maximizing the Value of Uncut Sheets
Monday May 05, 2025
Monday May 05, 2025
Dr. Beckett recaps episodes 1351 through 1374. Covered topics include an array of industry insights such as Panini's debut products, PSA's tighter grading standards, the ongoing debate about breaking in the hobby, a discussion with John Mangini on vintage cards, listener questions, soccer card trends, Upper Deck hockey products, and shilling practices.
01:14 PSA Grading Standards and Breaking Entry
03:12 Dueling Questions with John Mangini
03:50 AI Luca Rant and Soccer Sequel
06:08 Shilling and COMC National Hacks
07:38 Variation Discussion and Monetizing Newsletters
10:30 GaryVee Dueling Questions
Friday May 02, 2025
Friday May 02, 2025
Dr. Beckett and guest Jim Dehem conclude their pre-tribute to Mark (Jim's younger brother). They reminisce about the good old days, emphasizing the importance of support from family, friends, and the sports card community. They share anecdotes and discuss the resilience needed to fight cancer, and highlight the positive impact of community support on Mark's spirits.
01:12 Mark's Legacy and Contributions
01:37 The Dehem Brothers' Journey in the Hobby
10:05 The Importance of Trust and Relationships
Wednesday Apr 30, 2025
Wednesday Apr 30, 2025
Dr. Beckett and Jim Dehem acknowledge Jim's brother Mark, recently diagnosed with liver and pancreatic cancer, discussing Mark's significant contributions to the sports card community, his connections with notable Detroit Tigers players, and the early days of card collecting in Detroit. The conversation explores the evolution of their hobby, personal stories, and memorable events from the past, highlighting Mark's deep involvement in the industry and the support from the community.
00:23 Mark's Health Update and Community Support
02:50 Mark's Journey with the Detroit Tigers
06:57 Early Days in the Hobby
11:05 Memorable Shows and Deals
15:44 Charlie Brooks' Store and Hobby Evolution
Monday Apr 28, 2025
Monday Apr 28, 2025
Dr. Beckett concludes his engaging conversation with entrepreneur and marketer Gary Vaynerchuk. They delve into their shared admiration for customer-centric approaches and discuss the importance of product quality in marketing. Gary shares insights from his wine retailing days and how the Beckett Price Guide influenced his business strategies. The episode also covers their experiences in the sports card industry from the 70s and 80s, the impact of certain key events, and the growth of the market.
00:37 Gary Vaynerchuk's Early Influences
01:04 Customer Focus and Marketing Strategies
03:02 The Importance of Product Quality
07:04 The Evolution of the Sports Card Industry
10:41 Impact of Major Events on the Hobby
Friday Apr 25, 2025
Friday Apr 25, 2025
Gary Vaynerchuk joins Dr. Beckett for a spirited discussion on the evolution of the Beckett Price Guide, the dynamics of the sports card market, and the journey of entrepreneurship. They delve into the nostalgic days of waiting for the magazine, the logistical challenges faced in maintaining fairness, and the integrity behind the iconic publication. Gary shares his own experiences from starting as a young collector to becoming a successful entrepreneur, reflecting on how the fundamentals of selling cards influenced his business strategies.
01:37 Gary Vaynerchuk's Entrepreneurial Journey
02:41 The Beckett Price Guide Legacy
05:32 Challenges in the Sports Card Industry
10:18 Gary Vaynerchuk's Early Business Lessons
Wednesday Apr 23, 2025
Wednesday Apr 23, 2025
Dr. Beckett discusses his recent adventure at a card shop that underwent new ownership. Joined by Rich Klein, Dr. Beckett explores the interesting assortment of dollar box cards and shares his findings, including vintage and off-condition cards. They delve into the nuances of identifying valuable cards quickly, the market trends for miscut and printing error cards, and the challenges of pricing and cataloging such unique cards. The conversation also highlights the evolving management and business strategies of the card shop, and how fresh energy and a focus on clearing backlog can revitalize a store.
02:03 Strategies for Finding Valuable Cards
04:48 Unique Printing Errors and Their Market
07:08 New Owner's Impact on the Card Shop
10:46 Reflections on the Card Shop's History
11:50 Buying and Pricing Strategies
13:14 Sorting Cards by Team vs. Player
Monday Apr 21, 2025
Monday Apr 21, 2025
Dr. Beckett discusses the 2025 Baseball Card Hall of Fame ballot, sponsored by Ray from Philly. sharing his thoughts on the 40 candidate cards, offers his voting criteria, and comments on the treatment of vintage vs. modern cards. He emphasizes the importance of balancing cards from different eras and provides detailed reasons for his choices. Beck also outlines potential improvements, such as emulating the Baseball Hall of Fame's selection method.
00:31 Voting Process and Encouragement
01:27 Challenges in Hall of Fame Selection
03:58 Categorizing the Cards
06:06 Dr. Beckett's Ballot and Selections