Dan and Erik Sjolie have been collectors their entire lives — long before either of them ever thought about building a company. Years of running real businesses taught them how to spot value, build systems, and operate like professionals. Eventually those instincts found their way back to the hobby they never actually left. The Collector&#39;s Club AI Podcast is where that experience meets the modern sports card and TCG market. Each episode breaks down how serious collectors and dealers actually run their business — real strategy, real stories from the show floor — with the perspective of two guys who&#39;ve been doing this since before it was cool, and now build the operating system serious collectors and dealers use every day. Grails, commons, bulk flips, or building the next big platform in the space — if it&#39;s happening in the hobby, it&#39;s getting talked about here.

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When does a PSA 10 justify paying more than a PSA 9? Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie debate the premium from two different collecting approaches: buying for eye appeal in a personal collection, and using population reports and gem rates to judge high-grade examples.Erik explains why he’s buying more PSA 9s, while Dan shares how relative condition and scarcity shape his decisions, including his Yogi Berra collection.The conversation also covers football card swings, Beckett’s technology update, September grading volume, and unconfirmed CGC sale rumors. Dan and Erik dig into counterfeit cards, fake slabs, authentication-only holders, older slabs, reholdering, and condition-sensitive 1990s inserts. Fair or Foul covers hobby affordability, PSA 10 premiums, and the limits of pop reports.Dan also shares Collectors Club AI development updates.Rumors and predictions discussed in this episode are the hosts’ opinions, not confirmed announcements.Explore Collectors Club AI: <a href="https://collectorsclubai.com" rel="nofollow">https://collectorsclubai.com</a>

Eye appeal, authentication, and what pop reports really tell collectors.

Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie debate whether a PSA 10 is worth the premium when a PSA 9 offers the same eye appeal for a personal collection. They dig into pop reports, gem rates, authentication, older slabs, and 1990s inserts, plus football card swings, Beckett’s technology update, grading volume, unconfirmed CGC sale rumors, and hobby affordability.

PSA 9 vs. PSA 10: When Is the Premium Worth It?

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Should baseball collectors submit cards for grading when a possible MLB lockout could disrupt the season they are preparing for?In Episode 16 of the Collectors Club AI Podcast, Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie discuss grading costs, turnaround times, and how uncertain timing affects submission decisions. Dan shares his Lamine Yamal Manga card’s CGC 9 result, leading to a comparison of PSA and CGC and the importance of evaluating different grade outcomes.The conversation moves into Bowman prospects, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Bryce Eldridge, and a hypothetical Paul Skenes card-price decline. Dan and Erik question whether a work stoppage would trigger a broader baseball card downturn or move buying activity toward other sports, vintage cards, and established players.They also discuss Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr., rare 1990s inserts, collector FOMO, and the difference between maintaining a personal collection and holding cards for resale. Historical comparisons with 1994 and 2022 provide context, with the hosts acknowledging the difficulty of separating labor uncertainty from wider hobby conditions.The episode closes with youth card shows, community building, and tracking inventory and cost basis through Collectors Club AI. Market forecasts and player concerns discussed in the episode reflect the hosts’ opinions.Organize your collection, track what you own, and gain valuable insight:<a href="https://collectorsclubai.com" rel="nofollow">https://collectorsclubai.com</a> Watch the full episode on YouTube:<a href="https://youtu.be/QvUncI7KHYQ" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/QvUncI7KHYQ</a>

Grading decisions, prospect exposure, and the vintage-versus-modern debate.

Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie examine baseball card grading ahead of a possible MLB lockout. Topics include grading costs and turnaround times, PSA versus CGC, Dan’s Lamine Yamal Manga CGC 9 result, Bowman prospects, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Bryce Eldridge, and Paul Skenes. The hosts debate a market downturn versus buying activity shifting toward vintage and established players, then discuss youth card shows and collection organization.

Should You Grade Baseball Cards Before an MLB Lockout?

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Cooper Flagg’s one-of-one NBA Rookie Debut Patch Autograph sold for $8.04 million, and that sale raises a much bigger question about the modern sports card market: how much future greatness is already being priced into today’s biggest rookie cards?In Episode 15, Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie break down the Cooper Flagg sale and debate whether a price that high can ever make sense this early in a player’s career. They also look at what today’s younger collectors may eventually become nostalgic for, and whether cards like Downtowns, Kabooms, and other modern inserts could become the next generation’s iconic collectibles.The episode also covers:• The unusual story of the fire-damaged Shohei Ohtani 1/1• Pokémon’s 30th anniversary release• Whether parts of the sports card market are starting to cool• How repackers are changing the card-show buying and selling experience• Coinbase getting into physical-card-backed pack ripping• Panini’s new Minor League Baseball agreement• New Collectors Club AI features for inventory, storefronts, customer data, and automated communication• What an MLB labor stoppage could mean for baseball cards• Whether modern products now have too many parallels• Whether sports cards should really be considered an investment class• How AI can help collectors research print runs, pack odds, and card historyDan and Erik also bring back Fair or Foul for three of the biggest debates in the hobby right now.Organize your collection, track what you own, and get valuable insight into your cards with Collectors Club AI:<a href="https://collectorsclubai.com" rel="nofollow">https://collectorsclubai.com</a>Watch the full episode on YouTube:<a href="https://youtu.be/UV2X86S_sD0" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/UV2X86S_sD0</a>

Dan and Erik break down the record-setting Flagg sale, repackers at card shows, parallel overload, MLB labor concerns, and the changing sports card market.

Cooper Flagg’s one-of-one NBA Rookie Debut Patch Autograph sold for $8.04 million, and Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie debate what a price that large means for a player still early in his NBA career.

Episode 15 also covers the Fire Ohtani card, Pokémon’s 30th anniversary release, signs of cooling in parts of the sports card market, the growing influence of repackers at card shows, Coinbase entering digital pack ripping, and Panini’s new Minor League Baseball agreement.

In Fair or Foul, Dan and Erik tackle three bigger hobby questions: how an MLB labor stoppage could affect baseball cards, whether modern products now contain too many parallels, and whether sports cards should be considered an investment class.

The episode closes with a discussion about grading, population counts, print-run research, AI tools, and how collectors can better understand the cards they own.

Cooper Flagg’s 1/1 Sold for $8.04M. Was It Too Much?

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Beckett’s website and app are still offline. What does that mean for collectors trying to check orders, research cards, or use Beckett’s online tools?Dan McCabe opens this episode with the questions surrounding Beckett’s digital outage and separates what collectors can observe from what remains unknown. He also covers PSA’s updated Collection experience, which now supports ungraded cards, and shares his take on GOAT cards versus modern rookie speculation.Later, Dan shows a vintage Cy Young card returned from CGC, revisits his family’s DK Metcalf card sales, and explains how he and Cam worked from dollar-box finds toward bigger cards.Organize and track your collection with Collectors Club AI: <a href="https://collectorsclubai.com" rel="nofollow">https://collectorsclubai.com</a>Subscribe for more conversations about grading, collecting, card shows, and the sports card market.#Beckett #CardGrading #SportsCards #CollectorsClubAI

Dan discusses Beckett’s digital outage, PSA’s collection update, and GOAT cards versus modern rookies.

Beckett’s website and app remain offline, raising questions for collectors who use its account, order-status, and research tools. Dan McCabe discusses what is known and what remains unanswered. He also covers PSA’s updated Collection experience, shows a vintage Cy Young card returned from CGC, and compares the appeal of established GOAT cards with the uncertainty of modern rookie collecting. Finally, Dan shares how he and Cam began building a card-show case from dollar-box finds.

Beckett’s Website Outage Raises Collector Questions

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A Fanatics Emanate case included documentation appearing to identify the memorabilia hits inside — and that sparked a much bigger conversation about transparency, trust, and how premium hits are distributed throughout the hobby.In this episode of Collectors Club AI, Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie break down the Fanatics Emanate controversy while separating what the incident actually shows from speculation about traditional sports card products and breaks.They also discuss Beckett’s unusual website and app outage, PSA’s new grading tier, the future of AI-assisted grading, and the growing trend of professional athletes opening their own card shops.Dan also recaps the Dallas Card Show, including a major Lamine Yamal Manga pickup and a real-world look at how Collectors Club AI’s QR-code workflow can help dealers organize inventory, track transactions, manage customer information, and keep listings synchronized across platforms.Also discussed:• Dennis Rodman and Marvel card pickups• In-person autographs and authentication• Cooper Flagg, Kevin Love, and athlete-owned card shops• Young NFL stars versus established Hall of Famers• Sports card vaults and digital ownership records• Dealer organization and inventory management at card showsCollectors Club AI helps collectors and dealers organize, catalog, track, and gain valuable insight into their collections.Learn more at:<a href="https://www.collectorsclubai.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.collectorsclubai.com/</a>Watch the full episode on YouTube:<a href="https://youtu.be/pa0wzkjsS7M" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/pa0wzkjsS7M</a>

The Fanatics Emanate controversy, Beckett’s digital outage, PSA’s new grading tier and the hobby’s growing transparency debate.

A Fanatics Emanate shipping manifest found inside a live break sparks a larger conversation about transparency and trust in the hobby. Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie separate what the incident actually shows from speculation about traditional sports card distribution, then turn to Beckett’s unusual website and app outage, PSA’s new Standard grading tier and the future of AI-assisted grading. They also recap the Dallas Card Show, a major Lamine Yamal pickup, Collectors Club AI’s QR-code workflow for dealers, the growth of athlete-owned card shops, young NFL stars versus Hall of Famers and the benefits and risks of storing cards in third-party vaults.

Fanatics Shipping Manifest: Who Knows Where the Hits Go?

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What happens to existing PSA 10s if AI-assisted grading becomes a major part of the sports card hobby?Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie dig into one of the biggest long-term questions facing card grading: whether advances in AI and automation could eventually change how collectors view older slabs, modern grades, and the difference between human and technology-assisted evaluation.They discuss PSA’s grading backlog and paused lower service tiers, consolidation across major grading companies, collector concerns about transparency, and why CGC continues to get attention from collectors and dealers.The conversation then turns to the idea of an AI grading “great reset.” If future grading systems can analyze centering, corners, edges, surfaces, print defects, and other characteristics with greater consistency, would collectors value an AI-assisted Gem Mint 10 differently from a card graded years earlier?Dan and Erik explore what that could mean for expensive PSA 10s, vintage cards, modern cards, regrading decisions, and collector confidence.Important: the potential AI grading “reset” discussed in this episode is a hobby theory and discussion point, not a confirmed PSA announcement.Also in this episode:• Erik recaps his first two-day card show as a dealer with his 11-year-old daughter• What sold at the Roseville-area show• A 1998 Topps Chrome Peyton Manning rookie PSA 10 pickup• Meeting NFL legend Lawrence Taylor• Dan prepares for the Dallas Card Show with his son Cam• New Collectors Club AI mobile scanning improvements• Inventory labels, QR codes, and card-show workflows• How collectors and dealers can better organize and manage inventoryCollectors Club AI helps collectors and dealers organize, catalog, monitor, and gain valuable insight into their collections and inventory.Learn more:<a href="https://www.collectorsclubai.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.collectorsclubai.com/</a>Watch the episode on YouTube:<a href="https://youtu.be/dXwy-4Y7sBc" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/dXwy-4Y7sBc</a>

PSA’s backlog, grading consolidation, CGC, and whether AI could change how collectors view legacy Gem Mint cards.

Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie explore one of the biggest long-term questions facing sports card grading: what happens to existing PSA 10s if AI-assisted grading becomes widely adopted?

They discuss grading backlogs, service-tier changes, industry consolidation involving PSA, SGC, and Beckett, collector concerns about grading transparency, and why CGC continues to earn attention from some dealers and collectors. The hosts also examine the theory that increased use of AI could eventually create different perceptions of legacy human-graded cards and future technology-assisted grades. The AI grading “reset” discussed is a hypothetical hobby scenario, not a confirmed PSA announcement.

Erik also recaps his first two-day card show as a dealer with his daughter, including a 1998 Topps Chrome Peyton Manning rookie pickup and meeting Lawrence Taylor. Dan shares his preparation for the September Dallas Card Show and updates to Collectors Club AI tools for mobile scanning, inventory labels, QR codes, and collection management.

What Happens to PSA 10s When AI Grading Arrives?

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Tom Brady. Michael Jordan. Lionel Messi. The biggest names in sports are getting serious attention from collectors again—but is the hobby actually rotating toward proven GOATs and away from speculative rookie hype?In this episode of Collectors Club AI, Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie break down what they’re seeing across the sports card market heading into one of the biggest stretches of the collecting calendar.They discuss Tom Brady rookie cards, Michael Jordan’s iconic 1986 Fleer, the growing interest in blue-chip GOAT cards, Lionel Messi and the soccer-card market, Erling Haaland’s rise, rare 1990s inserts, PSA population reports, estimated print runs, and why true scarcity matters more than many collectors realize.We also get into one of the biggest challenges facing collectors and dealers: knowing when cards buried inside a large inventory suddenly start moving.In this episode:• Why Tom Brady rookie cards have collectors talking• Michael Jordan and the GOAT-card market• GOAT collecting vs. speculative rookie quarterbacks• Lionel Messi rookie cards and soccer-card demand• Why population reports don’t tell the entire rarity story• The overlooked scarcity of 1990s sports-card inserts• Whether younger generations will still want today’s GOAT cards• Building smaller, higher-quality collections• When a market spike could become a selling opportunity• Using AI to monitor card values and collection trends• Preparing for the National Sports Collectors Convention• Erling Haaland and the expanding soccer-card marketCollectors Club AI is building an AI-powered operating system for sports card collectors and dealers—designed to help users catalog collections, manage inventory, monitor values, identify market movement, track profits, and make better buying and selling decisions.Create your Collectors Club AI account:https://www.collectorsclubai.com/Subscribe for more sports card market analysis, collecting strategy, hobby news, dealer insights, soccer cards, vintage cards, modern cards, and AI tools built specifically for the hobby.#SportsCards #TomBradyCards #MichaelJordanCards #CardCollecting #CollectorsClubAI

Why Collectors Are Moving Toward Brady, Jordan, Messi & Other GOAT Cards

Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Lionel Messi and other GOAT cards are getting serious attention from collectors—but is the hobby shifting away from speculative rookie hype and toward proven legends?

Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie break down the movement they’re seeing across the sports card market, including Brady rookies, the 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan, Messi and the soccer card market, rare 1990s inserts, PSA population reports, estimated print runs and the importance of true scarcity.

They also discuss whether collectors should focus on owning fewer, higher-quality cards, how generational collecting may affect long-term demand, and how AI can help collectors and dealers monitor card values and identify market movement across large collections.

Plus, Dan and Erik share what Collectors Club AI is building ahead of the National Sports Collectors Convention and how the platform is designed to help collectors and dealers catalog inventory, monitor values, track opportunities and make better buying and selling decisions.

Why Tom Brady, Michael Jordan & GOAT Cards Are Surging Again

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Welcome back to the Collectors Club AI Podcast! In Episode 3, Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie discuss one of the biggest advantages collectors and dealers can have: Knowing when to buy and when to sell. From the FIFA World Cup soccer card boom to NBA stars like Victor Wembanyama, this episode explores how market timing, player performance, and collector psychology impact card values. Topics include: - FIFA World Cup soccer card market- Erling Haaland cards- Lamine Yamal cards- Lionel Messi cards- Victor Wembanyama investments- DK Metcalf card price swings- Buying low and selling during the hype- Long-term vs short-term collecting- Sports card investing strategies- Building a personal collection- The National Sports Collectors Convention- Collectors Club AI software updates Whether you&#39;re a collector, dealer, investor, or just getting into the hobby, understanding market cycles can help you make better buying and selling decisions. Subscribe for future episodes covering:✅ Sports card collecting✅ Sports card investing✅ Soccer cards✅ Market timing✅ Card grading✅ Dealer strategies✅ AI tools for collectors Collectors Club AI is helping collectors and dealers organize their collections, make smarter decisions, and maximize opportunities in the hobby. #SportsCards #SoccerCards #SportsCardInvesting #CollectorsClubAI #WorldCup #TradingCards #DailyMarketIntel

Market timing strategies for buying and selling cards

Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie tackle one of the biggest edges any collector or dealer can have: knowing when to buy and when to sell. From the FIFA World Cup soccer card boom (Haaland, Yamal, Messi) to NBA stars like Victor Wembanyama and DK Metcalf&#39;s price swings, this episode breaks down how market timing, player performance, and collector psychology drive card values. They also cover long-term vs. short-term collecting strategies, building a personal collection with intention, and updates from the National Sports Collectors Convention.

When Is the BEST Time to Buy & Sell Sports Cards?

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Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie break down the seismic shift in sports card grading after PSA discontinued bulk submissions on June 3, 2026. What does it mean when the #1 grader pauses bulk? How is CGC capitalizing? And why is TCG flooding the market? TOPICS COVERED:- PSA&#39;s $79 minimum pricing strategy &amp; market impact- The 10M+ card backlog crisis- CGC&#39;s 30% market share surge (and the debate around it)- Beckett&#39;s rebranding &amp; new slabs- SGC&#39;s decline &amp; TAG&#39;s misstep- Why 75% of grading is TCG, not sports- Authentication concerns &amp; counterfeit prevention- Will graded 7s, 8s, 9s hold value? CHAPTERS:0:00 - Intro: Dan&#39;s 1986-87 Jordan PSA 72:15 - PSA bulk pause announcement &amp; $79 minimum5:42 - April grading stats deep dive8:30 - CGC&#39;s market capture &amp; perception vs. reality12:00 - The TCG flood effect14:45 - Beckett &amp; SGC competitive moves17:20 - TAG&#39;s pricing blunder20:10 - Fanatics authentication deal implications25:30 - Grading fatigue vs. necessity debate29:45 - Future outlook: What happens next? Subscribe for weekly analysis of the collecting market. Hit the bell 🔔 Collector&#39;s Club AI: Where data meets cards. Hosts: Dan McCabe, Erik SjolieEpisode: #2Duration: ~33 min #SportsCards #CardGrading #PSA #CGC #Beckett #SGC #CollectorsClubAI #TradingCards #DailyMarketIntel

PSA's bulk grading pause shakes up the industry

PSA just discontinued bulk grading submissions, and the ripple effects are hitting every corner of the hobby. Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie break down PSA&#39;s new $79 minimum pricing, the 10M+ card backlog crisis, and how competitors CGC, Beckett, SGC, and TAG are responding. They also dig into why 75% of grading volume is TCG (not sports cards), authentication and counterfeit concerns, and whether graded 7s, 8s, and 9s will hold their value going forward.

PSA Kills Bulk Grading: What's Next for Card Collectors?

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Welcome to Episode 1 of the Collectors Club AI Podcast. In this episode, Collectors Club AI founders Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie recap their experience at the Dallas Card Show, discuss some of their favorite card pickups, and share why they believe the sports card industry is missing critical business systems that could help collectors and dealers become more profitable. Topics covered include: - Dallas Card Show experience- Sports card investing and collecting- Buster Posey rookie cards- Hank Aaron rookie cards- Wayne Gretzky rookie cards- Soccer card investing- Inventory management for card dealers- eBay selling strategies- AI tools for sports card businesses- Card show sales and profitability- The future of AI in the hobby Collectors Club AI is building software designed to help collectors, dealers, and card businesses manage inventory, streamline sales, improve record keeping, and leverage AI to make smarter decisions. Whether you&#39;re a weekend collector, a full-time dealer, or simply passionate about sports cards, this podcast is for you. Subscribe for future episodes covering:✅ Sports card collecting✅ Sports card investing✅ Card show strategies✅ AI for collectors✅ Dealer tools and software✅ Hobby news and trends✅ Collection management Follow Collector&#39;s Club AI for updates and upcoming software releases. #SportsCards #CardCollecting #SportsCardInvesting #DallasCardShow #CollectorsClubAI #SportsCardDealer #CardShow #TradingCards #BaseballCards #AI #DailyMarketIntel

Founders recap the Dallas Card Show and the problem it exposed

Collector&#39;s Club AI founders Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie recap their trip to the Dallas Card Show — favorite pickups, standout rookie cards, and the business gaps they spotted in the sports card industry along the way. This episode kicks off a series exploring inventory management, eBay selling strategy, and how AI is changing the hobby for collectors and dealers alike.

We Went to the Dallas Card Show and Found a Huge Problem

The All-In-One Toolkit for Serious Collectors & Dealers

Collector's Club AI is the operator toolkit for the sports card and collectibles hobby — inventory, listing, CRM, and storefront tools built for how collectors and dealers actually run their business. Each episode breaks down what's happening in the hobby, real stories from the show floor, and the tools and strategies serious sellers are using to grow.

Built for collectors chasing a grail and dealers moving slabs at volume alike, this show pairs decades of hobby experience with the operational playbook most collectors never get taught.

Hosted by Dan McCabe and Erik Sjolie — lifelong collectors who spent years building businesses outside the hobby before bringing that experience back to the thing they never actually stopped loving. Now they're building Collector's Club AI, the operating system for serious collectors and dealers, and talking through everything they're learning along the way.