The Shallow End

Scott had it all: a rediscovered hobby and some of the most interesting cards around today. But something was missing. Something felt off. Scott felt he needed to make a change, and today, he is the collector known on IG as @PSA1only. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 10 of 10: "Cost and Value are not the Same" - A Conversation with Dylan (YouTube: DoubleD Vintage Baseball Cards)The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠⁠⁠⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠⁠⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 9 of 10: "When a Card Hits Deeper" - A Conversation with Shane @shaneshobbies_collectiblesThe Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠⁠⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 8 of 10: "Even Small Cards Need Moderation" - A Conversation with David Spinrad @ratedrabbiThe Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 7 of 10: "Binder Card(inals)" - A Conversation with Greg @paper_and_chromeThe Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 6 of 10: "Gold Medallions" - A Conversation with Ty @tpotts_pcThe Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 5 of 10: "ShaqDonalds" - A Conversation with Mark @mjs_sportscardsThe Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 4 of 10: "The Card He Couldn't Pass Up" - A Conversation with Adam @raymans_relics.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 3 of 10: "From Mom to Manute to Rudy" - A Conversation with Adam Gray @thereal27guyThe Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 2 of 10: "Coming Full Circle" - A Conversation with Matt @mattstraightracecardsThe Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 1 of 10: "Monte Irvin" - A Conversation with Robert @BobHostaCollection.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Topps/Fanatics recently angered and saddened its customers by stripping Stadium Club down to the studs. No more Chrome. No more short prints. No more gold minted. For more than a century, the one constant in the hobby has been change. It hurts, but in the long term, it might have been the best thing ever to happen to gold minted. But the worst part? Fanatics shows once again it wants its customers to listen to them instead of listening to its customers.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

When it comes to sports cards, I'm not much of a hot take guy. Probably because I'm almost always wrong. But, here we go! Let's bust out 10 probably almost definitely terrible hot takes. These should be taken for entertainment purposes only.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Sports cards are supposed to be an escape, but what if instead of an escape they're a hideout?

(Corrected version after unedited draft was uploaded)For years I denied that the changing of the calendar year mattered. But I was wrong. The transition from one year to another isn't just an opportunity to re-evaluate parts of our collections, it's a psychological moment to become better collectors.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

In this episode we explore the collecting brain of graphic artist Matt, @MattyH_Cards on Instagram. In addition to being a huge fan of Baltimore sports and the University of Miami, Matt is a professional graphic designer who looks at the hobby just a little differently from the rest of us. This discussion is a fascinating journey into the mind of someone who thinks deeply about all things hobby design, from his own IG feed to the annual designs of card companies.

We are collecting in baseball cards' industrial era. Multibillion dollar companies and social media compete for our interests, improve our experiences, exploit our personalities, and bring out both our better and worse angels. In this episode, we talk through them all.OBC is hosted by Jason @Contrarian_Cards and Dave @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

What do you do when a sports card you know belongs in slab looks better unslabbed? Is what's right for the collector the same thing as what's right for the card?The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Let's remember, recap, and rate 2025 as the. year draws to a close.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

There is so much noise in the hobby, so much content, so many distractions, and so many options. Ribhu (@PerimeterCollectibles), a dealer and collector for 25 years, is here with an important message: Think about what you like, then collect it.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

We're still talking about Walter Benjamin's 1931 essay about collecting. In this episode, Aaron @Two2SportsCards jumps on the mic to discuss the Benjamin quote that most resonated with Aaron and his collecting: “… ownership is the most intimate relationship that one can have to objects. Not that they come alive in him; it is he who lives in them.”The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

The baseball card landscape has witnessed several shifts since the turn of the millennium. In this tiered ranking, we determine which years stand out, which fall back, and which years do we wish would just go away?OBC is hosted by Jason @contrarian_cards and Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

In 1931, German philosopher Walter Benjamin wrote an essay about collecting. Nearly a century later, that essay is as applicable today as it was then.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards (IG)

In all walks of life, we have a habit of talking about a problem once and moving to the next thing. Last summer, gambling and addiction in the sports card hobby had a moment. It seemed everyone was talking about it. Then, we moved on to the next big thing, whether it was The National or the latest scandal. In this episode, Alyx of CollectorsMD returns to update us on his organization's mission to help collectors who feel out of control. We also talk about a well-known sports card company using a 13 year old in an ad campaign for its repack product.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Pat (@Insta_account_haver) returns to The Shallow End to discuss his experiences setting up for the first time at a card show—and with only 24 hours notice to get ready. What Pat found at the show, besides the cards, made it all worth it.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Just because you're a fan of a team, or a player, or even a comic book, it doesn't mean you have to collect their sports cards. In this episode, Aaron (@collect_like_a_champion) shares his story of how his collecting journey became more rewarding once he stopped trying to collect so much and focused on what was most important.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Sometimes we have moments that put life into perspective. What is important? What matters? When that happens, it's also a chance to re-evaluate how we feel about our sports cards.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Shohei Ohtani's performance in the Dodgers' NLCS clincher drove us back to the microphones a few weeks early. We talk about his cards, his performance, his cards, his legacy, and his cards.Overthinking Baseball Cards is hosted by Jason @contrarian_cards and Dave @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Jason (@Contrarian_Cards) and Dave (@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards) pick out the most eye-catching individual cards, sets and genres of baseball cards throughout the decades. Agree? Disagree? Let us know. This episode is also available on YouTube.

Aaron (@Two2Sportscards) drops by to talk about his own approach to collecting: how he ignores the noise, only listens to content that enriches his experience, and surrounds himself with the right people.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards***Support fellow collector Luke (@LukeJBrowning) as he takes part in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to raise money for breast cancer research and support. Luke will be taking part in a 60 mile (!!!) walk over three days and, to raise money, is offering sports cards when he hits certain milestones. Learn more at his Komen webpage.

You might be asking yourself, didn't The National end two months ago? Yes. Yes it did. But one card I picked up there extended how I thought about The National. Depending what PSA thought of this card, my overall National experience could have tipped one way or the other.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

In this podcast audio essay, Dave confronts two infections living inside the sports card hobby.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

The Shallow End is off this week, so welcome back to Overthinking Baseball Cards. Episode 2. In this episode, we each draft one baseball card from nine different eras of baseball card collecting (plus three bench spots). Who and what will make the cut? And who will end up on the outside looking in?Overthinking Baseball Cards is hosted by Jason @ContrarianCards and Dave @Iowa_Dave_SportscardsThe show comes out monthly on YouTube. Here's the link, and thanks for following along.

From Aug. 14-31, 18 brave sports-card collectors shared with you their stories of mistakes, failures, and perspectives. Before we move on to other topics, let's stay in this world just a little longer. In this episode of The Shallow End, I'll share my 18 takeaways — one from each collector. If you want to catch up on the limited series, 'Failing Up' is available in full on the Shallow End's podcast feeds.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

In this 18th and final episode of Failing Up, we welcome Dave, known on IG as @paperstreetsportscards. When Dave came back to the hobby, he did a little exploring and discovered cards he found interesting. But when he approached the so-called experts about his interests, they told him his point of view was wrong. They preached a "better" way of doing things. Spoiler alert: the experts were wrong.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Let's welcome Matt Worley (@slabnomics), host of the up-and-coming Slabnomics podcast. He's an exciting, honest new voice in the card space. In this episode you'll hear Matt describe, in detail, something many of us went through when first getting into — or getting back into — the hobby. This is a lesson about what happens when you're still finding yourself, and the mistakes that come with that.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Today's guest is Marty, otherwise known as @signed1933goudey. He's all about starts and stops, pushing and waiting, patience and passion. This series about sports cards might be called Failing Up, but to Marty, a little bit of struggle isn't failing. It's learning. It's understanding. And it's getting just a little bit better, one day at a time.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Today in this 18-part limited series we're talking with John, co-host of the Global Card Collectors podcast and @Istanbulcards on Instagram. John is a basketball and soccer collector. He's thoughtful. He's deliberate and disciplined. Yet anyone, even collectors who stay on their path, are not immune from a painful lesson: Not all 1-of-1s are created equal.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards on IG

Today we're talking with someone who has been a great help to many in the collecting space, Zan, @zanoo23_sportscards on Instagram. These days those who follow Zan know him for his refined collection of football and baseball cards, and for his ability to spot fake serial numbers in some of the hobby's most popular sets. But when Zan first re-entered the hobby, he wasn't drawn toward singles, he gravitated toward opening boxes. As he tumbled toward a hobby of low ROI and, as he put it, a path headed toward addiction, he knew he had to make a change.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

In this episode we welcome Jeff, @MyFavoriteCardboard on Instagram and part of two wonderful shows, Blabbin' 'bout Slabbin' and Spitballin' Cards. I appreciated Jeff's willingness to share some of his stories because he's such a good storyteller, but also because they're so relatable. This is an episode about the persistence of hope, even when there is none, and a reminder that sometimes the worst wounds are self-inflicted.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Today we welcome to the program Josh Adams, @MidwestVintageCards on IG and one of the driving forces behind the 90s Auctions platform. Many years ago, nearly two decades, Josh said he had a great plan to make some money in the hobby. He's here today with a warning for all of us: Not all plans … work out.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Today's guest is Mark, @mjs_sportscards on Instagram. These days, Mark is known for a few things, from his Jrue Holiday collection, to the WNBA, and of course his beloved L.A. Lakers. But when he first got back into the hobby, he made the sort of moves and mistakes that might have sent many right back out of the hobby, perhaps for good. Yet Mark stuck around. And just as importantly, he learned, and he pivoted. He got himself pointed in the right direction.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Today we welcome to the show Nick, the Instagram user known as @TastyCardSandwich. Among other things, Nick is a connoisseur of early 2000s cards. But sometimes, as he points out, it's possible to become SO focused on your lane that you miss out on what's happening around you. In Nick's case, it was the rise of some of the biggest modern cards in The Hobby.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Today's guest is Jonathan, better known on IG as @sportscards.and.sunsets. As one-third of the Rough Cuts Vintage Card Podcast, Jonathan and his partners have fun discussing vintage cards and all related topics, which is why you'll find this conversation so interesting. This is Jonathan's tale of what can happen when one wanders a little too far from what makes a collection, a collection.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Today's guest is Robert, @robertm_cards on Instagram, where his feed is full of some of the coolest game-worn cards you'll find. There was a time, a span of about 15 years, when Robert built the sort of collection many of us would love to have. Until, one day, someone came along with an offer he couldn't refuse.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Today's guest is Craig, @NewYorkCitySportsCards on Instagram. Years ago he decided to buy lots of cards of an up-and-coming basketball player, and wouldn't you know it, Craig nailed his assessment. The player became one of the greatest of his generation. When he decided it was time to sell, what he discovered is sports cards are about the long game, and the first urge to sell might be a better time to instead take a step back.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Today's guest is Dr. Jim Beckett, host of the long-running podcast, "Dr. James Beckett Sports Card Insights." It might be hard to believe now, but there was a time when Beckett Media was the upstart underdog. As they began to pick up momentum, Dr. Beckett, who sold the company two decades ago, considered how to manage a then-growing company. But as he learned with one decision, bigger is not always better.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Today's guest is Chad, @Blackhat_Cards on IG. Have you ever really wanted to collect a player, so you buy a card online, it arrives, you look at it, and it doesn't really do it for you? That's what happened to Chad. Then it happened again. And again. And, well, you get the picture.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Today's guest is Dave Spinrad, @ratedrabbi on Instagram, and as you'll hear at the top of this episode, he's worn lots of different hats in his life. The one constant, he says, has been failure. But, he wouldn't have it any other way. In this hobby, sometimes you have to figure out what you DON'T like before you figure out what you do.The Shallow End is hosted by @iowa_dave_sportscards

Today's guest is Andrew, who is @FairStarCards on Instagram. Andrew collects hockey and other sports, and he's a collector who seeks personal connections within the cards he collects. As an educator, he knows that learning can sometimes be painful, but it's what you do with that pain, and how you react, that makes the difference.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Today's guest is Theo, who's ClementeCollector on IG and YouTube. He's a smart, thoughtful collector, he's got a growing YouTube audience, and he was a big contributor to this year's Hobby Palooza. But when he first got back into the hobby, he learned the hard lesson that some cards are irreplaceable.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards