Dr. James Beckett: Sports Card Insights

590 - 1998 Pacific, Omega, and Paramount Baseball with Rich Klein

22 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Pacific's Founder Mike Cramer shared with Rich and me the actual production summary spreadsheets for these three baseball card products - very interes...

589 - Out-Takes on Kids COVID from Hobby Hotline 100921

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Brad Bethune and Jeff Dinson were my co-hosts on Hobby Hotline this month and one of the questions was about the hopefully positive impact of kid's ge...

588 - Basketball Dueling Questions 2.0 with Kyle, Wax Museum

20 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Actually a continuation of the basketball-related questions that Kyle and I started last week - check out Kyle's Wax Museum podcast for all things bas...

587 - Out-Takes on Track Cards from Cloud 259 with Brenn Jones

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Will track and field cards ever be mainstream?  That's how Brenn and I started and we took off from there with what it would take for that to happen ...

586 - Keating Questions 2.0 with John Keating, That Seventies Card Show

18 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

John sent me some questions ahead plus he had a few spontaneous questions as well for us to discuss - enjoyed the interaction with a guy who really lo...

585 - Football Dollar Box Finds (A-D)

16 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Here's a few players and the process I go through when rifling quickly through a football dollar box - the better the player, the more lenient I am, w...

584 - Dueling Questions 3, with Steve Grad, Pawn Stars and Beckett Authentications

15 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Steve and I both had a few more questions left and so we tackled them - your questions for me or others, just send to [email protected] an...

583 - Out-Takes on the ‘70‘s from John Keating‘s That Seventies Card Show

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

John had a number of eclectic questions for me about collecting in the seventies for his excellent topical podcast - his specialty - distant memories ...

582 - Interview: BlakeDOWN, Topps Project 70

13 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Blake is 9 1/2 and has his own YouTube channel - I enjoyed his ambitious take on Topps Project 70 and the 51 artists engaged, which is the current foc...

581 - Bethune Questions for Rich Klein and Me

12 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Brad (TXCardDude) turned the tables on Rich and me, and asked us both some candid questions that elicited some interesting responses.

580 - Recap: Podcast Episodes 559-578

11 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A brief recap of the past four weeks of episodes in case you missed or hurried through some of them - if you have a topic that we should cover, please...

579B - IG Question on Transparency and Conflicts of Interest

09 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There were 14 questions (distilled into one) centering around the dilemma of transparency and conflicts of interest in dealing cards while being an in...

579A - Seven Listener Questions 3.0

09 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Seven more questions or comments about this podcast and the sports card hobby - send yours to [email protected] and thank you very much.

579 - Strong Hobby Friendships

08 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I had a deeper discussion with four of my friends and former colleagues now at Panini, Tracy Hackler, David Porter, Rob Springs, and Tim Trout.  Frie...

578 - Out-Takes on Industry Summit from Hobby Hotline 091821

07 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Drew Herndon, Sam Shuford and I (co-hosts this week of Hobby Hotline) field questions about this year's Industry Summit in Las Vegas - we wish we woul...

577 - What If‘s 10/6/96: BGS?

06 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What if there had been a different (fatal) outcome exactly 25 years ago?  How would Beckett Publications have been affected and specifically BGS at i...

576 - Interview: Bob Brill, Part 2, with Rich Klein

05 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Rich and I hear the rest of Bob's story - including his radio and writing and PR careers, local card shop, collection brokering, and his short-lived g...

575 - Retrospective and Stretching (Tom Brady)

04 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I reprise my episode from two years ago on my wife's birthday and her contributions to this podcast -  including her question about GOAT's - Tom Brad...

574B - Out-Takes on Early ‘80‘s from That Seventies Card Show, John Keating

02 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

John and I discuss the decades immediately after and before his favorite, the 1970's that he deals with in depth in his excellent podcast, That Sevent...

574A - Interview: Sam Shuford, Women of the Hobby, Part 2

02 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The overtime discussion between Sam and me about her vision for involving more women in  our great hobby of sports card collecting.

574 - Interview: Sam Shuford, Women of the Hobby

01 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam and I discuss her origin story as well as her efforts to connect and attract women into our great hobby of sports card collecting - follow her on ...

573 - 1998 Topps TEK Baseball

30 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I won two boxes of this innovative and overlooked product in the latest Huggins and Scott Auction - I opened the box and got almost exactly what I pre...

572 - 1976 and 1977 Topps Baseball, with Rich Klein

29 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Rich and I discuss our experiences and understandings of the 1976 and 1977 Topps baseball sets, when Topps was the only (baseball) game in town.

571 - Hobby Hiatus with Brad Bethune and Rich Klein

28 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How hiatus is defined matters as Rich, Brad, and I discovered.  Thinking of gears like a car, hiatus does not have to mean being in reverse or neutra...

570 - Basketball Dueling Questions 2.0 with Adam Gray, Basketball Card Fanatic

27 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Adam and I could not fit our competing questions within 15 minutes, so here is the rest of our interchange - thanks Adam for your questions.

569B - Seven Listener Questions 2.0

25 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Seven more questions about our great hobby of collecting sports cards - it seems they are picking up - which is fine - I want to talk about things you...

569A - Out-Takes on Co-Op LCS from Hobby Hotline 091821

25 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I co-hosted Hobby Hotline last Saturday along with Drew Herndon and Sam Shuford - toward the end of the show we discussed the interesting implications...

569 - Out-Takes on Education from Wax Museum Kyle

24 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kyle asked me to be on his Wax Museum show, and the theme of his questions and our discussion was education, inside and outside the hobby.  Thanks Ky...

568 - Fernando Valenzuela, with Victor Roman Sr.

23 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Fernando Mania was a huge in 1981 and the early 1980's - Victor, the Rookie Card Specialist, and I experienced it (differently) - however Fernando's R...

567 - Bulk Buying and Selling with Tanner Jones

22 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Not everyone likes to buy a pig in a poke - a large unsorted diverse collection - could be many different sports and span many different years or even...

566 - Interview: Kyle Johnson, COMC Marketing Manager

21 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kyle Johnson discusses his on-boarding as a remote employee of COMC and how he is looking forward to the resumption of show travel for his marketing e...

565 - Dueling Questions 2, with Steve Grad, Pawn Stars and Beckett Authentications

20 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Steve Grad and I go a second round of Dueling Questions - mine more about his specialty and his about my reminiscences and possible regrets.  If you ...

564B - Seven Listener Questions

18 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Seven hobby and sports card questions have arrived and are dealt with briefly - send your questions to [email protected] and thank you for...

564A - 2020-21 Upper Deck Hockey Box Battle

18 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Four interesting products - which would you chose if you had $100 to spend?  Alexis LaFreniere, Star Rookies, UD Extended, or Trilogy? I am a law-abi...

564 - Rookie Card Dueling Questions with Victor Roman Sr.

17 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Victor, the Rookie Card Specialist and All-Time Greats blogger, and I trade questions back and forth exclusively about rookie cards, especially their ...

563 - Executive Proofs with Tanner Jones

16 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tanner and I share our understanding of these elusive collectible cards - their origin, distribution, and rarity - definitely not pack-pulled. 

562 - Out-Takes on Economics from About The Cards

15 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Stefan and Angela Loeffler and Ben Wilson asked me to guest for an hour on their weekly show, About The Cards.  Ben Wilson had apparently been saving...

561 - Smaller Card Shows, with Brad Bethune and Rich Klein

14 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Brad had just returned from setting up at a much smaller card show and related his experiences with Rich and me (who have set up and promoted smaller ...

560 - Recap: Podcast Episodes 539-558

13 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A brief recap of the past four weeks of daily episodes in case you need a refresher.  Send your episode ideas to [email protected] and th...

559B - Seven Existential Hobby Threats

11 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Collectors are frequently asking me about investment risk with sports cards - here today on the exact 20th anniversary of 9/11 are seven macro (potent...

559A - Out-Takes from Dallas Sports Commission Mic Drop

11 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin Sullivan and Monica Paul had me as a guest on their weekly Mic Drop podcast from the Dallas Sports Commission - here are the portions that dealt...

559 - Tribute: Ben Ecklar

10 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ben Ecklar came to Beckett Publications in 1994, probably his first full-time job, and continuously helped build our hobby to what it is today, having...

558 - Notable Non-Rookie Cards of the Fifties, with Rich Klein

09 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Listener Corey Barnes suggested Rich and I discuss notable non-rookie cards over the decades - we start with 1952 Topps and work our way up - more to ...

557 - Content Convo 2: Investment Semantics

08 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do pure collectors recoil at the word investment - is there a stigma - most, but not all, hobbyists consider sports cards and memorabilia an alternati...

556 - Content Convo 2: Base and Parallel Rookie Cards

07 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Many think there are too many parallels these days.  Victor Roman, Rookie Card Specialist, asked the group to re-consider whether the parallels of th...

555 - Content Convo 2: Future of Marketplaces

06 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The big Fanatics news and shake-up in the sports cards category will certainly affect the existing marketplaces where cards are bought and sold.

554B - Six Listener Questions 8.0

04 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Listeners do not run out questions - some interesting and eclectic ones this time - send yours to [email protected] and thanks!

554A - Out-Takes with Andy Friedman, Topps Spotlight 70

04 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Andy and I continued our wide-ranging conversation, about the hobby and other tangential considerations that might surprise you.  Thanks again, Andy,...

554 - Andy Friedman, Topps Spotlight 70

03 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Andy (accomplished artist, writer, musician) describes the artistic freedom given him by Topps in approaching and executing his 70-year retrospective ...

553 - Content Convo 2: Future of Manufacturers

02 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Our group of hobby content creators discussed the future of card manufacturers and how we think the recent Fanatics news might affect them and others ...

552 - Content Convo 2: Intros and Stickiness

01 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The hobby content creators dinner at the Watters Creek show on Saturday Aug 28th immediately after the show - here are the self intros of the attendee...

551 - Basketball Dueling Questions with Adam Gray, Basketball Card Fanatic

31 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Basketball questions only for this dueling questions battle with Adam Gray.  Any ideas you have for episode topics - send to doctorjamesbeckett@gmail...

550 - Dueling Questions with Nat Turner, PSA, Part 2

30 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The rest of the questions from Nat and to Nat about our great hobby and how we see it and have seen it in our experiences.

549B - Six Listener Questions 7.0

28 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Another six listener questions on a variety of hobby subjects - lots of big happenings these days - exciting to be in the greatest hobby in the world....

549A - Out-Takes on Collecting Activities from Breaking Cardboard

28 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

John (Sports Card Nation) and Corey (YamWax) both asked me some penetrating questions about how I and others collect or have collected over the decade...

549 - Out-Takes on Legacy Stories from Breaking Cardboard

27 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

John Newman's new monthly live show debuted with Corey of YamWax as co-host and myself as guest - we had a great time talking hobby for an hour - here...

548 - Basketball Dueling Questions with Kyle, Wax Museum

26 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kyle's Wax Museum podcast is one of my favorite regular listens - here Kyle and I bounce basketball hobby questions off each other.

547 - Interview: Bob Brill, with Rich Klein

25 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Bob Brill's Brill Report was a must-read back in the 1990's, plus Bob did so many other innovative things in the organized hobby - we hear directly fr...

546 - Dan Ertle, CBCS

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dan Ertle shares his (non-sport and comic book) collecting story and how CBCS has blended into the outstanding Beckett Media team of graders and authe...

545 - Dueling Questions with Nat Turner, PSA

23 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Questions to and from Nat Turner, collector extraordinaire, and owner/CEO of PSA/Collectors Universe.

544C - Out-Takes on Fanatics from Hobby Hotline 082121

22 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Fanatics will be taking over for Topps in 2025 as the sole licensee for the  baseball card category.  This morning on Hobby Hotline I was joined by ...

544B - Five Listener Questions 2.0

21 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Five different and new questions from listeners accumulated and answered - send your questions to [email protected] and thanks!

544A - Out-Takes from Adam Gray, Basketball Card Fanatic

21 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

These are remarks coming before and after our scheduled Basketball Dueling Questions episode (to be released shortly), which I thought were worthy of ...

544 - Topps Out in 2025?

20 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Huge bombshell news that Fanatics will be taking over the baseball card license from Topps in 2025 as a joint venture with MLB and MLBPA.  Major impl...

543 - Then and Now: PR, with Rich Klein

19 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Rich and I talk about our experiences with public relations within and outside the hobby, especially our days working together at Beckett Publications...

542 - Out-Takes from Sports Cards Live 072421

18 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I was Jeremy Lee's guest on the first hour or so of Sports Cards Live the week before the National - this is 14 minutes excerpted from that longer liv...

541 - Out-Takes from For The Hobby with Jordan Hagedorn

17 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jordan interviewed me for his "For The Hobby" podcast and here is a brief excerpt form his longer interview, which can be caught in its entirety by hi...

540 - Recap: Podcast Episodes 519-538

16 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A brief recap of the past four weeks of short daily audio episodes in case you missed some - each episode stands on its own and hopefully most are eve...

539B - Tribute: Rich Altman, Hollywood Collectibles

14 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sad to report dealer Rich Altman, mainstay of the sports card show circuit, including promoting his own large shows, has passed away.  This brief tri...

539A - Rejoinder: Mortality Dueling Questions

14 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As soon as Brad and I signed off, I realized we had not addressed some concerns that were worth adding to the discussion on this timely topic for baby...

539 - Mortality Dueling Questions with Brad Askew

13 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The first Dueling Questions on this topic - Brad and I have had time to reflect since our last conversation and each of us has additional thoughts to ...

538 - Out-Takes from Stacking Slabs with Brett McGrath

12 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Brett asked some excellent questions during his longer Stacking Slabs interview of me - here are two threads I thought I would pass on to you but I ce...

537 - COMC Hacks with Mike Sommer, Part 3

11 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This is the third and final installment of our conversation about COMC and its nuances.  Hope you have learned something helpful.

536 - 1974 and 1975 Topps Baseball, with Rich Klein

10 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Rich and I compare and contrast these two popular Topps baseball card products - we mostly agree!

535 - IRS Considerations with John Keating

09 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Anyone with a side gig should know some basic do's and don't's as applies to doing your Federal income tax return, where documenting basis and expense...

534B - NSCC National Aftermath: Logistics

07 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The show was terrific - extremely crowded - and ran smoothly for me - the dinners were festive - but my airport experiences were another story.

534A - NSCC National Aftermath: Cards

07 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A recap of my experience at this year's National in Chicago, arguably the best ever with people and cards galore.

534 - COMC Hacks with Mike Sommer, Part 2

06 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mike and I went back and forth with a few more suggestions of how users can optimize the COMC platform for more profit and enjoyment.

533 - Starting an LCS with Jordan Hagedorn

05 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jordan is planning the opening of his new "For The Hobby" local card shop in Eau Claire, Wisconsin for later this fall.

532 - Speed Sorting

04 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I reveal some of my (long-honed over the decades considering hundreds of thousands of cards) speed sorting tips - no copyright, no trademark, no paten...

531 - COMC Hacks with Mike Sommer, Wax Pack Hero

03 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mike and I sit down for a discussion of how to get the most out of the COMC experience for buyers and sellers and flippers.

530 - 1988-90 Topps Big Baseball, with Rich Klein

02 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What was Topps thinking with this three-year run of slightly oversized veteran-centric baseball cards?  Rich and I try to reverse engineer their thin...

529B - Out-Takes from Hobby Hotline 072421

31 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hobby Hotline, the live call in show ranged over a variety of topics in this episode, which aired the week before the National; my co-hosts were Rich ...

529A - Tribute: Fred Reed, BP VP

31 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Fred Reed brought editorial structure to Beckett Publications at the onset and during the high growth years.  His legacy includes the amazing people ...

529 - Keating Questions with John Keating

30 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

John Keating had enough interesting hobby questions that we made a whole episode out of our dialogue.

528 - Dueling Questions with Jordan Hagedorn, For the Hobby

29 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Irrepressible Jordan Hagedorn returns with some interesting questions and answers for this Dueling Questions segment.

527 - Out-Takes on Grading from Pack to the Future

28 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tim, Chad, and Ricky were joined by John Newman for this special HobbyPalooza edition of Pack to the Future.  I joined in for the last half and here ...

526 - Final National Prep

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I am leaving tomorrow - here are my last minute thoughts on how I am preparing differently than any other prior year - see you there!

525 - Tribute: Audre, Eddie, and Steve Gold, AU Sports, with Rich Klein

26 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Long-time National dealers and card shop owners, the Gold family from the Chicago area, have passed but are not forgotten - an amazing family - Rich a...

524B - Giannis Antetokounmpo, Superstar

24 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Giannis' performance throughout the NBA playoffs and culminating in his break-through performance in the final game 6 have moved him up another layer ...

524A - Joe Orlando, PSA

24 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Orlando, CEO of PSA's parent Collectors Universe, resigned last week after 22 years with the company.  This is my take on that decision and its i...

524 - Football Dueling Questions, with David Lee

23 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The first time for this format of "topical" dueling questions with football expert David Lee - our first questions overlapped!

523 - Out-Takes from Bernard Nomberg's Facebook Live

22 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Bernard co-moderates a Facebook sports card group and I enjoyed their live session - here are a few excerpts.  Thanks Bernard!

522 - Out-Takes on The National from Hobby Hotline 071021

21 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For this month's appearance on Hobby Hotline, I was joined by nine of the other co-hosts for a special edition in honor of the annual HobbyPalooza, wh...

521 - Out-Takes on the National from Hobby Hotline 062621

20 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Several interesting "what if's" about the upcoming National in Chicago are posed to my fellow co-hosts at Hobby Hotline, Jeremy Lee and Jeff Defness45...

520 - Recap: Podcast Episodes 499-518

19 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A brief recap of the past four weeks of daily audio episodes in case you missed some or are just a little curious.  Thanks for listening!

519B - Out-Takes on Sustainability from the Virtual Expo

17 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I was on a distinguished panel for the Virtual Expo along with moderator Jeremy Lee and Karvin Cheung and Chris McGill discussing the sustainability o...

519A - Five Listener Questions

17 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The most recent five questions coming in from listeners - send your questions to [email protected] and I hope to address your concern quic...

519 - Dueling Questions 2.0 with Jay Swartz

16 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jay and I go another round of friendly questions about the "hobby" we both love.  In fact is it still a hobby?

518 - Preparing for the National with Brad Askew

15 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Brad made a list so he can be fully prepared for a fabulous National this year in Chicago - I compared his list to mine for your listening benefit.