Is the collectibles market hitting a new ceiling, or are we just getting started?

In this episode, we dive deep into a record-breaking month for the hobby. We cover the staggering $13 million private sale of Batman #1 and Superman #1, and the historic $15 million Nicolas Cage copy of Action Comics #1 that has officially redefined "blue-chip" assets.

But it’s not just about the millionaires; we’re looking at how Bandai is declaring war on One Piece scalpers with strict new rules, the "perfect" science behind a PSA 10 Gem Mint grade, and a legendary "attic find" that turned a family's inheritance into a multi-million dollar legacy.

In the Guest Chair: Adam Kellenberger

We are joined by former shop owner and comic art dealer Adam Kellenberger (Owner of Comic Boards Ink). Adam takes us behind the curtain of the comic art world to discuss:

• The Transition: Moving from a local card shop owner to a high-end art dealer.
• Art vs. Cards: What makes a piece of art a "1-of-1" compared to a sports card?
• Modern Masters: Why artist Sveta Shubina is taking the industry by storm and how her unique style is carving out a new niche.
• The Big Stage: A preview of MegaCon and what it’s really like traveling the country trading in ink and paper.

Inside This Episode:

• Hobby Headlines: The $18M "Big Five" and the 7-foot Silver Surfer statue found on Facebook.
• The Grading Standard: What actually goes into a PSA 10?
• Scalper Wars: Is Bandai’s new One Piece policy a win for fans or a loss for sealed collectors?
• Interview with Adam Kellenberger: Origin stories, the birth of Comic Boards Ink, and the legends of comic art.
• What Ya Got In The Stack: Adam shows off a personal favorite from his private collection.

Connect with our Guest:

• Comic Boards Ink: http://comicboardsinc.com/ & @comicboardsink
• Follow Sveta Shubina’s Art: https://svetashubina.com/ & @sveta_has on Instagram
• Follow Andrew Tarusov’s Art: https://tarusov.com & @askandy on Instagram
• Kickstarter Campaign Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/svetashubinaart/dreadfull-iii

Welcome back to Cards On Blast, your home for the latest trading card news, market moves, and deep dives into the world of collecting. This week, JT and the Bird are heading to Western PA to shine the spotlight on Pittsburgh, a city with some of the most storied franchises and "blue-chip" legends in the hobby.

🎙️ In This Episode:

📰 Hobby Headlines

• The Blue X-Fractor Fumble: Topps advertised exclusive Blue X-Fractors in their 2025–26 Chrome Basketball Mega Boxes, but collectors found only silvers. We break down the "exchange program" and why this is a nightmare for those holding hot rookies like Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey.
• The $2M Fraud Conviction: A Redmond man is heading to prison for a years-long scheme involving forged PSA labels on Michael Jordan and Pokémon grails.
• Live Commerce Boom: Whatnot’s 2026 report is out—sports cards are officially the #1 category in the U.S., with over 6.4 million cards moving a month.

🆕 New Releases & Market Moves We dive into the heavy hitters dropping this week, including:

• 2025 Panini Prizm Football: The $1,000 hobby box chase for Color Blast and the next generation of NFL stars.
• 2025 Topps Pristine Baseball & Museum Collection: Premium patches, on-card autos, and the return of the "Atelier" booklets.
• Specialty Drops: Detroit Red Wings Centennial (Octopus Ink!), Topps Chrome Premier League, and Topps Royalty UFC.

🏙️ City Spotlight: Pittsburgh We’re ranking the Top 5 Must-Own Legends for every major Pittsburgh franchise. Whether you’re chasing the "Great One" of shortstops, the "Steel Curtain" icons, or hockey royalty, we’ve got your shopping list ready:

• Pirates: From Honus Wagner to the legendary Roberto Clemente.
• Steelers: Why Joe Greene and Big Ben are the pillars of any Steelers PC.
• Penguins: The ultimate debate—Sidney Crosby or Mario Lemieux?

📦 Crack That Pack & Pull of the Week Bird rips into Allen & Ginter and Disney, while JT hunts for 2025 Chrome Baseball. Plus, don't miss our Card Pull of the Week: an insane Travis Hunter Orange Fluorescent RC from Mosaic!

"In Pittsburgh, we don't just collect players; we collect legacies. From the Immaculate Reception to Mario saving the franchise, the Steel City is a goldmine for the hobby."

Episode 34 - Windy City Takeover | Cards On Blast ⚾🏀🏈🏒

Welcome back to Cards On Blast, your home for the latest card news, market moves, and deep dives into the world of collecting. This week, JT and the Bird are taking a trip to the 312! We’re breaking down the legendary sports history of Chicago and how the icons of the Windy City still dominate the card market today.

But first, the hobby is on fire! We’re discussing the massive $1.1M Paul Skenes sale, the upcoming 2026 Topps flagship changes, and Dan Marino’s surprise baseball debut. Plus, Bird cracks a fresh pack of SEIZE: Gilded Treasures—does he find the fire?

In this episode, we cover:

• The Debut Patch Craze: Breaking down the Top 5 MLB Debut Patch sales (including that Skenes monster).
• Topps 1952 Lockdown: Why Topps is restricting the most iconic design in history starting in 2026.
• Mari-Knows: Dan Marino joins the 2025 Bowman Draft lineup.
• Chicago City Spotlight: The "Mount Rushmore" of Chicago cards across the Cubs, White Sox, Bulls, Bears, and Blackhawks.

🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES

📸 Follow us on Instagram: @CardsOnBlast

Listen to the full audio experience on: 🎧 Spotify 🎧 Apple Music 🎧 Amazon Music

Are you team "Old Slab" or "New Slab" for the Logan Paul Pikachu? Let us know in the comments! 👇

#SportsCards #TheHobby #ChicagoSports #MichaelJordan #Topps #BowmanDraft #Collectibles #CardsOnBlast #WalterPayton #ErnieBanks #FrankThomas

PHILLY IS IN THE BUILDING! 🔔⚾️🦅🏀

Episode 33 of Cards on Blast is live, and we’re taking the City Spotlight to the 215! From the Broad Street Bullies to the "Process," Philadelphia has some of the most legendary cards and characters in the hobby.

In this episode: 🏙️ The Philly Mount Rushmore: Mike Schmidt, Dr. J, Reggie White, and Bobby Clarke. Who’s your #1 Philly icon? 📉 Hobby Headlines: Is Beckett moving to a PSA-style upcharge model? We break down the rumors. 🐢 MTG Turtle Takeover: The "Lorwyn Eclipsed" error that has Ninja Turtles popping up in the wrong set! ⚾ Topps at 75: Our first look at the 2026 Series 1 design and that diamond-encrusted logo.

Question for the comments: Which Philly legend has the most "must-own" card? Is it a Mike Schmidt rookie, an Iverson Chrome, or a vintage Wilt? 👇

#CardsOnBlast #PhillySports #PhiladelphiaPhillies #Eagles #Sixers #Flyers #TheHobby #Topps75 #MTG #Beckett Grading

This week on Cards On Blast, JT and the Bird are heading to the "City of Champions." We’re taking a deep dive into the legendary Boston sports market, from the multi-million dollar Tom Brady rookies to the vintage grails of Bill Russell and Ted Williams. If it wears the Red, White, Blue, or Green, we’re talking about its place in your collection.

But first, we have to address the "statistical impossibility" rocking the hobby. We break down the Filthbomb Controversy: How did one breaker pull three MLB Debut Patches back-to-back in 12 hours? Is it just incredible luck, or are the cases "juiced"? We look at the 1-in-37-billion math and what this means for the average collector.

In this episode:

• Hobby Headlines: The Filthbomb/Topps Chrome Update drama and a massive list of new pre-orders (Pristine, Midnight Basketball, and more).
• City Spotlight - Boston: The ultimate checklist for Patriots, Celtics, Red Sox, and Bruins collectors. We discuss why Brady’s Championship Ticket and Russell’s 1957 Topps remain the gold standards.
• Crack That Pack: Bird rips into Pokémon Twilight Masquerade—will he find the chase?
• What’s In The Stack: Bird shows off some heavy-hitting Boston bangers from his personal stash.

Join the conversation: Who is your ultimate Boston GOAT to collect? Leave a comment and let us know!

Is New York City the most valuable "Hobby City" in the world? In this

episode, JT and the Bird take a bite out of the Big Apple to explore the

legendary cards and icons that define the NYC market.

In this episode:

🚨 UK Breaking Scandal: We dive into "The Hobby Box" controversy and the

alleged pack-switch that has the community demanding transparency.

🗽 City Spotlight: From the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle to Derek Jeter’s SP Foil, we break down why the "New York Premium" is real.

🏀 The Garden & Beyond: Featuring Knicks legends, the rising stars of the NY Liberty, and the king of Brooklyn, Mike Tyson.

📈 Market Moves: Pre-order alerts for 2025 Bowman Draft and the unique Leaf Eclectic Signature Series.

🚨 EPISODE 30 ALERT! 🚨 Get ready for a monumental City Spotlight on the San Francisco (Bay Area)! This episode is packed with game-changing hobby news: Is Collectors Holdings facing an FTC antitrust probe? You won't believe the $3.17 millionprice tag on a rare Kobe/Jordan dual Logoman! We also track the hottest 2025 Topps Chrome sales, marvel at a record-breaking Cooper Flagg card, and preview all the exciting new product releases.

But that's not all! We're celebrating the legends who define Bay Area sports – from Stephen Curry and Joe Montana to Jerry Rice and Willie Mays. Tune in for "What Ya Got in the Stack" and see our "Card Pull of the Week"! Whether you're a long-time collector or new to the hobby, this episode has something for every Bay Area fan!

#BayAreaSports #DubNation #StephCurry #CooperFlagg #TheHobby #SportsCards #CardPull #NewReleases #HobbyNews

Welcome back to the show! In Episode 29, we're taking a deep dive into the legendary players worth collecting of the City of Angels: Los Angeles!

🔥 Hobby Headlines & Record Sales

We kick things off with major hobby news, including the massive acquisition of Beckett by Collectors (the parent company of PSA) and what it means for the grading landscape. Then, we break down the Top 5 Non-Sports Card Sales of 2025, featuring a record-smashing 1977 Star Wars Luke Skywalker card, a half-million dollar 1999 Prerelease Raichu Pokémon card, and the explosion of the One Piece TCG market! Plus, the immediate surfacing of the Nick Kurtz 1/1 Topps Chrome Update Rookie Debut Patch after last year's month long Paul Skenes chase.

📆 New Releases

Get your wallets ready! We run through a packed release schedule from December 15th to the 19th, including:

• 2025-26 Topps Chrome Basketball
• 2025 Panini Impeccable WNBA
• 2025 Topps Cosmic Chrome Baseball
• 2025 Panini Flawless Baseball
• ...and many more!

✨ City Spotlight: Los Angeles - The Card Kings

In our main segment, we profile the collecting Mount Rushmore of Los Angeles sports! We look at the must-have cards for some of the greatest athletes to ever grace the city:

• Kobe Bryant (Lakers): Targeting his iconic Rookie Card and high-end memorabilia.
• LeBron James (Lakers): Highlighting his modern Lakers-era Panini Prizm cards and Topps certified sets.
• Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers): Covering his historic move to the Dodgers and the value of his 2024 graded cards.
• Mookie Betts (Dodgers): Discussing his elite, low-numbered Topps Chrome parallels.
• We also shout out legends like Magic Johnson, Wayne Gretzky, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mike Trout, and Sandy Koufax!

Stick around for Crack That Pack, What Ya Got In The Stack, and the Card Pull of the Week! Don't forget to like, subscribe, and let us know your favorite player from LA in the comments!

#️⃣ Hashtags

#SportsCards #CardCollecting #HobbyNews #KobeBryant #LeBronJames #ShoheiOhtani #Lakers #Dodgers #TradingCards #Beckett #PSA #NonSportsCards #PokemonCards #OnePieceTCG #ToppsChrome #Panini #LosAngeles