The Shallow End (david.asa.schwartz)

In this episode, @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards talks with Adam (@SplendidSports) about his ambitious collecting goals and how he reaches them. This is a story of discipline, patience, and sticking to the plan.

For years, Jeremy Lee (@Jlee_sportscardslive) chased a card he wanted from a set he appreciated. Just when he thought the card wouldn't be his, along came another one he didn't know existed. Often in the sports-card hobby, it pays to be patient and play the long game. Instant gratification is rarely the best route.

The Chase is a limited series on The Shallow End podcast feed. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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Aaron (@Irish_Sportscards_21) was always a big fan of former Boston Red Sox slugger Mo Vaughn. He knew which Vaughn card he coveted, but ever since he joined the hobby, Aaron recognized the value of fiscal responsibility. So when he decided to finally chase his Vaughn grail, he went about it the right way.

The Chase is a limited series on The Shallow End podcast feed. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

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Matt aka @timmy_d_21_pc returns, and he's been busy. One of the hobby's most thoughtful collectors is here to talk the value of patience, research, and realizing that more is not always more. Plus, we hear the story behind his incredible Shohei Ohtani auto.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz (IG: @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards)

How boring would this hobby be if we all collected the same thing? In this episode, we speak with Chad aka @blackhat_cards on IG. He collects players from his beloved Minnesota, but he also collects the villains of sport. Many of the athletes who make up his PC have decided to wear the black hat.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz (@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards)

Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Todd aka @G7_Cards. Todd collected sports card, mostly of players from the St. Louis Cardinals, but something felt like it was missing. When he discovered cards that captured scenes from literature, he knew he’d found his niche.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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(Originally aired 7.21.2023) Social media is a meaningful, powerful tool in our hobby. It also can create the misconception that everyone's collection is better than yours. It's not. Your PC is just fine.

It's been a big year for sports cards in The Shallow End, but don't confuse the word "big" with good. There have been some fun achievements but also some disappointing failures. In this episode, Dave looks back at his year in collecting 2024.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Rob aka @RobWongCollects. Rob, a longtime sports journalist in Toronto, wanted to remember his career through sports cards. This is how he's doing it.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is AJ aka @TradingCardFinds. One day AJ was in a card shop when he looked down and saw something he'd never seen. It was the hobby equivalent of love at first sight.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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As one-half of the team behind the podcast Global Card Collectors, John (@IstanbulCards) puts together his NBA PC while chatting with other collectors from across the globe. In this episode, we talk about the origins of his Luka Doncic collection, Michael Jordan's unending global impact, and why Crusade inserts aren't as harmless as they seem.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

We all want to feel like we're in control of our own destiny, but a little more than two years ago, a moment of luck and an act of kindness sent me down a new path in the sports-card hobby. This is that story.

Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Greg aka @TimSalmonCollector. Learn how Greg's decision to spend a little more changed the trajectory of his collection.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

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License code: ONWKL496FS2NZ4IP

In this episode, it's three stories in 15 minutes.

1. A card negotiation in the shallow end of the collecting pool

2. Dave once again gets tripped up by his hobby nemesis

3. A new, surprising experience that could have ended badly, but didn't

- The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz (@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards)

Beginning Monday, Nov. 4, The Shallow End will drop a new episode in your podcast feed for 27 consecutive days. This limited-run series, "27 Decisions," will run Nov. 4-30, and each day will feature a new interview with a collector about a decision or moment that changed the direction of their hobby experience. More details in today's short episode of The Shallow End.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Anyone who's collected sports cards for a while can tell you that it's not the cards of superstars that are hardest to find. It's the older, rarer cards of second-tier stars that drive us nuts. Caleb (@calebm2034) can testify to that. This is a story of patience and persistence.

The Chase is a limited series on The Shallow End podcast feed. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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Clark, curator of @fivecardguys and host of the Cards to the Moon podcast, recently committed to attending his first National. Then he changed his mind and will instead go to the first Fanatics Fest a month later in New York. Here's why. Plus, we talked about Cards to the Moon recently celebrating its third anniversary, how he keeps it fresh, and we close by playing some sports-card related games.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Justin aka @Deepsouth_Hobbyist. Justin's decision wasn't to start something new, but to keep something he already had. Sometimes, the best moves are the ones we don't make.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Robert aka @Sole.Tuf⁠. Learn how a '90s basketball collector ignited a new area of collecting thanks to one of the most iconic vintage cards ever produced.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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(Originally aired 11.3.2023) Paul Hickey has a simple question: Why? The person behind @sportscardstrategy and NoOffSeason.com visits with Dave to discuss why it's important to investigate the personal motives behind our collecting. Paul is a proud sports-card investing strategist who's built his business on transparency. What you see is what you get. No tricks, no misdirection, just straight-forward talk about sports cards and money.

Last week The Shallow End wrapped up its limited run November series, 27 Decisions. Today, we take a look back at the series and reveal a big takeaway from each of the 27 episodes with 27 collectors.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Would you trade 24 cards for one? Most of us in the hobby would – and have. In this episode, Dave talks about some recent moves he needed to make in order to pick up a new card.

When Tony (@tj.isonline) returned to sports cards, he decided Reggie Jackson would be one of his guys. And when he learned the story of one of the hobby's great urban legends, about a card only a small handful of collectors even knew existed, he began his case. If this is the last podcast episode I ever do (it won't be), I'll retire satisfied.

The Chase is a limited series on The Shallow End podcast feed. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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In this episode, we try something new. It's an audio essay, a meditative piece that looks at a side of sports cards many people ignore – but shouldn't.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

(Originally aired 6.23.2023) Before Upper Deck unleashed the '89 Griffey, and before Topps' 1980 Henderson became iconic, there was no bigger hobby chase in the 1980s than the 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly. In this first episode of The Shallow End, Dave, now middle aged and balding, finally gets his Donnie Baseball.

In his modern collecting, Chris (@venezuelan_league_stickers) likes parallels and hard-to-find cards. But in his beloved post-war vintage, not a lot of parallels are to be had. So he discovered a sector of vintage that scratches both itches: his love of vintage, and his love of scarcity.

The Chase is a limited series on The Shallow End podcast feed. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Chris aka @crt_sportscards. At first, all Chris wanted was to buy a few cards to commemorate a trip to Chicago. Little did he know then it would turn into the chase of a lifetime.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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Sometimes in the sports-card hobby, we lose control. We know the right thing to, but we just can't seem to do it. In those moments, we might need extreme measures to protect us from ourselves. This is one of those moments.

Kevin (@Colorado.Collector on Instagram) started back in the hobby by trying to collect his favorite Colorado Rockies. Several years later, he's built a PC that is both deeply personal and full of the types of cards that many collectors can only dream of. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz. Follow him on IG at @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards.

Some of us in the sports-card hobby spend more time on eBay than we do with our families. But it's important to remember that eBay doesn't exist to give us a place to hang out. It exists to separate us from our money.

Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Drake aka @Drakes_PC. Last summer, Drake finally landed his white whale, the best Peyton Manning Essential Credentials in existence. But what happens after you acquire your top card? Where do you go when you've already reached the top of the mountain?

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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(Originally aired 9.15.2023) There comes a point in everyone's PC when the status quo just isn't good enough. We want more. We want different. We need something new. In this episode, Brandon talks about his transformation.

In this wide-ranging episode that covers decision-making, the value of process, media overload and other topics, Jason @Contrarian_Cards and Dave set the stage for the start of a new collecting year.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Where Dave lives, a card show is a special occasion. They don't happen all that often, but that doesn't mean they're not plagued with the same issues as card shows across the country. At least the dollar boxes were good.

It's a fine line: You've found the sports card you're looking for, but it's in someone else's collection. How do you chase down the card when the other person isn't ready to move it? Robby (@412Sportscards on IG) has some great ideas on the matter.

The Chase is a limited series on The Shallow End podcast feed. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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(Originally aired 10.27.2023) It's an accepted fact since the dawn of time that 1980s baseball cards are the most fun baseball cards—even if they're clearly not the most financially valuable. Dan and Dave talk '80s cards, '80s baseball, and share five of their favorites.

There's a term in the British art world used to describe someone who doesn't think for themselves, who only collects based on what others are doing, and what they think is "right." In this episode, we talk about that insult and how it applies to sports cards.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Brandon (@flagshipchromecollector) knows that a set-build is no small commitment. He is the veteran of multiple successful completed sets. In this episode, he shares the ups and downs, highs and lows of what can only be described as a labor of love and nostalgia.

The Chase is a limited series on The Shallow End podcast feed. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

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Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Joe aka @JRFIllini. Joe grew up a Bears fan, but when he decided he wanted to collect a player from 1990s, let's just say the Bears didn't present the most attractive options. Enter: Steve McNair.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

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Great news! One of my favorite athletes has rookie cards coming out soon. Bad news. Half the planet will be looking for them, driving up prices while shrinking availability. That begs the question: Should I—or should I not—collect Caitlin Clark cards?

If you're going to chase something in sports cards, don't make it too easy. That's one of the philosophies of Kevin aka @kevin.m.cormier, whose chase of a fully signed set from the mid-1980s came with failed attempts and month-long patches with little to no movement. But he got there, eventually, and his effort landed him a unique hobby accomplishment.

The Chase is a limited series on The Shallow End podcast feed. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

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Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Josh aka @InspiredSportsCards. Josh has lots of interests, but lately one area of the hobby is taking up more real estate than usual: autographs. This conversation stands out because we talked during the planning stage of this big move. In this stage, research is everything.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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Soccer-collector Mark (@SJSoccerCards) joined the hobby just two years ago. Like all of us, he's making mistakes, learning lessons, and discovering which cards stoke his interests. In this episode, meet a collector who appreciates cards as much for their artistic value as for their personal connections.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz (@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards)

Step 1: Identify the most collected team in all of baseball. Step 2: Identify one of the most iconic parallels from the late 1990s. Step 3: Decide you want to collect the entire team run. Congrats! You've just entered the world of Dalton, aka @refractorguy812.

The Chase is a limited series on The Shallow End podcast feed. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

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Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Sports Cards Live's Jeremy Lee aka @jlee_sportscardslive. Jeremy has been part of the hobby for four decades. He makes his living through sports cards. But earlier this year when he saw a certain Babe Ruth card, he realized something important: a single sports card still had the power to leave him awestruck.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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Collector Kevin M. Cormier once called it the "paralysis of indecision." It's those moments when you have too many cards that you want, the funds to get some, and the decision and contemplation becomes so much that you end up doing nothing. On this episode, we consider it from a slightly different perspective—from the unhelpful point of view of "What If …"

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

Read the Kevin Cormier interview from June 6, 2023, ⁠here⁠.

Sometimes a mistake is the best thing that can happen to us.

This is an episode about process, about asking ourselves questions that will keep us focused. In this episode, Dave shares the six questions he tries to ask himself before each card acquisition.

Welcome to Volume 4 of The Shallow End: Total Content. In this edition, we hear 13 clips from the best and most interesting sports-card podcasts.

You watch them on the field. You track their cards across eBay and MySlabs. And you daydream about adding them to your collection – for better or worse. They're the players who cause FOMO: the fear of missing out.

The biggest U.S. sports figure over the last year has been basketball player Caitlin Clark. Now, armed with a fresh Panini contract as her WNBA career is set to begin with the Indiana Fever, the former University of Iowa star is beginning a new chapter in her remarkable run. To commemorate the moment, Dave welcomes three guests into The Shallow End:

• Keith Murphy, WHO-TV Des Moines broadcaster who has covered Clark since her freshman year of high school (4:32)

• Brett McGrath, the Stacking Slabs Podcast host and Indiana native who's now directly in the path of the Caitlin Clark Experience (33:20)

• Carter aka @MCBasketballPC, a WNBA fan and card collector with unique insights into how Clark's soon-to-be-released Panini cards might affect the hobby (57:13)

- The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_SportsCards

After greed, it's the sports-card hobby's greatest affliction: FOMO. The fear of missing out. Recent research has sought how to combat FOMO, with much of that research focusing on an antidote: JOMO — the joy of missing out. It's not a perfect solution, but it's a start. Let's dig in.

The sports-card hobby is an ecosystem. It has apex predators, parasites and everything in between. If you're among the 99 percent of collectors who fall somewhere between the two ends of the hobby spectrum, how do you survive it?

Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Ernie aka @mre_collector. Learn how Ernie's decision to personalize his Baltimore Ravens PC brought him closer to both the hobby and his heritage.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

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In sports cards, is there such a thing as too many collecting rules? Can we build so many walls that fun gives way to limitations? In this episode, Pat (@Insta_Account_Haver) returns to discuss collecting lanes, their usefulness, and moments when they might not be.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

In this episode of The Shallow End, we celebrate the quirkier sides of our PC's. We honor the lanes of our collections that nobody but us truly appreciates.

I need your help.

I’m working on something—something special—and I need your help.

Have you ever made a major change to your collection? Have you ever picked up a new card, or started putting together a new set, or focused on a new player … that changed the direction of how you collect sports cards?

If so, and if you’d like to talk with me, I’d like to talk with you.

I’m Dave Schwartz, and this is my podcast, The Shallow End. You can reach me on Instagram @IowaDave_Sportscards.

I’m interested in hearing from collectors who were willing to make a change, and I want to HEAR about that change—or that moment—because I think there are lots of us out there who would like to know, too.

If you’ve never been on a podcast before, this is your time to say hello to your fellow collectors in a safe setting. And if you’re a podcast regular, or have your OWN podcast, I’d love to hear from you too. Nobody is too big or too unknown in this hobby to take part in this special series I’m putting together. This will be a series by everyone, for everyone.

Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

I need your help.

I’m working on something—something special—and I need your help.

Have you ever made a major change to your collection? Have you ever picked up a new card, or started putting together a new set, or focused on a new player … that changed the direction of how you collect sports cards?

If so, and if you’d like to talk with me, I’d like to talk with you. I’m Dave Schwartz, and this is my podcast, The Shallow End. You can reach me on Instagram @IowaDave_Sportscards. I’m interested in hearing from collectors who were willing to make a change, and I want to HEAR about that change—or that moment—because I think there are lots of us out there who would like to know, too. If you’ve never been on a podcast before, this is your time to say hello to your fellow collectors in a safe setting. And if you’re a podcast regular, or have your OWN podcast, I’d love to hear from you too. Nobody is too big or too unknown in this hobby to take part in this special series I’m putting together. This will be a series by everyone, for everyone.

Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

In the third installment of The Shallow End: Total Content, we catch up with some of the most interesting hobby content from the last month.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz (@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards)

For Dan (yankeedoodledandycards), it's not just about finding any sports card to finish his player run. It's about finding the best version – to create the best possible player run of a Hall of Famer in a prized parallel. Dan shows us the value of being meticulous while maintaining high standards.

The Chase is a limited series on The Shallow End podcast feed. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

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Do we collect cards? Or do cards collect us? Who's really in control here? If you suspect you're not in control of your own collecting, there's a little-known remedy: Say no to the cards you want.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Justin, aka @740SmithCards, PC's Michael Jordan, but the rest of his PC is made up almost entirely of non-Hall of Famers—players who hold a special place in his history as a fan of Ohio sports. In this episode, we hear how Justin marries his passion for collecting childhood heroes with his fondness for some of the era's most unique and memorable sets of sports cards. We also learn that Justin doesn't consider himself an influencer, except when it comes to passing along knowledge of the hobby to his kids.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz, @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards on IG.

Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Tony aka @SouthernCollector14. Learn how Tony's spontaneous decision to throw a bid on a '52 Mantle landed him a copy of the hobby's most iconic card.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

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(Originally aired 9.1.2023) Steve (aka @domer_cards on IG) visits to discuss his growing Notre Dame PC — a collection rooted in his rich history with the Fighting Irish.

(Originally aired 8.25.2023) Dave finally makes a major pickup that he'd had his eye on for some time. Unfortunately, it came at a significant price to his collection.

Dave saved up to buy a card that long had been on his watchlist. But when he finally had the funds, something happened: he didn't buy it. This is the story of what made him stop.

Host: Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Sometimes the moment comes when the truth hits you: Your sports-card PC isn't what you want it to be. That can be a bad feeling, but it comes with good news. It's never too late to change how and what you collect.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz (@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards on IG)

Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Matt aka @CatchingHeaters. A few years back, Matt bought a 2019 Stadium Club Chrome Juan Soto in the gold minted parallel. Three years later, he finished the entire set. Here's how—and why—he did it.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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(Originally aired 7.7.2023) One major decision — to keep, then sell — a Michael Jordan card altered the trajectory of Dave's collecting experience. As with so much in this hobby, it all goes back to Jordan.

The latest edition of The Shallow End: Total Content. Featuring …

Cardboard Chronicles; Cards to the Moon; Stacking Slabs; The Collector's Gene; Sports Card Madness; Sports Cards Nonsense; Lemme Get That Podagraph; Wax Pack Hero.

Contact Dave Schwartz on IG @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Somewhere between prospecting and trying to get in on a Hall of Famer before they retire lies "The Lull." It's the forgettable part of a player's career, and if you're collecting on a budget, it might the opportunity we need to get the cards we want.

Who do you listen to? Why do you listen to them? In return, are they giving you everything you deserve in order to understand and enjoy the hobby? In this episode, Dave considers recent research to help us uncover which podcasts are worth your time, and which are not.

Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Tom aka @Pancake_Analytics. Tom enjoys trading cards, and Tom enjoys video games. As he began to think of what he and his young kids could do together, he realized video-game cards might just be the perfect thing.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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A funny thing happened on the road to The National 2023: previously absent or scarce cards suddenly became available in droves. With the 2024 National about two months out, Austin Carlson (@carlson_cards) visits to talk about how last year's trend is informing this year's collecting.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz (@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards)

Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Steve aka @bigtime_sportscards. As he looked through his collection and thought about the hobby, Steve felt like something was missing. Then he thought about the uniqueness of the region where he lives, refocused his collection, and is building a collection unlike any other.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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Aaron@two2sportscards likes to figure out where he's headed before the start of a journey, not in the middle of it. In today's episode of The Shallow End, we learn about his collection process, what appeals to him, and how he determines from the outset of a PC exactly which cards he wants.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Brandon aka @sportscardstruggles. Brandon was on a break at work when the card of his dreams hit eBay … and was promptly gone before he even had a chance to act. Eventually he got it, and the "load-bearing wall" of his collection was finally in place.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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Pat (@Insta_Account_Haver on IG) visits The Shallow End to discuss important matters such as, "Is the hobby really any different now than it used to be? And if so, how?" This wide-ranging conversation about sports cards has a little something for everyone.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Scott aka @Scottie_B_Cards. For years Scott was curious about '90s cards but never took the leap. But when the perfect card of the perfect player became available, he knew it was time.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

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The Chase, a limited series recently concluded on The Shallow End podcast feed, was intended to be a celebration of what it takes to get the cards we want most. In this episode, we reflect on the series and what each of the 15 collectors we spoke with can teach us about our own collecting.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

(Originally aired 8.11.2023) Courtney (@recklesscards_courtney on IG) and Matt (@timmy_d_21_pc) share their separate stories of how their PCs took sudden new directions.

If you collect sports cards, is perfection something to strive for or avoid? How do we even know what perfection means? Is it up to the grading companies to decide for us? Or dealers? Or is it up to us to decide for ourselves?

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Lots of us have done it. We don't want a card, but we buy it. Why? To get our card fix? For the rush? To keep our PC's from getting stale? Whatever the reason, it's a crucial issue within the sports-card hobby: the decision to buy when we shouldn't be buying. In this episode, Mike (@thegolfcardcollector) and Dave (@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards) put themselves under the microscope to begin exploration of this important hobby question.

(Originally aired 9.8.2023) It all started with a question on "The Crossover" posed by @packnicholson, and it ended with a new phrase coined by Josh (aka @cardboard_chronicles): Megabid. As we near the one-year anniversary of Pack's question, we learn more about this common hobby practice from @kevin.m.cormier, @signed1933goudey, @drakes_pc, and @jlee_sportscardslive).

Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Austin aka @Carlson_Cards, host of the Carlson Cards Sports Card Podcast. At first, Austin was just another Manning and Brady collector. But when he followed an impulse, he began a set chase that has collectors everywhere rooting for his success.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/infraction/tumblin

The magic is gone, the fire extinguished. What was once the guiding light of your sports-card collection now feels more like a burden than a blessing. It's the end of a PC. How did this happen? And now what are you supposed to do?

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Adam aka @ajmcards94. After college, Adam returned to his hometown. His collecting followed suit. His reward is a uniquely personal PC.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/infraction/tumblin

Until two days ago, Mark Sanchez (@mjs_sportscards on IG) had never lived his hobby life as a dealer. Now, with his first card show behind him, Mark reflects on the experience. How did he prepare? How did it go? And what inspired him to do it in the first place?

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz (@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards)

(Originally aired 11.10.2023) As sports fans we are witnesses to the beginning of an incredible journey: the start of Victor Wembanyama's career. This might be one of the few times when collecting cards makes the situation less fun, not more. In this episode, Dave wonders whether Wembanyama is better enjoyed on our screens than in our collections.

(Originally aired 10.13.2023) We're trained over time in the sports-card hobby who we should and should not trust. But this week, Dave had an experience that could have gone horribly wrong instead turn out perfect. Let's celebrate.

(Originally aired 7.14.2023) We've got questions, they've got answers. Two of the most experienced names in the hobby, Jeremy Lee and John Newman, sit down with Dave to prepare collectors who are preparing to attend The National for the first time.

We're told we should collect the greats. The GOATs. But over the last 12-18 months, I've learned the best way to get a hobby education isn't through the legends, but through collecting obscure players who also had cards produced in legendary sets. That is a more practical entry point into a richer hobby experience.

Derek, aka @RayLankfordCollection on IG, has been around the hobby for decades and has access to some of the best cards of legendary players. Yet his greatest satisfaction comes in supercollecting Ray Lankford, a very good but from far from iconic figure in MLB history. Derek is proof that when it comes to collecting, true value comes from emotional connection, not monetary value.

Dylan (DoubleD Vintage Baseball Cards on YouTube) loves all things sports cards. And he loves that you love sports cards. In this episode, Dylan, a collector's collector, shares his live-and-let-live philosophy, why having opinions is good, and why we should support one another in the hobby.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Like any year, 2023 has seen highs and lows. Successes, failures, triumphs, challenges -- all can be used as lessons to make 2024 an even better year in the hobby.

(Originally aired 8.4.2023) Dave had a plan for The National that included trading or selling every Nolan Arenado Chrome gold refractor in his collection. But a piece of Arenado news that broke the night he got there disrupted all of his preparation.

About. a year ago, two card collectors, @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards and @Paper_and_Chrome, started chatting over Instagram about their collections. Their real names concealed, it would be months before one of them realized the truth about the history of their relationship: close friends growing up who had lost touch after high school. This is the story of how cards helped Greg and Dave reunite after 30 years.

This is an episode by baseball nerds, for baseball nerds. David Brown, Iowa Dave's friend and former colleague, recently cast his first-ever ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame. They talk player-by-player through David's ballot, his research process, and how much personal views played into his decision making. At the end, they play a sports-cards trivia game to help bring David up to speed within the modern sports-card hobby.

Sports-card influencers have power not because of some cosmic or mystic force. They have power because we give them power. Who are the most powerful influencers in the sports-card hobby? That's an easy answer: Look in the mirror.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Referenced in this episode: "Hodinkee Radio episode 21: Matt Jacobson" (aired Nov 26, 2018)

Josh is a sports-card collector of many interests: vintage, modern, Yankees, superstars from across MLB. In this episode, learn from a collector who remembers that sports cards are supposed to be a hobby, fun, and most of all, an escape from everyday life. Find Josh on IG at @InspiredSportscards.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Welcome to "27 Decisions," a limited-run series all November presented by The Shallow End. Today's guest is Keith aka @thekeithy4999. Since getting back into the hobby, Keith stayed away from prospects. Too risky. But this past April, he finally invested a little money into one of baseball's top young stars.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/infraction/tumblin