The Hobby Handbook

The NFL Playoffs are finally here! In this episode of The Hobby Handbook, Clever Cuban Cards and guest Brendan fill out their 2026 playoff brackets, debate their Super Bowl winners, and break down exactly how you should handle your sports card investments during the postseason. Should you sell into the hype or hold for a Super Bowl run? We discuss the "Zig when they Zag" strategy for maximizing profits on quarterbacks like Justin Herbert, Josh Allen, and Trevor Lawrence. Plus, we dive deep whether PSA is or is not a monopoly and whether there's a monopoly problem in the hobby...

For this special New Year’s episode of The Hobby Handbook, Clever Cuban Cards is joined by Mrs. Clever Cuban Cards (4:26). We pull back the curtain on what it’s actually like being married to someone obsessed with sports cards. She holds nothing back, sharing her honest perspective on the constant filming, the state of Alex's card "office," and the financial reality of turning the sports card hobby into a business in 2025. Plus, we address the elephant in the room: Does Alex's constant eBay scrolling give her the "ick"? Her answer might surprise you. If you’ve ever wondered what y...

Spring Training is less than 90 days away! In this Christmas Eve special of The Hobby Handbook, Clever Cuban Cards breaks down the MLB offseason market and shares his top targets to buy before the baseball hype cycle kicks back into high gear.

From top-tier prospects like Roman Anthony and Walker Jenkins to undervalued rookies like James Wood and vets like Shohei Ohtani, we cover who you should be watching (and buying) right now.

Plus, Alex shares critical market strategies: knowing when a call-up is "priced in," why winning teams matter for card...

Clever Cuban Cards is joined by Alex Biggs (aka @BiggzyRips) to break down the gritty reality—and profitability—of the low-end sports card market (8:40). While everyone is chasing five-figure slabs, Alex explains how he pays the bills with $2 cards by mastering volume and consistency. We dive into the tech that makes it possible, including his investment in a Ricoh scanner (22:50) and using AI software (12:50) like Card Dealer Pro (30:10) to list hundreds of cards in minutes. Before all that, Clever Cuban Cards reacts to Collectors, the parent company of PSA, acquiring BGS (1:00). He shares his unfiltered thoughts on what this cons...

In this episode of the Hobby Handbook, Alex sits down with Nick Morris, also known as All Day Collectibles, to discuss his meteoric rise in the card trading world. From his early days as a collector in the 80s to building a thriving community on Whatnot, Nick shares insights into the challenges and triumphs of the hobby.

They delve into the intricacies of sourcing inventory, the importance of community engagement, and the strategies behind successful live streams.

Whether you're a seasoned collector or new to the hobby, this episode offers valuable takeaways on building a...

Welcome back to The Hobby Handbook with Alex, aka Clever Cuban Cards! In this solo episode, we’re dusting off the crystal ball to look ahead at what 2026 holds for the sports card market. But before we get to the future, we have to look back at the wild ride that was 2025.

From Fanatics' total takeover and the explosion of the high-end market to the "Rise of the Repack" and the unfortunate stumble of SGC, 2025 changed the game. We break down the biggest storylines of the year, including the mainstreaming of collecting and the co...

Clever Cuban Cards, AKA Alex, kicks off this week's episode with a discussion on the recent controversies surrounding the Snype auction platform, highlighting the technical glitches and questionable activities that have raised eyebrows in the community. He shares his skepticism about Probstein's future, emphasizing the importance of choosing trustworthy sites for buying and selling cards.

The conversation then shifts to PSA's recent changes in turnaround times and pricing, with personal experiences factored in. Despite all that, he acknowledges the value PSA brings to the market and the liquidity it offers.

CCC also touches on the...

In this episode of the Hobby Handbook, Joe from Cut the Nonsense, joins host Alex, AKA Clever Cuban Cards, to talk hobby hot takes from singles vs wax, Jeter vs ARod, the relevance of WWE cards, whether the hobby actually wants accurate grading and more.

They also share insights on the rising trends in the baseball card market, focusing on Shohei Ohtani's influence. The conversation shifts to the high-stakes world of high-end card chases and their potential impact on the hobby's future. The guys also discuss brand loyalty and customer service in the hobby when it comes...

In this episode of the Hobby Handbook, Alex AKA Clever Cuban Cards dives into the latest happening in the sports card grading market, focusing on the challenges faced by collectors and sellers in choosing between PSA and SGC. The discussion highlights the impact of grading turnaround times, market liquidity, and the strategic decisions by grading companies that affect hobbyists' choices. Alex and guest Cole explore the implications of SGC's shift to a boutique operation and the dominance of PSA in the market. They analyze the profitability of grading with each company, considering factors like grading fees, potential profits, and...

In today's episode of The Hobby Handbook,  @CleverCubanCards  is joined by Alex AKA  @armyatc22 , a great follow in the hobby space who you may have seen going viral on social media. Alex starts the episode by sharing a Learn From My Mistakes episode on timing your sports card pickups wisely and not falling into major hype moments, like right now with the Dodgers and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. How important is community and networking in the hobby? It's been a major tool for Alex whose made some amazing connections in the sports cards world. 0:00 - Buying at the Wrong Tine 3:00 - Army...

This week's episode of The Hobby Handbook with  @CleverCubanCards  is a lesson on how to start or grow your hobby business or side hustle. We're joined by Jim AKA THX10SportsCards, who's relatively new to making the sports card hobby his business.

Alex walks him through how he'd recommend growing his hobby business from Whatnot to social media and beyond. Have a question for Alex? Leave it in the comments, or consider booking your own consultation.

Join Clever Cuban Cards on Whatsnot on Sundays at 2 PM EST and Wednesdays at 7 PM EST! Si...

Did Alex make a mistake in selling his Shohei Ohtani Rookie Auto in 2023? He shares the epic story of making that sale and reflects on whether he regrets it.

After nearly two years of hunting for a replacement, Alex finally found a replacement Ohtani that he wanted to buy this weekend at the Nashville Card Show. Not only did he buy that Ohtani auto, he spent the most money he's EVER spent at a card show while buying about 1,700 cards at the show.

What's the difference between the BOAT and the GOAT? Clever Cuban Cards...

Is the case hit era over? Are there too many case hits? Does the hobby know what THE case hit is? This week's episode covers that and more with JetBreakers' Trent who joined us on his day off from the Air Force. Trent also share his hobby history, how he got into breaking, and who he collects, with Pete Alonso top of the list. "This is a hobby, it shouldn't be stressful," is Trent's take on making the hobby a business for him, albeit not his full time job.

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Learn from my mistakes! Clever Cuban Cards talks about holding onto a Shohei Ohtani card that he kept putting off selling and then made a massive profit on in 24 hours. How can you learn from this?

Then, Adam Palmer who creates the Daily Nonsense videos on the SCN channel joins the show to talk all about creating hobby content. Adam went from being a graphic designer to creating daily hobby content. Adam also shares what he collects from Call of Duty to McDonald's toys. The guys also commiserate on the end of the Boston Red Sox's season.<...

In this episode of the Hobby Handbook, Alex AKA Clever Cuban Cards dives into the MLB playoffs with predictions and insights, sharing his thoughts on the Tigers, Guardians, Red Sox, and more.

He also tackles the controversial topic of PSA's price hikes and grading turnaround times, offering a candid look at the impact on the sports card hobby.

From personal grading mistakes to a comprehensive grading guide, this episode provides valuable tips for collectors looking to maximize their card investments. Clever Cuban Cards details everything from understanding the nuances of grading and choosing the right...

Brendan Willis joins the show to talk all things football, from the Titans being in trouble, to the Colts looking like a complete team, and what Joe Burrow's injury means for sports card collectors.

They also discuss whether setting up at cards shows is worth it, the better QB class: 2020 or 2024, thoughts on Fanatics taking over the NFL license and Brendan's rapid fire sports card takes.

Plus, Clever Cuban Cards goes on his latest hobby rant: People complaining about sealed box prices is getting out of hand. On the flip side, are deals on slabs...

Vintage vs modern sports cards: what's better? We welcome Gordy Bonker from Bonkers Cards to The Hobby Handbook for an in-depth exploration of the debate between modern and vintage collecting. Clever Cuban Cards and Gordy discuss the transition from corporate life to entrepreneurship, the intricacies of content creation in the hobby industry and how to scale in the business.

Gordy also shares his personal journey, insights into the card market, and the challenges of balancing media presence with business operations. Whether you're a collector, investor, or just curious about the hobby, this episode offers a bit of...

Clever Cuban Cards is joined by John Lontoc, owner of Pretty Cool Cards in Nolensville, TN to talk about the realities of owning a local card shop. John tells us about what a day in his life is like, what cards have been flying off the shelf one week into the NFL season, what’s bigger: pokemon or sports cards? And so much more.

We also get a lightning round of hobby questions with John, his thoughts on market consolidation, and learn how much up-front capital it takes to open a card shop.

Clever Cuban Cards is joined by Dr. Tyler Tarver to preview the 2025-26 NBA season and what it means for your card collection. Who should you be buying ahead of the season? Who should you be selling? Who’s the next face of the NBA? Plus, the guys discuss their biggest lessons learned in the sports card industry. Why does Tyler love Jordan Poole? Which NBA players is he expecting to break out this year? And, how does he use the hobby to fund the hobby? 

Alex also brings a great lesson in “Learn From My Mis...

Clever Cuban Cards takes you behind the scenes of one of the biggest mistakes in his sports card career. His mistakes become your learnings! Plus, how and where can you find good deals on cards online? From the biggest sites like eBay, to small sites you may never have heard of, Alex shares some of the best places to buy cards online and why you should check them out.

One of the best ways to find a good deal is to put in the work others won’t. But what does that mean and what work do yo...

In today’s episode of The Hobby Handbook, Clever Cuban Cards (aka Alex) is joined by Sports Card Nonsense’s Mike Gioseffi.

They discuss how Mike got into collecting and some of his favorite players to collect. They also break down the state of the hobby and why Mike thinks sports cards and collectibles are in one of the best states they’ve ever been in, which is great news for collectors.

Mike and Alex also debate some quick-fire collectible hot takes before Alex answers your questions on how to become a full-time collector, the differ...

Welcome to the second episode of The Hobby Handbook, hosted by Clever Cuban Cards! The Hobby Handbook explores the world of sports card collecting, where passion meets profit and nostalgia meets strategy.

In this episode, Alex shares his background in education and how he quit his full time job to start selling cards and creating content. If you’re looking to become a collector, explore the business side, or use the hobby to fund the hobby, Clever Cuban Cards has you covered.

Today’s episode also explores how to set your goals in the hobby. It c...

Welcome to the debut episode of The Hobby Handbook, hosted by Clever Cuban Cards! This podcast explores the world of sports card collecting, where passion meets profit and nostalgia meets strategy.

In this first episode, Alex sits down with marketing maverick and media disrupter Ryan Alford, who shares how collecting cards with his four sons sparked a deeper dive into the hobby and eventually led to launching a new trading cards podcast with the Sports Card Nonsense Media Network and Collectibles on SI. Ryan opens up about the thrill of ripping packs, the learning curve of grading...