Episodes

Aug. 21, 2021

544B - Five Listener Questions 2.0

Five different and new questions from listeners accumulated and answered - send your questions to doctorjamesbeckett@gmail.com and thanks!

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Aug. 21, 2021

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

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

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Aug. 20, 2021

544 - Topps Out in 2025?

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 implications!

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Aug. 19, 2021

543 - Then and Now: PR, with Rich Klein

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

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Aug. 18, 2021

542 - Out-Takes from Sports Cards Live 072421

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 live show.  Thanks Jeremy!

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Aug. 17, 2021

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

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 his fans on his platforms.  Thanks Jordan!

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Aug. 16, 2021

540 - Recap: Podcast Episodes 519-538

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 evergreen.

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Aug. 14, 2021

539B - Tribute: Rich Altman, Hollywood Collectibles

Sad to report dealer Rich Altman, mainstay of the sports card show circuit, including promoting his own large shows, has passed away.  This brief tribute will not suffice, but please check out some of the other statements circulating made by his many fri...

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Aug. 14, 2021

539A - Rejoinder: Mortality Dueling Questions

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 boomers, and it's an important topic for all, as no one lives on this earth forever.

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Aug. 13, 2021

539 - Mortality Dueling Questions with Brad Askew

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 share.

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Aug. 12, 2021

538 - Out-Takes from Stacking Slabs with Brett McGrath

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 certainly encourage you to check Brett's full episode(s).

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Aug. 11, 2021

537 - COMC Hacks with Mike Sommer, Part 3

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

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Aug. 10, 2021

536 - 1974 and 1975 Topps Baseball, with Rich Klein

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

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Aug. 9, 2021

535 - IRS Considerations with John Keating

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 expenses may be critical to your case.

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Aug. 7, 2021

534B - NSCC National Aftermath: Logistics

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

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Aug. 7, 2021

534A - NSCC National Aftermath: Cards

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

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Aug. 6, 2021

534 - COMC Hacks with Mike Sommer, Part 2

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.

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Aug. 5, 2021

533 - Starting an LCS with Jordan Hagedorn

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

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Aug. 4, 2021

532 - Speed Sorting

I reveal some of my (long-honed over the decades considering hundreds of thousands of cards) speed sorting tips - no copyright, no trademark, no patented processes - sort away!

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Aug. 3, 2021

531 - COMC Hacks with Mike Sommer, Wax Pack Hero

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.

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Aug. 2, 2021

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

What was Topps thinking with this three-year run of slightly oversized veteran-centric baseball cards?  Rich and I try to reverse engineer their thinking at the time and the hobby's lukewarm acceptance then.

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July 31, 2021

529B - Out-Takes from Hobby Hotline 072421

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 Klein, Jeremy Lee, and Sam Shuford.

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July 31, 2021

529A - Tribute: Fred Reed, BP VP

Fred Reed brought editorial structure to Beckett Publications at the onset and during the high growth years.  His legacy includes the amazing people he hired and mentored, many of whom have gone on to enduring great success in the hobby.

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July 30, 2021

529 - Keating Questions with John Keating

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

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