Hobby Nonsense

Ray is out this week as Jesse travels across England visiting card shops and shows to see firsthand how the hobby is growing overseas. Stopping in at 3rd Down Trading Cards, Jesse sits down with owner Ben Reynard and podcast host Jordan to talk about the realities of running one of the few local card shops in the UK and why the future of the European hobby looks incredibly promising.

The crew also breaks down two exciting upcoming Topps releases — Disneyland 70th Anniversary, featuring park-used relics, Cosmic inserts, sketches, and major chase potential, and Star Wars Smuggler’s Outpost, which is delivering an on-card autograph in every box. Plus, thoughts from the London Card Show, the rise of young collectors in the UK, and why the international hobby boom feels very familiar.
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This week on Hobby Nonsense, Jesse and Ray turn the entire episode over to YOU with a full MAILBAG special, answering listener questions, hot takes, and hobby debates.

Topics include:

🎨 Are sketch cards everywhere now… and is that hurting demand? 📈 Why does Leaf’s Pop Century sometimes outsell Topps Marvel Studios 20-to-1? 🤔 Are celebrity autograph products priced and structured differently for a reason? 🪀 Could Pogs actually make a comeback in today’s collectible world? 💰 And the big one… what are Jesse and Ray buying right now?

From product strategy to market trends to collector psychology, this episode is packed with honest opinions, speculation, and actionable insight for anyone trying to navigate the non-sport hobby in 2026.

If you’ve ever wondered what’s hype, what’s value, and what’s actually worth your money — this one’s for you.
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On this week's episode of Hobby Nonsense, Jesse and Ray start with the newly announced Jerry Seinfeld autograph cards, breaking down why collectors are excited… and why some aren’t convinced.

From there, they spotlight a sleeper TCG release that flew under the radar at the end of 2025: League of Legends: Riftbound. Could it quietly become the next breakout product like One Piece? The conversation naturally leads into Dragon Ball Z cards and what other franchises might be poised for a comeback.

Ray then shares highlights from Nashville Celebrity Comic Con, including meeting childhood favorites and landing Back to the Future and WWE autographs.

The second half of the show features a full interview with Gary Vaynerchuk, where they discuss:


His new Spectacular Super Sticker release


The overlooked value of fictional character rookie cards


What he’s personally buying


And his vision for where non-sports collecting is headed

A wide-ranging episode packed with hobby insight, nostalgia, and one of the biggest voices in collecting.
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This week on Hobby Nonsense, Jesse and Ray come out firing with one of the wildest episodes yet.

They kick things off in the WWE universe, breaking down upcoming releases including Topps WWE Royalty, featuring a Jelly Roll debut patch and some of the most insane relics we’ve ever seen—yes, including pieces of The Undertaker’s casket.

From there, the conversation takes a sharp turn into the competitive world of professional darts, where one player is demanding prices far above his peers as he cements himself as the GOAT of the sport.

Next up:


Upper Deck’s DC x NHL crossover: Fortress of Solitude, placing NHL stars inside Superman’s iconic hideout


Marvel “The Collector”, Topps’ most premium Marvel product ever with only 3 cards per box, ultra-high-end sketches, an Infinity Gauntlet chase, and elite autograph talent


The surprisingly strong demand for 2025 Topps Disneyland 70th Anniversary

Things escalate quickly when Jesse and Ray revisit the One Piece college promo story, as news breaks that roughly $2 million worth of cards were stolen from Rutgers University with no signs of forced entry—leading many to believe it was an inside job.

The episode wraps with Pokémon talk, including:


A rumored 30th Anniversary Pokémon card featuring a fan-favorite character


Ray’s breakdown of the top chase cards in Pokémon Ascended Heroes and their pull rates

A must-listen episode covering spectacle, scandal, and some of the biggest releases shaping the hobby right now.
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This week on Hobby Nonsense, Jesse and Ray dig out from an ice storm that rocked Middle Tennessee, but still deliver a packed episode for non-sport collectors.

They kick things off with Logan Paul’s latest Pokémon break, where packs sold for an astonishing $1.4 million—far exceeding his previous break of the same product. Jesse and Ray discuss what made this break different and whether this signals a new trend where celebrity involvement encourages overpaying.

Next, they explore whether Panini may have found a loophole around Topps’ exclusive Marvel license, and what that could mean for future non-sport releases.

Then they’re joined by Josh Copeland of Poke Master Center for an in-depth conversation on card restoration—one of the most polarizing topics in the hobby. Josh explains what restoration actually involves, how it can impact grading outcomes, why some collectors embrace it, others reject it, and why the topic has sparked extreme reactions. Along the way, they even take a nostalgic detour into their favorite childhood video game systems.

After the interview, Jesse and Ray react to the record-setting $500,000 sale of the Leaf Pop Century Donald Trump 1/1, and close the episode with a look at Target being sued over an alleged bait-and-switch involving Prismatic and Pokémon 151 ETBs.

A wide-ranging episode covering money, ethics, legality, and the evolving future of the hobby.
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