In this episode of Card Ladder Confidential, Brett sits down with Chris and Josh from Card Ladder for a collector’s conversation that hits every corner of the hobby. They start with what they’re thankful for, move into Josh’s viral post about keeping the hobby about cards—not crypto or stocks—and unpack why financial talk often drowns out what makes collecting meaningful.

The group explores the long-term health of the hobby, the fine line between investing and collecting, and the growing influence of gambling culture in cards. Chris shares his framework for what helps and hurts the hobby, while Josh calls out the risks of gamification and how it impacts the average collector.

They also go deep on one-of-ones, rarity systems, and why the first year matters—using examples like the 1997–98 Flair Showcase Legacy Collection Kobe Bryant 1/1 and the 2012 Prizm Black Finite DeMarco Murray. The episode closes with talk about protecting your collecting mindset from negativity online and a few exciting new pickups, including a Jonathan Taylor 1/1 that ties everything together.

If you care about the future of collecting and the fundamentals that keep it fun, this one’s for you.

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