We're back with another episode of Passion to Profession brought to you by eBay.

Excited for this chat and, a little bit different maybe than, some of the categories that we are typically talking about here on this show or stacking slabs, but I think much needed.

We're gonna be diving into, the world of TCG, something that I'm excited to learn more about, and I am joined by Aaron. Aaron runs SASIADA, which is the largest Yu Gi Oh, seller on eBay.

We were talking before about Pokemon, TCG, the current state, and all those things, and we're gonna hit that and also dip dive into his story on today's show. But without further ado, Aaron, welcome.

How are you? I'm well. How are you, Brett? I I can't complain. We're both Midwesterners, and we're, luckily, we're inside recording this right now because I think we both, have snow on the ground, and it's really cold outside.

So I'm I'm excited to talk cards with you. Yeah. Absolutely. Happy to happy to talk cards over weather anytime of the week. So may let's start here.

Set the stage. Help us understand maybe 2025 current state of TCG, Yu Gi Oh, Pokemon, whatever you wanna talk about, but help maybe, us as audience members understand who might primarily be sports card collectors.

Help us understand kind of what's happening in the TCG space.

Yeah. So current day in the TCG space is, really crazy. Obviously, Pokemon is the number one dominant TCG. Right? Everyone wants to get into Pokemon. Lots of sports people are getting into Pokemon, sports people, sports businesses.

Pokemon is cream of the crop. Prismatic evolutions is the new hot set. Everyone wants it, and Surging Sparks was right behind it. So really can't get anything better than that.

Yu Gi Oh, which is kind of our main focus of our business, is is still really popular. Not as popular on Pokemon, and I would say definitely more niche. But Yu Gi Oh is going really strong too.

Yu Gi Oh definitely focuses more on, like, gameplay, definitely tournaments where people go with their preconstructed decks, put them together, play against, everyone else, and see who's the champion of it all.

So, definitely more meta driven in the Yu Gi Oh space. And then I would say in between that, you have Magic the Gathering where, you know, you definitely have a lot of vintage collectors.

You have a lot of, current meta players, and the market for magic is really booming right now too similar to Pokemon.

So, it kinda mixed bag, whichever TCG you wanna get into. But, yeah, TCGs are are growing and booming right now for sure.

It seems like almost every conversation I have with a industry business, if they weren't before, they now have a focus on TCG, whether it's through content, services, caring product.

What maybe what what has transpired over the last couple years to lead to more businesses making sure that they satisfy that community of collectors?

It's just a trend that I've been noticing just through my conversations and observing kind of market trends. Absolutely.

I think, I'll I'll put my punted hat on. Right? I think when COVID started, I think a lot of people really had time to sit down and maybe discover some old passions they had as a as a child and maybe going through their old, cards.

And we saw a really big resurgence of collectors in the Pokemon space in 2020, and and same with Yu Gi Oh as well.

It seemed like, there were booms happening in both markets. Seemed like the same way with sports cards. Right? Kind of a similar situation there.

So I think, on the business side of things, to satisfy, you know, your local community, if if you're carrying these products, if you're carrying sports products and people are coming in and asking, hey. Do you carry Pokemon cards?

Do you carry Yu Gi Oh cards? I think it as a business, it only makes sense to listen to your community and and carry those products and kind of expand into, you know, new markets that you that you might not have been before.

So I think we're seeing a lot of that right now.

And, yeah, a lot of TCGs are definitely booming. There's there's been TCGs that have come and gone since COVID. Like, you have the MetaZeus that kinda started and then that whole situation, now they're rebooting.

Force of Wills, Lorcan is a big one that started off really hot. It's kinda tapering down right now, but, you know, still extremely popular collectible card game, trading card game.

So, I think it it'll be really interesting to see where, like, the the newer TCDs land in 2025 and kinda continue to see how Yu Gi Oh Magic Pokemon continue to, you know, hold their own in in the market.

I think, you know, when everyone hears TCG, Pokemon is definitely the brand everyone thinks of.

First, kind of deep embedded in the hearts and minds of so many collectors. I think on the other side of this episode dropping, we have Pokemon Day. Maybe talk about just Pokemon specifically, like and talk about the day itself.

Anything you wanna share. But, like, you you mentioned, like, some TCGs come and go. Like, what what is it about the Pokemon brand that has maybe withstood the test of time?

And it's not only withstood and is sustaining, but continues to grow, and it seems like more collectors continue to come in, new products continue to be dropped, and more, there's more interest than ever before.

What what is it about that brand that resonates? Absolutely. I think it's kind of interesting to look back on the history of Pokemon.

Right? Started in Japan as pocket monsters and, you know, kinda made its way over to The US where it was kinda like the first, trading card game that, you know, kids had on the playground for lack of a better term.

Right? So, just to see its growth from then to today and even kinda in a diamond and pearl era in 02/2008 there where the TCG was, like, almost on a decline of, hey.

Is it gonna make it? And now it's blooming. I I I don't know the exact statistics, but I know, like, Pokemon is, like, the number one IP over, like I think it's, like, Pokemon's the number one IP, and it's, like, 25 to two added up.

Like, don't even come close, which is, you know, obviously insane for any business. But I think at the end of the day, I think Pokemon is so mainstream now.

You know, just, you know, the amount of people that know a Pikachu or a Charizard and just re really the originals are so nostalgic for, people and consumers and businesses that, you know, it definitely looks like it stood the dust of time.

And and, you know, five, ten years down the line, we'll we'll definitely see how it plays out. But, as of right now, the the demand for it is is in insane, which is which is great. But, yeah, Pokemon is crushing it for sure.

I think also important to note is, like, the Pokemon the the Pokemon company, you know, who who manufactures, distributes, licenses, and everything, does a really good job keeping an eye on their market conditions.

And I think, you know, even when there are slower years, like, a couple years ago when the scrolling bioplast started coming out, and it was slower, you know, Pokemon kept an eye on it, and and they did they did do a lot of marketing and and, partnerships with influencers and and brands that really brought the brand, you know, back into the spotlight, so to say, within the last few months here.

So, I before we dive into your story, one more one more on kind of this topic. You mentioned Loricon, and I I remember vividly seeing videos, seeing people talking about how it was going to be just as big as Pokemon.

And you kind of, remarked that, you know, it had it there was a a sure there was a surge of it, and then it's gone down, and maybe it's coming back up.

Maybe talk about, like, a product like that that maybe on its surface has so much, brand recognition and people are familiar with the characters.

What what is it about that product that maybe it's got gone through some ebbs and flows in some different cycles?

Is it just because it's it's something new that something that collectors are trying to get used to or or something else? I I would say, you know, a little bit of mix of, you know, it's a new card game with a new company running it.

It's not like, you know, let's say, an upper decker or a Konami or Pokemon that has had, you know, decades of experience running tournaments.

It it is the new company, Rothenberger. Right? Which, you know, they they've been doing great at manufacturing and all that.

You know? Kudos to them. But I think it's it's trying to find the nice integration in the market of, alright. This is a new game. But it's also backed by Disney.

It has a bunch of nostalgic Disney characters. So, you know, ultimately, I I'm I'm pretty confident Wakanda's gonna succeed and find a way to make it happen just because of, you know, the the name base and the IP recognition.

But, yeah, I think for any TCG, I think it's it's a fair point to say, like, hey, Locana has these struggles even with the IP recognition.

I think it's it's fair to say any any TCG that, you know, it starts today would would would, you know, really need some awesome marketing and backing and, you know, a really hard push to get into the market and be competitive, but it is definitely possible.

So have you always been a collector of, this category?

And maybe take us back to kinda your early days of collecting. How did it how did it start? What sort of things have you collected, and maybe kind of what are you currently collecting today?

Absolutely. So I I was a huge Yu Gi Oh fan in in, elementary school, second grade specifically. And, I remember my dad took me to the movie in 02/2004, I believe it was, and and you got, like, a movie packet.

It was just like a promo pack with one card in it. So I opened it, and my first card was a pyramid of light trap card. And and ever since then, I was hooked. Right? So my dad is a pretty business savvy entrepreneur himself.

So, he realized after we went to the movie that you could get, like, whole whole cases of these movie packs on eBay and then resell the packs individually or open them and make a little bit of money.

So we'd start doing that. We'd we'd go, like, local card shops. I'd meet new people, you know, get get little cards from my collection, and then, it it kinda just grew into this hobby.

We we would share together and going to events across the country and and and yeah. And and eventually in in high school, we started listing cards on his eBay account and, you know, really started that snowball.

So I I would say, you know, for for our business as a whole, it's really kind of been accidental entrepreneurship, but, you know, it it's it's been an awesome ride.

So fast forward to today, you know, definitely, Yu Gi Oh is the main thing I collect, personally.

So that that's that's just what I'm most nostalgic to, what I feel like I'm most knowledgeable about most knowledgeable knowledgeable about.

But, yeah, I think the beauty about collecting is, you know, anyone can collect anything that they enjoy and and yeah.

You know, you you could collect all all the magic carbs you want in the world, and you could have the best magic carp collection. And I think that's that's awesome.

A collection is kind of a reflection of who you are and what you enjoy. So you were doing this with your dad selling, some Yu Gi Oh cards probably to help fund some Yu Gi Oh cards that you were picking up.

When did what was the moment where this became maybe not just a hobby, but a business and maybe, like, the SASI Auto, like, the creation of that.

Like, how did the how did that all take shape when you finally realized, okay. Maybe this is something you can do more than just a hobby, but it could be your full time job.

For sure. I think, I I was really I'll call it, like, lucky with timing. So I started, really doing eBay as, like, as, we'll call it a job in, like, my senior year of high school. Right?

So I'd go to events, buy cards, sell cards on eBay. That that would kinda be my main gig. And then, summer came around, enrolled in college, and did a semester of, business college, and then, kinda decided after that, like, alright.

It's gonna be a new year. Let let's go into this new year. Let's let's see what we can do with this eBay thing full time one year. And kinda just did that and never looked back.

So, honestly, it it's just been a lot of snowballing from from that point, you know, really working and grinding seventy, eighty hour weeks and and connecting with new people and meeting new people and going to events.

And it it's been a it's been a really awesome journey, and and that I really wouldn't change a thing about it.

And, but that's kind of the the awesome part about a business. Right? Because that's my story, but, stacking slab story is totally different to someone else's story.

And and, you know, that that's kind of the beauty of business. When when you were you made that decision and you, you know, to push forward, I'm sure, like, capacity, there's a lot that goes on running and managing an eBay store.

I'm sure capacity, the market, and that there are a bunch of probably external factors that you had to overcome.

But maybe, like, what were the biggest hurdles in that those early days that you you had to overcome in order to not only kinda sustain what you're doing in your current position, but, like, put it in a position that, you know, you could grow and it could be something that you continue to pour, energy into and you'd see output down the road.

Yeah. I think with with any business you start, capital is a is a huge factor.

Right? So as a business, you want to buy as many things as you can to make money. But, you know, whether you have capital or space limitations, you know, you you can't buy everything.

So, I think for me, it like, I remember in the early days of our business, like, I would personally, like, overextend myself, you know, financially, probably a little more than I should.

But, you know, I would always look at the numbers.

I'm a really analytical guy. Right? I'm not gonna do anything without, you know, seeing the numbers, making sure everything's right. But, you know, just just, like, looking at the numbers and saying, like, yep.

This is this all adds up. Let's keep doing it. Let's let's keep, you know, you know, I I guess, for lack of a better term, going all in again and and just keep buying and selling.

And then, you know, eventually now, fast forward, you know, nine years later after starting out of my parents' garage, we have a a pretty sizable warehouse that we're operating with two employees.

So, kinda just, you know, always looking at the market, seeing how we can grow, seeing what we can get into.

And and, yeah, that that's kinda how we started, and and that's our story. How important has it been for you? Obviously, you have, like, a tremendous passion for Yu Gi Oh.

How important is, like, having that connection point and that passion with the brand and then applying that to, like, the business and that being such an instrumental part of your business?

For sure. I think I think that's a huge part of it.

I think whenever we get a message on eBay and someone has a super specific question about a set, that's you know, maybe if you're talking to someone at a normal retail store, Target, Walmart, that's maybe not something you get answered.

But, you know, we we always respond timely with the most accurate answer we can provide.

So I think just being an expert in the industry you're selling in and and being passionate about what you're selling and and really into it, honestly, like, I think with with any business in mind, I think if you're if you start a business just for the money and and the passion's not there, like, it's gonna be really hard to put those man hours and labor hours into it.

So I think, you know, really anything you start, if if you're gonna start a trading card business, sports card business tomorrow, like, you gotta you really gotta be into it, you know, dedicate seventy, eighty hours a week without, you know, really seeing any significant gains for a really really long time, especially in today's market.

But I I think any business you start just you gotta be passionate. You gotta be all in about it. How how would you say your business has changed or evolved, since you started it?

Yeah. I think since we started, I think, we have I I I have the benefit of being around Yu Gi Oh, since I was, you know, literally in second grade. Right? So I I I've seen all of the sets from, you know, released from 02/2004 to today.

So I think I have the benefit of, you know, kinda living through a lot of market trends in the TCGs, mainly for Yu Gi Oh, but even for when we started doing Pokemon more heavily in, like, 2015, just seeing the ebbs and flows of, alright.

You know, Pokemon's at a really high point in the market right now.

Like, we we've seen what what's happened before when Pokemon's hit, you know, specific highs like this and can kinda just prepare and and, kinda make business decisions based on that.

But I think just having a lot of history and and researching any market that you're a part of and just kinda learning, you know, everything that's happened in the past, whether sports cards and TCGs and you know, even in sports cards, like, learning about, you know, how unpopular they were in the eighties and nineties, you know, compared to today And just, you know, just seeing where sports cards are at and continue to evolve, it's a it's almost like a totally different hobby.

You know? For sure. May maybe talk about, like, the the Yu Gi Oh community, like, what it's like, and then how what you what have you done to make sure that the SASIATO brand has, been present and been helpful to that community?

Absolutely. I think, I think community is really important for any business you build. So for example, I have a really good friend named Phil.

He's Ruxton thirty four on YouTube. And and we I've been friends with him since, you know, he had, like, 4,000 subscribers on YouTube, and now he's built it to a conglomerate, like, 275,000 subscribers. He's he's a really awesome guy.

And I remember, you know, kinda when he started, you know, we we started doing, like, this, you know, affiliate link with a discount code on our items just just for, like, his community and our community, just to give, like, you know, better prices on on presales or, you know, ultimately, just the best prices we can give.

So I think building a community and and, you know, partnering with someone that that not only is is, like, as passionate about it as you are, but a genuine friend is, you know, all you can ask for.

And then just, I think, for what we can provide for the community and what any business can provide for their community is just, you know, great products, fast shipping, great customer service.

That's that's kinda what we bring to the table.

We like to, you know at at the end of the day, we're selling the same products as everyone else, so we need to see what edge we can put out. Like, what what can we do to put ourselves above the competition and set us apart?

So, we're we're always making sure shipping times, response times are are, adequate and and just always making sure we can continue to grow in that in that way.

I I think it's always, fun and special to talk with anyone who's the number one in anything, and you being the top UUS seller on eBay is a pretty impressive feat.

Is is there any specific, like, decision or series of decisions that you made over the course of, growing the business that you would attribute to that current position you have as the number one Yu Gi Oh seller on eBay?

I wouldn't say anything specific. I would just say staying consistent. I would I would attribute it to that mostly.

I would say, just, you know, we we've been preselling, you know, Yu Gi Oh sealed boxes and selling sealed everything since, I would say, like, 2018, and I've just been really consistent with getting every set in even if it's gonna, for sure, be a stinker set right.

Just making sure we have it available, to offer to our buyers. And and not only that, but it also helps on the back end of distribution to take worse product off their hands.

So I think just being consistent, offering good prices, shipping, I I think just contributes to kind of the snowball effect of growing a business. I think just really targeting and making sure, hey.

Like, let's let's make sure these buyers have a good experience so they wanna come back or choose our store when we're priced, like, a dollar more than someone else. Right? So that that's what we put a lot of emphasis into.

Maybe talk with your experience since you've been selling on the platform for a while, but just like the the eBay experience on your end, what it's been like working with eBay and just using kinda eBay as as your primary platform?

Absolutely.

I think we we we started working with eBay in 2020. We we were going to be at the twenty twenty GenCon, with eBay, but that unfortunately got canceled, which which is sad. But, yeah, working with eBay's been nothing but exceptional.

I think, just every every executive, every category manager I've met, you know, doing events with them at at Gen Con, doing eBay lives at Gen Con the last two years has been, you know, a really awesome experience.

And, you know, even going last year and seeing, like, hey. They're they're getting the crowd into it, throwing packs in the crowd. I I thought that was a really, really awesome thing.

But not only that, but in in, 2023, my wife and I got to go to eBay Open in San Jose. And and, you know, that that's not something that's open to me, you know, someone who partners and does a lot of lot of stuff with eBay.

But, you know, there there were so many sellers there that, you know, would, you know, sell a few items a day and and do thrifting and, you know, just people that that I met that are in the top of their category.

And and, you know, just experience like that are are, like, something that you're not gonna get on any other platform.

Right? So just being able to, continue to work with eBay and kinda make the marketplace, quote, unquote, better place.

Right? And and, kinda collaborating with them, you know, where we can. And, it it's it's been nothing except exceptional. We've we've been super happy with them.

What what excites you most about the TCG category, kind of the industry, and what's going on? And then maybe, like, what are some trends that, aren't maybe great and you'd like to see, either fixed or improved or whatever?

For trends that aren't fixed, I would say, like, for for TCGs, I would say, like, live shopping experiences are get are, like, relatively new, at least for Pokemon.

Yu Gi Oh is is pretty, nonexistent currently, which which could definitely be a trend that that we see in the future.

So, sports cards has been around a really long time for breaks and everything, since I remember even seeing, like, breaks on YouTube in 02/2010 and stuff.

It's which is which is really cool. So it's it's cool to see, like, the Pokemon and and, you know, there there are some Evio breaks and stuff, but nothing too insane.

So that that that is a trend I would like to continue to see grow. And and, eBay Live has definitely been, like, a big big push of that and, continue to see that part of the platform grow.

Yeah. I I think that's that's kind of for for trends. I'm sorry. What was your first question again? Yeah. Yeah. No. What about just, like, the space in general and, like, what's happening, with the category?

Is there anything new and exciting, just with collectors, Yu Gi Oh, Pokemon, TCG in general, like, something that's, like, happening right now in 2025 or maybe started last year that's picking up steam that, gets you excited as a business owner in the space?

Yeah. I think in 2025, we see just so many more, card shows, card expos open. Like, you see, like, the collect accounts continue to grow and expand.

I went to my first one in Chicago last year, and that was that was a really fun time, for the entry price. But even, like, GenCons and seeing, like, eBay skin like, Comic Cons, all of that, I think.

And and even on, like, a local community level, just seeing, like, a a like, I'll call them, quote, unquote, like, pop up shops where where it's like, hey.

We have, like, a local baseball stadium, and there's a bunch of table dealers that set up there.

I think that's really cool and and kinda brings the community together. And and you you you can kinda meet some of the people in your local community that that might just normally be buying a computer than just selling eBay.

You know? I think it I think it's, it's really cool to go to these events and connect with new people.

That's awesome. We're gonna get to, talk about some items that you currently have on your eBay store, but I I'd be I'm curious, and I always like to ask this question.

Maybe over the last year or so, has there been a card or cards or another item that sold through your store that is memorable, whether it's the item itself, the price it went for, anything that comes to your mind?

The first thing that comes to mind is, I think back in 2021, kind of the start of the the COVID boom for trading cards, we sold a, it was a raw Cyber Stein SJC o one.

So Cyber Stein is the very first prize card giving out in Yu Gi Oh, and it's it's history. So, before before the auction, prize cards were kind of a super niche part of the market.

So Cyberstein, there's there's probably, like, a 50 or less copies in circulation. So it's a really rare card by trade, but prior, it was only worth, like, $2,000 because of, you know, how how, Yu Gi Oh, collectors viewed the market.

So I I I put up this auction on eBay, and and it went for some crazy I I think it was, like, $11,000, which was, like, six x the value at the time.

And I I remember getting so many messages like, why are you shield bidding this? What are you doing? And I'm just like, like, I can't control what people bid. Right? So at at the end of the auction, it got paid for.

We sent it out, and and now I know the owner really well. He he's an awesome guy, and he, you know, is just someone from the magic community that that wanted to dabble in Yu Gi Oh, because he thought the prices were too cheap.

So I think there there's there's a lot of stuff like that that happens where, you know, there's some auctions that go way less than you expect, but also some that go way higher and, you know, to the point where the market doesn't even accept the price that was sold and paid for it.

And then following after that, you know, the the other copies at auction after mine went for more and more because there were more people getting into the hobby.

So, I I think just just memorable stuff like that that, you know, kinda you you run an auction against the community chatting, whether good or bad.

I think I think that's kind of fun. But, yeah, I I think auctions are, you know, one of the best things on eBay. You you know, you you never know what's gonna end on on a given day, and you can always score a really good deal.

I I love this thread, in this idea of a collector coming over in a similar but adjacent category and looking at what things are selling for, going through maybe their own system and program of how they look at their category and saying, you know what?

This stuff looks this stuff, I get what it is, and I get its rarity and scarcity, and this is too cheap for me.

So instead of, like, sticking to, you know, the the $2,000, what everyone who's been a part of this category has paid for forever, like, I'm willing to go up to 11 k or 12 k or whatever it is.

Like, with so many different types of, TCGs out there, like, how big of like, because I see this in sports all the time.

Like, you collect football, basketball, but you're interested in getting into wrestling or interested in getting into WNBA, and the price of those categories is so much cheaper than the same card in the same parallel in another category.

And so these new collectors disrupt it in a way, but I think those are the types of moves and splashes that help elevate and push a category forward.

So maybe just talk about like, I would imagine since there's a bunch of different TCGs, this type of activity happens quite a bit.

Yeah. I I would say, especially in the newer TCGs. Right? Like like, we kinda talked on the work on a and, you know, forgive me.

I'm not, like, the biggest work on it expert, but I know they they had, like, a tournament, and they gave out, like, a it was, like, a golden version of a Mickey Mouse card and, you know, really awesome card.

And then, you know, at the end of this tournament, the those cards are selling for, you know, I I think $20,000 plus. I think there were some consignments on eBay.

So I I I think it's really interesting how, like, you know, there there's games like Yu Gi Oh that have been around for a long time and have, like, certain prize support, but have but, like, rarely see, like, prize cards sell in, like, the 20,000 range.

And then more kinda comes around, and then there's, you know, their first tournament now sells for 20,000 doll which is a really good sign on the market.

Right? So that's that's great for Locana. But a similar thing for One Piece, and One Piece is a really big IP here and also in Japan.

But, you know, they they that that's a relatively new game. That's extremely popular backed by Bandai who has run run a bunch of games before. But, you know, those price cards are selling for a ton of money too.

So I I think it's really interesting to see, like, how, you know, new games come out and then kinda how those markets adapt. And, like, Locana came out, and it was a lot of people that were Disney fans that were first time CCGers.

So, kinda like seeing how the Locana community when when the first steps dropped and everything was selling above MSRP compared to now when, you know, things are kinda more settled below MSRP and, you know, just kinda like market trends with a new game with, you know, frankly, a whole new community in the TCG space.

I I I always think it's fascinating. I love it. Let's get into some of these, cards, and items you have listed, on your store from I believe these are from your personal collection.

And this is gonna be great because this is an opportunity for me to get educated, but I'd love for you to maybe just walk through these three items, kind of what they are, why why they're significant, that sort of thing.

Absolutely. So, this item here is a PSA 10 LOB, Blue Eyes White Dragon. So this is out of the very first set Legend of Blue Eyes and first edition that you can get.

And then wavy is, in reference to, the card stock prints. So LOB first edition has two different stocks, wavy and glossy, they're called. So, statistically speaking, one third of the boxes made were wavy, two thirds were glossy.

So wavy wavy is the specific variant that that is more desirable. And then, yeah, PSA 10. I remember I I bought this card on eBay back in I think it was, like, $20.

18 back kinda, like, when I was like, alright. Graded cards are cool. Right? It it took a really long time to for the Yu Gi Oh community to accept graded cards and and kinda like, no.

Like, hey. Grading is is a good way to make your cards, like, kind of more valuable. Right? So so that took a really long time for Yu Gi Oh to pick up relative to Pokemon and Magic. But, yeah, this this is a really awesome card.

This is probably my favorite piece in my collection. It's currently on display at, the PSA office. They just did a whole remodel. They they have a a whole, you know, kinda like a shrine for it, I'll say.

I'll I'll I'll send over a picture. Maybe maybe we can drop it in before, the video goes live. But, it it's really cool just to own a piece that PSA reached out and said, like, hey.

We would love to have this on display in our new office. So, yeah, it it's currently honed in in, California right now in their office and and, hopefully, looking pretty.

So that's amazing. So maybe help us understand, like, obviously, grading is such a big part of the sports card community and category.

You mentioned, like, maybe it wasn't, but I would imagine especially for if, you know, graded cards are selling for more, there's probably more interest.

Maybe talk a little bit about just like, grading in, Yu Gi Oh or TCG. I would imagine, like, there's probably an increase in demand.

And then also this card specifically, like, what's a like, what is the pop, population of a card like this? Yeah. Like, approximately, or if you got the number, I'd love to know that. Oh, I'll pull up the number right away.

But, so Yu Gi Oh is kind of interesting in in relative to, like, Pokemon and Magic. It seems like whenever there's, like, a trend going on in Pokemon or Magic, it takes, like, a year or two for Yu Gi 0!

To catch on. So grading was definitely one of them. So I remember going to events in, like, 2013, '20 '14 where you could find, like, a near mint copy of this card in a vendor case for, like, $40.

And I think that was just because no one really minded the, the collector's market in Yu Gi 0.

It it because at these events, like, people are going to play in the tournaments. So everyone wants, like, hey. What what's the newest best card that I can put in my deck?

You know? Instead of, hey. I want this first edition boy's white dragon. So I think just just seeing, like, how things have changed from, you know, 2014 to 2025, where, you know, these pieces are kind of more recognized.

And, yeah, let me pull up the, I I haven't checked the pop I I I looked at it while on the on the PSA app. 1 0 pop one zero four. Does that sound right? Did I 104 sounds right. I I have a friend, who works with PSA.

His name is Tony. He he has a spreadsheet. He he's tried to track every, every scan of the PSA ten Blue Eyes to see which one is waving glossy. So I think he has, like, an exact, count of which which is which.

And, actually, if you submit it to PSA now, they'll they'll they'll recognize the the attribute on the label. So if you sent him this card, it it would say wavy on the label and glossy.

So whereas, like, back in 2014, '20 '15, that that wasn't really something that was recognized. So kinda cool to see, like, cards that have been out for so long and kinda how the community recognizes them.

I I love it. Alright. Let's move on to the next one. An uncut sheet, something we see in sports too. Talk about this one. This is unique, I'm sure.

Yeah. So I I will say uncut sheets are probably my my niche, my personal niche. I love I love just a nice uncirculated, uncut sheet that probably shouldn't be, you know, circulated, but, you know, you get a frame to put on your wall.

And it's it's ultimately like an art piece at the end of the day. So, this one is is a really cool piece my dad and I picked up from, Gary King Pokemon, the the one on on pawn stars with all the Charizards.

He's a really awesome guy. So the this is a really cool sheet because it features the starter deck, Yumi and Kaiba, which, I believe were released before the very first legend of blue eyes set.

So these are kind of the first cards, to be released, albeit the sheet is unlimited, so probably not, you know, in in print history.

But it it features the blue eyes and white dragon, the dark magician, lord of d, soul exchange, kind kinda some of the most, iconic cards in Yu Gi Oh. So that that's definitely one of my favorite pieces as well.

And this is something we found on display with eBay at some Gen Cons too. So it it's really cool to bring bring pieces like this to shows and and kinda have a talking piece and talk Ubios with people.

Awesome. And final, listing we have here, let's talk about it. Yeah. This is, without a doubt, the, rarest box in Yu Gi Oh, legend of blue eyes first edition, the very first first one that started it all.

So this is the, set you can pull the that, PSA 10 Blue Eyes in, but, of course, in a factory sealed box, with 24 packs inside.

So, I I think relative to, like, what Pokemon base set boxes are selling for, I believe, you know, about 300,000, 4 hundred thousand maybe.

I haven't I haven't kept up on that end too much, but I I think Yu Gi Oh boxes are a bargain compared to, you know, what some of the older boxes in the other games are selling for.

So, Legend of Buoy's first edition box is definitely one of my one of my favorite things to collect. Just seeing the Konami logo on the side there brings me back to some some some old video game days on on my on my end, which I love.

We'll put all we'll put all those listings out, links to it. So, if you're listening to this, you can make sure you check those out.

Alright. Maybe we'll, like this has been fun. I would love to maybe close this out with your mindset as a business owner and just what do you think separates in this industry kind of a good business from a great business?

Yeah. So, obviously, I I would say cards as a whole is pretty it's I wouldn't call it saturated, but there are a lot of businesses you're competing with.

A lot if you're gonna get into TCGs or sports, you're you're gonna compete with a lot of, lot of big businesses as well.

So I I would say, one, you you definitely gotta be passionate for what you're doing. And then the I I would say, like, my three keys of business are products, shipping, and and communication.

So you you gotta have a great product. You can't just list base cards and common cards and expect to run a, you know, sustainable business.

So you gotta have, like, product people want. You gotta ship it to them adequately. So especially with all the marketplaces that are getting delivered next day.

Right? You I I think it's really important to, like, research shipping products, albeit, like, FedEx, UPS, DHL, like, kinda kinda like almost like memorizing shipping routes and, like, hey.

If someone in like, if if I'm in Wisconsin, someone in Minneapolis orders this order and we can ship it, FedEx economy versus USPS for a dollar more, but they're gonna get it two days earlier, like, I think that's that's a really good investment to make on a return buyer.

And then I think, ultimately, communication is really key.

I think if someone messages you, you know, even the most random message on a product, and you you respond and acknowledge them, I think that's going to make them more inclined to buy from you.

And just keeping open communication and you know, especially if something goes wrong because mistakes happen in every business. No one's perfect. Just keeping open communication and and reassuring, like, hey.

Sorry. This is a mistake on our end. Or, you know, we have people that reach out and say, you know, maybe maybe we messed up their order in a better way, and then, you know, that that's great of them for letting you know.

So, communication's key, shipping, and speed, and just learning about all all the different logistic companies and all of that and that products.

Absolutely. I think those are the three biggest things to know. There's a lot of people who listen to this show who maybe, work a job but have had aspirations to go, start their own thing in the industry that they love.

What would be maybe one piece of feedback in closing that you'd offer anyone about, starting their own business in, trading card industry? Yeah. It's a grind.

But I would say if if it's if that's what you wanna do, it's what you're passionate about, and you're really business minded and ready to work a lot of hours and probably not make a lot for the first probably a lot of years, you know, go for it.

I like, that that's kinda how we started.

We we we went all in on a lot of sets and kind of not until, like, the last few years we we've really been seeing the returns. Right? But, it I I I would say the journey there is probably more valuable than than anything.

And and getting to meet people and going to the events in the memories, like, not you're you're not just working hours, but you're making memories and and having a great time doing it if that's what you're passionate about.

He's Aaron. He runs, Sessiato, which is the largest Yu Gi Oh seller on eBay. Aaron, this was a lot of fun.

I learned a ton that I didn't know going before this conversation, so appreciate you dropping your knowledge and coming on and talking about your business. Absolutely, Brad. It was a pleasure having having me on. Thank you so much.