Alright. We are back with another episode of Passion and Profession brought to you by my good friends at eBay. Excited to be revisiting some of these chats that we had earlier in the year.

And in today's conversation, we're going to be talking about what consignment's been like, for one of eBay's top sellers in twenty twenty five's, growth, scaling, decision making, and we'll definitely leave some time to talk about cards and some sales.

But today, I am joined by Adam at AMT memorabilia. Adam, welcome back. How are you?

Good, Brett. Thanks for, thanks for having me again, man. It was it was a lot of fun last time. So glad glad glad we can do this again. You know, my I I I have so many of these chats, and it's so difficult to remember everything.

But, like, two things that I remembered about it by the way, like, we we chatted in March, which seems like an eternity ago, but I remember UFC being, like, a big piece of the story.

And, obviously, we were catching up beforehand that you're located in Michigan.

Maybe, like, before we get it going, just in case there are members of the audience who who who don't know you or haven't, heard from you or didn't listen to the previous episode, like, maybe give a snapshot on on you and the business that you're running.

Yeah. So I started AMT back in probably about 2017.

You know, it wasn't I was on eBay a little bit. I kinda started it just kinda collecting. I mean, I've been collecting ever since I was a kid, and I've been doing, Pokemon Yu Gi Oh TCG as well as, of course, sports cards.

And, it really got me into everything that I do was, UFC at the time in 2016, 2017, and kinda started out in little Facebook groups, kinda just running little breaks.

And, it was just kinda like a a side side hobby kind of a thing, just a way for me to collect some of my favorite fighters. It was very niche, you know, sport at the time, more so, of course, than now.

So, and there was really no one kinda doing that in that aspect where they were kinda you know, breaking was still kinda new in 2016, 2017. It's been it was around for a couple years, but, of course, nowhere near to where it is today.

And, we just you know? It was a it was a fun way to collect that I could get go from some of my favorite fighters within these groups, and I could help others out.

And it had nothing to do with me making a a business out of it or making money from it. It was just, you know, strictly fun. It was a amazing time. And slowly from there, it just started growing. You know?

People wanted me to do more things in these groups, and then I started, you know, doing these on on eBay right around 2018. So, I mean, we're going on seven plus years of of of being able to do this, and it's it's been a blast.

It's been absolutely amazing. It's so much fun. And, you know, every day you get to rip open packs of cards, boxes, cards, cases of cards nonstop.

So, I mean, it I I truly do live a a very fun dream of being able to do that on on a on a daily basis. Has it been more challenging for you, you think, in just like the growth of AMT?

Has it do you think it's been more challenging to you to grow to where you are today by starting with such a focus with UFC, or has it been more challenging to as you've grown your business through UFC branched off and, like, kind of, started to be known or recognized in some of these other categories?

Yeah. I I think kinda starting off was difficult just in a sense of because I didn't at the time, I didn't know what to expect from it.

I wasn't doing this as you know, again, it was kind of like a a a side, you know, collection, you know, a way to to grow my collection as well as help others kind of a thing.

So, when I made those first steps, it was all brand new to me.

I've never done anything like it before. Yeah. I knew cards. Yes. I I I knew how to, you know, how to handle cards, top load cards, and I knew parallels and things of that sort.

But, those those first couple of years just kinda expanding and and and deciding like, hey. This is something that I wanna do for, you know, more than just on the weekends or more than just a couple hours a week.

And I saw an opportunity that, you know, also, of course, you know, being able to employ people and, you know, finding people that that knew what they were doing in the card world and and getting them in that realm with me to helping me do all of this.

I mean, that I think that was harder for me just because I knew what I wanted, and I wanted to do it the right way.

And once I got those beginner steps and once I kinda got the feel for things now, you know, it's easier for me because I have that history where people you know, I I see people all the time where I might have not seen them for a couple years and of, you know, they joined my breaks before and then they stopped, whether it be, you know, they cook they they they they stop collecting or they stopped with breaks or anything, and then they come back and they they join the room, like, no time is lost.

So I've I think that's the the fun and cool thing of it that has helped me along the way is that I've now been doing it for so long that now it's just it's easier.

I have I have the tools. I have the people around me. I have the history.

I have everything that, you know, the people know exactly what they're what they're getting when when I'm when I'm doing it, whether it's be breaking or a consignment aspect that just over the years that I I had to, you know, show people.

I had to really take that extra step to show that, you know, I know what what I'm doing and our employees know what we're doing in that aspect.

So, but it's been fun. It's been fun, the growth, and it's just it keeps it keeps going. I, we're definitely gonna hit consignment and breaking, and I'm curious, like, how those two worlds have worked for you in this year.

But I wanna hit on something you mentioned about, like, hiring and, like, the the people, in the, I guess, the skill set, which I view it as a skill set set.

But, like, how valuable is it for someone like you who's own who owns and is running a business to find people who have, like, domain knowledge of, like, cards, and, like, have that deep product knowledge.

Like, I feel like that to me, as more and more people are entering the industry, and becoming treating the industry, and finding opportunities where it's their full time job or starting jobs on their own.

To me, that's feels like it's a valuable trait that's not really getting talked about too much.

So maybe, like, how do you view, like, that domain or subject matter or project product expertise with the people you're bringing in to work with you?

Yeah. So everyone that works for me at any point has known about cards. They're in the hobby. They whether it be just Pokemon, whether it be just TCG, whether it just be just sports cards, whether it be just memorabilia.

That was one of the the biggest things that I wanted is I wanted people that were you know, they they knew about the hobby.

They knew how to handle cards. They knew what was asked about them, number one. And, of course, more importantly probably more important than number one because I can teach them some things along the way is is the honesty part of it.

You know? Because we're we're not only dealing with my stuff, we're dealing with with customers cards, whether it be from a break, whether it be consignment.

So I can't teach honesty. You know? It's either you have or you don't at this point in life kind of a thing.

And, you know, that was one of the other big things from for for finding my employees. So, I mean, I everyone who is currently employed by AMT, I have known for many, many, many years.

They are some of my closest friends. The kid one of my employees was actually the best man at my wedding. So, you know, he's he's he's one of my he's one of my Swiss army knifes as I like to call him.

He kinda does everything. So, but it just it makes my life so much easier. It's one less thing that I have to worry about. You know, when especially in a business like this, there's a lot that goes into it.

And the more that I grow and, especially when we start talking about the consignment aspect, I mean, there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes that I don't think many people realize, from categorizing inventory, scanning, listing, shipping, even with breaks, you know, just knowing knowing what to do in that whole process from opening to sorting to shipping to making sure that's all handled and done correctly.

So, but I I wouldn't be where I'm at today without my employees, and I make sure I tell them that all the time.

I mean, they they know what I think of them and, you know, and it's helped it's helped immensely because I wouldn't be we wouldn't be talking here today. I wouldn't be able to do what I what I do without them.

So, you know, I that's probably one of the most important things is, you know, of course, when you're scaling your business is just getting the correct people around you. You know? It it it cost a few extra bucks.

I'll be the I'll be the first one to say that. You know? It does, but it it it it makes it just so much easier that knowing that we're doing things the right way, that it's just you you don't have to worry about it.

So, I mean, I trust these guys with my collection, my cards, and stuff like that. They do an amazing job. I know that they're gonna handle our customers' cards with, you know, that same level of care.

That's amazing. Let's dig into consignment and what consignment looks like for you this year. I'm curious in terms of what you're looking at and seeing at. May you can you can take it as daily, monthly, annual basis.

But just, like, how volume category mix and maybe demand from buyers have shifted this year? Like, has anything stand out to you as opposed to, like, what was happening in your business last year or previous years?

Yeah. I mean, as maybe maybe not so much for I mean, Pokemon is on fire. It has been on fire. You know, Pokemon has always been very popular. And, but right now, it's just it's it reminds me a lot of sports cards during the COVID craze.

You know? You have now people again kinda waiting in line at Targets and Walmarts and all these things, and now GameStop and limiting products and stuff like that.

So it just it keeps getting crazy and crazier. And the TCG world, I mean, one piece has been on fire as well. And it's good to see because that's, again, coming from me that I I grew up on Yu Gi Oh and Pokemon.

That's that was my first packs of cards that I opened, you know, the original base set 99 and then, of course, Yu Gi Oh in 2000, 2001, that that area.

So, you know, it it's it's cool to see. So just the demand. I'm I'm seeing so many people that never were a part of Pokemon before.

They never were a part of one piece or the TCG community that now they also are starting to incorporate that, whether they're buying for their collection or they start, you know, they're starting to watch, you know, now with as one piece was on has been on Netflix now for a little bit and, you know, people are I rewatched Yu Gi Oh recently.

So, I mean, even I'm kinda going back, the OG Yu Gi Oh. You know, even I'm kinda going back and and reliving my childhood a little bit.

So Does it make you wanna buy cards? I already I already have the full first edition legend of Bluewise set. So Okay. I I got that, and I was like, you know, I got that a couple years ago, and I it was fun.

I love set building. That's my thing. So, that's what I love to do. There's nothing like it in my opinion because, you know, you're not banking on one player's career or something in regards to that.

And I've picked so many wrong players over the course of my collecting career. You know? But set building, you know, it's just it's so fun. It's so fun when you get down the last couple of cards and things like that.

So, I'm kinda all Yu Gi Oh'd out just because I I I spent a, a decent chunk of change in in that, but it's something that I get to see, you know, whenever I want and and get to go through it and just you know, That that's what I get to enjoy out of it is, you know, all these cards that I used to play with, you know, and, you know, have I used to play, you know, and create a a a Yu Gi Oh deck, you know, play with my friends and stuff like that.

Now I get to enjoy it in a nice PSA case that I can't, you know, touch the physical card and wish I didn't play with all those cards as a kid.

But, you know, that that's that's that's the enjoyment that I get out of it, and I think a lot of people do as well.

So but it's just that market shift where there's a lot of sports card people that I've seen now, Even in their submissions, they used to always send in just sports cards, sports cards, sports cards. It's like, hey.

They just sent a whole box of Yu Gi Oh in one piece and and league of legends and magic the gathering, and now, you know, there's all these fun sets with, where Magic the Gathering did, you know, Spider Man Marvel kind of a thing.

So it it's cool. And of course, a couple of years back, Lord of the Rings.

So, it's fun. It's a fun time to be a part of the hobby, in my opinion, if if you are a collector. It's expensive. Yes. But it gives a lot of cool variety and and, you know, a lot of things that most of us grew up on.

I'm curious, and I don't think I've ever asked anybody on this show this, but I'm I think this is a good it's, like, came to me as you were talking.

Do you you've got, like, your own personal collection. You've got these sets. I'm sure you've got, like, cards that are stashed away.

Like, do you Sorry, Brad. I lost you there for a second. Yeah. No worries. I think we're good. Can you You're going in and out right now. I can't hear you, and I can't you're frozen on my screen if you can hear me.

Okay. Me okay? I can hear you now. I don't know what, what is I can hear you now. You're unfrozen now. Am I frozen or on You were. You keep you keep being choppy on my end. Let me, give me one sec. Yeah. Yeah. Alright.

So from listening to the ad, and I know you've got a collection and you are building out sets, but I'm curious, Adam, like, are there ever moments in you making business decisions about AMT and areas of investment where you decide, well, maybe if I sell these few things out of my collection, that'll give me access to funds to unlock areas to invest in.

Like, do you do you use your collection at all, to make business decisions when you need capital?

Yeah. 100%. You know, it wouldn't be the it wouldn't be the first time, and I'm sure that there's gonna be something in the future where, you know, something arises.

I mean, right now, what we're currently going through is we're currently building out a we've been we've been for a little bit. But, I mean, each day that passes, we're we're we're so much closer.

And, I'm I'm hoping here within the next couple of weeks where we are officially through beta testing, but we're building a, consignment portal similar to, like, how some of my competitors have, but kinda making our own little twist on it.

So, you know, just for a way for our customers who trust us in sending cards or their collection to us for them for us to sell for them, a way to track them.

You know? You just instead of sending emails and lovely spreadsheets that we all, you know, enjoy, it's you just log in and you're one click away and you see everything.

Everything in real real time live data of it being live, of it selling, what what we owe you and things of that sort. I mean, that is not only a huge success for, I think, our customers. I mean, I think they're gonna absolutely love it.

It's just it's right there in front of them. You don't have to, you know, again, read these spreadsheets or or all these things. It's all just right in front of you and requesting payouts and everything.

So, but also for, you know, my employees, you know, that way instead of them having to handle those spreadsheets and having to send those emails of, you know, items being relisted or new items going up, it's all just gonna be automated just for them to then have more time, whether it be, you know, shipping items out quicker, you know, same day.

You know? That's I I've always wanted to hit that goal, and it's very tough. You know? It's easy for you know, if you have a couple items that sell a day.

I mean, we have thousands that sell a day. So I've always wanted to to hopefully get to the the point where everything ships. If it's not same day, it's within twenty four hours. You know?

So that just gives them more time where everything else is automated that, you know, we can do that, which just, you know, helps everyone involved. You know, the buyers, the sellers, they get their funds quicker and everything.

So, you know, but just being able to grow it to help everyone. You know? That's that's why we started this consignment aspect branch of the business, you know, now about two and a half years ago is I I have this platform on eBay.

We we have the people that constantly search for what we do, you know, or, you know, repeat buyers or people always coming across to see what we do.

And, you know, why can't we use this platform to also help everyone, you know, get their items up, you know, showcase them better, have a better spotlight, and having people who work on cards day daily, you know, handling their cards as well.

So, which in return just brings more views to those to our customers' cards that we're selling for them because, you know, you might not have those same people joining breaks that they come they could randomly come across the card.

They're like, oh my god. I want that card. You know? So, but also, you know, people from the the break standpoint where, you know, we we can kinda offer and and help them with those consignments and things like that.

So, but that this website is just because we're going through it right now, that is, for sure something that I've done.

And, you know, as I kinda continue to to grow on the website or maybe I have some other fun ideas in in in the works that, 100%.

You know? It it it helps everybody. It helps everyone involved and customers, employees, and everyone. And it sucks doing it, but, you know, you you you have to be selective.

You know? You gotta be selective. The one on ones are usually the last ones that, have to go, you know, of course, because it's like, when am I ever gonna find that one again?

So, but, yeah, I'm sure I'm sure it'll happen again in the future, but, you know, it's just it's just having a a healthy business is just, you know, ways that I can kinda continue to grow this thing even, you know, with my own funds from years ago, you know, that I've however however we've made.

So, you know, it's just making a better overall experience for our customers. That that's our number one priority. And this this website, as as our competitors have, will, you know, shows that it it works very well.

So I'm excited for it. The moment when you realize that you needed to make an investment like this and create this portal that is ultimately is a better experience for your customers?

Like, investing in tech is never it it's never, like, super exciting because it's not cheap and but you have to decide that, like, you're gonna do this because it'll ultimately lead to more growth down the road.

Is there a specific moment where you decided, okay. We just gotta do this. Like, let's rip the bandit off. Do you remember when that moment was? I I I think it was collectively, like, just, like, a week long.

So we we usually hold a couple events a year on eBay where we get to be featured on their front page and, you know, showcase it to our customers of just a way for them to get more marketing and more exposure, you know, for no additional charges.

And I remember our first, like, big event at the time.

Now we handle that more on a weekly basis. But at the time of just kinda getting things started, you know, it was like maybe, like, I don't know, 3,000 items or something like that where, you know, it was like, oh my goodness.

I have to do, you know, all of this for three you know? I mean, there was maybe, I don't know, 50, a 100 people that sent in whatever the number was, and it just it took forever. And now it's one of those things where we do that.

Instead of, like, one big event every couple months, it's like, no. That's that's we do more than that in a week. You know? So just me having to handle it, my employees having to handle it, it's no I don't wanna say it's not fun.

It's just our time can be used better, you know, for actually making everyone's experience better. Again, getting our customers' items up quicker, shipping faster, the whole nine yards.

Everything about it. That's what I'd rather be spending my time on than handling these reports, and I think my employees would agree with me given there's my my best man, that's that's what he does all day long is just handles reports.

And, you know, he's good good sport about it. You know?

And he does an amazing job. He's amazing at what he does. So but his his love is for for sports cards, not not spreadsheets. You know? No no doubt. I wanna hit on a little bit about the the breaking side too and maybe consignment side.

It's not I mean, it there are other, you know, companies that do both, but, like, maybe talk about that experience about doing consignment and doing breaking and how those two sides of the business, you know, support each other.

Like, how do you how do you allocate your time on each of those lanes?

Like, talk through that. Yeah. So I I love it because it just again, my idea around everything is how can we help out our customers? How can we make life easier for them? How can we use our platform to help everything?

So, you know, there's a lot of people that join our breaks that they join our breaks for their collections. Absolutely love it. I I'm I'm a big guy into building your collection and everything.

You know? Again, me building my sets and things like that, everyone can collect a little bit differently, and that's that's what we strive for is hopefully hitting something that's for the collection.

But every once in a while, you know, someone will hit two of the same card, and they only have room for one in their collection, or they say, hey.

I can sell this and use those funds to buy something that's missing from my collection. So, it just it makes the process that much easier just given that we already have the items in hand.

The person doesn't have to wait a couple days to get their package in the mail. You know, they don't have to go through the process of having to list it, having to ship it, having to post it wherever that postcard's for sale.

It's all done right for them. So, you know, it's it's an easy it's it's an easy sale, you know, in a sense of I'm I'm just we're here to make their life easier.

That's that's my ultimate goal, and if I can, that's what we're here for. So, you know, usually making your life easier comes at a a cost.

You know, usually you get less money from the sale, but how we structured our our fee structure for both our cards from breaks as well as consignment cards is on most cards, you actually clear more money by having us handle everything for you and sell it for you and list it for you than you'd get doing the work yourself.

So it's not trying to take away from you know? You know? There's some people that sell a couple cars a week. They love it. You know? They love the thrill of having, hey. I sold this. I get to ship it and things like that.

It's one of those things. Even if it sells for the same price, you know, for, like, a $100, I'll give you more money because of my relationship and the volume that we do on eBay than than they would get themselves.

You know? And and there's no worry. We handle it all. You know? We handle with we deal with the lost packages.

You know? That's not on them. We we we handle every every step of the way. So, that's that's how I've been able to kinda continue to grow my business again. And I keep saying that it's just what it is is how we have the platform.

How can we use our platform for everyone that's, you know, trusted us where there's one break, 100 breaks, 500 breaks, one consignment, five consignments, 100 consignments where they've just bought from us however many times, whether it's singles or whatever it is.

We've talked about, people. We've talked about technology, maybe heading into, like, points of differentiation. Like, AMT is not the only, you know, power seller on eBay.

There's a lot of different, companies who do similar adjacent, stuff to what you all do. Like, how do how do you think about standing out and getting the attention of, somebody who might be looking for a service?

Like, where are you spending your time in terms of, like, thinking about differentiation and getting, the brand exposed to potential customers? Yeah. So when we we we were actually just set up at the, Chicago Sports Spectacular show.

So it's one of the shows that we sponsor. We we sponsor a couple shows a year between Chicago and Detroit. So, you know, I try to do a bunch of different ideas.

I'm always someone that goes, you know, let's just see if it works. And if it doesn't work, it's you know, then it doesn't work. But, you know, when we do these shows, I do not sell anything there.

I strictly bring our customers cards, that are currently at auction, and it's just a way for us to showcase them to people that, you know, don't look at eBay every day.

You know, might have not used eBay in a long time, or maybe they didn't know that it was listed on eBay at that certain time.

And, just a way to kind of get our name out there. I mean, our customers absolutely love it. We spend a lot of money to to to do events like this, and, again, doesn't cost any additional money for our customers.

It's just a way that grows our brand, gets new people looking at these cards. You know, we we accept, like, consignment drop offs at these shows and things like that.

You know, there's a couple, of course, consignment companies that, you know, of set up at shows and do things of that sort, but we kinda took more of, like, a, like, a golden or a heritage approach with it.

And, you know, we're not showcasing, you know, Batman suit or the Batmobile or anything like that. You know? We might be showcasing a a 200, 300, $500 card or thousand dollar, 5,000, 10,000, you know?

More so towards that mid tier pricing where, you know, it's not, oh my god, this is gonna sell for a million dollars. You know, I gotta take a photo with it and look at it.

It's just more so how can we market your items better for you? So, we've also during our events that we've done, I pay for additional outside marketing on some different sports card sites and forums and different things.

Just again, just getting our name out there is, you know, most important, of course.

And the sales will will show themselves, you know, just getting the views, getting everything else. People will see that, you know, I'm doing everything I can to get the most possible views for your items.

That's the only thing that I can ever guarantee, and that's what I always tell people. I will do whatever I can to get the most views for your items possible.

And, you know, that's what we strive for. Just, again, it makes a better overall experience. Usually, that means your card sells for what it's supposed to sell for or more.

You know? So, just little things like that, and, there's plenty of other ideas that we have hopefully, going forward that we can kinda attack something similar.

But, you know, we we we do whatever we can just to to help our customers out that, again, they trust us whether it's a $100 worth of cards.

I mean, there's guys that send us a $100,000 worth of packages. And so, I mean, I I appreciate everybody for for them believing in us and trusting us with with their stuff.

And, you know, it's how can we give back to them and kinda continue to grow this thing. We're gonna talk about some sales from AMT this year.

But before we do that, I'm curious. We talked about TCG and, like, the growth there. Has there been any other categories, whether you have intentionally tried to attract, those categories or cards?

Has there been any other, category that's really surprised you this year where it's, like, last year, we were selling, like, you know, a percentage of this category, and this year, it's kind of naturally increased.

And if so, like, what what are those categories? Yeah. For for sure, TCG.

You know, that that's for sure number one. But something that I've done breaks before on and different things now, I'm, I'm usually pretty good with name pronunciation in a lot of sports just given the fact that I watch it.

You know, and I've collected it for a long time, but I've I've never been the the biggest soccer fan in the world. You know, but with with the World Cup leading up here into The States, I think it's it's been pretty crazy.

And the amount of soccer items and, like, value wise, even, like, higher end stuff from, you know, some of these some of these guys only send soccer cards.

You know? And and I'm not known I mean, at a point, I wasn't known for my soccer. Now I can say I'm known for my soccer. I mean, we we receive multiple packages on a weekly basis of just strictly soccer, and it's exciting to see.

I mean, there's guys in my office that love soccer. That's their number one sport, and I rely on them a lot, you know, because it's like, you know, who's this?

You know, like, kind of a thing and stuff like that just because, again, I I'm a I'm a football, basketball, baseball, UFC kinda guy.

And I I unfortunately don't have the time for every single sport out there, but, no. It's it's exciting to see.

It it it's a it's just a completely different world for soccer. You know? It's a huge international market, and there's so many things that I see. It's just like, I just want for that much? Like, what? You know?

And, again, I I feel like I I know my sports a lot, and I I I'm well well in you know, I watch it as much as I possibly can, but it's just it's interesting to see, and it's cool to see that we kinda continue to grow in that field.

But, you know and the more soccer we get in, the more soccer buyers that that kinda, you know, see us, and they say, hey.

You know? These are they're selling all these carts, and I can trust them or or use them for selling soccer carts now.

So that's the that's the exciting thing to see. I mean, we've we've always done a lot of memorabilia for, you know, multi sport different things, so that's kinda continued to grow.

We help customers out selling sealed sealed cases, sealed wax, boxes, and different things of that sort.

So everything across the board has has has for sure grown. It's just kinda seeing the things that we're not used to as much, you know, the of submission wise.

So but it it's been it's been fun. It's it's always fun. It's like Christmas every day getting to open up the packages of, you know, what's what's here, what's not. And it's like, oh, man.

I you know, I need that card for my set. You know? So that's fun too. I a good segue into some of what we're talk gonna be talking about here, but wanted to bring a couple of sales to the table to talk about that I found interesting.

And the one the first one, I can assure you, I've never talked about the sale of cases before, but I saw this in on your on, just in the sales history.

You sold three cases of '20 23, twenty twenty four flawless basketball This year for 85 ks.

I guess, like, I'm curious to know, like, how does that end up happening? Where, company like, AMT has three cases of Flawless Basketball, And instead of maybe ripping it or doing breaks, you decide, you know what?

We're just gonna put this up on eBay, and someone's going to end up buying it. Like, talk to us about just, like, the process and the strategy that goes into selling three cases of, like, the almost the highest end product that exists.

Yeah. I think if, I think if we saw what these were going for right now, I think that number would would, you know, kinda blow that number out of the water.

I think I I don't wanna really look, to be honest with you, but given that's Wendy's year.

But, yeah, I mean, it's just it's one of those things that, you know, I've been breaking for a long time, and these are you know, if if I remember correctly, given that this was a little while ago, I I I came across someone that because we also work with distributors and things of that sort where, you know, things come more available after the initial release.

So, if I recall, this was sold a little bit after the initial release because we kinda got it in, and it was one of those things.

I was like, let's let's see if, you know, let's see if someone someone wants this, you know, kind of a thing. And, you know, we we break flawless. It's not like I I I don't break flawless.

I love breaking flawless, especially, like, football and baseball and stuff like that. I mean, we do multi case breaks on floss football. So, basketball, it's kind of its own little world though.

You know, given a case on this was almost 30 k at the time. It's kinda tough to do breaks for, you know, one, two, three cases. That would be $90,000 worth of, you know, breaks. There's there's people out there that that make it happen.

But, I also as a breaking standpoint, I also usually try to only break products that and it it it's for sure tougher, but that the value is there. And I'm not saying flawless value is not there.

It's tough. You know? You could hit one of the one of the you can hit a Steph Curry patch autograph, you know, and you might not even recoup, you know, what you paid for it kind of a thing, which is just so crazy to say.

And, you know, I coming from a breaker, I hope there's a point in time where it's not like that.

It shouldn't be like that. And, you know, and 2324 falls basketball just given the hype around everything and the price point of it. It was one of those things where I was like, you know what?

I'm not I didn't I don't believe I I we ran any brakes on that one just because of the price point, but, you know, I I'm always someone that I'm I'm looking, you know, buying sealed products, you know, for for breaks for myself or whatever it is.

And and, again, it was just one of those things. It's it's not something that I usually do in this kind of a thing. But, I mean, it it it worked out, you know, at the time.

You know, I probably I probably should've held on to on to that one, I think, again. But I don't know what they're going for, but it's you know, there's there's a market out there.

Whether I know people that, of course, that are breakers that are buying as much as they can of something like this, and that's how they built their business is is strictly doing these extremely high end breaks.

There's also and some people might not wanna believe this and, you know, it's but they use their own money, and they they rip it themselves, or they hold on to it, you know, kind of a thing.

And, it it's whatever they use it for, hopefully hopefully, they hit a a a really nice card or a couple really nice cards out of it. But, you know, that's something that that, you know, we do and not very often.

But thank you. Thank you, Brett, for bringing up that sale. I, you know. How about how about we do that? How about we do that? Hey. There it is. A a a card. There it is. Manhattan product.

And you mentioned Curry, which is the we got the twenty three twenty four flawless Curry vertical patch auto emerald, out of five. This sold for 15 k. You've got, you know, the Curry patch, and you've got the on card auto.

I mean, all the elements. Curry, talk about Curry, a card like this, selling. Like, what what goes on in your head when something like this is up? No. It's it's just it's awesome to be a part of.

It's so cool that we just even get to handle a card like this, you know, where months down the line, whether it be a couple months or years down the line, you know, rewatching this video, it's like, man, I I we got to hold on to and and deal with this card.

You know? It's it's such a cool card for an amazing player.

Again, I think it's one of those cards that in the last few months, I think, if we look at the new price point, I think it went up a little bit. You know, so congrats, to the buyer on that one.

So but it's it it goes back to my point of you can hit an amazing card, something like this, out of five, you know, of Curry, and it's it doesn't even really cover the the the the cost of the case, which is just, again, something that you probably won't hear very many breakers talk about or things of that sort.

It's just one of those things that, hopefully, there's a time again. I used to be someone we would rip national treasures, whatever, multiple cases at one time because NT cases were $3, $4 apiece.

You know? And it was it was fun. You could open five, ten cases, and then there's a time where NT is now 10 k, 12 k, $15.

20 k, per per per case. So it's a little bit tougher to to run big breaks like that just because of the money wise. But, you know, these the high end, low numbered market is just it keeps getting crazier and crazier. You know?

There's these new sales all the time. And even though it has nothing to do with basketball or this card, I I'm sure you're aware of the the the Griffey Superfractor that just sold, like, not even a month ago for almost, like, 40 k.

You know? And it's just that that market, there's a lot of people that are kind of buying these hard to find cards that they, you know, you won't be able to find them going back to what I sent it.

One of ones are the last things that I really try to sell just because I'm there's probably I'm probably never gonna find it again.

And the only time I would ever find it is if someone's put in the situation of, you know, building a business or needing allocating funds for a new house or whatever that is or, you know, so the the high end market like this, it it's just been getting crazy and crazier every month.

And it's fun and exciting to see when you're not looking at, you know, past sales of, you know, what they what they once were.

But, again, it's an amazing card and cards like this. I mean, there there's a lot of cards that we've we've sold a lot of Curry autos over over those last year, like Timeless Moments Autos.

There was one with him and Clay. I think we sold for almost 30,000 plus, you know, for a customer. Again, it's it it it's just cool to be a part of given I'm a collector.

All of my employees are collectors. There's so many times in a day when we're opening up packages or, like, someone's scanning in a card or someone's shipping a card.

They're like, man, this is that's so cool. You know? And I love hearing that because that just shows that they're doing something that they love.

You know? They're doing something that they get to enjoy. And, you know, even though they they didn't buy it or anything, they they they get to be a part of it.

You know? So that that's that's that's what I enjoy about cards like that, seeing those. Amazing card. We're moving over to you you referenced that you're getting a lot of cool soccer cards. This is probably one of them.

It's the 2223 Topps Dynasty UEFA Patch out of 10. I mean, it's like this guy, it's he's like a magnet. It's even if you don't collect soccer, it's like, eventually, if you're gonna dip your toe, it seems like Messi is the gateway drug.

What what are you seeing with Messi stuff, this card in particular soccer market? I mean, this is gonna, in my opinion, go down as just such an iconic card with the first year of dynasty, of course, in the in the Barcelona jersey.

See, I know a little bit about soccer where I can talk about that. So not all is lost. But, no. I mean, it this is I think we probably sold probably at least five or six Messi's in total.

They weren't all Barcelona ones. You know? So, of course, Barcelona one is the more expensive of the of the of the group of cards that he's featured in with the different teams.

So, but Messi in general, I mean, again, that's just one of those things is the the scarcity of these cards that this given that's out of 10, I know there was a couple different, images they used, couple different card numbers.

So they made more than just 10 that's in front of us. It's just a different look to the card and things of that sort.

But, there was a time period. I we were selling fifty, sixty, 70 UEFA dynasty cards, like, every other week from our, you know, our customers, our consignors that would send stuff in.

And this is one of the hardest products to find because they did not make very much, and we just were selling it, selling, selling it, and they were bringing big numbers.

And then recently, we I I don't I don't recall who the player was.

I don't believe it was messy. Someone, a card came in for dynasty, and I just wanted to see it's like, oh, I haven't seen dynasty in a couple months after seeing it for every other week for months on end.

And you can't find dynasty UEFA cards, like, listed anywhere on some of these things.

They're just they're they're gone, which again just kinda goes with what I was saying is that there's people out there, whether they're building a set, whether they're collecting their favorite team, favorite player.

These cards are getting locked up in the in the people's collections, and they're just gonna stay there.

And that's why we see these these price, you know, pricing going up in a in a lot of these things. And, you know, whether it be Messi, whether it be, you know, Erling Holland, you know, we we've sold so many Hollands.

I think we just sold or I think we have one up now, as well for Holland, but, I mean, we sold so many of them. I mean and, of course, beautiful set on card, all game game worn kits and things.

So, I mean, it's cards like this, I I I think this will go down as one of the sets for for soccer fans that, you know, people remember for a long time with, you know, whether if you're talking about flawless basketball, prison basketball, of course, PMGs and things like that.

This might never reach Jordan PMG numbers, you know, but it it's as they kinda continue to make sets like this, this is gonna go down as, as a, I think, a a top card to to have in your collection, whoever it is.

Beautiful card for sure. Alright. We're moving over to the vintage side. We've got a 54, Dandy potato chips Mickey Mantle SGC four selling for $4,175.

I chose this card because it's Mickey Mantle, and who doesn't wanna talk about Mickey Mantle? But I'm curious because how, like, how much is this vintage, vintage baseball or any vintage category a part of AMT?

Does it is it regular? Is it getting a card like this rare? Like, talk a little bit about the vintage side and what's coming your way.

Yeah. So, so for me personally, I I was never really a big vintage guy, of course. You know, kinda growing up, it was, again, TCG and all these things. And as as time has gone on, I've expanded my own collection into vintage. You know?

My my dad still collects cards to these days, and we'd always have this debate. He was he always went for the vintage. He always went for the fifties and the sixties, you know, the the '52 tops, '51 Bowman mantle, stuff of that sort.

And I always laughed at him. I was like, dude, you know, respectfully, no one's gonna care about a dead guy come ten, twenty years from now.

And that was ten, twenty years from now, and boy was I wrong. You know? So, and now he's laughing as, you know, I'm showing off the same cards he he still has in his collection, and he goes, what did you pay for it?

And I was like, I don't wanna talk about it. You know? So, you know, it's something that we for sure are handling more and more, and this is just one of those kind of weird sets that you don't really even see.

I mean, to be honest with you, this was probably one of the first times I don't know how many dandy potato chips cards, that we've sold over the course.

It probably is is less than five, I would assume, you know, without seeing every single card that we sell.

But it's just, it it's such a cool card from from Manel's early days, you know, early on in his career and, you know, pretty pretty nice looking card for a four.

You know? It's pretty decent, you know, and great color to it and everything. So, but no. Vintage market is still it's still staying steady, you know, which it it always has been.

It's you know, there's jumps on certain cards, of course, scarcity and things of that sort, but, it it's it's one of those things from a collector standpoint.

If if you're not into vintage, take it from me that, you know, it's probably one of the safer things to kinda get into.

You know, not everything, of course. And no nineteen nineties isn't always considered vintage either, you know, kind of a thing.

But, soon. It almost is. I'm I'm dating myself a little bit. But but, no, it's it it's we're we're we're still you know, we we have a lot of guys that strictly send in vintage to us.

And, again, that's one of those things that things that I never realized, I wouldn't have known without the consignment side of things is that, again, we get packages.

Sometimes it used to be just sports cards, and now those sports cards guys are are sending in TCG stuff.

There are people before that were just sending in just modern cards that are now expanded to vintage. You know? And, of course, we'll always have the guys that just send vintage and things of that sort.

So it it's it's cool to see how everyone is kind of, you know, going with seeing you know, testing out new categories or new eras of cards and things of that sort just for again, whether it be collection or whether it be funding something, you know, to grow their collection into whatever it may be.

Awesome. Well, we're gonna close this out by we we from one classic Yankee to one modern Yankee who's, continues to amaze us and maybe gets lost in the shuffle a little bit with the, Ohtani conversation.

But going back to Dynasty, we got a '24 Topps Dynasty Aaron Judge auto patch out of 10. This sold for $2,605. And this card this is just a beautiful card. Like, I'm staring at it right now. It's the holofoil, the patch, the autograph.

I mean, Judge is a beast. What what are your thoughts of this card? Yeah. I I think you made an amazing point that Judge is kinda being overshadowed a little bit, kinda what Ohtani is doing and, you know, an amazing player.

Just of anything. Again, follows follow suit with Dynasty is really becoming just an amazing product. I mean, it it has been, but, of course, with baseball, it started years ago, almost almost ten years ago now, or more.

But it's just beautiful beautiful style cards. Always game worn patches. Always a nice chunk window chunk there for for the patch and, beautiful design as always.

The the photo, even though I I think it's a nice photo, it it does not do the card justice when they're in hand, just the hollow foil look to it as you mentioned.

You know, it's if you're a judge collector, it's I think you're kinda almost happy that the Ohtani craze is happening because, you know, there's a lot of funds being allocated to there, but, of course, rightfully so.

I mean, Ohtani is is just on another world of things. Our you know, it's our it's our Babe Ruth.

So, but, you know, an amazing player that for sure, even if his career ended today, you know, it'd for sure be a first ballot hall of famer in in my opinion and probably in many people's opinion.

And it's, I'm excited to see Topps with the basketball license with Topps dynasty basketball and kinda see what they can do with that with the as we've seen some mock ups for Curry and different things like that.

It'll be interesting to see what those cards kinda go for.

So I I think they're gonna do quite well and probably will perform pretty well internationally as well. Just a bold prediction. Yeah. That's that's probably an easy one an easy one to to get right on that one.

But, I'm excited. I'm excited to see it, and I you know, because the closest thing that we've kinda seen, you know, in the basketball collecting world has been, of course, eminence and and flaws, but it's just a whole it's I'm excited.

Especially, because I saw that mock up, and I don't know if your viewers saw it, but it's kinda out there. And it's the old warriors logo back from when Steph was a rookie in in o nine or even 2010.

And and that being put into a card, I mean, I can only imagine what that card is. It was a one zero one Curry Auto with that old school warriors patched to it, and, that that card's gonna command a a lot of money.

And but that's it's again, hopefully hopefully, we'll get to be if we can't handle that one, handle something along those lines of Curry dynasty, from breaking standpoint or consignment standpoint.

But it it's gonna be it's gonna be fun to watch.

I love it. Alright. Well, before I let you get out of here, awesome cards, just some incredible cards that are being sold through AMT memorabilia this year, and I'm sure many, more cool ones ahead.

But before I let you get out of here, Adam, maybe just current assessment of what's happening in the market right now and get your perspective. Like, what's what's what do you think is going well? Maybe what's not?

Like, how are you looking towards I know know you don't have a crystal ball and you can't forecast what the market's gonna be like in 2026, but, like, what are you thinking about as you close out this year heading into next?

Yeah. No. From a, like, a collecting standpoint, again, it's just following the they're making companies are making a lot more one on ones nowadays, you know, than they ever have before, and I'm sure that that will kinda continue.

But just because you have a one on one doesn't mean you have a a very, very expensive million dollar card in front of you.

But, you know, I I everything that I'm seeing from sales that we have as well as just seeing sales from other sites, you know, even Golden and and even on eBay and other other consignment sellers are selling.

I mean, these these one on ones are going for a lot of money.

And is it it's one of those things, is it gonna be able to maintain itself, you know, or people just following suit of, you know, this card is gonna be locked away for twenty, twenty five years.

It's gonna be a part of my collection. I'm sorry. You're never gonna see it again.

Again. How bad do you want it? You know, kind of a thing. So there's many cards that, again, collecting in 2005, 2006, 2007 that I consistently look for that are low numbered one on ones out of five, even out of 10.

I I haven't been able to find them in years, five, six, seven years, and I'm sure you know, I know. I you and I collect kinda similar things with the your your Prism Black Finance and your Prism Golds and things like that.

Easy, man. It's not easy. And then that's even talking about sets from a couple years ago now. You know, let's just say ten years from now.

I I don't foresee it being easier ten years from now. So, you know, if I hit a crystal ball or just everything that I've learned through the years, you know, it's it's just gonna be interesting to see how it can may maintain.

But I think it's gonna be a little bit easier on cards like that just given.

They they get locked away. Whether they get locked away in a closet or, you know, I got cards in PSA vault and all vaults and things like that. And just you know? There's times I I go through the portfolio, and I'm like, man.

You know? It might not even be a very expensive card. It could be a $150, but I'm like, man. I didn't even realize that I had that card, and it's low numbered and stuff like that.

And if if I have that, I'm sure there's many others out there that also have that where it's just, you know, just they're enjoying it however they want to enjoy it, but it's for no one else to see.

So for those that are listening or if there's ever a time that you can get a card that's extremely low number that's your quote, unquote, grail card or thing you know, a card that you're like, I'm never gonna see this again.

Take it from me, and I'm sure Brett has mentioned this before. I mean, if you have the means to, you know, or even if you have to sell part of your collection, I can help you do that.

But, sorry. Sorry. I had to plug that just for a second. Yeah. No. But, you know, even if it's, like, selling cards from your collection that are higher serial number, they will be easier to find as time goes on.

You know? You you might not find it right away or things like that, but there's so many cards that I'm like, man, where is this card?

It has to be out there somewhere, and there's no photos of it. There's no it's just I see it on a pop report, you know, and it it's out there.

It's not in a sealed box somewhere, so someone's just, you know, just just sitting on it. And they're they're making me a little angry, you know, because I want the cards. So no.

But I I if you have the if you have the means to do it or to to to increase your collection like that or, you know, grow it in in finding cards like that, I would strongly suggest even whether it be 2026 or 2027 because there's there's gonna be a time where you won't be able to find it.

So I I that's how it's been for a long time for me even building sets like that and rainbow got rainbow chasers collectors and things like that.

And I'm sure you have a you have a story too where, you know, you just you can't find stuff.

So so much of what you just said, resonates with me, especially, and maybe, like, maybe too close on something that's something we're working on. So, great great piece of advice, Adam.

Always appreciate, chatting with you and hearing about what's happening at AMT memorabilia. Looking forward to hopefully doing this again in 2026. Yeah. No. I appreciate it, Brad. Thanks for your time, and it's it's a blast as always.