Alright. Excited for another conversation here on passion to profession. This one is going to be a lot of fun. Today, I'm joined by Adam at AMT memorabilia.

We're gonna talk about his journey in building his business. It's become, you know, one of eBay's top sellers, and, yeah, I'm excited to talk about, AMT Memorabilia. We'll highlight some cards that will be up for auction.

But without further ado, Adam, welcome. How are you? Thanks, Brett. Thanks for having me. I'm doing well. How are you doing today? I I cannot complain. Although, you know, we, we're I guess, we we didn't even, do this.

Where where are you, located? I'm located in Metro Detroit, Michigan. Okay. So so you got the the Midwest Field too. We've been having here in India, it's been like the weather has been very fickle.

It's like one day, it'll try to act like spring, and then the next day, it'll revert back to wintertime. And so we've got a little bit as we're recording this, it's a little bit it's one of those tweener days here.

So I'm trying to figure out what side we're on today. Yeah. No. It's been it's been going between forties and fifties and then back down to, high teens, and and it's always always a wonderful time of the year, here in here in Michigan.

So So are are you, are you a a Lions Pistons guy? Yeah. Yeah. Lions Lions season ticket holder, Pistons season ticket holder. So, not not Tigers or Red Wings, but, yeah, those are actually he picked correctly.

So yes. It's a I mean, it it feels like a pretty good time to be a a Lions and Pistons fan when I'm sure there's been a long period of time where it hasn't been so much fun.

How has that been for you just in being on the other side of having some winning teams to cheer for? Yeah. No. So I'll I'll start with the the Pistons.

We my my family had Pistons season tickets during the o two, o '3, o '4, o '5 kinda run. So, it was awesome to see that growing up, and, you know, it's been nowhere nowhere near that in the last ten, fifteen years for the Pistons.

So, I mean, it's it's extremely exciting, and we we hope that they just turn that corner and they they finally starting our where, you know, people are finally kinda respecting Kate Cunningham as the player that he is.

And, you know, it's just it's an awesome time, and it's exciting that we actually get to start talking about playoffs again and, you know, hopefully hopefully that happens.

So, for Lions, I mean, it's tough for me to say given, you know, I've never never seen that kinda success. And, I mean, my dad has never even kinda seen that success and, you know, and his dad.

You know? So, you know, it's it's it's amazing. It's an amazing feeling, and, you know, it's it's awesome to finally be able to not wear a paper bag on your head going to the game.

And and, you know, just being a part of that and everyone here in the city and states just embracing it like no other. And, for sure came up short last year, and, you know, I it's still it's still a great season.

You know? I anytime you can win that amount of games and and, you know, compare especially being the team that we were, it was just it's it's awesome to, to be a part of something like that.

And now I finally understand what Chiefs fans and Niners fans and all those guys feel like. So Yes. No doubt. Fun fun time, to be a Detroit fan. That's for sure.

Maybe I, like, wasn't gonna dig into this, but I'm curious because I I feel like just on the on the lion side and, like, maybe, like, diving into cards specifically, they're in the hobby and just over the last couple years, definitely in terms of, like, collectability prices, collectors running at their cards.

Like, I have seen definitely a surge in terms of, like, collectors running towards Barry Sanders cards, collectors running towards Calvin Johnson cards.

And, like, the the the the collectors who own those cards, like, hold them very tightly.

There's not a ton of movement. And then when one of their key cards pops up, it seems like, you know, we're hitting all time highs for each one of those players.

So you're a fan of the Lions. I know up until this point, there hasn't been a ton of winning, but the hobby loves both of those players.

Maybe talk a little bit about those players in terms of, like, their hobby presence and you as being a fan kind of what you've observed.

Yeah. So I feel like, as you said, that kind of those cards have been kinda tucked away deep into collections.

I mean, those are sitting in either, you know, true Lions fans, guys that have been around in the you know, when the team was o and 16 and, you know, when we were rooting just to make the playoffs, you know, things of that sort or have a a winning record for the season.

So, you know, I might be I might be small part of the issue for a while.

Some of those cards might have kinda increased in price a little bit, but, I you know, I've always been kinda trying to add to my my collection and stuff like that.

I actually just picked up a Calvin National Treasures rookie patch autograph. The, it's pop one PSA nine just probably about a month ago or so.

So rookie patch auto 99. So, you know, something that is such an awesome card, an iconic card, and, you know, I I I wish Calvin had the opportunity to kinda succeed like this.

I mean, well deserved. I mean, arguably, you know, top three, top five wide receiver of all time in the game, and just just amazing, you know, of anything and amazing to see.

So, you know, and I'm kinda glad being the Lions fan card collector that these prices are kinda getting a little higher just because there is a chance that some of these cards that have not seen the light of day in five, ten, fifteen years, twenty years might actually make an appearance.

Not saying that, you know, I have to go forward or I will go for it, but it's always cool seeing, you know, some of those cars be like, man, I wish I bought that when it came out, you know, when it was a tenth of the price now or things of that sort.

So, but yeah. No. There's there's been a lot of I was actually looking last night too. There's a lot of, like, old school inserts of Barry, popping up and, just hard to find cards that cards that you really don't see that often.

And it's funny that you said it. You know? This wasn't even this wasn't even on the on the scheduled plan or anything.

This happens a lot with my stuff. Yeah. Yeah. No. But it it's 100%. Well, I promise we'll get into the agenda, but I'm I'm curious on this. Just what is it about those two players?

Do you think, obviously, like, hall of famers, but what is it about those two players that, like, not only brings in Lions fans in the community to collect them, but then on the outside, like, there's so many non lions fans who I interact with on a regular basis who are diving into those waters because they love Barry Sanders or they love Calvin Johnson.

What what do you think it is about those players that resonates from a a collector perspective?

From someone living in the state of Michigan, I mean, I think both players are just, like, the tiny little beam of light that we got to experience. You know? I mean, as as bad as that sounds, I mean, that's just that's what it was.

You know, there was really not I mean, you know, Herman Moore, and I I don't wanna you know, I think they you can even say Matthew Stafford during the time, stuff like that. But, you know, that was just that's what it was.

That's what you were rooting for. You know, kinda growing up is like, man, can Calvin get 200 yards? You know, we're probably gonna lose, but, you know, is Calvin gonna, you know, do that?

And he was just he was a freak of nature and so was so was Barry. You know? Just so electric. You know? He could dance around in the backfield for ten seconds and then just, you know, just go and take it all the way.

You know? I it was just and that's what I think non Michigan people even enjoy about it is just how electric they both were.

And it's a shame that the lines couldn't, you know, make it farther or do better with arguably both to you know? In my opinion, again, Barry, the greatest running back of all time, and then Calvin, you know, top five.

So when you talk about guys like that, they always have success of playoffs and, you know, maybe a ring or things of that where we never you know, they never got to experience that or they never got that.

So, that's just that's why I think they do so well is that that was that's who we had. You know? I was just that was the one guy, and that was that.

Yeah. That's interesting. I I I I love observing stuff like that in the hobby and how how collect certain players become so collectible over time, and what you said makes a lot of sense.

Before we dive into kinda your story in building the business, we were talking beforehand.

As we're recording this, it's the weekend before the Chicago Sports Cards Spectacular. I know AMT memorabilia is gonna be there. Maybe talk about just, like, show presence, going to shows.

Is that something that you all do a lot when you're there? What are you looking to accomplish? Maybe talk a little bit about that. Yeah. It's for sure on the agenda on things that I would like to do a lot more.

We kinda this was kinda the first big show that we started with, and it kinda started because the Chicago Sports Spectacular kinda also moved to Detroit where they have a Detroit show now, the biggest Detroit show.

And the first year was last year. So it's, early summertime, I believe.

It's it's usually about middle early to mid May. And, we kinda you know, we they blew it out of the water. I mean, it was amazing. You know, being from Detroit, we really are kinda missing a show of that with that much people.

And, we, you know, wanted to do it wanted just have even more people, you know, for Chicago. I mean, Chicago show is amazing. It's in Rosemont, so it's at the same spot where they hold the national.

Brian does an amazing job. Brian Schwartz who who runs the show. And, speaking of Barry, Barry's actually gonna be there next week, but, something that I always, you know, wanna kinda continue to get bigger at.

And, so we're a sponsor for the show, for Chicago and Detroit. So, you might see if you're listening and going to the show, you might see signs posted around, things of that sort, and we kinda have a bigger table there.

And it's just kinda introducing myself to that crowd of people on accepting consignments and, everything that we do.

And, we kinda line it up with our current, customers that submit to us where I'm actually there showcasing their cards that are on auction ending that weekend or ending the following weekend, and providing, you know, people walking the show QR codes so they can get you know, they just take out their phone, and it literally pulls up that exact eBay listing, and they can bid on it right there in front of them.

So some people, this kinda helps out. Some people, they like to see cards in person. You know? They kinda check out corners and and, you know, surface and everything.

And other people, you know, they might not have any idea that that card is listed, or they weren't particularly looking for that card or that player or things like that, and it catches their eye, and then they can bid out there.

So, it's something that I'm, you know, I'm glad we can offer.

I do not charge any additional price from my customers to do this. It just lines up like, hey. You wanna submit for this show? You know? You know, it helps me. It helps me get inventory and really cool cards.

And, I mean, we got some really big cards coming in, so I'm excited that I get to show them off and have people stop by and, you know, talk and introduce myself and, you know, what we're all about and stuff like that.

So it's beneficial for customers. You know? It's just how many more thousands of people get to see their cards at the show for no extra charge.

I'd spend a lot of money to sponsor this event and do this stuff, and I'd I we don't ask for a penny, and we don't expect a penny or anything like that. But and it's beneficial for both us and just kinda continue to grow this thing.

And, you know, I I know what we can make make AMT, and, and it's and I couldn't I couldn't be where I'm at with the people at eBay as well as our customers for helping me, you know, kinda continue to grow this thing.

I, I I love you talking us through that, and we're gonna talk about five specific cards that will be up for auction here in a bit. One more question on that front.

Is is that that seem I don't know if I've I've heard of anyone else doing that or anything similar to that where, you know, these cards are going to be available at auction, but you're at a show and you get your opportunity to, you know, check them out in person.

So it's kind of a little bit of a hybrid model, which which I think is super cool. Is that something that you thought of organically as you were trying to build your presence at, you know, a show like this or something else?

I'm I'm curious to learn more about just, that approach. Yeah. So, I do not wanna take credit for it of anything. You know, I Go far.

Go far. You see Golden at the national, and they're they're showcasing of course, they're kinda showcasing different things, you know, whether it's, a Honus Wagner or a PSA eight Mickey Mantle rookie or things of that sort.

I'm not probably holding on to those items to, you know, showcase that. But, you know, I I I don't I don't wanna take full credit for it by any means, but I just it's something that there's always I'm laughing about it now.

I always get people you know, there's always a few people that, like, look at me kinda odd. They're like, what do you mean this isn't this isn't for sale? You're at a you're at a show and you're set up and you're paying money.

I'm like, well, it's not for sale. I mean, it is, but you can bid on it for eBay. So sorry. Thinking of just few interactions. So, I mean, you know, it is for sure different. And, I I built as we'll go on.

You know, I'm my whole company and ideology is different, and that's why I think that I'm you know, it's it's good to be different in a sense of, you know, ideas and different things like that because if you're always the same, you know, you're just gonna get mixed in with the rest of there's so many great companies and great people in this hobby that you just kinda get mixed in.

So what can you do it a little differently? And it's for sure something that is that is different.

But I know my customers love it. Yeah. And we did it for last Chicago Show, and I couldn't tell you the amount of people that ended up actually emailing messaging me being like, hey, man.

I saw it at Chicago show, saw these cards, and, like, it was I I received a handful of emails, which I didn't think I'd get any, but it just shows that it worked whether even if it was $5 bid higher, hundred dollar bid higher, anything of that sort.

So it it for sure works, and I love the idea. And, you know, as long as I'm as long as my customers are happy and that's something that I'm I'm, you know, able to offer, I've I've no problems with with ever doing it.

But it's it for sure is a different ideology on that one. I love it. We're gonna dig into kinda your ideology and building of the business, but let's focus in on you specifically as a collector.

Obviously, you just mentioned you picked up a Calvin Johnson, NTRPA recently, so I think it's pretty apparent that you collect.

But what's what's the origin story about of you getting into cards, something you've just been doing your whole life?

How'd you get involved with collecting? Yeah. Whole life. My dad was a was a collector when he was growing up, and I feel like my startup story is similar to many people.

My dad was a collector, when he was a kid and growing up, and then he kinda got out of it and then kinda got back into it in the eighties, nineties.

And, you know, when I was young growing up, I would open up basketball packs and, back when back when Kmart was a thing. I mean, they have a local Kmart.

Right? You know, Midwest guy. You know? So Yes. For sure. And, so Kmart, and then they kinda then Pokemon happened, and Yu Gi Oh happened. And as I continue to get older, I kinda extended. You there, Adam?

Can you hear me? Hello? Hello? Hello? Now I can hear you. Yes. Can you hear me okay? I will. Can you hear me? Can you hear me, Brett? Yes. Can you hear me? I'm so sorry, dude. Oh, all good. All good. I got an I have an editor.

It'll get taken care of. No worries. I I you drop off Do you if you want You were just talking about the it was, like, right after Kmart Yu Gi Oh, basically, is where you were at. When you when you drop off. Do you wanna restart?

Do you wanna restart the question, and then I just start the meeting, and then we'll just Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Let me just Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Oh, you're good. So I think it's it's apparent based on, you what you mentioned earlier.

You just picked up a, Calvin Johnson in TRPA, so I think it's it's pretty obvious that you're a collector, but maybe walk us through just, like, the origin story. Did you have you been collecting since you're a kid?

Maybe share some kind of your collecting history with us. Yeah. So it it all started with my dad. My dad was a collector when he was growing up and, kinda stopped and then started again when I was a kid growing up.

Kinda got me into it, and, I just never stopped. So, I back in the back in the days of, so I was I started with with basketball, basketball packs, opening up at, go go Kmart.

So, and, then it kinda grew from there. Pokemon, Yu Gi Oh, gotten the TCG game and then baseball, football, and all that stuff, and it just kept expanding and growing and growing and growing and, thankfully, never stopped.

And now it's UFC and WWE and memorabilia and signed guitars and Funko Pops and all that. You know? Anything anything collectibles. And, you know, thankfully thankfully, my wife, loves all this stuff too.

At least she tells me she does. So, you know, it just kinda keeps kinda keeps growing and things of that. So always never stopped collecting and, you know, it's it's been it's been a long time.

That's amazing. I I, you know, I hear WWE, my ears perk up as a longtime wrestling degenerate myself, and may maybe we won't go there because that might derail and sidetrack the whole conversation.

But I I'd love to learn about obviously, you you collector of collections, it sounds like. What was the moment when you turned kinda your passion for collecting into AMT?

Did you realize, like, this is what you were gonna do kind of full go, full time out of the gates, or was it more or less, like, oh, I'm gonna start just selling to fund my collection, that sort of thing? Talk us through that. Yeah.

So it kinda it started, I mean, even when I was in, like, middle school, high school, and it was kinda kinda different because I was kinda I was kinda in the point where, middle school, high school, it was the 2 thousands, and, card collecting kinda took a step back.

It wasn't the nineties, and I look at it to now. And you see all these kids in shops and everything like that.

It wasn't like that. At least for me, like, in my area and stuff like that, I was kinda, like, one of the few kids in school that was, like, a card collector. So, it was kinda like a like a little side gig for me.

I just I did it because I enjoyed it. I had fun, and I would just be you know, whether it be just, like, buying cards and reselling them or, like, collections or things like that or going to a card show.

And, it was just, you know, kinda ways that I could build my collection, but also make money so I can use that money for my collection.

So everything that I was making and grabbing and everything would just kinda go back into, you know, back into my collection.

And then, it kinda started, because I've been breaking on eBay now for almost ten years. It's crazy how time flies. But, it started, like, in I I'm I'm a big UFC guy, and this all kinda started with UFC and on Facebook, actually.

And they were looking for someone to kinda do, like, box breaks and case breaks of UFC. Now UFC, very niche product, especially 2015, '20 '16, '20 '17, that range, especially then. So it was nothing to do with, like, making money.

I was like, dude, I get to rip open a case of cards. I don't care. I'm putting five hours work in, ten hours of work in. You know, everyone knew, like, who I collected at the time, and I was like, I I want their cards.

That's why I'm doing this. So it wasn't about me making money. I'd if I broke even, that was a good thing. Like, I like, I'd probably lose, like, $50 in, like, five, ten hours of my time.

But I was having a blast, So I didn't look at it that way. And I just kinda kept doing that, kept doing that, and then I kinda, like, got a little bit bigger, got a little bit bigger.

And then I was like, well, let me try to do some stuff on eBay. You know? I can kinda do this more frequently, for UFC stuff, and it was working.

And then I was like, well, you know, let's try some basketball. And this is right around the time. Luca and Trae Young and Jayson Tatum and all those guys, and so this is, like, 2017, '20 '18, Ohtani and everything of that sort.

And, let me do some baseball. Let me do some football and stuff like that. And it just kinda kept growing and growing and growing.

And I was having fun time, and I was making a little bit of money. And and I just was like, now I can actually, like, have money to build a collection. So, and it just kinda kept working its working its way up from there. Yeah.

In in those maybe early days of realizing that, you know, you're able to make money off of this and start a business, were there any specific well, I guess, what were the primary hurdles that you had to overcome in just forming AMT?

Can you think back to those times and any obstacles and maybe how you overcame those? Yeah. So I, you know, I worked a full time job.

I was still going to school because I kinda had to put college on hold for some family issues when I was younger. So I was I was juggling with full time full time work, as a manager. I was juggling part time, full time school.

And then I'm also trying to, like, juggle AMT and then you know, AMT was more just, like, fun. You know? And going to go be a manager at work wasn't really fun. School, yeah, it's school, you know, but not necessarily really fun.

And this was, like, my little this was, like, my little, like, vacation. You know? Even though it was work, that's just what it was because I loved it. So, the for sure hurdle was just, like, the time aspect of it.

I it unfortunately, it was always, like, option three. It needed to be option three at the time. And then I after how long, I finally was like, you know, I'm just I I wanna do this.

You know? I I I it it looks like I'm able to do this, and this was all before COVID even. So this wasn't even I didn't do this because of COVID or, you know, because of the jump.

I this was probably six plus months or a year before COVID, and I'm like, you know, I'm just I'm gonna stop working full time, and, I'm gonna do this.

And and and it it happened, and it was, you know, the best decision I ever made. And everyone looked at me like I was crazy. It was like you're, like, you know, playing with cards.

You know? Like, like, that's your job. Like, I'm like, yeah. You know? That's that's what it is. So, but, you know, I it it it worked out, and it just you know, it it kept growing from there, and and I'm glad I'm glad.

It was a it was just a hurdle of, you know, taking that risk of of doing it. I 1000% took a risk. And, you know, I'm not telling all of your viewers, hey.

Drop what you're doing and do this and stuff like that. I mean, it took me two or three years calculating of, like, hey. Can this actually happen, like, part time, this, that, and and everything and adding it all together?

So, it it I'm glad that I did, and I wish I started a little bit earlier, you know, because of how much fun I have, and I could have had even more fun.

You know? But, it it that's that's just how it all it all got together. You mentioned, your story about breaking UFC product.

Has AMT been, kind of, have you been a breaker first and then consignment, or was it consignment first and then breaking? Maybe talk about the dynamic between those two service lines.

Yeah. So it started with breaking. First, it started just selling cards, things of that sort, and then it it got into breaking. I've been a breaker almost almost ten years now, probably about eight and a half or so.

So it started off with that consignment. Honestly, it started within the last two years or so. I'm still relatively new in the consignment game, and I've, you know, grown so much since those two years.

I mean, the amount of customers that we have and everything, that sort of it was something that I was able to offer because I already have the platform on eBay.

I we have not not trying to be like, yeah, we have the most followers on eBay from all the breakers.

So we we have over 22,000 followers on eBay. I have the amount of people looking at our site, looking at our store. And I had the means to help my customers that, hey. You know, we're opening something on release day.

You want me to list this for you, like, right now? You know, the day of release to kinda maximize if it's not for your collection or rebuy it in a couple weeks when the initial price jump, you know, goes down.

And a lot of people took me up on that offer, and then it started to be like, hey. Well, I have these cards that I have laying around. Can you help me with that?

And, yeah, so it just kinda all started from breaks, and now it's expanding, you know, again, from the last two, two and a half years on on building this to not only being known for breaking, but trying to be known now for consignment.

So, it's it's it's a fun it's a real fun journey because it's almost like I'm doing this all over again from, like, that ten years ago of me, like, making these decisions, trying to, like, build something from the ground up.

And it's it's kinda already there.

The it's cemented in there that I have the customers, but just it's a new realm for me too, and just trying to, offer something to my customers that no one else really does and at the at the rates that I'm able to offer it at.

So I get to offer rates you get to customers for cheaper than what you normal normal normal eBay buyers sellers pay.

So, it it's almost a service in itself, but you're saving money. And you do none of the work, and we handle it all for you, and there's more people viewing your items.

So that's the fun part to me. It's like, it makes no sense. Like or it may it makes all the sense to the world for the customer to be like, yeah.

Why wouldn't I why wouldn't I do that? I save money. I don't do the work. And there's all these people that are, you know, watching my items that might not be seeing my item, just because they don't follow me or things of that.

So, that's that's kinda where we're at now. It's just kinda continuing to grow the consignment aspect of the business.

On the consignment front, has there been any input in the, you know, two years or so since you've been doing consignments, has there been any important lessons that you have learned through that experience?

Yeah. I I so, again, I I truly try to do this to, like, help my customers out. That was the whole plan of it. Like, I don't really I don't make much on this. I I don't. It's and that's why because I'm offering it at cheaper rates.

I it helps me grow my breaking side of business as well. It's like, hey. This person's selling these cards. Oh, hey. Look. They also joined breaks. So it's more of like a marketing thing that I get out of it to kinda grow my company.

That's more valuable to me than the amount of of money that we're kinda making from this. So I try like, I wanna help every person that I possibly can, especially a customer long time customers and stuff like that.

So it's just trying to I I I've had people, like, send in collections and stuff like that that's like you shouldn't be listing.

You know, just the amount of time and things of that. And it's having to, like, tell them, like, hey. Like, these cards aren't you know, stuff like that. And they're like, well, you know, I see it's up for, like, $30.

I'm like, well, it's a buy it now. You know, this guy it's it's not it's like a 10¢ card. You know? It's so it's that's probably as weird as it sounds. You know? There's times where they're like, are you sure?

You know? Like, they almost, like, don't believe me kind of a thing. But it's like, I'm I really wanna help them. But it's at the same time, it's not worth their time, and it's not worth my time to kinda help with stuff like that.

You know, we we try to strive for cards, like, above $10. 15 dollars and stuff like that. So, but that's my big thing always is just trying to be as honest as I can with people.

And there's times where I when someone wants to is so happy, they found me and sent a submission in, and it's just they don't the whole thought process doesn't get you know, they don't realize this or that or the values of the cards and having to unfortunately tell them, hey.

This card is not or these cards are not worth what you think they are. And, you know, it's like going to a card shop and trying to sell off a collection or stuff like that, and it's a whole bunch of eighty four Donerous baseball.

You know? It's your you know, eighty eight Donerous, you know, things of that sort.

So, you know, it's kind of the parallel to that a little bit. So just but that's my big thing always. It's just trying to be as honest as you possibly can with guys.

And I know most of them, you know, respect it a lot more when they you you you show that you're really not trying to make money off them and, you know, and it helps me marketing.

That's the big thing that I get out of this, and I tell it to my guys all the time, you know, to help continue to grow grow this brand.

That's you can't put a dollar amount on the amount of marketing, like, you know, word-of-mouth and things of that sort.

So that's that's really what we try to gear towards. You, upfront, were talking about just, like, your mindset and ideology and how you approach your business.

And I know it's a it's a really crowded space. You can think about just the hobby in general. You can think about specifically just eBay sellers. There's a lot of people doing consignments.

There's a lot of people breaking. How do you think about differentiation and standing out from the competition? Yeah. So it it all started when we started doing breaks, and it started because we started with UFC where there's no teams.

There's nothing of that sort. So we had to sell it by the fighter. And I we were, for sure, not the first one, but in the right we're probably the third at the time, you know, ten, eight years ago eight, ten years ago.

The third person to kinda offer, like, pick your fighter breaks or player breaks or things of that sort, just because the amount of time that went into it.

There was so much time. You know, you think about doing a break for a team. There's could be 30 teams, 32 teams. There could be 200, three hundred fighters on the checklist and things like that.

I mean, it's and people sometimes don't realize that the amount it's it's literally 10 times the amount of work between the sort, between the ship, and everything on that.

And most people in their sane mind would be, no. I'm not doing that and things like that, but I wanted to be different. I wanted to do that.

And, I mean, the now when you if, you know, you're looking for player base on either, there's probably 10 plus, 10 or 15 where, I know there's only one other guy that's still doing it on eBay that he's been doing it longer than me, but and so I'm for sure the the second oldest one that's been doing it and, you know, before COVID and stuff like that.

So I'm I'm glad to see it grow, and I'm all for competition. Alright. That doesn't bother me one bit, you know, because I know I do things the right way.

And, you know, I'm am I always perfect? No. But it keeps me and keeps my employees and AMT in line of, like, hey. We need to do this correctly and things of that sort.

And I'm always for competition and things like that because it just it's a reality check for yourself. So, but there could be 15 player break people, and there could be 200 team break guys.

You know? So it's sure. There might be a lot more guys that are doing team breaks or joining team breaks, but, you know, there's everyone who's ever shipped or sorted sorted a a a a player break knows what I'm talking about.

Just the amount of tedious work, and it's just nonstop. And it's it it is. So that's how I did things differently is that, you know, people might be like, man, I don't have the time or you're crazy to do that.

And, you know, it it made me who I am today and and how successful is we've we've made this. And, I wouldn't I I don't think I'd be in the same spot I would be if I if I didn't make, you know, crazy decisions like that.

You you mentioned kinda the tedious work of sorting. You know, you can go into listing cards, all that stuff. When did when did you realize that, like, your time better served is in other areas, which means, hey.

I gotta bring on people to the team and help, you know, expand this by, you know, specializing my time as the owner. Like, what was that moment in time where you realized, like, it's probably better if I'm not doing everything myself.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, it it started with, my now wife who, we've been together, eleven years total. So, she was the first unofficial member of AMT, first unofficial unemployed just doing it in her free time.

Like, you know, she was she was going to school too, and, it's just just, like, helping me sort and helping me top load and, like, print labels for packages or go to the post office and things of that sort.

And I'm like, you know, I just kept growing and growing and growing and more sports and stuff like that. I'm like, okay. Well, maybe I'm gonna need someone more than just my, at the time, girlfriend to, be helping out, with everything.

And I don't think, me breaking in in my, basement anymore is probably gonna be, the best spot for me. So, for sure when COVID happened and I was already extremely busy.

And then COVID happened, and I was like, oh my goodness. Like, this is absolutely wild. You know, it was just everyone and everyone and everyone wanted to buy into breaks. Everyone wanted to be a breaker.

Everyone wanted to buy cards. Just anything you could think of. And, during that time, I was like, well, this is I need to do something. You know? I knew it wasn't gonna last forever, but I was like, this I don't see any end in sight.

I need to do something. So we, we bought a we bought out a a building, and I, hired hired some of my very close friends in the hobby. And it just kinda grew from there and just keeps growing and growing and growing.

That's incredible. Before we jump into some cards, let's talk about just the landscape and the hobby. I'm curious, just as a business owner in the space, what sort of things excite you about what's happening with the hobby right now?

Yeah. So I think the the coolest thing to see is and I kinda made mention of this. The amount of kids that, like, are in shops or or at shows, you know, like, just wheeling and dealing and things like that.

You know? When I when I was a kid like that, again, I kinda missed that that '9 early nineties push and everything and that sort.

I it just for me, it wasn't like that. It was all just, like, 40 year old dudes, you know, and stuff like that. I was kinda like the outsider being a kid and things like that.

So, I think it's awesome to see that, but I also think that a lot of props to tops fanatics and their marketing, when they took over, Just I I mean, I've been in the hobby a long time.

I've never seen anything like it, the amount of marketing and things that they do just for everyone. So I they deserve all the props in the world for what they're doing in that in that.

I mean, it's I think it's helping the the hobby grow exponentially, and it's just showing that just the amount of people that are doing it and the amount of people I mean, I even from breaking, they're like, hey.

This is my first break. Like, I just started collecting.

I think it was actually yesterday. It was yesterday I got a message from a guy that was asking about one of the consignment cards we have listed. He's like, I just started collecting, like, two months ago.

Like, this is awesome and things like that. So, I mean, there's still people who missed the COVID boom and all this that are just getting now into it, and it it's awesome to see.

And I think a lot of that, don't get me wrong, a chunk of it came from people who started again in COVID and things like that.

But, they they're doing an amazing job of getting these athletes to make these commercials and and all these things.

And it's it's the new norm to be a young kid in sports and collect sports cards, where kinda I was in that great period where it was like, oh, that guy that guy plays with sports cards.

You know? Like, it's just it was a it was a different it was it was just different. So, which I'm so happy to see for the hobby and things like that where they're like, no. This is cool. Like, you can do this for fun.

You can make money from it. You can do both. And that's what I tried doing is I was able to, again, build my collection because I was making a little bit of money, and I just threw it right back in the cards that I wanted.

So, that's what made me love this even more is I didn't really if I didn't need to, I didn't need to put my own money into this thing, and it was, like, free money. At least that's the way that I thought about it.

So, and I it's it's really cool to see that they're doing all that. And I I I I, again, give props to to tops fanatics for for everything that they're doing in that sense because I I think they're really pushing hard on that.

We are gonna get ready to talk about five cards that are gonna be up, for auction through AMT memorabilia's, eBay store.

Before we get into those, I wanna I always like to figure out, like, what is this what is one story of one card that maybe got consigned and sold through AMT over the last six to twelve months that sold, and there's a story associated with it, whether it's sold for a a ridiculous price.

It was just a cool card. Is there one card that stands out in your mind? Yeah.

No. There was there was a card. It's a card that at some point, I'm gonna have to try to try to get my collection some way somehow. It might not be the the same grade. But we a longtime customer of ours, he had to sell off his $19.

51 Bowman baseball set, and kinda broke it up. And the his his Mickey Mantle, I believe this was probably a year ago. So I believe it was a PSA five or six. Just absolutely stunning of a card.

I mean, it could have been even higher than a five. Like, it it presented so well. Sharp corners and everything of that sort. And, long time customer of mine that, needed the the funds for some some family issues that they had going on.

I, you know, I was honored that they, you know, contacted me to to, you know, to try to sell it for him, and we we made it a part of one of our events that we did.

So we for consignments, eBay is nice enough to give us a couple exclusive events where we get featured on the front page of eBay.

And, they give us a little banner and things of that sort. So we try to make it a huge event out of it and get a bunch of submissions and stuff like that just because it's extra marketing for you guys.

So we made sure that that card was front and center on the on the banner, and I'd he was very happy with the sale. I I'd be lying if I'd said a number. I I mean, it was, you know, tens and tens of thousands of dollars that it went for.

It was just such it's such an iconic card, and, I don't consider a history rookie, but, I'm part of the 52 tops, vote on that one. But, you know, it's just it's such an iconic card and things like that.

And it was it's just one of those cards that you you see, like, as I brought up earlier, like, at Golden. You know? Just, like, in between glass balls, like, oh my goodness, man. That's such a nice card and things like that.

So, and it's just it was absolutely stunning, and, I'm so thankful that, you know, they trusted us in in selling it. He was extremely happy with the sale, and, it was it was very cool very cool.

Even though it was only here for a short period of time, I'm glad that I was able to hold it and and, you know, broker the sale on that one. That's incredible.

Alright. Let's get into these these cards. First card, we'll spend, like, a minute or two on each of these. The first card is the and, Nick, when are these when are these cards, going live, Adam, just so we can point listeners to them?

Yeah. So they're gonna be going live on March 9, March tenth, March eleventh, somewhere within that time frame. So by the time this episode is out, they will be live on our eBay page, and these are all gonna be showcased.

Well, the key cards will be showcased at the Chicago Sports Spectacular next weekend, which is the fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth of March. But there's some there's some big ones.

It was it was hard to only make a list of five. I mean, there's plenty of other cards, that are amazing cards that are not in that price range, and I'm I'm I'm really excited to get posted and, you know, show off to the my eBay people.

And, but there's some there's some big ones on that list. That's awesome. Yeah. We'll put a link in the show notes. Everyone go check it out.

The first card is the 2022 Panini downtown optic gold, Tom Brady, the GOAT, PSA nine, which the the trend of downtown love is infinite, and why not a gold to boot and a gold to boot of the greatest player of all time?

So maybe share some perspective on this card.

Yeah. No. 100% greatest of all time for, for Tom Brady. I mean, it's such an iconic card. There's the amount of people that just absolutely love downtowns. It's it's one of the most asked, like, do you have any downtowns?

Do you have any caboose? It's one of those two cards always. So, one being Tom Brady, and, he hasn't had any any downtowns or panini cards for that matter in in a handful of years with him kinda working with Thompson fanatics.

So one of his probably last, you know, downtown cards, and then on top of that being the gold parallel to 10, just a card that does not come up very often anymore even though it just came out just a couple years ago, the product.

Really excited to, you know, help sell this one for our customer and show it off at the Chicago show.

I'm going to assume that's probably gonna be the most talked about or, you know, make a comment at our table is gonna be about that card just because it does not pop up.

No. I was I was definitely looking at the sales history, and you don't see that one too often. Next one, reigning MVP 2023 flawless, Josh Allen, platinum, dual diamond, one of one. Yeah. So just fresh off the, fresh off his MVP season.

It's just another awesome card, extremely high end product for flawless. Doesn't get much better than that for a card that's not autographed. Of course, there are no patch or or shield or anything, but such a big card.

His his market is still doing extremely well. We just sold a a gold prism of him out of 10 last night or the night before for, I wanna say, almost, like, $2,000.

So, I mean, it's he he has a he has a very collectible market, especially the Buffalo fans. And, it's such a cool card, and I know someone's gonna be super excited to get this one in the collection.

Definitely one of my favorite players to watch. And my favorite player here is, being someone who's living in, Indianapolis and getting the opportunity to watch Caitlin Clark on a regular basis.

You've got the 2024 Panini National, Caitlin Clark rookie, one of one autograph, PSA authentic, autograph 10. I mean, I'm I'm I'm trying to navigate this market right now and pick and choose my spots, and it's it's not easy.

But maybe talk about just, like, the Caitlin Clark effect with, WNBA cards and this card specifically. I know my my camera's not on right now, but I'm just I'm smiling right now just of, it's you talking about that.

I mean, it's the her market is absolutely crazy, and and it should be. I mean, what she did, even at Iowa and then on top of that, her rookie season, I mean, she is, you know, putting the WNBA on the map.

I mean, that's just that's just what it is. She's everyone is asking about her. It doesn't matter who you are, who you collect. You may have never watched a WNBA game in your life.

Everyone wants Caitlin Clark, and it's just this is you know, I know it's super early to tell and things of that sort, but it's almost like, that she can be the face of WNBA and the face of the WNBA for years to come after she is retired.

You know, like, a Michael Jordan type of of player. I mean, this is such a cool card, rookie one on one autograph. Just another huge card, that I know someone's gonna be absolutely amazed to get in our collection.

And it's it's I don't even that's the biggest question mark, I think, for the cards, that we're gonna be selling, you know, showing off at the show and and and at auction.

It's just this could go for just an obscure number. It it really could. I'll be, I'll be hitting favorite on that one when that one goes live to check it out.

Next one, obviously, unfortunate news with, him being out for the year, but I think, you know, it's his market's still been pretty stable since then, and that's the the card is the 2023 crown royale Victor, Winanyama, kaboom, PSA eight.

So Wimby, Kaboom combo, and a PSA holder, I mean, I'm not sure what else you could ask for.

Yeah. So it's extremely unfortunate. And, thankfully, he's still so young and, being a a Detroit guy, a star Thompson just kinda had something similar with blood clots and things of that sort.

I mean, you know, thankfully, came back fine. You know, playing playing this year, he missed a couple games really this season just to kinda until he got cleared medically.

So, it should be should be fine with Monday. I mean, it's it's the story, you know, I don't know if you're if you've ever said the story here or, the listeners know, but, a PSA eight for this card is actually extremely high.

It's very similar to kinda like the red PMGs, green PMGs back from the nineties.

For whatever reason, Panini thought it'd be a great idea to make this card very off centered, every single one of them. And, there's only one card that is a higher pop on this one and then or higher grade, and that's a PSA nine.

And that's there's only one of those out there. And so for PSA eight, there's only seven out there. This is, you know, again, from back from the downtowns, people are always asking downtown and kaboom.

Such a big card for Wendy. A high grade even though it's a, even though it's a PSA eight. That is a very high grade for this card just given how off center these cards are. Maybe they did it on purpose. I don't know.

You'd think that the the most important card the most important guy in that set would be a little bit better, but, you know, still huge card and a great story, you know, for your succumb people will be wondering why there are no tens and only one nine or you know?

I would assume that there probably aren't gonna be any other nines that that that come out of there, but, another awesome card. I'm glad you brought offered some perspective there.

I remember when these cards first drop, everyone on social media complaining about, the quality and how off center it was, and it's insane now, you know, many months, you know, a year from that, and then you you've got one PSA nine.

So that's crazy. Yeah. But I'm sure that one, based on someone who's got a six or a seven, will be maybe chasing a higher grade. So excited to see that unfold.

One more card we have, which, you know, I'm not sure there's anyone more collectible in, the world of soccer, and it's the 2023 tops dynasty, Lionel Messi, patch auto, three out of five in his, PSG kit, I believe.

Yep. But, yeah, Messi limited auto patch. Again, all the elements. What do you gotta say about this card?

First year for Dynasty Soccer. You know, this could be right up there with the exquisite basketball first year, you know, being the first on card patch autograph like that, for for such a high end product like that.

It's such a stunning card, for Leo Messi, and, you know, it we've sold we've sold so many dynasty cards on consignment.

So I I know that we have so many people that we're gonna be watching this on when it goes live to auction, and it's it's I think it's gonna pull a very strong number.

And, but just collectability wise, this I think this one dynasty for soccer, is gonna line up there.

You know, what exquisite basketball did, what Prism might have, you know, might do for football and basketball and stuff like that for soccer just given the fact there's nothing else out there that is like it in that sense from Topps.

And I think it's only just gonna keep growing, and it's just such a nice card and comes from a box that's, like, I don't know, $3,000 sealed. So, you know, that that kinda where you get one card.

So, that kinda that kinda helps, with being such a iconic card. And, you know, so it is PSG kit on that one, so he is in Barcelona as well on some cards. But so it might not come in as high of a premium as, like, his Barcelona cards.

But still for a collector, if that is something that they're looking for, it's a great way to start, to getting something like that where you wouldn't be paying as much of a premium for something Barcelona related.

I love it. And what's you know, I get educated by talking to different collectors in different categories.

And I can't remember this card specifically, but it was like there was an advantage of having the PSG version based on just the limited nature of him being in that jersey on that card.

And you know how we all operate as collectors, so always enjoy kinda hearing those stories of different players and categories and cards and what makes them desirable or not. Let's quote let's let's this has been so much fun.

Have had a blast chatting with you about just cards, your business. Maybe before I let you go, we'll I'd love for you there's so many different, collectors, business owners who listen to this show.

Some individuals who are, you know, going to shows on a regular basis, buy, sell, trade, and are really enjoying the work that they're doing on the weekend, but then, you know, go into their, you know, office job Monday through Friday and have been trying to think about ways to kinda start a business around their passion.

Maybe what's since you're an individual who's done that, what sort of advice would you give to anyone listening who is, interested in making the leap?

Yeah. I always suggest, like, calculating calculating your risk. You know? Don't go do something abrupt. This is I'm seeing it now because I'm looking back that I wish I did something earlier, like, a year or two earlier.

But at that time, I it very well could have gone the the other way. But, it kinda made sense for me because I was still I was still in school, and, you know, I wasn't gonna be at the current job that I was at forever.

And, you know, I I was gonna go into my own field and things of that sort. So, you know, it's okay to be different. I I'm different.

That's made me who I am. You know, some people might like that about me or some people might not, and that's okay. You know? And, it's just I'm all for taking the risk, and, you know, it's just make sure that it's calculated.

You don't wanna put yourself, your family, your loved ones, or anything. You know? It it might not work out. Just because it worked out for me doesn't mean it might work out for you. Just keep doing your research.

Keep keep you know, I I always juggled my time where I had a you know, I couldn't hang out with my friends as often as I wanted to or go out to this or go do this because I was working on what I love to do and trying to build my business.

So, it's sacrifice. It's sacrificing those things where, you know, seeing if you can do that and you have the time to do that and seeing if that works.

So, I will always tell someone, you know, make the jump as long as you fully understand all the risks associated with it and that you've been calculating it for so long.

Don't do it just on a whim. Don't do it because you've been thinking about it for a week. You know, take a couple months to a year or even longer and figure out, hey.

Is this something that I can do for a period of time in my life or the rest of my life and that I can, you know, I can be good at it, and I can make money to support myself, my family, and things like that.

And, you know, you don't know. Maybe maybe it'll be, talking to Brett here not too long and, you know, making a making a podcast. So This was a ton of fun. Everyone, go check out Adam in the cards at AMT memorabilia.

We will put links to those auctions in the show notes. Adam, thanks so much for your time, man. This was a ton of fun. Brett, thank you so much. I appreciate the opportunity, man, and thank you.