Welcome to "Behind the Breaks,” a podcast that delves into the dynamic world of trading card breaking, where passion meets profit and community thrives.
Whether you're a collector, a seller, or simply curious about the magic behind the cardboard, our podcast is your gateway to the heart and soul of the hobby.
Justin Verlander Cards Explode After Retirement + PCA Joins 20-20 Club | Topps Kills Shrink Wrap
Justin Verlander announces retirement — we break down what it means for his rookie card values, PSA 10 pricing, and Hall of Fame speculation. Plus: Pete Crow-Armstrong becomes the first player to reach the 20-20 club in 2026, and we compare his card market movement to Junior Caminero using Card Ladder's Player Index.Then we dig into the hobby news that matters this week:- Topps removes shrink wrap from Chrome Basketball mega boxes — is this real transparency or a workaround for scalpers?- PSA's $200M investment push and new hiring campaign, straight from their in-house magazine- PSA backlog tracker update: still sitting at 12M submissions with 5M+ in the $80+ value tier — what it means ahead of The National- Whatnot's new custom/fan art card problem — sellers blurring the line between real and reproduction cards- Whatnot's new swipe features for cleaner live-show viewing- A North America trading card market report calling the hobby an "alternative asset class" — fractional card ownership, institutional money, and what it means for collectors vs. investorsTimestamps:00:00 Intro00:55 Justin Verlander retirement & rookie card market06:24 PCA vs Junior Caminero — Player of the Month card price comparison15:29 Trading card market report: hobby as an "alternative asset class"20:28 Topps removes shrink wrap from mega boxes25:41 Custom & fan art cards on Whatnot — the disclosure problem33:08 PSA magazine, hiring push & $200M investment35:49 PSA backlog tracker update ahead of The NationalBehind the Breaks is your weekly deep dive into sports card grading, hobby news, market trends, and card values — covering PSA, Topps, Panini, Whatnot, eBay, and everything moving the sports card and trading card market right now.#TradingCards #SportsCards #PSAGrading #CardCollecting #Topps #JustinVerlander #Whatnot #HobbyNews #CardInvesting #BehindTheBreaks
22 Jun 2026
PSA Has $400 MILLION in Cards Sitting in a Backlog & Just Keeps Making It Worse | E60 BTB
The Knicks just ended a 53-year championship drought — and New York celebrated by torching school buses and racking up 63 arrests. We break down the full history of championship riots (Bulls '92 still holds the all-time record at $10M in damage), ask why cities keep doing this, and wonder why a cop-greased pole in Philly was somehow the most reasonable response anyone's had.Then we pivot to the World Cup, and honestly? Total vibe shift. Fans from all over the world showing up, cleaning up trash (shoutout Japan), falling in love with America, and reminding everyone that the problem isn't people — it's the politicians. We also celebrate the first-ever VAR mistaken identity call in World Cup history, punishing a guy for flopping. Do it more. Red card next time.On the hobby side: PSA's backlog tracker just hit 14 million cards. We do the math — that's close to $400 million in cards sitting in their facility, with a year and a half of work already queued up. Meanwhile they're opening PSA Europe and building out international infrastructure. Great. Cool. How about the people who submitted eight months ago? TAG isn't off the hook either — they just announced a Brazil expansion while their own backlog is at a standstill and customers who paid upfront are still waiting.We also dig into 2025 Topps Inception dropping today. Cool patches, interesting design — but sticker autos at $285 a hobby box? Come on.Topics covered:Knicks championship riots + full history of sports riot damage (Bulls, Lakers, Pistons, Canucks, Steelers)World Cup 2026 fan culture, VAR diving crackdown, US team run, card market moversPSA backlog hits 14 million — the math is staggeringPSA Europe: $200M infrastructure investment, 30% of submissions already internationalTAG Grading expanding to Brazil while the backlog sits2025 Topps Inception: the good (patches), the bad (sticker autos), the ugly (price)Shaq paid back the city of LA for riot damages. King behavior.Got a take? Drop it in the comments. Want to come on the show? Shoot us a note — we want to hear from you, even if you think we're wrong.
15 Jun 2026
PSA Scores 3.7X the DOJ Monopoly Threshold — Their Lawyers Say It Was All to Help You | E59 Final
PSA and Collectors Holdings filed a motion to dismiss the antitrust lawsuit — and their defense? "We did it to meet demand." We break down the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), the actual Department of Justice standard for measuring monopolies, and why PSA's score of 6,728 is 3.7X the federal threshold for anti-competitive behavior.Plus: SGC's grading volume collapsed 61% within two months of the Collectors Holdings acquisition — and those numbers come straight from the lawsuit. We call it what it is.Also in this episode:- The latest weekly grading numbers: PSA, CGC, Beckett, SGC, and TAG- TAG saw an 81% single-week drop — what's going on?- Is the PSA Value tier pause driving a surge to competitors?- Target breaks factory seals on Pokemon ETBs to stop scalpers- On this day in baseball history: a 15-year-old faced Stan Musial in the majorsThe hobby is moving fast. We're keeping up.Subscribe so you don't miss weekly card market breakdowns, grading news, and hobby deep dives.---TIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Intro & On This Day: Joe Nuxhall, baseball's youngest pitcher (June 10, 1944)3:11 – PSA/Collectors Holdings files motion to dismiss antitrust lawsuit4:50 – Breaking down the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) — the DOJ's monopoly test6:49 – The "murder of SGC" — 61% grading drop after acquisition8:09 – Discovery, deflection, and what happens if this goes to court13:33 – Weekly grading numbers: PSA up 31%, TAG down 81%19:40 – TAG 2026: newcomer worth it after PSA's pause?24:14 – Target breaks seals on Pokemon products to stop scalpers34:08 – Chicago Bears to Hammond, Indiana — good or bad for the community?40:08 – Wrap-up---Behind the Breaks is your weekly source for MLB sports card hobby news, grading industry analysis, card market trends, and the occasional baseball history deep cut.
Who has been a guest on Behind the Breaks
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Zack Eustis
Caroline Pougnier
Ron McKeefery
Eric Shemtov
Jonny Petrucco
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Podcast Authority Score: 61 / 100
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