We dig deeper into grading: does the era a card was graded matter as much as the number on the flip? Joe explains why he now checks the grade date on vintage, Dylan lays out why consistency beats luck, and we examine whether PSA’s upcharge model creates a financial interest in the cards they grade. Then Dylan pivots to “hobby firsts” and Topps lineage: Mantle’s retired card number 7, the first Topps Chrome refractors, golds numbered to the year, and the rise of printing plates. If you’re moving from Prizm into the Topps world for basketball (and football soon), this is a primer.

Highlights

• The Era of the Slab: why 2021–2025 grades can land 1–2 steps lower

• PSA upcharges, guarantees, and the “financial interest” debate

• Consistency vs opinion: AI grading’s promise and TAG’s role

• PSA vs SGC vs BGS/BVG: perceived strictness and crossover realities

• Dylan’s “grade your own” approach: museum-style labels and more info on the flip

• Topps lineage + hobby firsts:

  • Mantle’s retired #7 in Topps base and its return years

  • 1996 Topps Chrome refractors and why that first matters

  • Golds numbered to the year and 2009 Chrome Gold /50

  • Printing plates (CMYK): how to evaluate cyan, magenta, yellow, black

• Practical takeaways for collectors shifting from Panini to Topps

Listen + support
Follow Sports Cards Live on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and please drop a quick rating or review. Subscribe on YouTube so you don’t miss Parts 3–5 from Episode 286.

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