PSA Changes, 2026 Topps & Mantle Chase & Hobby Exit Strategy E374

·58 min·3 clips

Topps 2026 will put 75 of the top baseball cards into packs as graded redemptions.

1. Hobby Hotline Podcast E374 focuses on PSA pricing changes, Topps 2026 redemptions, and favorite Topps cards. 2. Orlando and Rich Klein host the episode, and Greg from Midlife calls in from the West Coast Card Show to report on the room and a trade for a Sitting Bull card. 3. The episode asks whether PSA's fee increases, Topps' redemption promos, and the modern card market are changing the hobby in ways collectors should care about. 4. PSA's Value Bulk rose to $21.99, and the other listed tiers went up by $5 while posted turnaround times increased by five days. 5. Orlando says PSA is overloaded, compares it to a monopoly, and argues that higher fees will hit regular submitters while breakers keep paying. 6. Rich says Beckett's raw card review price went from $25 to $65 at the Dallas Card Show, but lines still stretched for hours. 7. Rich recalls ComC charging a quarter per card in 2017 and says that price would lose money today because of overhead and labor. 8. Rich also says grading requires trained analysts, and he cites a roughly 50% success rate from his Beckett price guy days. 9. The conversation turns to PSA's submission mix, with Orlando saying Pokemon now takes up about three quarters of the volume he has seen discussed. 10. The hosts say the people most affected are lower-volume collectors who cannot absorb higher fees or long waits. 11. Greg from Midlife checks in from the West Coast Card Show and says the show has more vintage and less Pokemon than he expected. 12. Greg describes the show layout as comfortable, with wide aisles, a modern room, and corporate booths along the wall. 13. Greg says he traded for an 1888 Allen & Ginter Sitting Bull card and estimated different values depending on whether it gets a 1, a 1.5, or an authentic grade. 14. The Topps segment covers the 2026 release plan that includes 75 baseball cards as graded redemptions inside packs. 15. Orlando notes that the checklist is on Topps' website and says some redemptions, including a 1952 Mantle, have already been pulled. 16. Rich says the promotion also includes All-Star Game tickets, World Series tickets, team gift packages, and Topps credit redemptions. 17. Rich says the promotion could bring breaker-focused collectors toward vintage cards, which is one reason he thinks the idea works. 18. The tone stays conversational and practical, with hobby-price debate, show chatter, and a live call-in from Greg. 19. Listeners who follow PSA pricing, Topps releases, or vintage baseball cards should get value from this episode. 20. Collectors who want auction strategy, card design talk, or no hobby-market focus may skip it.

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