#42: The Current State Of The Hobby | Paul Baldwin Jr.

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Paul Baldwin Jr.—aka @Paullydoughnuts⁩—founder of #GetToStackin, trusted hobby voice, and one of the more outspoken, community-rooted personalities in the space today.Paully brings a grounded, collector-first perspective to a moment in the hobby that feels as exciting as it does uncertain. With 20K+ followers across his socials and years of experience transacting and building trust within the community, he’s become a voice many collectors have turned to as the hobby has started feeling louder, faster, and harder to make sense of.Alyx and Paully unpack the current state of the hobby from multiple angles—including Fanatics’ branded credit card, this year's Topps Industry Conference, the continued financialization of fandom, and what it all means for where the hobby is headed.They discuss the return of iconic products like Topps Chrome Football and Bowman Basketball, the Topps licensing takeover, and why modern wax prices have reached a point where we're starting to question who today’s products are really built for.The conversation centers on trust, transparency, and accountability, honing in on the recent Whatnot controversy, lawsuits, repack concerns, and the growing tension between community and commerce in the live-selling and breaking ecosystem.They explore what’s changing in the hobby, what's worth protecting, and whether the space is evolving in a way that feels healthier, more sustainable, and more aligned with the people who helped build it.At its core, this episode focuses on a bigger question: are we building a better hobby—or just a faster, more expensive, more emotionally volatile one?If you’ve been feeling both excited and uneasy about where the hobby is headed, this conversation will hit home. Growth isn’t always the same thing as progress.Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around awareness, accountability, and building a healthier relationship with collecting.Watch The Episode On YouTubeLearn More & Join The Movement:Website: collectorsmd.comSocials: bio.collectorsmd.comWeekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMXContact: [email protected]: ‪@collectorsmdIG: @collectorsmdFollow Paully & #GetToStackin:Website: gettostackin.comYT: @PaullydoughnutsIG: @paullydoughnutsX: @paullydoughnutsThis Episode of The Collector's Compass is sponsored by ‪All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% of your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.Help for Problem Gambling: Call or Text 800-GAMBLER#CollectorsMD | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly