The Shallow End

Listener Dan (@danscardaccount / @brewerbakerpodcast) asks us about our favorite inserts. From there, we get into Dick the Bruiser, an incredible vintage card, and what happens when content makers make content about the content makers. The Cardcast is hosted by Pat (@Insta_Account_Haver) and Dave (@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards).Note: Apologies in advance for Dave's less than 100 percent sound quality.

Dylan (Double D Vintage Baseball Cards on YouTube) tags in as the third man for this episode of Overthinking Baseball Cards, in which we talk about some of our favorite under-the-radar players, cards, and sets.

You asked, we answered – but not without a little help. Pat @Insta_Account_Haver and Dave @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards consider what makes a sports card absurd, whether it's better to collect privately or in person, + more.

Sometimes it's not what we do. It's what we don't. OBC is hosted by Jason @Contrarian_Cards and Dave @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards.

In this, our first, and possibly final, episode, Pat (@Insta_Account_Haver) and Dave (Iowa_Dave_Sportscards) say hello and talk sports cards.

Katelyn (@coldlunchcards) joins Jason @Contrarian_Cards and Dave @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards to discuss her re-entry into the world of baseball cards. Katelyn is also host of The WNBA Card Podcast @WNBACardPod on the @stackingslabs network.

After 126 flagship episodes and 200 overall, this is the final episode of The Shallow End.We begin with an honest and insightful conversation with Alan (@ricebondsmntna2young), a Barry Bonds collector and one-third of the long-running Essential Credentials Podcast on YouTube (along with Greg @timsalmoncollector and Matt @essential_credentials_podcast).Then, we hear from 35 collectors who were each tasked with answering the same question: "What do you love about sports cards? And you can't say "the community."The Shallow End was hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

This is the audio version of the May 2026 episode of Overthinking Baseball Cards, which debuted on YouTube about two weeks ago. OBC is hosted by Jason @contrarian_cards and Dave @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

A new podcast audio essay about sports cards, our mistakes, and ultimately finding our way. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

A discussion with Robert @RobertM_Cards about re-finding the cards we've lost, support systems, and maturing as a collector. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Who among us doesn't love a shiny sports card? What are some of your favorites?The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Dave @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards will leave The Shallow End later this spring. Here, he explains why.

Coming off a visit to St. Paul for the Minnesota Card Show, Dave shares his pickups, attempts a few insights, and reveals the card at the show that outsold the cards of Shohei Ohtani. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Pat (IG: @Insta_Account_Haver) swoops in to save the day with his usual insights and observations. If you like sports card podcasts when two people just talk about cards and collecting, this is the right episode for you.

How far would you go to get your sports card grail? How far would you go to get a second copy of that grail? This is the story of how Keith (@thekeithy4999) did just that.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

This is a podcast audio essay about collecting sports cards. Enjoy.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Over the last seven days, three cards perfect for Dave's collection have hit eBay. He hasn't bid or made an offer on a single one – and probably won't. Here's why.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

At the start of this month, The Shallow End ran the 10 part limited series, "Ten Bucks or Less." This episode shares Dave's big takeaway from each episode, then ends with him sharing one of his own favorite $10 or less cards.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Scott had it all: a rediscovered hobby and some of the most interesting cards around today. But something was missing. Something felt off. Scott felt he needed to make a change, and today, he is the collector known on IG as @PSA1only. The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 10 of 10: "Cost and Value are not the Same" - A Conversation with Dylan (YouTube: DoubleD Vintage Baseball Cards)The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠⁠⁠⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠⁠⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 9 of 10: "When a Card Hits Deeper" - A Conversation with Shane @shaneshobbies_collectiblesThe Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠⁠⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 8 of 10: "Even Small Cards Need Moderation" - A Conversation with David Spinrad @ratedrabbiThe Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 7 of 10: "Binder Card(inals)" - A Conversation with Greg @paper_and_chromeThe Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 6 of 10: "Gold Medallions" - A Conversation with Ty @tpotts_pcThe Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 5 of 10: "ShaqDonalds" - A Conversation with Mark @mjs_sportscardsThe Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 4 of 10: "The Card He Couldn't Pass Up" - A Conversation with Adam @raymans_relics.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 3 of 10: "From Mom to Manute to Rudy" - A Conversation with Adam Gray @thereal27guyThe Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 2 of 10: "Coming Full Circle" - A Conversation with Matt @mattstraightracecardsThe Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.Episode 1 of 10: "Monte Irvin" - A Conversation with Robert @BobHostaCollection.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Topps/Fanatics recently angered and saddened its customers by stripping Stadium Club down to the studs. No more Chrome. No more short prints. No more gold minted. For more than a century, the one constant in the hobby has been change. It hurts, but in the long term, it might have been the best thing ever to happen to gold minted. But the worst part? Fanatics shows once again it wants its customers to listen to them instead of listening to its customers.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

When it comes to sports cards, I'm not much of a hot take guy. Probably because I'm almost always wrong. But, here we go! Let's bust out 10 probably almost definitely terrible hot takes. These should be taken for entertainment purposes only.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Sports cards are supposed to be an escape, but what if instead of an escape they're a hideout?

(Corrected version after unedited draft was uploaded)For years I denied that the changing of the calendar year mattered. But I was wrong. The transition from one year to another isn't just an opportunity to re-evaluate parts of our collections, it's a psychological moment to become better collectors.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

In this episode we explore the collecting brain of graphic artist Matt, @MattyH_Cards on Instagram. In addition to being a huge fan of Baltimore sports and the University of Miami, Matt is a professional graphic designer who looks at the hobby just a little differently from the rest of us. This discussion is a fascinating journey into the mind of someone who thinks deeply about all things hobby design, from his own IG feed to the annual designs of card companies.

We are collecting in baseball cards' industrial era. Multibillion dollar companies and social media compete for our interests, improve our experiences, exploit our personalities, and bring out both our better and worse angels. In this episode, we talk through them all.OBC is hosted by Jason @Contrarian_Cards and Dave @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

What do you do when a sports card you know belongs in slab looks better unslabbed? Is what's right for the collector the same thing as what's right for the card?The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Let's remember, recap, and rate 2025 as the. year draws to a close.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

There is so much noise in the hobby, so much content, so many distractions, and so many options. Ribhu (@PerimeterCollectibles), a dealer and collector for 25 years, is here with an important message: Think about what you like, then collect it.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

We're still talking about Walter Benjamin's 1931 essay about collecting. In this episode, Aaron @Two2SportsCards jumps on the mic to discuss the Benjamin quote that most resonated with Aaron and his collecting: “… ownership is the most intimate relationship that one can have to objects. Not that they come alive in him; it is he who lives in them.”The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

The baseball card landscape has witnessed several shifts since the turn of the millennium. In this tiered ranking, we determine which years stand out, which fall back, and which years do we wish would just go away?OBC is hosted by Jason @contrarian_cards and Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

In 1931, German philosopher Walter Benjamin wrote an essay about collecting. Nearly a century later, that essay is as applicable today as it was then.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards (IG)

In all walks of life, we have a habit of talking about a problem once and moving to the next thing. Last summer, gambling and addiction in the sports card hobby had a moment. It seemed everyone was talking about it. Then, we moved on to the next big thing, whether it was The National or the latest scandal. In this episode, Alyx of CollectorsMD returns to update us on his organization's mission to help collectors who feel out of control. We also talk about a well-known sports card company using a 13 year old in an ad campaign for its repack product.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Pat (@Insta_account_haver) returns to The Shallow End to discuss his experiences setting up for the first time at a card show—and with only 24 hours notice to get ready. What Pat found at the show, besides the cards, made it all worth it.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Just because you're a fan of a team, or a player, or even a comic book, it doesn't mean you have to collect their sports cards. In this episode, Aaron (@collect_like_a_champion) shares his story of how his collecting journey became more rewarding once he stopped trying to collect so much and focused on what was most important.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Sometimes we have moments that put life into perspective. What is important? What matters? When that happens, it's also a chance to re-evaluate how we feel about our sports cards.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Shohei Ohtani's performance in the Dodgers' NLCS clincher drove us back to the microphones a few weeks early. We talk about his cards, his performance, his cards, his legacy, and his cards.Overthinking Baseball Cards is hosted by Jason @contrarian_cards and Dave @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

Jason (@Contrarian_Cards) and Dave (@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards) pick out the most eye-catching individual cards, sets and genres of baseball cards throughout the decades. Agree? Disagree? Let us know. This episode is also available on YouTube.

Aaron (@Two2Sportscards) drops by to talk about his own approach to collecting: how he ignores the noise, only listens to content that enriches his experience, and surrounds himself with the right people.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards***Support fellow collector Luke (@LukeJBrowning) as he takes part in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to raise money for breast cancer research and support. Luke will be taking part in a 60 mile (!!!) walk over three days and, to raise money, is offering sports cards when he hits certain milestones. Learn more at his Komen webpage.

You might be asking yourself, didn't The National end two months ago? Yes. Yes it did. But one card I picked up there extended how I thought about The National. Depending what PSA thought of this card, my overall National experience could have tipped one way or the other.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

In this podcast audio essay, Dave confronts two infections living inside the sports card hobby.The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards