Collector Nation

The sports card hobby is evolving — and the old rules don’t always apply anymore.

In this episode of Collector Nation, host Ryan Alford is joined by hobby veteran and Ludex CEO Brian Ludden for a wide-ranging conversation on the real economics behind today’s card market.

They unpack how Super Bowl performances impact pricing, why PSA grading fees keep climbing, and why vintage cards continue to quietly outperform modern hype.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

Why grading modern cards is riskier than most collectors admit

How PSA pricing and turnaround times affect card velocity

The growing dominance of raw card transactions

Why vintage cards behave more like “blue-chip assets”

How branding and auction exposure multiply card values

What most collectors misunderstand about supply & demand

This episode is less about hype — and more about understanding how money actually moves in the hobby.

🤝 Connect with Collector Nation

Ryan Alford
Website: https://ryanisright.com
Instagram / X: @ryanalford

Brian Ludden – Ludex
Website: https://www.ludex.com
Download the Ludex App (iOS)
Instagram / X: @ludexapp

🌐 Collector Nation: https://thecollectornation.com

In this episode of Collector Nation, Ryan Alford welcomes Eric Wagenmaker, founder of Reclaim Customs, for a deep dive into custom memorabilia, creativity, and what really gives collectibles their meaning.

Eric shares how a simple project for his kids sparked a business that now works with professional athletes, podcasters, and sports teams. He explains the difference between perceived rarity created by big card companies and true one-of-one craftsmanship — where every piece is built by hand around a real artifact.

They explore Eric’s creative process, from foiling and textures to embedding relics, and how each design starts with the story behind the item. Ryan and Eric also talk about scaling a fully custom operation, navigating exclusivity in professional sports, and how social media helped propel Reclaim Customs into the spotlight.

The episode closes on one of Eric’s most meaningful insights: the most powerful collectibles aren’t always about players or value — they’re about family, memory, and legacy.

Key Takeaways

Custom craftsmanship creates deeper emotional value

Manufactured rarity isn’t the same as uniqueness

Creativity lives in details

Story transforms memorabilia into legacy

Building handmade businesses requires patience

Collectibles connect people across generations

📣 Connect with Ryan & Eric

🎙 Collector Nation Podcast:
https://thecollectornation.com

https://www.youtube.com/@TheCollectorNation

🌐 Ryan Alford:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ryanalford

Download the Ludex App on IOS and Android!

🎨 Eric Wagenmaker — Reclaim Customs:
Website: https://reclaimcustoms.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/reclaimcustoms

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In this episode of Collector Nation, Ryan Alford and Brian Ludden take listeners inside a week that perfectly captures today’s hobby — digital pulls, vintage surprises, and the unpredictable magic of sports cards.

Brian opens up about hitting a massive LeBron refractor through an online pack platform, turning a risky gamble into a $5,000 card. That leads into a spirited debate: Jordan, Kobe, or LeBron — which actually holds long-term value?

Ryan makes his case for Jordan, citing vintage scarcity, collector psychology, and why older cards continue to outperform modern print runs.

Then Ryan shares an unbelievable story: a suspicious Facebook Marketplace listing turns into a real-life meetup and a full 1986 Fleer set walking into his brand-new card shop — complete with Jordan rookie and bonus Star card.

They also discuss opening the shop, why physical retail still matters, how deals really get done, and what makes this hobby so addicting.

It’s part investing lesson, part collector storytime — and fully Collector Nation.

Key Takeaways

Jordan remains the hobby king

Digital packs bring upside and risk

Vintage scarcity beats manufactured rarity

Physical shops create unexpected opportunity

Stories drive value

The best finds are rarely planned

As the hobby grows more sophisticated, conversations around card care have become louder — and more misunderstood.

In this episode of Collector Nation, Ryan Alford welcomes Kurt Colon of Kurt’s Card Care for a grounded discussion on what card care actually is, why it exists, and how collectors should think about preservation versus alteration. Kurt shares his personal journey as a lifelong collector, detailing how his background in craftsmanship and restoration led to building products — and education — for collectors worldwide.

The conversation moves beyond surface-level debates and into deeper territory: why condition sensitivity increased, why modern materials behave differently, and why education matters more than chasing grades. Kurt also explains why he views cards as personal treasures first, investments second — a perspective shaped by decades of collecting and hands-on experimentation.

Key Takeaways:

Card care is about preservation, not manipulation

Modern cards degrade differently than vintage paper

Knowing what can’t be fixed matters as much as what can

Education protects collectors more than any product

The hobby’s future depends on informed stewardship

This episode offers clarity, context, and a calmer perspective on a topic that often sparks unnecessary controversy.

Want to go deeper into smarter collecting and preservation?

🧼 Kurt’s Card Care — Learn more about card care, preservation, and education:
👉 https://kurtscardcare.com

🃏 Collector Nation — Watch full episodes and exclusive conversations:
👉 https://thecollectornation.com

🏪 Collector Station (Ryan Alford’s card shop – Easley, SC):
👉 https://thecollectorstation.com

📊 Ludex — Scan, track, and manage your collection:
👉 https://www.ludex.com

📸 Follow Ryan Alford:
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford

What makes something collectible?

Is it scarcity? Nostalgia? Cultural relevance? Or the story behind it?
In Episode 45 of Collector Nation, Ryan Alford brings together powerful moments from past conversations to explore one central idea: collectibles aren’t just objects — they’re memory, culture, and meaning.
Ryan walks us through how everyday moments evolve into prized artifacts, whether it’s championship confetti becoming physical history, jerseys carrying emotional identity, hip-hop memorabilia reshaping what collecting looks like, or photo matching proving provenance and story.

Featured guests include:
DJ Skee — on how overlooked items like championship confetti become historical artifacts
Dan Jamison (Icons.com) — explaining why jerseys represent identity, legacy, and emotional connection
Alex Bruh (Wax Poetics) — expanding collectibles beyond sports into hip-hop and cultural memorabilia
John Robinson (Resolution Photo Matching) — showing how story and verification dramatically increase value
Tareq Nazlawy (CEO of Trace / Fidgetal Collectibles) — offering a look into the future of digital-meets-physical collecting

Ryan ties it all together with one truth: not everything valuable starts valuable — and not everything rare becomes meaningful. Collectibles are about moments, memory, and culture.
Whether you’re holding Josh Allen cards in your hand or just beginning to understand the hobby, this episode breaks down why people chase, preserve, and care about the things they collect

Key Takeaways
• Scarcity alone doesn’t create value
• Story changes worth
• Cultural relevance matters
• Collectibles represent moments, not just objects
• Authentication elevates emotional and financial impact
• Digital collecting is shaping the future

📣 Connect With Ryan + Guests
🎙 Collector Nation Podcast:
https://thecollectornation.com
🌐 Ryan Alford:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ryanalford
🎧 DJ Skee:
Instagram: DjSkee
👕 Dan Jamison — Icons.com:
https://icons.com
📚 Alex Bruh — Wax Poetics:
https://waxpoetics.com
📸 John Robinson — Resolution Photo Matching:
https://resolutionphotomatching.com
🧠 Tareq Nazlawy — Trace / Fidgetal Collectibles:
https://www.trace.fan/

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