Human Card Grading Is Ending — Here’s What Comes Next with Tech Advancements

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 5:00: Collector Nation, AI grading, Ben Alfred, Brian Luten
2. 5:00 – 10:00: AI grading, Collector Nation
3. 10:00 – 15:00: AI grading, Brian Luten
4. 15:00 – 20:00: Fanatics Fest

Notable quotes from "Human Card Grading Is Ending — Here’s What Comes Next with Tech Advancements"

• We are a media company by and from and for Lux. Welcome to the new Collector Nation. And there'll be news coming.

  about Collector Nation · at 0:00

• And part of the Radcast Network. We are a media company by and from and for Lux here with my good buddy Brian Luten.

  about Brian Luten · at 1:17

• Going to start to hear the buzz of proliferation of more event oriented stuff like Fanatics Fest. I think there's a lot of potential in events like card shows, entertainment, culture, music.

  about Fanatics Fest · at 15:06

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Brian Luten — Person · 2 mentions · first at 1:24
• Ben Alfred — Person · 1 mention · first at 1:06
  Are you ready to collect? Let's get at it. Here's your host, Ryan Alfred.

Companies & orgs

• Collector Nation — Company · 4 mentions · first at 0:03
• Topps — Company · 3 mentions

Concepts & topics

• AI grading — Concept · 3 mentions · first at 0:27
  Table. So, more news there. What people are doing is they're using some of these AI grading to like kind of pregrade it.
• Fanatics Fest — Concept · 1 mention · first at 15:11

Full transcript with timestamps

0:00 We are a media company by and from and for Lux. Welcome to the new Collector Nation. And there'll be news coming. We've got meetings with partners with how we're going to bring Collector Nation and Lux to life within these platforms. We're going to bring a professional level content creators. So, it's time to bring the big boys to the table. So, more news there. What people are doing is they're using some of these AI grading to like kind of pregrade it. Then they say, "Hey, the chances of a 10 is this." And then you send it in. But I do think that AI grading is there's a need for it. You can feed it some data online, lead it to water, and then it can use its ability that's greater than our own. Data from a thousand million points that our brains probably can't compute and at least give you a pretty good idea.

0:49 Everyone has an idea to make a million bucks. Everyone ideas are cheap. Welcome to the Collector Nation podcast on the Radcast Network. From chasing grails to calling bluffs, we're going inside the hobby. Are you ready to collect? Let's get at it. Here's your host, Ryan Alfred. What's up, guys? Welcome to the New [clears throat] Collector Nation here on and part of the Radcast Network. We are a media company by and from and for Lux here with my good buddy Brian Luten. Brian, what's up brother?

1:30 How you doing? Excited about this this partnership. I know dude you know having Lux is you know Lux media company and you running it and doing your thing I think it could be super powerful and I think it's also like the industry needs it needs a place where they could come and in a professional sphere and marketing and whatever but you had this vision before I did well you brought it to me

1:57 look I brought it to the man I mean Lux is sort of at the I mean I know I'm bi biased, but I'm also a businessman that's done a lot of things. And let's just say they've all they've done okay. And let's just say I know a winner when I see it. And Brian's a winner. And Lux is a brand that's making waves and doing big things in the hobby and in collectibles and all that stuff. It's a marriage made in heaven. I love it. I want to bring the best, the brightest of the collector's collector like universe of media. And what better brand to present it, to own it, to be the media arm of than Lux, you know? So, hey, man, it's gonna be organic, but I love it and um wouldn't want to do with anyone else.

2:45 Well, I appreciate you thinking of us and uh you know, I'm excited to get going and we we complement each other, the company.

2:53 Exactly. Yeah. And so, what does that mean? I mean all right now, hey, it's a name, but you know, it's really a movement. We want to aggregate the best media in the collector's space, the the creators, um the energy, everything that's around this. We want to bring that to life and give it a home and a place for both the the the collectors themselves to know where to go as, you know, a source of trusted authority in this space. And then of course creators out there, we want you on the team, baby. So hey, if you're listening and you're want to you're putting some good content out, we want to talk to you and bring you together. But for now, Brian and I are just going to keep doing what we're doing. We're going to keep talking, taking the level up with what we do here, keeping it real and raw and honest about the business of Lux and what they're doing and how they're changing the game and Brian bringing

3:56 those stories to life, what happens behind the scenes of of the company. And then of course just telling those stories that we do with other um businesses on those Tuesday editions and then like today, you know, giving you the inside scoop on everything. It's opinion meets journalism. I guess it's both news and opinion. So, uh it's organic and I I I just love what's kind of happening on its own. And I'm watching my son right now, Hudson, who's in the background like literally organizing cards at the store uh for our dollar bins. And it's fun, man.

4:34 That's awesome. Well, 26 is going to be exciting year. Yeah, I can't wait. I can't wait to get to the LX card store uh at the Rangers Stadium, the first of its kind, uh and to be doing content there with Brian and the team that will be there and everyone involved with that. It's an unbelievable project and you know I'm just pumped to be part of it.

4:57 Breaking ground on the 29th. Unbelievable, dude. Making dreams happen. You know, it's just crazy, dude. I mean, you and I are different but the same. Like, you know, move quick big ideas and just make happen.

5:15 That's you got that's all you can do, right? you just keep creating and you give yourself, you know, other ways to to monetize a company gives you just the such a higher chance of success. I mean, it just like

5:31 and so throwing this all under the Lux umbrella, we'll have four different brands next year under our umbrella as subsidiaries or partnerships or card shops. So, next year in 2026, this 2025 has been all about us building out these other four businesses.

5:50 Um, and we will they will be out Q1 of ne the Q1 January next year. Yep. And there'll be news coming. We've got meetings with partners with how we're going to bring uh Collector Nation and Lex to life within these platforms. Uh, so more news there hopefully. If not, we'll just build it ourselves. But no, we we we've got some good some big discussions. Brian um has knows people in high places and good and people doing exciting things. So, uh he's a connector and bringing, you know, it's it's part of the LEX universe. I mean, this is, you know, it's a Lux universe and we just get to live in it. But but but in all seriousness, no, it's it's about innovation. It's what's good for the hobby. It's what and what I'm excited about is and if you're listening to this and you're a brand, we're coming for you. What do I mean by that? It's time for the big brands and the big media dollars to get with the program with

6:53 what's happening in this category. So, we're going to be there's a lot of movement happening, but we're going to bring a professional level of content creators. You've already got the Lux brand bringing it all together. So, it's time to bring the big boys to the table. So, if you're listening and you want an affluent audience, you know where to call and uh you know where to find me or Brian. So, we'd love to partner with you and bring your stories to life to an affluent uh meaningful audience that's paying attention and interested. So, uh there's my uh sales pitch to the brands out there, but we're coming for you.

7:34 There's like this new fad in the industry and it's across my desk more than twice in the last month and it's the old buy raw cards, send them into grading, get a 10, make money, right?

7:52 Yep. And so it there is there's nuances to that business model that I don't love. But in the end, what what people are doing is they're using some of these AI grading to like kind of pregrade it and then they they then they say, "Hey, like the chances of a 10 is this." And uh and then you send it in and you know, if you get a 10, you you you win. If you get a nine, you you tied. But I do think that AI grading is definitely something that's um there's a there's a need for it.

8:24 The biggest thing I think with with chat team, I mean, they called it, you know, prompt engineering, you know, a year ago. Well, it is that it's the the models have gotten better where it's not it's not necessarily the prompt engineering. It's just what feeding it the right stuff overall. And I think you could feed it some, you know, find a little data online, lead it to water, and then it can use its ability that's greater than our own. You know, eyes, ears, data from a thousand million points that our brains probably can't compute and at least give you a pretty good idea. I mean the the barriers to entry in technology in this industry are all industries. I mean there is no tech moat anymore like no

9:07 Lex's technology is chat GPT now we have in the spot and it's faster and and and maybe better but um but it's still you know the competition is out there. So, at some point these like I want to have something like that in our app. But yeah, what I think I want to do is create our own LLM model

9:30 and just train it on that. Like don't worry, Larry. Don't worry about anything else. We're just going to train you as a greater

9:37 and this is why we're doing it. And so all the the nuances that you change, you can change it by the prompt. Um, and I think that's what I would do is so you can just like streamline it and say, "Okay, you are a greater." Larry the greater.

9:50 Create an agent. Create an agent. Agentic AI. This is Larry the graater. His only job, his only worry. He eats, drinks, sleeps. Grading. Yeah. And look, they don't have to be I mean, Larry takes really short naps. I mean, like two minutes.

10:09 He shows up to work every day. He shows up every day. No talking back. No sick days. I mean, you know, he catches a virus every now and then when the internet goes down, but like, you know, other than that, uh, it's, uh, but it's true. I think it's all about singular. Like, okay, you got one job, man. You got one job. Grade these cards.

10:34 Trade it only on that. Focus. I'm going to try that. I probably shouldn't have gave up that like, you know idea but

10:40 ideas are cheap. It's execution. It's execution. Yeah, that's what I always tell people.

10:45 And the madness, everyone has an idea to make a million bucks. Everyone. Yeah. So, I think we've got a number here at the end of the year. How many cards were scanned on LED? I I have it. If you don't Oh, good. Brian Luten, CEO of Lux. Uh, how many cards on Lex in 2025?

11:10 100. and 58 million cards were scanned on Lux in 2025. That's a big number. You know, there's a lot of, you know, numbers get thrown around. There's so many articles, billion this, million that. Let me tell you people go count to a million by one like one mill like 158 million cards by one app that's leading the technology and the charge of tech in the hobby space. But 158 million that's it's insane how many cards that is dude.

11:54 And that's we don't even have like our light box out which it makes them more efficient uh to scan from the phone. And then we have, you know, a B2B play where like I we've we've talked about the guy puts 10 to 12,000 cards of Dan. Well, if we get a hundred of those or a thousand of those, 158 is going to look like nothing. Yeah. No, I know. But it's still more I don't like and the percentage of that I bet that are literally uh you know single young guy or old 45year-old nostalgic back in you know whoever that is that are probably doing you know four or five cards at a time and it adding up to that it's just my my brain can't again I see a lot of big numbers every day but I still appreciate like how many that individual that is.

12:47 And most people won't don't don't believe it. They're like, "Yeah, no you didn't." Like I did like

12:54 Yeah. Yeah. We're we're a data company first and if we don't know how many cards we're scanning like I'm a bad businessman.

13:02 Yeah. because that I mean in the end those cards are now in an ecosystem that people people took time to put in there and now that's why the eBay connector selling cars from Lux to eBay works. Um that's why adding a grading company and doing the same thing with an API build that out build that highway like whoever controls the masses of people's collections will win this race of technology in this industry. talk to me for collector advice. We'll close out this micro edition here to end the year. Um, collectors coming into the hobby, new or existing collectors, you know, what's a tip or two? I think we already gave one AI grading. I mean, there's your there's the first tip. So, uh, tip number two, uh, what would you tell people?

13:56 I mean, everyone comes in kind of the same way, right? like it they are they they let's say the gateway drug is Pokemon and then they go and they buy WAX and then they realize that the ROI is not great and then they go on to live streaming and start buying singles or sp you know uh the spots in the breaks and then they start to migrate towards well I I want to collect this guy or this genre or you know this team whatever it is that I think for me you skip to the you just skip to the the veteran, the advantage athletes, the goats. Start there. And that's what I would do. Well, conjure conjure up uh a hot take in what you predict in the industry in 2026.

14:45 I think it's going to be more mainstream. I think I think you're going to continue to see the hobby and collecting um go more mainstream and I think you're going to see more brands like coming into it either with their own collectibles um you know like I think you're going to see venturing more and more into mainstream. I think you're going to start to hear the buzz of proliferation of more event oriented stuff like Fanatics Fest. I think there's a lot of potential in events like card shows, entertainment, culture, music.

15:21 I think we're just scratching the surface and I think uh Rubin's done a good job with Fanatics Fest. I mean I, you know, say what you want, it's hard to put those things on and he's last year's we had a blast. Um the National's the National, but I think you might see more of this venture. Not because I mean look they are power to be planned if they were definitively happen but I think you're going to see that that happen. And then my question mark to get in the thought there Brian is I'm still waiting for the Tops fireworks a little bit. You know like we've had basketball release you know they've got all the licenses. Um it's been weird not having any of the Tops football product right?

16:02 [clears throat] Um cuz normally you'd have that even if it was unlicensed like last year like kind of mix and mingle with the Panini releases and so it's more of a question mark than a than a you know poxication so much is like okay I'm it's been okay you know but tops basketball crown cool all right but I'm ready for let's bring the big guns what's coming. Yeah, I agree. I mean, I think this industry, I mean, technology is, [clears throat]

16:36 you know, gonna drive a lot um and technology is also going to drive a lot of businesses out of business.

16:44 Yeah. Um I think that's, you know, just that's not industry specific. That's, you know, macroy. Um so I think, uh you'll see some companies fold that you didn't expect. Um, and then I do think um I mean Topps has to figure it out when they get all the licenses. And I I predict that they will. And I think they're going to be I think what they had to do is strip down some products, right? Like they had too many there's too many SKs out there.

17:16 Yep. And if you just take that those SKs down and then build back up, I think they're going to do do it well. Um, I love the leadership over there at TAS with David Liner. Um, he's amazing. Scott Daniel, great. So, they're smart guys and they're very committed to this obviously, but also they I there's not a lot of arrogance in those guys. So, I think they're listening to collectors.

17:42 Yeah, I think so, too. I like Mayan, too. So, I think I think all this, you know, hopefully gonna have him on. He got busy here at the end of the year. So, you're listening.

17:50 Come on, Maym. Let's go. Um but uh yeah, it's less a doubt and more excitement energy like I know they're going to they're going to do it like but I guess I'm anxious like to see it cuz I and I'm a football guy and so it's been weird not having football but they got the license for next year so that'll be fun to bring to life and that's what will hit home for me and I mean obviously they crush baseball but um we'll see what comes but uh all I know is Cler Nation's going to be booming along with Lex and we appreciate everyone for tuning Yeah.

18:23 Yeah. Merry Christmas to you. Happy New Year. Merry Christmas. One more time for the new year. But merry Christmas to you and your family and Bella. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

18:34 Thank you. You too. Yes. And we appreciate everyone for listening. The collectornation.com is where you'll find all of our stuff. Now we're migrating over there. This is a litex media company and we appreciate Brian. Ryan, you know, come at you.

18:54 I got one thing. Hey, Bella, make sure that Ryan gets you a good gift. Yeah, already thinking of ideas.

19:05 I'll send you something, too. Oh, you're too sweet. Hey, yours is already coming in the mail buddy.

19:10 Um, it's both Christmas and birthday gift in one now that we're kind of fixing there. But uh yes, and and just so you know, that's not Am I right, Bella? Where it's being packed up right?

19:22 Yes, it is. Yep. All right. Okay. Oh, we appreciate everyone for listening and we hope everyone has a safe, happy holiday season. Merry Christmas, happy new year from Ryan and Brian here on the Collective Nation. See you next time. Thanks for tuning in to the show. Don't forget to follow us on your favorite podcast platform and don't miss the full video version on YouTube. You can find us at collectornation.com or follow Ryan on Instagram at ryanalford. Now get out there and collect yours.

Questions about this episode

What is discussed in "Human Card Grading Is Ending — Here’s What Comes Next with Tech Advancements"?

In order: 0:00 Collector Nation, AI grading, Ben Alfred, Brian Luten; 5:00 AI grading, Collector Nation; 10:00 AI grading, Brian Luten; 15:00 Fanatics Fest.

What is mentioned in this Collector Nation episode?

6 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Collector Nation, AI grading, Topps, Brian Luten, Ben Alfred, Fanatics Fest. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Human Card Grading Is Ending — Here’s What Comes Next with Tech Advancements"?

The episode runs 20 min; the transcript is about 3,372 words in 44 timestamped sections.

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