Kicking Off the New Year Right! The Hobby Through the lens of a 14-Year-Old Collector

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 5:00: Collector Nation, Collector Station, Ben Alfred
2. 5:00 – 10:00: Collector Station, Collector Nation, Don Russ
3. 15:00 – 20:00: Panini
4. 20:00 – 20:48: Ben Alfred, Collector Station

Notable quotes from "Kicking Off the New Year Right! The Hobby Through the lens of a 14-Year-Old Collector"

• It's here on Collector Nation. It's so funny. There was a line that we were looking at like topics and stuff. It's the whole hobby is adult price but sort of youth driven. A lot of old guys that.

  about Collector Nation · at 0:02

• Are you ready to collect? Let's get at it. Here's your host, Ryan Alfred.

  about Ben Alfred · at 1:06

• But what hadn't changed is the fun of Chase. So we're opening 2025 Don Russ football.

  about Don Russ · at 5:28

• And you can visit us the at u the collectornation.com and then you'll see a button for collector station so you can see stuff that we have in the store.

  about Collector Station · at 6:25

• Like make the players have their all the Lego showing like kind of use that to your advantage. Like Panini is going to start trying to hide all the like have the photos on the…

  about Panini · at 16:24

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Ben Alfred — Person · 2 mentions · first at 1:08

Companies & orgs

• Collector Station — Company · 6 mentions · first at 0:18
• Collector Nation — Company · 4 mentions · first at 0:02
• Panini — Company · 2 mentions · first at 16:30
• Topps — Company · 2 mentions

Products & tech

• Don Russ — Product · 1 mention · first at 5:33

Concepts & topics

• Ace of Base — Concept · 1 mention

Full transcript with timestamps

0:00 Happy new year. Happy new year. 2026. It's here on Collector Nation. It's so funny. There was a line that we were looking at like topics and stuff. It's the whole hobby is adult price but sort of youth driven. A lot of old guys that base a lot of decisions on assuming they know how it is. And the world's changed quite a bit. So if you come to collector station, by the way, we're making this rule. If a train goes by while customers are in the store, 10% off one item.

0:25 Oo. If the train goes by while you're here, if a patch you think is like their jersey, like whenever you see a jersey patch, you're going to be like, "Oh, that's their jersey." But it's not.

0:33 If you're going to do patches, make them game worn. Collecting is much about the media and entertainment as it is about collecting. We're going to collect some of these. We might sell some, but the act of opening is much about it, the entertainment, than anything else.

0:46 Yeah, it is. And I guess if you got a 10% off, hey, 10% off here at Collector Station. There it is. 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. Hello and happy new year here on Collector Nation here the first week of January. If you've got those New Year's resolutions, I hope you've stuck with them how many days we are into it. Uh joined by my good buddy here. He's also known as my son Hudson. Good to see you, buddy.

1:35 Oh, yeah. Hey. Hey. I can't I got to bring the future stars here. You know, I need something to carry this thing.

1:41 Mhm. What's up, baby? Not much. Yeah. Happy New Year. Yeah. Happy New Year. It's uh

1:48 2026. It's here. 2026. When I was a kid, the year 2025 sounded like, you know, outer space futuristic.

1:57 How does it feel to be, you know, 14 in 2026? I mean, when I was like, speaking of what you said, like when I was like 2022, I was like 2026 sounds so weird. Even though it's not that far off, and now it's here. I'm like, oh wow,

2:14 it is here. Yeah. And guess what? You still got to go to school. Few more years.

2:19 Almost out. You're almost there, though. Yeah. I remember kind of joking with you when you were in like second or third grade. Haha. You got 13, 12 year, whatever it is. 10 more years.

2:28 Uh, not so much, buddy. Only got three more. Three. Yeah. After this, man, it flies by. I've got four boys. Hudson strong armed him, didn't I? He's he doesn't mind getting on the mic. Um, you might have to take over the podcast for me one day when I'm unable to speak or talk or do anything.

2:48 Yeah. But, uh, we've had a good time collecting. I talked a lot about the four boys and I getting into it a little over probably 18 months ago, a year ago.

2:58 And that's been a whirlwind, dude. I know. Like, like it started from like opening just at our table and now we're doing all the podcast. Did you think your dad, you know, did you think I was going to pull it off? Think I was going to do this

3:14 once I started talking about it? Well, I think I I know you can, but I wasn't sure if you're actually going to like pull off.

3:21 Yeah. Yeah. Pretty cool, huh? I know. Awesome. Top 10 sports show. Oh, yeah. You know, like

3:27 that's crazy. It's all It's nuts. Oh, yeah. You know how many million people could be listening to this at some time at some point?

3:33 I don't know. in the archives by the time it get, you know, total plays like in the history, it'll probably be millions like like 10 years from now.

3:41 That's the thing about podcasts. They kind of live forever. So, he'll mess it up. I'm just kidding.

3:47 I'm really making him feel comfortable. The uh No, he he's easy. Um we've had a good time. So, I've talked a little bit about it. If you're listening for the first time, you're going, "All right, what's going on here?" So, I mean, my four boys kind of pulled me back into the hobby, I think, accidentally a bit.

4:04 Yeah. We um I don't remember exactly. It was like Hogan Hogan got into collecting like basketball cards. He's like, "Look at all these cards I got." My his dad gave him a bunch of baseball cards. And then was like, "Oh, cool." And then

4:16 we went to a store and we were like, "Let's buy some packs." I was like, "Yo, you want to buy some packs? Okay, let's buy some packs." And uh $100,000 later and

4:27 I don't know uh we open a lot of packs every about six months. I mean more hobby boxes, retail boxes. There wasn't a box we didn't like.

4:36 No. No. Equal opportunity. Some cards though like or like some boxes have like loads of base cards in them.

4:45 Oh yeah, I know. We're actually going to while we're talking. So if you're listening, you should be viewing. If you're viewing and you're in the car, you can listen. But

4:54 yeah, we're going to open a few while we're talking in the midst of this. We're going to talk a few topics. So, not going to be the hey, what car do you like? We're going to try to keep kind of interesting. We'd always do a little bit of the business angle. And I think

5:08 it's it's so funny. There was a line that as we were looking at like topics and stuff, it's

5:13 the whole hobby is adult price, but sort of youth driven. And a lot of old guys that base a lot of decisions on assuming they know how it is and the world's changed quite a bit.

5:27 Yeah. But what hadn't changed is the fun of Chase. So we're opening 2025 Don Russ football.

5:35 Oh yeah. What would you Is this the heaviest blaster box you've ever put your hands on?

5:40 Probably. I mean there's a blaster. This This I would understand like a hobby box, but 90 card. It's like a full set of cards almost like in the blaster.

5:49 I wish I could feel this. This thing is heavy. Holy cow. There was a '90s group called the Ace of Bass. And uh this this box is the Ace of Bass. It's It's got so much bass in it.

6:01 I'm think Downtown on air would be awesome though. That would be crazy. I mean, let's be honest. That's what you're chasing.

6:06 Yeah. So, we're just going to kind of talk and rip at the same time. So, you we can we can we can walk and chew gum at the same time. That's for sure. Um, first hope everybody had a great holiday wherever you are, whenever you're listening. Hope you got everything you wanted. Um, we're here at collectorstation

6:25 and you can visit us the at u the collectornation.com and then you'll see a button for collector station so you can see stuff that we have in the store. Should be live by the time this goes. If it doesn't, you get a under construction, you just wait. Uh,

6:38 oh, we got our first rookie TJ Sanders. Okay, defensive tackle for the Bills. There we go. That's good. Good.

6:44 We got Carson Wessinger. Um, [clears throat] everybody likes him. Rookie [snorts] from the

6:50 two rated rookies. The Browns. And we got How many rated rookies? How many do they get?

6:55 How many you think about how many There's like a gold card. I know. Like a I think that's Michael Parsons.

7:01 I do think we've we opened some mega box. Michael Parson's in his Cowboys uniform.

7:05 Interesting. Okay. Haven't changed it yet. Yep. Ta Hill, James Connor, Travis Kelce. So, we'll see.

7:11 And then we got Caleb Johnson on the rookies card. It looks like it's gold, but it's just cuz Steelers play.

7:17 The Steelers players always get you. Oh, it's gold. One of a million. Yeah. Like,

7:23 yeah. Uh, not. Then Theo Johnson. Oh, Theo. Josh Hines Allen. Jaguars. Nice. Yeah.

7:30 Hudson's a Jaguars fan. We're all Jaguars. Sam Leaporta. Another Jags. Gabe Davis.

7:35 Gabe Davis. NFL reporter. You got enough base cards there to I don't know make a whole you know kids school.

7:44 If there's one, two, three, four, five, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 trees. There's 12 like non- rookie bases in a pack. How many?

7:54 Hey, if you're set collecting, that's like if you're if you're into putting sets together, which I don't know if kids do kids still do that?

8:01 Not really. Not really, but they used to like back in the day. I see a bunch of old men putting together at shows.

8:07 Yeah. But if you are, blasters are where you want to go because you're going to be able to you're going to be able to put a whole set together in three blasters.

8:14 Need about every base card you need. So, uh yeah, if you're looking blasters, great for collecting, getting all the cards, but if you're chasing hits, probably not the way to go, unless you're lucky.

8:28 Oh, wow. Motorcycles going by adding to the effects here. That's why it is collector station. We do have a train.

8:34 Oh, yeah. train tracks right there as part of the ambiance. So, if you come to collector station, by the way,

8:39 we're making this rule. I don't know if you heard this, uh, Hudson, if a train goes by while customers are in the store, 10% off one item.

8:48 If the train goes by while you're here, so there you have. We are building out the store. Hey, this look pretty good stock over there. See lots of cards.

8:57 Uh, and and some and some already open cards, too. Yeah, lots. We got a pretty good I mean

9:02 I sort of look like a store right here. That's how you're going to be experienced. So when you if you come to collector station

9:09 be ready for a camera to turn on. We're going to be this going be like pawn stars. We're going be like hey especially if you come to make a deal turning that baby on. It's going on YouTube.

9:17 Oh yeah. So be ready. I'm ready. Make some deals. Buy sell trade baby. Oh yeah.

9:22 All these will be for sale on collector nation the collectornation.com under collector station. Anything that's of value that we pull while we're sitting here. Yeah.

9:31 Um I wish they would make these. Like I know they can't make them all game born.

9:35 They ought to just be game born though. Let's just call it. Yeah. This is uh Hey, your daddy owns the adcast. We speak our mind. You you say what you mean. Me mean what you say. So let's just say it. Say it. Say it the way you want to say it.

9:46 I was if if you're going to do a patch, it should be because like if a patch you think is like their jersey, like whenever you see a jersey patch, you're going to be like, "Oh, that's their jersey." But it's not. It's just a authentic mo is not from a specific game or event which is what I think of is basically they just grab

10:07 because otherwise why does it matter like if it's not what's the point? Oh, it's a piece of cloth in the card. If it's not getting worn, what I think of is like they go to a two piece of cloth, cut a square out, and just glue it in a card just to make it just so they can have you're guaranteed a cool, you know, patch card. But it's really not that much. Like some of them are really cool, but just the blue though.

10:31 Yeah, if you're going to do patches, make them game worn. But I will say I do think they did a good job with this particular what do you call it? Parallel or I don't know

10:40 the look. Travis Hunter Bomb Squad. That's my favorite looking. Yeah, this year's bomb squad.

10:45 Michelle can see closer. Joel and our team in editing can probably zoom that in a bit. Um,

10:52 nice card. Talk to me about We got one more package there, I think. One more each.

10:58 Yeah. Um, breaking and whatnot. And, you know, live selling. That's something that absolutely was is new to this generation. Yeah.

11:08 And it's changed the whole game. A lot of the hobby now doesn't start with like going to like a car shop or going in person. You can like start like collecting online without even going anywhere.

11:18 You're watching them come through. You can generally know if they're decent value. You can buy them low or high. Speaking on that, the reason like that I've kind of like not used it as much is I think it was a great starting thing to get a bunch of like starting cards and all that, but now that I've kind of got my collection built up a little bit, I kind of like, okay, it's cool still, but I probably won't go over there and buy it just cuz like shipping prices and all that, just I would rather come to like a store in person or something just

11:45 Yeah, it was a good way to enter in, but then now you know the experience and it's interesting. thing and I think it's like where collecting, you know, is as much about the media and entertainment as it is about collecting.

12:01 Yeah. You know, like a lot of people like older people like they're collecting a player.

12:06 Yeah. And it's like how can I keep this archive of all this stuff and you know, you've got stuff that you might keep forever, but like

12:13 it's as much about the entertainment factor. Same thing with like Riven packs. Like we're sitting here doing this cuz it's entertaining

12:19 as much. And yeah, we're going to collect some of these. We might sell some. Yeah.

12:23 But the act of opening is is is much about it the entertainment than anything else.

12:30 Yeah, it is. I mean, it's fun to collect cards, but like where you're getting those cards is opening packs and doing all that. That's kind of where the fun is.

12:39 Yeah. But it's also fun to like buy, sell, trade. That's fun, too. Just like kind of interact. Well, that's why I liked it cuz teaching you guys like

12:48 buy low, sell high, you know, like how you make a little money here today. You guys walked around shows and walked out more money than I had.

12:56 I know. Like, wait a second. Maybe you've got it figured out walking around. Yeah, made 200 bucks that one show.

13:04 Lots of base here. I don't even see any parallels. I see nothing really. Let's see here. Ryan Thomas Jr. though. Russell Wilson, Josh Simmons on the rookie,

13:16 Drake May on the front. Hey, good. He's having hot season this year. Will Howard

13:20 Jaylen Herz Drew Bledsoe Mark Brunell Bucky Irving? Olo Wii. Hey, I spoke too soon. Red hot rookie.

13:33 You know who that is? Wii. Uh, yeah. I don't know how to pronounce his name though.

13:39 Yeah, I don't want to beat it up. Amika Ibu Ibuka is hard enough. Golden T. He's had a big year for Tampa.

13:45 Oh yeah. E I E I E I E I E I E I E I E I E I E I. Yeah. Yeah. Golden T. Those are cool looking.

13:52 They did pretty good with their Darius Sneed David. Will Howard on the on the rookie or no?

14:00 Those look good. The my favorite. It's got a little texture. We got a Jackson Dart

14:04 like a canvas one. Yeah. So 2025 Dawn Russ football uh blaster. We've already opened a mega box. Those are fun.

14:14 So if an executive from Topps was listening, they've got all the licenses. Mhm.

14:20 What would you tell them to do from the from a 14-year-old's perspective to do or not to do? Would you tell them?

14:29 You know, you and I have had this discussion and and I've talked about on the show. Everything's gotten really expensive.

14:33 Oh yeah. I mean, and you know, the average kid isn't can't afford a hobby box. Yeah.

14:42 And they might can save up for it, get for, you know, one for birthday or something.

14:46 And we've opened some together cuz your dad's been investing and doing things, but like it's not something you're going to buy in hobby boxes.

14:52 No. But at the same time, you probably wouldn't get excited about the cards if they didn't have the potential of the value.

15:01 Yeah. It's like the slippery slope, right? If I get it. Yeah. So, it's like if I told you you could get hobby boxes for a hundred bucks, but the highest value card in there is $100 possible. Like, it's like I don't know where the balance is on that. Yeah, cuz like some people like I I like collecting cuz it's fun, but some people will do it to make money, which is kind of hard and like flipping cards and like all that, but if ever me, I would not be buying that cuz your ceiling is $100 when you paid $100. That's like the best.

15:36 And it might be more than that, but you know what I mean? Relatively. But the ceiling on like even this, if we pulled the hottest rookie downtown, I think they're like two grand right now. Like I I don't know why they're so much higher than last year, but they are this year. So two grand I mean Yeah. And that's a$25 $30 box.

15:56 Mhm. You got that upside. And I guess if you got a 10% off, hey, 10% off if you're here at Clay Station.

16:04 There it is. The train rolling in. Hey, it's on brand though, you know. Um so I don't know. But anything you tell a Tops rep what they should or shouldn't do?

16:16 Tops rep. Um, how they got all the licenses for the for the most popular sports?

16:22 I would say like show off that license. Like make the players have their all the Lego showing like kind of use that to your advantage. Like Panini is going to start trying to hide all the like have the photos on the cards just trying to like obviously you can't you won't be able to see it but trying to like

16:40 make it look like it's still there but I want like tops to like really get the logos in there. I don't know.

16:47 Yeah. Just show them off. Do you think uh I think they got to get busy and we'll see. It's been weird because there's been no Tops unlicensed football out. Yeah.

16:57 This year last year they had it out. They decided not to even make it. Oh wow. till next year.

17:00 Oh, cool. So, it the first football will be interesting. I think you know they need to make some inserts like you got to with no kabooms and no downtowns or license.

17:14 Mhm. They got I want to see some cool art like SSP stuff. Yeah. Like again stained glass like those are really cool. Those are creative. Yeah. And I mean I know I mean they have some stuff but I'm but you know like alter ego is kind of like you know I know it's valuable but

17:33 I don't know and I know it's like familiarity breeds you know you know downtown so you like downtown

17:40 but I need to get wild by something. Yeah. You know like wow that is cool idea.

17:45 And do you think if they don't come up with much stuff like we see that there's not much you think more people will still stick to Panini or they go back they stay stick

17:53 it's going to be interesting. I I I you know I haven't I've heard a lot of breakers like even a lot of people go well here's the first and the last by Panini. They have made it sound like Panini is going away and not going to make unlicensed.

18:09 Yeah. I haven't heard or seen any announcement that they are or aren't. Yeah. And I would assume that they would be.

18:15 Yeah. They've been making baseball. Yeah. As crappy as it is. Yeah. Unlicensed. You know,

18:21 I mean, I got to think they're not going to bail it on football, basketball. I think they'll do unlicensed. And I don't know. We'll see what they got up their sleeves

18:31 cuz if there was no money in making baseball cards, they probably wouldn't keep doing it. But there's something like football thinks they're I think it's their highest revenue.

18:40 Yeah. Like next to basketball. I think stopping isn't very smart. I think they would keep going.

18:46 Yeah. It just be interesting how the Yeah, because plays out. Look how many. They almost feel like

18:52 barely see his load. I know. [clears throat] They And look at Will Howard. Yeah.

18:55 I almost feel like they were practicing. Yeah, they're like practicing for like next year. That's those could be unlicensed.

19:01 Yeah. You just get rid of the Nike and the New York. Yeah. I almost feel like they're teasing a little bit so that next So there's not this big disconnect next year.

19:09 Like they'll be like it's kind of like a fading in. Yeah. Like you're still showing it

19:13 but you're not having it as much. So it kind of it's like it's not like a jump from like no guess. It's kind of like no no like fading in.

19:23 I think they might be, but yeah, just so they don't look as different with the unlicensed or if they come out with it. Guess we'll see.

19:32 Any final thoughts? No, I think I'm all good. All right, man. Appreciate you coming on.

19:38 Hey guys, you know where to find us. Oh, yeah. The collectornation.com. You'll see us on social media. see the boys on my social Ryan Alford uh whenever I can strongarm them into being in the videos. Uh no, it's more time guys playing sports,

19:54 you know, doing all that homework. Yeah. Yeah, that's what it is, you know. Uh but yeah, it's going to be fun. We're excited. and little different episode here with Hudson talking

20:10 what it's like from the 14-year-old perspective as we bring Collector Station to life and it's been fun.

20:16 Excited to see how it's going to end up. Exactly. So, you know where to find us. We appreciate you for tuning in. We'll see you next time.

20:23 Happy New Year. Happy New Year. 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 Ryan Alfred. Now get out there and collect yours.

Questions about this episode

What is discussed in "Kicking Off the New Year Right! The Hobby Through the lens of a 14-Year-Old Collector"?

In order: 0:00 Collector Nation, Collector Station, Ben Alfred; 5:00 Collector Station, Collector Nation, Don Russ; 15:00 Panini; 20:00 Ben Alfred, Collector Station.

What is mentioned in this Collector Nation episode?

7 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Collector Station, Collector Nation, Ben Alfred, Panini, Topps, Don Russ. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Kicking Off the New Year Right! The Hobby Through the lens of a 14-Year-Old Collector"?

The episode runs 21 min; the transcript is about 4,242 words in 129 timestamped sections.

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