I pulled my first ever 1/1 this weekend. Not the most well known player in the world, but still, what a feeling.

What was your first 1/1 pull? And did you keep it or sell it?

Before 2008, Jim Nahigian knew very little about the 1955 Topps All-American Football set.

But a chain of events with his longtime best friend changed that. Now, Nahigian has become the foremost expert in the 100-card vintage masterpiece collection. And he has the three best complete sets in the world. What has gotten Nahigian to this point is a combination of financial backing, a little luck, friendly support, and a labor of love.





https://ripped.topps.com/1955-topps-all-american-set-collector-jim-nahigian-culture/

🎙️ Hobby Hustle Episode 5 is LIVE!🎙️

Get ready for an exciting conversation with Evan Parker

In this episode, we discuss a variety of topics including:
• Origins of “The Collecting Gene”
• A life in sports content with NASCAR and The Athletic
• Challenges of building a new company Mantel from the ground up

Evan shares his journey from growing up in LA, to moving across the country to work for NASCAR, transitioning to the GM of The Athletic, and now running a new Social Media platform for collectors. He offers valuable tips on content, building community, and the business challenges creating a startup. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just starting out, this episode is packed with inspiration and great advice.

You can watch or listen now on all major platforms…YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify, Amazon Music, and more!

YOUTUBE:
https://lnkd.in/gQM3QRFt

APPLE PODCAST:
https://lnkd.in/gvExW38n

SPOTIFY:
https://lnkd.in/g7nQYtCe

I thought the Mantel community would enjoy this since this site is for all sorts of collectors.

I recently attended the big Alameda County Fair here in Northern California, and they had an amateur hobby collection contest on display. It was so fascinating to see dozens of random collections in hobby cases — I took photos of some of my favorites. 

Featured hobby collections here: Grateful Dead memorabilia, old Barbies, antique military coins, 1950s compacts/vanities, 1970s sports video games (might favorite), old robot toys, Matchbox cars of yesteryear, The Weekend collection, shot glasses from around the world, and Felix the Cat (1st prize). Let me know if you want any closeups!

I’ve always been drawn to the unique vibe of the Nike Huarache, the colors always POP and the form is truly original. These are some later NM models but anyone else collect Huaraches (and wear them)? Also shown in the first shot is a collaborative rug between artist Spencer “Mar“ Guilburt x Kyle Bunting & in the second/third shot is a canvas by artist Timothy Curtis.