Local collectibles shop in Charlotte NC featured the Fanatics "Under Wraps Mystery Baseball Program" - buy a baseball, and find out autograph(s) when you open.
Father/son who regularly visit the shop participated, and their random box was a signed Babe Ruth baseball!

Opened a box of Travis Scott’s, Cactus Jack Chrome, in a break for the card shop I work with.

Pretty sweet, even pulled Travis himself!

Ennis Rakestraw Jr rookie autograph numbered to 125 from Detroit Lions pulled from resurgence mega box;

Published June 27, 2025 | By Alyx E, Founder of Collectors MD

This week, a new crop of NBA rookies officially entered the league—names like Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Ace Bailey are already being hyped as the next big thing. Add to that the looming transition of the NBA license from Panini to Fanatics/Topps, and it’s easy to understand why the hobby is buzzing.

People are calling it a “perfect storm”—one last hurrah for licensed Panini NBA products through the end of this year, followed by Topps making its long-awaited return to licensed basketball cards in 2026. The chatter is loud. The speculation is already spiraling. The anticipation is real.

But so is the risk.

This kind of moment is exactly when the hobby gets vulnerable—when excitement becomes exploitation.

Because let’s be honest: Oversaturation, overhype, and overconsumption have never once led to long-term health in any industry. They erode value. They blur intention. They chip away at trust and sustainability.

And while collectors are already getting emotionally and financially invested in what’s to come, manufacturers, shops, and breakers will be doing everything they can to capitalize. Expect a flood of product. Expect relentless FOMO-driven marketing. Expect “can’t-miss” pre-orders and “must-have” rookie chases that will have people burning through their budgets before the ball even tips off.

So what can we do?

We stay grounded. We stay mindful. And we ask ourselves hard questions before getting swept up in the hype.

Am I chasing this card—or the feeling that comes with it?
Is this purchase aligned with my goals—or am I just trying not to miss out?
Will this product hold value in 6 months—or is it just hot right now?

The hobby is changing—fast. And moments like these don’t just shape collections—they shape culture. So let’s be cautious. Let’s be smart. Let’s be intentional.

Because excitement is fine—but exploitation isn’t. And nobody else is going to pump the brakes for us.

#CollectorsMD
Let’s collect with clarity before we drown in the noise.

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Published June 25, 2025 | By Alyx E, Founder of Collectors MD

Fanatics Fest 2025 was nothing short of a spectacle. By every metric—attendance, transactions, energy—in only it’s second ever show it eclipsed The National—an event that’s been held annually since 1980.

The turnout was massive. With so many superstar athletes in attendance, ESPN and SportsCenter covered it throughout the weekend. Kevin Durant found out live on stage that he’d been traded to the Houston Rockets during a panel discussion. Tom Brady won the inaugural Fanatics Games and donated most of his $1M prize back to the fans.

Major athletes. Major celebrities. Major hype. It may have been the moment the hobby finally went mainstream.

And that’s exactly why we need to start asking some harder questions.

Because with growth comes risk. With excitement comes exploitation. And with tens of thousands of kids walking those show floors—why were FanDuel Casino ads plastered everywhere? Why were gambling promotions being served up in the same spaces we celebrate trading cards and collectibles?

This is how it happens. Slowly at first, then all at once.

Unchecked influence. Normalized addiction. Platforms and advertisers who don’t differentiate between 9-year-olds and 39-year-olds—just users, just conversions, just clicks, just revenue.

As the hobby goes bigger, we need to get louder. We desperately need guardrails. Education. Warnings. Opt-outs. Resources. With so many bad actors and predatory behaviors across the hobby, we must protect the young, uneducated children who are incredibly impressionable and deeply vulnerable.

Because if we don’t fight for that layer of protection now, by the time the spiral becomes obvious, it’ll already be too late. There is no one watching over this space. No governing body. No accountability. Just money and momentum.

Collectors MD exists to change that. To be the layer no one else is building. To reform the hobby before it reforms us into something unrecognizable.

This isn’t about canceling the hobby—or being overly cynical. We’re just refusing to look the other way. We love this space. We believe in its potential. But real love means protecting it, challenging what’s broken, and making sure the next generation can collect with joy, not regret.

Let Fanatics Fest be the wake-up call. This isn’t niche anymore. This is big business. And if we’re not careful, the soul of the hobby will be the price we pay for its success.

#CollectorsMD
As the hobby goes mainstream, the stakes get higher. Reform isn’t optional—it’s urgent.

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Follow us on Instagram: @collectorsmd
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