Why This ISN'T 2021: Our Honest Take on the Card Market Right Now

Ryan Alford, Brian Ludden and Bella are back as Coinbase joins the growing list of major companies moving into the collectibles space with Pokémon packs backed by real cards. The crew discusses what that much new money means for sourcing, regulation and the future of digital pack ripping.
From there, they take on the bubble question head-on, explaining why today's market looks very different from the 2021 surge and why long-term demand is being driven by families, multiple generations and mainstream media attention. They also cover Topps moving EQL drops to a random draw and the nonstop demand for Pokémon at Collector Station and overseas.
The back half of the episode turns to the card market itself: vintage football rookies from Jim Brown, Jerry Rice and Walter Payton gaining ground, Tom Brady's market cooling, and hold-or-buy takes on Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy and Cam Ward. Ryan revisits his 2026 Bowman Football review after opening value boxes, and he and Bella close with a 2026 Allen & Ginter pack battle on release day.
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Topics Covered
Coinbase's Pokémon pack launch
Big money entering the hobby
Is the card market a bubble?
2021 vs. today
Topps EQL random draws
Pokémon demand at home and abroad
How media coverage moves card values
Vintage football rookies on the rise
Tom Brady's cooling market
Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy and Cam Ward
2026 Bowman Football value boxes
2026 Allen & Ginter pack battle
🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode
Collector Nation
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Collector Station
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Ryan Alford
Website: https://www.ryanalford.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford
Brian Ludden / Ludex
Website: https://www.ludex.com
App: https://www.ludex.com/download
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