2025 Bull Market Unpacked: Why the Hobby Took Off and What It Means for Collectors

Stacking Slabs

2025 was not a random spike. It was a convergence.


In this episode, Brett steps back from individual card sales and looks at the forces that pushed the hobby into a true bull market. Online sales hit record highs. Platforms evolved. Corporations moved in. New collectors showed up. The center of gravity shifted.


This is a collector-first breakdown of what drove the growth in 2025 and why it matters when you buy, sell, and hold cards.


Topics covered include
 • Why $422M in online sales in a month matters more than any single card
 • How Fanatics, Topps, eBay, and live commerce reshaped demand
 • The rise of breakers, repacks, and platform-driven velocity
 • What corporate money changes for collectors on the ground
 • Signals to watch as the market moves into 2026


This episode is about context. Because better context leads to better decisions.

Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype

Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today

[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link

Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
More description

2025 was not a random spike. It was a convergence.


In this episode, Brett steps back from individual card sales and looks at the forces that pushed the hobby into a true bull market. Online sales hit record highs. Platforms evolved. Corporations moved in. New collectors showed up. The center of gravity shifted.


This is a collector-first breakdown of what drove the growth in 2025 and why it matters when you buy, sell, and hold cards.


Topics covered include
 • Why $422M in online sales in a month matters more than any single card
 • How Fanatics, Topps, eBay, and live commerce reshaped demand
 • The rise of breakers, repacks, and platform-driven velocity
 • What corporate money changes for collectors on the ground
 • Signals to watch as the market moves into 2026


This episode is about context. Because better context leads to better decisions.

Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype

Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today

[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link

Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
2026-01-01 33 min Transcript
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