Author: Alyx Effron

Hobby Or Gambling?

Hobby Or Gambling? I am not a collector. More specifically, I am not involved in the hobby of collecting sports cards. But at this point,

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How To Filter Your PC

How To Filter Your PC There’s something powerful about having a Personal Collection—or “PC”—that’s truly yours. Not just in the literal sense, but in the

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From Struggle To Strength

From Struggle To Strength There’s something incredibly powerful about taking your deepest wound and turning it into your greatest offering. Not just for yourself—but for

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The Cost Of Trust

The Cost Of Trust News broke this week that a major figure in the hobby—Brett Lemieux, known online as “Mister Mancave”—admitted to running one of

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Out Of The Dark

Out Of The Dark For years, I was stuck in a cycle—always playing catch-up, always digging deeper. One step forward, two steps back. I felt

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Setting The Tone

Setting The Tone On Episode #4 of The Collector’s Compass, we sat down with Andrew—better known in the hobby as @TecmoCards—and talked about his commitment

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Behind The Glitz

Behind The Glitz me We always hear about the long shot wins. The guy who turned $3 into $56K on an outrageous 14-leg parlay. The

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The First Step Back

The First Step Back It’s not easy to speak up—especially in a space that tends to celebrate the wins and gloss over the real-life struggles.

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More Than Just A Return

More Than Just A Return Online shopping addiction often flies under the radar. It hides in plain sight—cloaked in convenience, marketed as retail therapy, and

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The Illusion Of Value

The Illusion Of Value When it comes to repacks, the “buy back” model is one of the most deceptive mechanics in the hobby today—and unfortunately,

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“Be Smart, Chat”

“Be Smart, Chat” Earlier this morning, a breaker went live on Whatnot and started venting. He was confused. Frustrated. Maybe even a little desperate. He

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