Sports Cards are Dope

PSA just brought back the minimum grade submission option for higher-tier grading — but why would anyone want a card graded if it might not even get a number? In this episode of Sports Cards Are Dope, Dr. Tyler Tarver breaks down the pros, the cons, and the strategy behind this polarizing option. Could it actually help your bottom line? Let’s find out.
Timestamps:
  • 0:00 – Intro + PSA's announcement breakdown
  • 1:30 – What the minimum grade feature actually does
  • 2:50 – Why some collectors want NO grade at all
  • 4:15 – “Low grade” = “low value” (even worse than raw?)
  • 5:10 – Pop Report pollution and why it matters
  • 6:05 – The resale confidence play
  • 7:30 – Cross-grading strategy with other grading companies
  • 8:20 – Display aesthetics and the slab flex
  • 9:30 – Final take + question to the community
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What is Sports Cards are Dope?

Welcome to the Sports Cards Are Dope podcast, hosted by Dr. Tyler Tarver (@tarvercards), an aggressively average dude with an above-average obsession for those glorious, four-cornered lil treasures we call sports cards!

This isn’t just a podcast; it’s a celebration of sports, pop culture, and the universal joy of pulling a card so dope you immediately start calculating how many shares of Apple you can buy with it. Whether you’re a seasoned pro, a curious rookie, or someone who just wants to hear how Michael Jordan, Marvel movies, and Saved by the Bell all connect through cardboard, you’ve found your proverbial home.

Here, we keep it (mostly) positive as we dive into the wild world of collecting: rookie chases, market trends, and how these little slices of nostalgia tie into fandom, investing, and, yes, incredible relationships! Also, expect plenty of stories, pop culture tangents, and more than a few questionable analogies.

So grab your penny sleeves, settle in, and let’s talk sports cards more than your spouse would ever allow! SPORTS. CARDS. ARE. DOPE. (and so are you 🎧✨)!

Now quit reading, hit follow, and let’s dance you beautiful chicken nugget.