June 5, 2026

PSA Hit Pause: What This Means for the Future of the Hobby

PSA Hit Pause: What This Means for the Future of the Hobby
Collector Nation
PSA Hit Pause: What This Means for the Future of the Hobby
Season 1

Ryan Alford, Brian Ludden, and Bella Shafer are back with a hobby-heavy episode centered on PSA’s submission pause and the ripple effects it could have across grading, liquidity, and collector behavior. Ryan and Brian talk through what happens when the biggest grading company slows the funnel, whether that increases the value of already-graded cards, and why timing and velocity matter so much in modern collecting.

They also dig into the NBA Finals, Wemby’s long-term ceiling, Brunson’s card-market upside, the Mantle redemption pull, and the broader size of the global collectibles market. What makes the episode work is the mix of perspectives: Ryan as the hobby operator, Brian as the data-and-product guy, and Bella as the one surfacing the questions collectors are already asking.

Topics Covered

  • PSA’s pause and how it affects grading strategy

  • Whether grading bottlenecks help or hurt value

  • How the Finals could impact Wemby and Brunson cards

  • The Topps Mantle redemption and why it matters

  • What the hobby’s real market size may be

  • Why alternative graders may benefit now

  • Ludex Super Search and marketplace discovery

  • The Ryan + Brian + Bella take on what smart collectors should watch next

Shop now at onitathlete.com and use code COLLECTORNATION at checkout to receive 15% off your first order!

Links
 Collector Nation
https://www.collectibles.show/
 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/collector-nation/id1832831782
 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxYLxZTsggQb44TQxnaNylA

Ryan Alford
https://www.ryanalford.com/
 https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/

Brian Ludden / Ludex
https://www.ludex.com/
 https://search.ludex.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ludexapp/

Bella Shafer
https://www.instagram.com/isabellashafer/