The Shallow End

Latest Episodes:

Ten Bucks or Less episode 2 of 10: "Coming Full Circle" Mar 02, 2026

Show notes

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.

Episode 2 of 10: "Coming Full Circle" - A Conversation with Matt @mattstraightracecards

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards⁠

Ten Bucks or Less episode 1 of 10: "Monte Irvin" Mar 01, 2026

Show notes

'Ten Bucks or Less' is a 10-part limited series from The Shallow End about sports cards that hold meaning, without breaking the bank.

Episode 1 of 10: "Monte Irvin" - A Conversation with Robert @BobHostaCollection.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

The Shallow End ep 114 - Change Feb 20, 2026

Show notes

Topps/Fanatics recently angered and saddened its customers by stripping Stadium Club down to the studs. No more Chrome. No more short prints. No more gold minted. For more than a century, the one constant in the hobby has been change. It hurts, but in the long term, it might have been the best thing ever to happen to gold minted. But the worst part? Fanatics shows once again it wants its customers to listen to them instead of listening to its customers.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

The Shallow End ep 113 - 10 Probably Almost Defintely Terrible Hot Takes Feb 13, 2026

Show notes

When it comes to sports cards, I'm not much of a hot take guy. Probably because I'm almost always wrong. But, here we go! Let's bust out 10 probably almost definitely terrible hot takes. These should be taken for entertainment purposes only.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

The Shallow End ep 112 - Collecting While the World Burns Jan 30, 2026

Show notes

Sports cards are supposed to be an escape, but what if instead of an escape they're a hideout?

The Shallow End ep 111 - Temporal Landmarks and the Fresh Start Effect (corrected version) Jan 23, 2026

Show notes

(Corrected version after unedited draft was uploaded)

For years I denied that the changing of the calendar year mattered. But I was wrong. The transition from one year to another isn't just an opportunity to re-evaluate parts of our collections, it's a psychological moment to become better collectors.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz ⁠@Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

The Shallow End ep 110 - Collecting through the eyes of a graphic artist Jan 16, 2026

Show notes

In this episode we explore the collecting brain of graphic artist Matt, @MattyH_Cards on Instagram. In addition to being a huge fan of Baltimore sports and the University of Miami, Matt is a professional graphic designer who looks at the hobby just a little differently from the rest of us. This discussion is a fascinating journey into the mind of someone who thinks deeply about all things hobby design, from his own IG feed to the annual designs of card companies.

Overthinking Baseball Cards goes corporate Jan 15, 2026

Show notes

We are collecting in baseball cards' industrial era. Multibillion dollar companies and social media compete for our interests, improve our experiences, exploit our personalities, and bring out both our better and worse angels. In this episode, we talk through them all.

OBC is hosted by Jason @Contrarian_Cards and Dave @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

The Shallow End ep 109 - The Grading Dilemma Jan 09, 2026

Show notes

What do you do when a sports card you know belongs in slab looks better unslabbed? Is what's right for the collector the same thing as what's right for the card?

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

The Shallow End ep 108 - Five Top 5's for 2025 Dec 30, 2025

Show notes

Let's remember, recap, and rate 2025 as the. year draws to a close.

The Shallow End is hosted by Dave Schwartz @Iowa_Dave_Sportscards

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