On The Bench With Adam Lefkoe

Give us some background on your current involvement in the hobby.  Describe your business, your mission etc.

AL: My main mission within the hobby is to build trust, create happiness and grow the hobby as a whole…all the while creating a PC that I’m proud of aesthetically, historically and financially. Fostering and maintaining relationships is something that matters to me a lot in life…when I realized just how small of a world the hobby is, I knew that it would be a paramount principle moving forward. When you sell a card, product or service…you’re selling yourself. So I guess in this hobby, outside of cards…my business is me. Hopefully I can help bring in a lot more people to enjoy our crazy hobby and maintain the awesome dynamics that have existed for decades. 

What’s your earliest memory of Trading Cards?

AL: When I close my eyes and think of my earliest Trading Card memory…I think of the 1987 Topps Orioles Team Set. It’s the wood-grain framing with the Oriole mascot carrying a comically large bat. I don’t know how it happened, but I had a bunch of that team. I don’t even root for the Orioles but I remember that I was always on the lookout for those cards. I had an MLB storage system by team and everything…of course, the Orioles was the only compartment that was close to filled. Now, I have zero idea where those cards could possibly be. I wish them well in the great penny sleeve in the sky.

How did you get started in the Hobby? If you took a break, how did you get back in?

AL: (Check out this sentence) After Gary Vaynerchuk gave me a 9 in Dwyane Wade’s Karaoke Contest during Super Bowl week, we decided to meet up for dinner months later where he spent 80% of the meal showing me eBay sold listings. That night, I dove in and bought three cards including a LeBron TC PSA 10. The next day, the world shut down because of Covid-19. About 6 weeks later, Gary showed me that the Lebron RC had gone up 50% since that fateful night. That’s when I dove in and tried to learn as much as I could as quickly as I could. Through an eBay purchase, I met Chris “Action” Jackson who helped me attain my bachelors in the Hobby…we talked for roughly 4 hours a night about cards. Now…well now I’m talking to StockX about cards so let’s just say learning has morphed into obsessing. 

Who are you currently investing in? Is there a specific card of theirs you are investing in? Why?

AL: I swear I’m not trying to play coy…but I’m investing in the people of this hobby. The more and more people I talk to, the more new avenues I’m learning about. Now, my favorite card is undoubtedly the ultra-modern Kaboom inserts. I’m fascinated by the 2018 “packs” that were mainly online redemptions. The set list is awesome and the cards genuinely pop in-hand. Do I think it’s a great long term investment? Maybe. I doubt it will provide higher multiples than your classic Jordans, LeBrons or Kobes…but I think it’s my lane. It’s currently how I want to enjoy this hobby. So if you have or see a cool Kaboom card, hit me up.

What is the biggest hit you’ve ever pulled?

AL: I’ve been in breaks where I’ve pulled some rookie base Ja Morant, Zion Williamson and Trae Young. I pulled a Noah Fant Cracked Ice Redemption. LOL…I mean this is the best I’ve got. Frankly, I’ve learned a ton from all of the box breaks I’ve done and just how unrewarding it often can be. At the same time, I still love watching breaks for the community and conversation. Now that I’m realizing just how pathetic my pulls have been…I’m going to go after the Zion Logoman. Wish me luck.