On The Bench With Cards Nation

Ian is a content creator at StockX with a focus on trading cards and collectibles.

We chatted with Buster Scher, founder of Cards Nation and Hoops Nation...

On The Bench With Buster Scher of Cards Nation

Give us some background on your current involvement in the hobby.

BS: My current involvement in the hobby is from a content-first perspective. The show that I started, “Talking Shop” is my main sports card show, where I interview investment-grade collectors and entrepreneurs in the hobby. @cardsnation is my umbrella company for all of my sports trading card and pokemon card endeavors and I also touch on it through @hoopsnation and my personal account @buster as well as my podcast. My mission with that is to create fun educational content for an industry that doesn’t have much that isn’t investor driven. Granted, I also personally invest. Mostly privately though. It’s a fun hustle on the side and great to have cards laying around. I think I’ve found my soulmate… Cards.

What’s your earliest memory of Trading Cards?

BS: [My] earliest memory was buying the Yankees baseball card team sets that Topps put out in convenience stores back around 2008 when I was 8 at the time.

How did you get started in the Hobby?

BS: I got into it heavy back in 2014 buying and selling at sports card shows. I was such a nervous kid, I think it really helped me come out of my shell and also learn key negotiation strategies. It also made me much better with talking to adults since I was 14 negotiating with 50-year-olds. I left the hobby shortly after 2015 (wish I hadn’t) but I did and just got back into it last summer and don’t think I’ll be leaving anytime ever.

Who are you currently investing in?

BS: Before I name any names, I just want to reiterate what I always say before naming anybody, do your research. I mess up a lot with my investments, so don’t take my prediction for truth. Granted, I love some younger guys basketball cards like Jaren Jackson and Jaxson Hayes, maybe because they were both on the podcast? I don’t know. But I’m big into the stars, LeBron, KD, Messi, Ronaldo, etc. Those seem like pretty safe bets to me. Pikachu too.