THE BLOG
FIELD NOTES
FROM THE FLOOR.
Practical, no-hype writing on spotting value, grading, and keeping a clean record. Free to read, no account needed. The Hoard catalogs and tracks. It does not grade or authenticate.
COMPARISONS
THE HOARD VS WHATNOT
Whatnot takes about eleven percent all in. The Hoard takes 1.5% fan to fan, 5% if you sell commercially, and nothing else. Full fee math, both sides.
READ THE COMPARISON →THE HOARD VS FANS
PSA paused every Value tier in June 2026, leaving Regular at $79.99 as the entry point. Here is what grading costs now, what it is for, and what The Hoard does differently.
READ THE COMPARISON →THE HOARD VS STOCKX
StockX charges 7% to 9% transaction fee plus 3% processing plus a $5 US shipping fee. The Hoard charges 1.5% fan to fan, 5% commercial, and the item never leaves your hands.
READ THE COMPARISON →THE HOARD VS HODINKEE
Hodinkee returned to content and exited e-commerce in 2024, and Crown and Caliber went to another owner. Here is what that changed for watch fans, and what a record layer does that a shop cannot.
READ THE COMPARISON →Cards and TCG
How to Tell if Your Pokémon Cards Are Rare or Valuable
A clear guide to spotting rare and valuable Pokémon cards using the rarity symbol, set, edition, and condition, plus how to check real sold prices.
READ THE POST →Sports Card Collecting: How to Start, Grade, and Track Your Cards
A beginner-friendly guide to collecting sports cards, including rookies, parallels, grading, and how to organize and track a growing collection.
READ THE POST →What Is a PSA 10? What the Grade Means and Why It Matters
What a PSA 10 grade means, how it differs from PSA 9 and a Black Label, and why the grade has such a large effect on a card's value.
READ THE POST →Graded Cards Explained: PSA vs BGS vs CGC and When to Grade
What graded cards are, how PSA, BGS, and CGC differ, and a simple rule for deciding which cards are worth grading.
READ THE POST →One Piece TCG: Chasing, Grading, and Tracking the Cards Worth Keeping
A fan's guide to the One Piece Card Game, including which cards hold value, how parallels and alt arts work, and how to track your collection.
READ THE POST →The MTG Reserved List: What It Is and Why Those Cards Hold Value
What Magic: The Gathering's Reserved List is, why those cards will never be reprinted, and what that means for their value and your collection.
READ THE POST →Panini Prizm Explained: Parallels, Rookies, and What Fans Chase
A guide to Panini Prizm cards, how the color parallels and numbering work, why rookies matter, and how to track the ones you pull.
READ THE POST →Topps Chrome: Refractors, Rookies, and How to Spot the Good Ones
What Topps Chrome cards are, how refractors and parallels work, why rookies matter, and how to organize and track your cards.
READ THE POST →Old Baseball Cards: How to Tell What Yours Are Worth
How to identify and value old baseball cards using the year, set, player, and condition, plus how to check real sold prices before you sell.
READ THE POST →Basketball Cards: What Makes a Card Valuable and How to Track Them
A guide to what drives basketball card value, including rookies, parallels, and condition, plus how to organize and track a growing collection.
READ THE POST →