PSA Pop Control?! Fanatics’ HUGE Conflict of Interest + Affordable GOAT Cards

Is PSA intentionally controlling card populations? And does Fanatics have a conflict of interest when it manufactures the biggest chase cards in the hobby AND operates a marketplace that can sell them?

On this episode of the Collector Investor Podcast, we dive into two major sports card hobby debates.

First, we discuss Fanatics and the massive Cooper Flagg chase card. When a huge card is pulled as a redemption, Fanatics is involved in getting that card to the collector — but it also has its own selling platform. Does that give Fanatics an unfair advantage when it comes to landing some of the biggest cards in the hobby?

Then we get into PSA grading.

Has PSA become significantly tougher on cards from the 1980s and 1990s? Are newer graders judging older card stock against modern and ultra-modern standards? And the biggest question of all: could PSA be intentionally controlling populations on valuable cards?

We also discuss:

🔥 Fanatics and the Cooper Flagg chase card

🔥 Fanatics Collect and potential conflicts of interest

🔥 Why PSA seems tougher on 1980s & 1990s cards

🔥 PSA grading consistency

🔥 The theory of PSA "pop control"

🔥 Why high-value cards may receive more scrutiny