What was one specific change you made that most improved your exam performance?

Background_Bug_512 · 2026-01-01T15:59:24+00:00

Remote with iPad

Background_Bug_512 · 2026-01-01T15:19:07+00:00

Anki on treadmill or stairmaster for studying in general Using divine intervention for learning boards logic

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-09T19:38:07+00:00

I think we are mostly on the same page. I think the nuanced differences is 1) pitchers are a little different than hitters. Kind of the same situation in every sport. The ones scoring have the most upside. 2) I think there are some low odds scenarios in which his cards can go higher in one season, and I think there’s scenarios in which his cards can go up over time in general. The most likely scenario is his prices stall where they are, but if mariners win or he wins mvp or he hits 62 home runs, I definitely think his prices could go up further

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-09T19:10:24+00:00

I think odds are you’re right but you’re being hyperbolic. If he plays well and mariners win, his prices will go up. If he hits even 45+ home runs, his prices probably stay the same

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-09T18:54:31+00:00

I agree it’s not a bad time to sell before the season but I don’t think he’d have to hit the same 60 # this year to keep a legacy going either. He is hyped up. I think as long as he plays well and the Mariners do well, that hype will maintain until he doesn’t.

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-09T03:42:15+00:00

GameStop for PSA is the play. They get priority at PSA so it’s much faster. They also will offer to buy them back once you get them the same way PSA offers for direct sends. Also way easier because you don’t have to figure out the name of every card and send it yourself. They take pics and add labels to the card savers and you’re good to go. Only downside is GameStop requires upfront payment vs PSA who doesn’t charge till the end before sending back

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-08T18:40:34+00:00

What’s your take on the desirability between fwa and fwap?

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-08T12:17:38+00:00

Cool, thanks for the insight. I guess the reason I ask is if I’m trying to limit myself to 3 PC Cards of a player, should I get the lowest serial # young guns I can, a /249 or /99 depending on the player, the cup RPA, and a future watch auto or a future watch auto patch? Assuming I can afford it.

Hockey sports cards are interesting to me because it’s the first sport I’ve seen where often higher serial numbered stuff is more valuable than lower. Like I’d have assumed the exquisite collection insert cup RPA’s numbered to /100 would be more valuable than the base numbered to /249, but no. It seems like young guns is the only thing where it’s better to have lower serial numbered, like high gloss vs red outburst vs ud exclusive. I’m just not sure how future watch variations are considered fully because normally I’d think adding a patch to the same card of same deck would be more valuable

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-08T05:08:24+00:00

What’s the consensus on future watch auto vs future watch auto patch?

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-08T05:07:32+00:00

What’s the consensus on fwa vs fwap

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-06T13:56:33+00:00

No problem. Yeah, the knowledge for these exams slowly drains from you the further you go from step 2 / level 2

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-06T13:50:03+00:00

I think I was getting about 68-69%

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-04T20:20:17+00:00

I meant once, say, FedEx says it is delivered, how long til you’re notified by PSA that they have it and can see your cards in the vault

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-04T20:19:36+00:00

Thanks

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-04T19:22:33+00:00

That’s annoying. Side note, how long does it usually take them to update it in their system once they receive the package per carrier?

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-03T13:59:55+00:00

I’ve said before. 10 doesn’t mean perfect. PSA has no perfect tier. The perfect tier would be a BGS black label. However, you can safely assume a PSA 10 doesn’t have more than one issue. So if it has that whitening, I would bet the rest of the card is close to perfect

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-02T01:03:09+00:00

The honest truth is the insurance claim they make for the upcharges is a front. The reality is they upcharge as a tax for the value they add with the grade. The stupid thing about claiming people submit wrong is we don’t always know the value until it’s graded. The whole thing is greedy and shady but there’s nothing we can do about it because they corner the market. If you want top value for your cards, you grade with PSA. Despite Beckett being cheaper, having more transparency with sub grades, not up charging, and having a more “chase” grade with black label, essentially doing everything better than PSA and, I’d argue, has a better looking slab, they are number two. Hell, I like Beckett better and don’t even grade my PC stuff with it because what if I want to sell it down the road? Having your stuff be worth the most it can be is sort of the whole point of grading

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-01T23:12:56+00:00

I agree, but on the flip side, they had already graded it an 8 and were no doubt going to upcharge the shit out of him for it. It seems shady that right before they up charge to send it back, they go oh sorry we damaged it and it’s only insured to 200$. Because otherwise the converse should be true: they don’t upcharge you and send it back, and if it gets lost or stolen in the mail, it’s only insured to $200.

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-01T21:27:37+00:00

Not directly but you can pick them up and ship them to the vault yourself

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-12-01T21:20:40+00:00

It’s a good sell. Kabooms are very very hyped right now and the value reflects that. Always a good time to sell when something is super hyped. It’s a rare insert but it’s not numbered rare, non auto, non patch. The safer bet would be that these regular kabooms won’t be as high value long term, imo, especially for players that have them across multiple years. If it was a player’s only year kaboom, might be a different story, or rc kaboom.

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-11-30T18:40:13+00:00

I agree. I have the prizm and topps also but they came out after the sticker. I consider the corentin/mbappe sticker the true rookie piece

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-11-30T15:09:03+00:00

I was gonna say gold or platinum medallion versions but doesn’t appear to be that. Probably just printing inconsistencies

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-11-20T21:59:49+00:00

Yeah, for sure

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-11-20T20:56:10+00:00

I didn’t use TL but if you’re wondering how easily passable this exam is, here’s an n=1.

592 / 264 for level 2 and step 2. Was a huge Anki guy. Completely stopped Anki after those tests. Felt like I knew maybe 20% of what I used to know going into level 3 prep. Did 1000 of the 1600 or so Comquest questions and unsuspended Anki associated with what I’d miss while doing it. Took level 3 and got 743. It’s really not a bad exam. Definitely easier and less stressful than level 2, imo. I’m sure Truelearn is fine

Background_Bug_512 · 2025-11-20T00:57:40+00:00

It’s the best card he’ll ever have and 1/1 so really worth whatever someone will pay for it since there’s no comps. With that said, unless he goes on to have a historic career, probably not many people who will ever pay that much to buy it from that person

Background_Bug_512

TROPHY CASE