Podcast Summary: PSA Acquires Beckett — What This Means For Card Grading And Values

Trading Cards & Collectibles Podcast, Radcast Network
Host: Ryan Alford
Guest: Brian Ludden (LudX)
Date: December 19, 2025

Episode Overview

In this insightful episode, host Ryan Alford and frequent guest Brian Ludden dive into one of the most seismic events in the trading card hobby — PSA’s acquisition of Beckett. The duo unpacks what this means for collectors, the gradings market, and long-term card values, alongside their usual banter about sports, investing wins (and losses), and where the hobby may be headed in 2026.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Recent Sports Card Market Movers [03:24–07:08]

The hosts kick off by spotlighting this week’s top risers and fallers in card values, underscoring the impact of on-field performance on collectible markets:

• Top 3 Movers:

  • Josh Allen (PSA 10 Optic base: $500 ⟶ $540, scan increase of 23%)
  • Trevor Lawrence (Downtown PSA 10: $995 ⟶ $1285, 63% scan increase)
  • Bo Nix (PSA 10 Silver: $410 ⟶ $550, 21% scan increase)

  “Winning. It cures all… they turn it on in the fourth quarter.”
  — Ryan Alford, [06:21]

• Fallers:

  • Joe Burrow
  • Patrick Mahomes (Silver Prizm PSA10: $5100 ⟶ $4300, following injury)

  “It’s weird that the dude’s already a Hall of Famer… Mahomes is a freaking hall of Famer already.”
  — Ryan Alford, [08:29]

• Investment logic: Buy proven stars on downturns, e.g., Mahomes cards dipping after injury.

  “From a business standpoint, that seems like a good… Mahomes is secured as a Hall of Famer. It seems like a good investment.”
  — Ryan Alford, [09:09]

2. Collector Stories & Hobby Dynamics [00:00–00:13, 10:22–11:41]

• Anecdote of a couple turning $30K into $2M investing in Patrick Mahomes cards.

• Discussion about how the card market behaves like stock/commodity trading, with timing and patience being key.

  “It changed their life… now they just work when they want to work.”
  — Brian Ludden, [10:51]

  “It moves in kind of predictable ways. If it moves in predictable ways, you can then wait and be patient to buy something.”
  — Brian Ludden, [11:12]

3. Sports Talk & Market Impact [01:09–02:43, 12:33–16:43]

• Playoff predictions and comments on a unique year in the NFL affecting which players (and their cards) will pop.

• Heisman recap and prospect discussion: skepticism about Fernando Mendoza as a “can’t-miss” NFL prospect vs. the likes of Caleb Williams or Jaden Daniels.

  “[Mendoza is] a tier above Bo Nix, but he’s not Caleb or Jaden.”
  — Brian Ludden, [16:12]

4. Vintage Card Segment and Market Reflections [17:23–20:04]

• Nostalgia for Mantle, Mays, and Ernie Banks cards.

• The price disparity between Mantle and other greats like Willie Mays.

  “Maze’s rookie card goes for 1/100th of what mantle does… it’s the collectibility of Mantle.”
  — Brian Ludden, [18:24]

5. PSA’s Acquisition of Beckett — Analysis & Predictions [20:04–26:23]

• Breaking the News: PSA’s parent Collectors (Collectors Universe) buys Beckett, further consolidating the grading market.

  “They never say PSA buys Beckett. Even though that’s what happened… if this is any other industry, I don’t know if you’d be allowed. It’s called monopolies.”
  — Ryan Alford, [20:31]

• Industry Monopoly?

  • Discussing implications for competition, concerns about monopolistic behavior, and the other market players (CCG, now owned by Blackstone).

• Brand & Infrastructure Play:

  • Ryan sees the acquisition as an “infrastructure scale play,” especially given Beckett’s grading talent and equipment.

  “PSA has a lot of demand right now… they need graders, need infrastructure, and Beckett’s got it. Plus, they got some brand assets…”
  — Ryan Alford, [21:50]

• Beckett Slab Values:

  • Uncertainty whether Beckett-graded cards will increase to PSA levels or if history repeats the SGC precedent.

  “Do Beckett slabs increase and close the gap with PSA because they’re owned by collectors?”
  — Brian Ludden, [23:11]
  “I don’t think in the short term, older graded Beckett cards… now worth what PSA nines are.”
  — Ryan Alford, [24:00]

• Hopes for the Beckett Brand:

  • Nostalgia for Beckett magazine and the possibility of reviving it as a collectible/newsletter rather than a pure price guide.

  “Find a way to… editorialize that publication… could you bring that back in some nostalgic way?”
  — Ryan Alford, [24:07]

• Turnaround Times & Prices:

  • Possible improvements for collectors in turnaround times, less hope for lower prices.

  “You don’t buy another company… and the price ain’t going down.”
  — Brian Ludden, [26:28]

  “Congratulations to PSA… you couldn’t pull that off in any other industry. Nat’s got some balls… And I mean, and money, and congratulations on both.”
  — Ryan Alford, [26:55]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Investment Strategy:

  “There’s no speculation on Mahomes… you’re not going to lose money on Josh Allen cards long term, and you definitely aren’t with Mahomes.”
  — Ryan Alford, [09:56]

• On Hobby Nostalgia:

  “Is Beckett still around? …And where do you buy cards?”
  — Brian Ludden, [25:26–25:41]

• On Hobby Consolidation:

  “It’s just funny, like if this is any other industry, I don’t know if you’d be allowed. It’s called monopolies.”
  — Ryan Alford, [20:31]

• On the Future of Beckett:

  “I just hope they keep the Beckett magazine, because that’s how I cop all my cards.”
  — Brian Ludden, [24:00]

• On the Industry's Audacity:

  “There’s part of me… that’s not good. And then …the audacity of it all. I f***ing love it!”
  — Ryan Alford, [26:59]

Important Timestamps

• [00:00] – Story: Mahomes investments changing lives
• [03:24] – Market movers: Josh Allen, Trevor Lawrence, Bo Nix
• [08:26] – Fallers: Mahomes and Burrow values drop
• [10:22] – Teacher couple’s $2M Mahomes story
• [20:04] – Breaking: PSA buys Beckett
• [21:50] – Analysis: “Infrastructure scale play”
• [23:11] – Will Beckett slabs catch up in value?
• [24:07] – Future and nostalgia of Beckett magazine
• [26:28] – Will grading get cheaper? (“Price ain’t going down”)
• [26:55] – Applause for PSA “pulling it off”

Tone and Takeaway

The episode balances sharp, informed analysis with the easy rapport of two seasoned hobbyists. Ryan and Brian take a pragmatic but spirited view of the PSA-Beckett deal, advising collectors to focus on timeless assets, stay patient, and expect the hobby’s consolidation to bring both opportunities and headaches. There’s a nostalgic affection for the brands and a cautious optimism about the industry’s next chapter.