The Hobby Experience Newsletter WEEK 4 - Powered by The Grading Club

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Hobby Experience! We’re bringing you the latest updates on grading, special offers, product releases, and what’s happening in the UK card market, along with a preview of upcoming shows you won’t want to miss.

This week we look into:

- This weeks special offer
- The new 2024 Topps Chrome Marvel
- Upcoming card shows in September
- What products are releasing this week
- Card of the Week
- Top 3 sport card sales from last week

Submission
Find our latest pricing and special offers below

To submit cards, head to our website www.thegradingclub.co.uk. Here, you can use our pricing calculator to see how much a submission would cost, and it will also tell you when the cards are due to be returned.

Here’s a guide on how to submit cards through the portal if you’ve never done it before.

SPECIAL OFFER

PSA Pokemon Offer - This is the lowest ever offer we've done for Pokemon. £12.50 per card! The offer will be on until 30th September. If you're submitting 30+ cards it will only be £11.50. Max declared value for each card will be £150. Great for the bulk collector. You can place orders through the website. Make sure to use the “PSA POKEMON OFFER” option.

PRODUCT REVIEW
2024 Topps Marvel Chrome - Hobby

The 2024 Topps Chrome Marvel collection is here, bringing the iconic world of Marvel Comics to life with the signature Topps Chrome treatment. This is the first time Marvel’s legendary superheroes and villains are being featured in a Topps Chrome. The collection starts with a 150-card base set that includes fan favourites like Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, and Black Widow, as well as First Appearance cards. Each box contains 72 cards, offering 12 packs of 6 cards. Collectors will find a variety of exciting parallels—14 in total—such as the Spider-Web refractor, Human Torch refractor, and the highly sought-after 1/1 Superfractors.

In addition to the base set, collectors can chase unique inserts like Spider-Man Gold, Marvel Icons, and limited-edition anniversary sets like Daredevil 60th Anniversary and Marvel 90s. There’s also a Giant-Size Chrome box-topper card celebrating Marvel’s 50th Anniversary of Giant-Size comics included in every box. Case hits include Wolverine 50th Anniversary and Avengers Infinity, while Topps Patrimony cards add a nostalgic touch, pairing Marvel characters with the year they debuted in Topps Baseball designs. With autographs from legendary artists like Frank Miller and iconic character cards, this product is a must for Marvel fans and card collectors alike.

Price

If you were quick enough, you could have grabbed this product at release for £185. However, as of 10th September, it’s now selling for at least £400. The first release of any product is always highly sought after, and this one is no exception. It’s definitely frustrating for those who just wanted to enjoy a fun rip but are now faced with paying double the original price. Unfortunately, supply and demand dictate the market in the hobby we all love.

I tried to snag two boxes myself but came up short (I never seem to win anything in the EQL!). On the bright side, I’m noticing more product reaching consumers than before, which is a positive sign. It’s still too early to tell whether the current price has peaked or if there’s room for it to rise further. We’re only a week into the release, so as supply dwindles, demand may increase. Additionally, if the single card market for these cards takes off, that could impact the price even more.

Checklist

The 2024 Topps Chrome Marvel checklist (Click here for checklist)is packed with exciting content for collectors. The 150-card base set features iconic Marvel heroes and villains, including household names like Spider-Man, Hulk, Iron Man, and Captain America. But it doesn’t stop there—there are also First Appearance cards, highlighting key moments in Marvel history, and an impressive range of 14 parallels to chase. From Spider-Web Refractors to the elusive Superfractors, this set has plenty to keep collectors engaged. Whether you’re hunting for a key character or a stunning parallel, this checklist offers something for every Marvel fan.

Final Thoughts

It’s great to see Topps/Fanatics showcasing different genres, proving there’s strong demand for trading cards beyond sports and Pokémon. As mentioned before, it’s also encouraging to see more products reaching consumers, and hopefully, this trend continues. Given the large production run, I’d expect to see even more products going directly to consumers in the future. I haven’t had the chance to see the product in hand yet, but the designs look promising. While I’m not a fan of facsimile autographs, some of the artwork is, as expected, really impressive. If you’re a Marvel fan, I’d say it’s a solid buy.

CARD SHOWS

Upcoming Card Shows In September

This is not an exhaustive list of all the card shows that may be happening. These are just the ones we’ve attended and found major value from going.

14th September - THIS WEEKEND!!!

The Sport Card Social - This show is based in Milton Keynes and is easily accessible from all parts of the country. It boasts over 100 tables and is unique as it’s an all-sports show with no TCG! Head to thesportcard.social on Instagram to find out more. Tickets can be purchased from the link below. Tickets are £9.99.

21st September

The Midland Card Show - Run by a UK hobby legend, this show is a must if you’re in or around the Midlands. It’s a mixture of TCG and sports, and a great show to take the kids to. To find out more, contact Skcardsuk on Instagram. We’ll be here taking in submissions and offering free pre-grades on site. Tickets can be purchased below. Tickets are £6.00, and kids under 16 go free!

28th September

The Southampton Card Show - One of our favourites on the show calendar. Again, a sports-only show with a true collector vibe. Here you’ll frequently see cards being traded and prices being haggled, but the best part about the show is the atmosphere created by the vendors and the attendees. Very welcoming to new collectors and seasoned collectors. Although Southampton may be a bit of a travel for some, once at the venue, the show, the hotels, and the trade night are all within a 30-second walk, so it’s very easy to pitch up for the weekend.

We’ll be here returning cards, taking in submissions, and offering pre-grades. Ticket prices start from £6.00. Contact Cardsails on Instagram to find out more.

PRODUCT RELEASE

Sport and Non Sport product releasing this week

11th September

CARD OF THE WEEK

HIGH VALUE CARDS

Top 3 Sport Card Sales From Last Week

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Thank you for being a part of our growing community! We’re thrilled to have you with us on this exciting journey through the world of sports cards. Keep an eye out for next week’s edition, packed with more insights, tips, and offers. And as always, we’re here to help you make the most of your collection – happy collecting!

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