NEVER Buy Sealed Boxes on eBay… Here’s Why 😳

Fake cards are getting so good that soon you won’t be able to tell. On this episode of Collector Nation, Ryan Alford sits down in studio at Collector Station with Erik Myers, VP of Modern Sports at Heritage Auctions and former head of innovation and anti-counterfeiting at Topps. Erik explains how AI is changing card counterfeiting, how resealed boxes are being sold with the case hits pulled out, and why he’d never buy a sealed box off eBay. Download the Collector Nation app and read more hobby news at thecollectornation.com.

Erik also shares how cards gave him a second chance at life, from making extra money on eBay while in the military to buying and selling about $89 million in cards over 20 years. He breaks down the Flawless Kobe market (he once owned 22 of the 26 PSA 10 patch autos), why he’d take a game-worn Jordan jersey over an $8M Cooper Flagg card for ROI, what Michael Rubin has done for the hobby, and a $4–5 million 1997 basketball card that just came into Heritage.

Plus: why Erik thinks people underestimate Pokémon, how Heritage’s 3 million bidders and 58 categories help sellers, Heritage’s new cash advances, the National moment we captured when Erik was gifted a painting, and a basketball pack rip with a few autos.

*Topics Covered:*

• Erik Myers’ path: PWCC, Alt, Topps and now VP of Modern Sports at Heritage Auctions
• Why the card industry ignored counterfeiting for so long
• How AI will make counterfeit cards nearly undetectable in 18–36 months
• Resealed boxes: how case hits get pulled and boxes resold
• Why you should only buy sealed product from card shops or the manufacturer
• How the hobby gave Erik a second chance
• Erik’s surprise painting gift at the National
• Heritage Auctions’ cash advances for consignors
• Modern vs. vintage: where the 1984 cutoff comes from
• Michael Rubin’s impact on the hobby
• Cooper Flagg’s $8M card vs. a $12M Jordan Finals jersey
• Owning 22 of 26 Flawless Kobe patch auto PSA 10s
• When to sell: Flawless, Exquisite and buying low
• A $4–5 million 1997 basketball card pulled from a pack
• Why Pokémon may be bigger than sports cards
• Heritage’s 3 million bidders and 58 collecting categories
• Basketball pack rip: autos and numbered cards
• Raised vs. printed numbering: how to spot the difference

*🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode*

Collector Nation
Website: thecollectornation.com
.apple.com/us/app/collector-nation/id6795562084
Instagram: instagram.com/thecollectornation_
TikTok: tiktok.com/@thecollectornation
YouTube: youtube.com/@thecollectornation

Erik Myers
Instagram: instagram.com/haole_hustle
Secure Authentication LLC: secureauthenticationllc.com

Heritage Auctions
Website: ha.com
Sports Auctions: sports.ha.com

Collector Station
Website: thecollectorstation.com
Instagram: instagram.com/thecollectorstation

Ryan Alford
Website: ryanalford.com
Instagram: instagram.com/ryanalford

⭐ Would you still buy sealed boxes online after hearing this? Tell us in the comments. .