In episode 284 of Cards to the Moon, Clark sits down with Gary Vaynerchuk — entrepreneur, lifelong collector, and creator of VeeFriends — for a wide-ranging conversation about the hobby, the Topps Chrome VeeFriends launch, and why fictional character rookie cards could be the next major boom in the sports card market. Gary shares his personal card origin story, his Mount Rushmore of cards, and why he believes the current market is the most structurally sound it has ever been.
Listen to this episode
“Fictional character rookie cards could be the next major boom in the hobby — Comic-Con and pop culture fans are going to migrate into cards through that lane.”
— Gary Vaynerchuk
Show notes
- Gary’s childhood origin story: discovering 1984 Fleer and 1983 Topps cards and his infamous scissors-and-glue first memory
- How finding a price guide at a flea market changed his life and activated his entrepreneurial mindset
- Lessons from the junk wax era — why prospecting is always risky and what today’s collectors can learn from it
- Why the Topps Chrome VeeFriends launch is the most exciting product tour Gary has ever done — more than sneakers, books, or wine
- VeeFriends as the next Pokémon or Marvel: long-term fictional character IP with cards, comics, cartoons, and films
- Boxes presold at $99, already reselling for ~$300 — and Gary’s frustration with rising secondary market prices
- Gary’s current collecting strategy: vintage + left-field pieces, with one modern exception — aggressively buying Victor Wembanyama
- Why Kaboom is his favourite modern set and how it influenced the rare “Erupt” insert in VeeFriends Chrome
- Why Gary went quiet on public card picks after being accused of hyping cards to flip them
- His 18-month fictional character buying spree: Superman, Marvel, Scooby-Doo, Flintstones, Shrek, Smurfs
- Big prediction: fictional character rookie cards are massively undervalued — early 1966 Marvel cards should reprice dramatically higher
- Gary’s Mount Rushmore of cards (see below)
- Why Toronto has a dedicated VeeFriends card — and hints about future plans for the city
- The flippers vs. collectors debate — and why Gary says both sides are essential to the hobby
- Gary’s closing life lesson: you find what you’re looking for
Gary’s Mount Rushmore of cards
No. 1
Jackie Robinson
Leaf Rookie
Leaf Rookie
No. 2
1961 Fleer
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
No. 3
1990 Leaf
Frank Thomas RC
Frank Thomas RC
No. 4
1966 Marvel
Spider-Man Card
Spider-Man Card
Cards & collectibles mentioned
1984 Fleer Baseball
One of the first sets Gary ever held — part of his origin story
1983 Topps Baseball
Gary’s introduction to the hobby as a kid
1987 Topps Baseball
Gary compares its boom to the COVID-era card explosion
1990 Leaf Frank Thomas RC
Mount Rushmore pick — one of his all-time grails
1966 Marvel Spider-Man
Mount Rushmore + prime example of undervalued fictional character rookie cards
Topps Kaboom
Gary’s favourite modern set; inspired the VeeFriends Chrome “Erupt” insert
Victor Wembanyama Rookies
Gary’s one major modern exception — believes Wemby is the future face of the NBA
Topps Chrome VeeFriends
Presold $99, reselling ~$300; features “Erupt” inserts & 1/1 Blastoff cards in every blaster
Episode timestamps
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Frequently asked questions
What did Gary Vaynerchuk talk about on Cards to the Moon?
Gary joined the FiveCardGuys sports card podcast to discuss his lifelong collecting history, the Topps Chrome VeeFriends launch, why fictional character rookie cards are massively undervalued, and his Mount Rushmore of sports cards. He also shared his view that today’s card market is healthier and more sustainable than any previous boom cycle.
What is Topps Chrome VeeFriends?
Topps Chrome VeeFriends is a trading card set built around Gary Vaynerchuk’s VeeFriends character IP — his attempt to build the next Pokémon or Marvel. Hobby boxes presold at $99 and were quickly reselling for around $300. The set features unique inserts like the rare “Erupt” card and a 1/1 “Blastoff” card in every retail blaster box.
What are fictional character rookie cards?
Fictional character rookie cards are the first officially licensed trading cards featuring a character — like the 1966 Marvel Spider-Man card Gary highlighted. His thesis is that as pop culture and comic fans enter the hobby, early character “rookie” cards could reprice dramatically higher, just as sports rookie cards have done over decades.
What is Gary Vaynerchuk’s Mount Rushmore of cards?
Gary’s four all-time cards are the Jackie Robinson Leaf rookie, the 1961 Fleer Wilt Chamberlain, the 1990 Leaf Frank Thomas rookie, and a high-grade 1966 Marvel Spider-Man card.
About the guest
GV
Gary Vaynerchuk
Entrepreneur • Investor • Lifelong Card Collector
Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee) is the founder of VaynerMedia, VaynerSports, WineText, and the creator of VeeFriends — the fictional character IP he calls the most important project of his life. A lifelong sports card collector since the mid-1980s, Gary has been one of the most influential voices advocating for cards as both a passion and an asset class. Follow him at @garyvee.
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