NEWMAN: It’s time for collectors to reflect on 2025, plan for new hobby year

Let's be real, 2025 was a crazy hobby year.

From scandals, thefts, record-breaking sales, big card shows old and new, Topps regaining card licenses, and too much more to list. I said the same thing in 2024 and still 2025 said “hold my beer and watch this.”

It's scary to think what 2026 has in store.

However, rather than focus on the macro level let's focus on the micro—you, the collector.

As a hobby year rolls to an end, I think we all reminisce about the year that was. We think about the show experiences we enjoyed, the people we met again, or for the first time ever. The individual cards we acquired and some of the great deals we made.

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It's also a good time to reflect, evaluate and look back on things we did as dealers and collectors.

“Should I have sold that?”

“I wish I would have hung on to that.”

Or maybe, “Man, I'm glad I moved that.”

Maybe you're kicking yourself because you didn't purchase something you should have.

Experiences, as we all know, can be positive and negative. My hope for all of us is that the positive ones were greater than the negative ones, and that we continue to enjoy the hobby for the right reasons.

It’s also a good time to look ahead and reassess whether I should do anything different? Should I add to my collection, or downsize another area of my PC? Should I collect something completely different?

Where do I want to travel? Should I buy new card cases or card storage (I've gotten rid of almost all my cardboard boxes with a previous decision)?

Should I tweak my card wish list? What moves up, what moves down, what comes off the list, if anything?

The end of the year is a great time to formulate your 2026 hobby plans in any fashion you choose. Remember, you're the CEO of your hobby.

I've learned that visualizing and organizing plans makes you more focused and locked in to accomplish what you set out to do.

Here's to a great 2026. Enjoy the hobby!