As we flip the calendar to 2026, cllct is assessing the current state of the hobby.
We've assembled a panel of the top experts in the industry to recap some of the biggest trends of the past 12 months — both the good and the troubling.
Plus, we've looked into our crystal ball to try to forecast what lies ahead in 2026.
In the sixth installment of our two-week series, we look at one of the biggest controversies of late 2025.
RELATED STORIES:
- Shill bidding controversy sparks debate in the hobby
- Shill bidding controversy exposes bad actors, broken system
- The year in collectibles: What would you change about the hobby?
- The year in collectibles: What was most surprising trend of 2025?
- The year in collectibles: Did the hobby get better in 2025?
- The year in collectibles: Biggest issues facing the hobby?
- The year in collectibles: Hottest cards and athletes
(Answers have been lightly edited for brevity and clarity. Questions were distributed before Collectors' acquisition of Beckett on Dec. 15.)
What do you make of the recent controversies surrounding shill bidding?
Brian Dwyer, president, REA:
It’s important the hobby be a safe and trusted space for collectors, and sometimes in order to ensure that, there need to be tough conversations on things that are going on that don’t have a place in the hobby.
REA has always taken an approach to the hobby that is centered around integrity and fostering that safety for collectors, whether it’s how we conduct our auctions, how we authenticate our items, or how we address issues that arise. I think it’s important that collectors and hobbyists learn about who they do business with and support those companies and individuals who are watching out for them.
Elizabeth Gruene, GM of pop culture, PSA:
It is sad how rampant the issue is, and it is definitely something that needs to be addressed seriously.
David Hunt, president, Hunt Auctions:
This is a very critically important topic that we have been discussing for nearly 35 years over the tenure of our company history.
I well remember in the 1990s and 2000s having to address the questions/opinions raised by our clients as to other auction houses being accused of shill bidding. At the time, the general belief was that it was "part of the business" and didn’t really affect the hobby.
I was categorically in disagreement with it then and remain so today. It is not only a misleading practice, but in my opinion should not be permitted in any form — whether a particular state law allows for some interpretation of the practice or not.
Can it be 100% prevented? No, almost impossible. Decades ago, we implemented safeguards within our software that would not allow consignors to bid on their own items.
On very rare occasions (usually non-maliciously) a relative of a consignor would bid on an item improperly to which we would address it immediately and transparently.
However, there is a huge differential between an extremely rare non-malicious occurrence versus routinely allowing consignors, agents for consignors and employees to artificially participate in the bidding.
Another important distinction is the difference between forms of shill bidding and reserve amounts entered on behalf of the consignor. So long as it is disclosed by the auction house that reserve amounts will be competitively executed by the auction house on behalf of the consignor that is a long-held accepted practice within the larger auction market.
Adam Ireland, VP and general manager, Global Collectibles at eBay:
We don’t tolerate shill bidding on our platform. We have strict policies around this, and we take action when we see bad actors on our marketplace.
A healthy marketplace and industry require trust, and this is foundational at eBay.
Chris Ivy, director of sports auctions, Heritage Auctions:
Shill bidding is a serious subject that deserves serious attention. That said, in the current day and age, sometimes it can be hard to distinguish between industry-wide controversy and a small numbers of very vocal individuals making noise.
It is almost all a result of the current state, and impact, of social media. Like any other industry, ours has had its share of controversies over the years, yet what is most telling about any alleged controversy is the way it changes or doesn’t change the behavior of buyers.
Following the market reveals all you need to know about how serious a controversy is. If you look at recent auction results across our hobby, participation has been tremendous.
Susan Lulgjuraj, senior marketing manager, CGC Cards:
Shill bidding is not new, but that doesn't mean it should be accepted. The surprising part to me were the conversations around it and how some tried to justify the action. There's no place for that in the hobby (or anywhere).
Jason Masherah, president, Upper Deck:
Shill bidding is an issue, but I currently don’t see a viable solution to eliminate the issues other than continuing to find ways to implement stricter bidder verification processes to ensure sellers, or someone associated with them, are not artificially driving up prices.
Mike, Junk Wax Hero on YouTube:
Shill bidding isn't new, but it feels like it's becoming more and more prominent thanks to all the ways people can consign cards and be separated from the selling process of their own cards.
I hope some large auction houses make some changes to their terms and ban shill bidding and house bidding, but I'm honestly not sure how much good it will do since anyone can have a friend bid or create a separate account to do it themselves.
Evan Parker, founder, Mantel:
Trust and transparency are critical in this industry, and it's a shame shill bidding is taking place or at least being talked about like it is (I have no actual knowledge on the facts ... very few people do!).
But it reminds me of two cornerstone points in our industry: There will always be people looking to take advantage of others when there is money at stake. And the hobby has the memory of a goldfish and will forget about these scandals within weeks as soon as the next controversy breaks.
Matt Quinn, vice president, CGC Cards:
Unscrupulous activity is an unfortunate part of any business, and it’s no different in the collectibles space. Fortunately, education is one's best friend to combat this.
Always be vigilant when making purchases and know there likely will be another opportunity to secure the same collectible down the road. Patience is paramount when building a collection.
Nat Turner, CEO, Collectors:
Folks should only ever bid on a card if they intend to win the card, and intend to pay if they do, and also have no knowledge of what current bidder’s max bids are.
I haven’t followed the current controversies that closely, as it’s not really my or our business, but as a big collector myself who participates in a lot of auctions on many platforms, I don’t want to ever go up against other bidders who break the first sentence I said.