The Pomp Podcast
#512: Ken Goldin and Ross Hoffman on Collectibles
- Goldin Auctions has grown from $800,000 in revenue (2012) to ~$80 million annually, with record-breaking sales including a $4 million Mike Trout card and $1.9 million Giannis card driving mainstream awareness.
- The trading card and collectibles market is estimated at $10 billion globally, with severe supply constraints; demand far exceeds available product, especially internationally where soccer cards now rank third after basketball and baseball.
- Ross Hoffman joined as CEO to modernize Goldin's technology infrastructure, replacing 2002-era software with a new platform designed to improve user experience, add social features, and serve both existing enthusiasts and newcomers.
- Market growth is driven by three macro tailwinds: pop culture and celebrity endorsements, inflation hedging amid money printing, and emerging fantasy sports and gambling integration opportunities.
- Ken Goldin emphasizes operating Goldin as events rather than transactional auctions, scaling from 4 auctions annually (2018) to a minimum of 24 in 2021, with plans for simultaneous concurrent auctions across departments.
- The vision includes diversifying beyond sports memorabilia into broader collectibles (music albums, comics), building educational content infrastructure, and creating a mobile-first, community-driven platform for both collectors and investors.