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Stacking Slabs

Brett McGrath

Welcome to the Stacking Slabs, a podcast for sports cards collectors. There's been a tremendous amount of change to our Hobby over the last few years and the one constant has been the passion from the collecting community. Stacking Slabs is built by the collector and lives to tell stories for the collector.

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#1082
Today · 59 min
Card Ladder Confidential #23: What the Market Cannot Price
What gives a card value when no comparable sale can explain why it matters to you? Chris McGill and Josh Johnson join Brett for a conversation about what the market cannot price. They discuss the owner’s price, replacement difficulty, the appeal of one-of-ones, and the difference between following the market and building your own card hierarchy. Josh shares why he bid $27,000 on a Todd Gurley card that he won for $4,000. Chris explains the history behind his 1998 Topps Gold Label Wayne Gretzky one-of-one and why he regrets selling parts of his Christian McCaffrey collection. Price data matters. It gives collectors context. It does not measure what a card completes, what it took to find, or how losing it would change your collection. This conversation is about using market data without letting the market make your decisions for you. Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking Slabs Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Josh: | Instagram Follow Chris: | Instagram Follow Card Ladder: | Instagram | YouTube | Website ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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#1081
Yesterday · 27 min
The Honor of Ownership: When Keeping the Card Is the Point
The hobby spends a lot of time talking about how cards enter collections and how they leave. We talk about the chase, the deal, the grade, and the sale. We skip the years when the card is yours. In this episode, Brett explores what ownership gives collectors beyond market value. He shares the story behind four T.Y. Hilton Prizm Black Finite 1/1s and examines how time, knowledge, memory, and relationships deepen our connection to cards. Keeping a card is not always the absence of a decision. Sometimes, keeping the card is the point. Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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#1080
Tuesday · 1 hr 6 min
The WNBA Card Podcast: Collecting Marina Mabrey and the Future of Toronto Tempo Cards with Shawn (@motorcitymarks)
Shawn (@motorcitymarks) started following Marina Mabrey when she arrived at Notre Dame. When she entered the WNBA, he knew he wanted to collect her cards. That decision became a supercollection. Katelyn and Shawn discuss the hunt for Mabrey’s cards, the work behind completing rainbows, the role relationships have played in finding one-of-ones, and why her 2021 Prizm Gold /10 remains his personal grail. They also examine Mabrey’s role with the Toronto Tempo, the growth of her card market, and what representing an entire country can mean for the next wave of WNBA collectors. Follow the WNBA Card Podcast on Instagram Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok Follow Katelyn: | Instagram ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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#1078
Monday · 52 min
Passion to Profession: Employee No. 12 — Building Overtime and Its Trading Cards with Sam Gordon
Sam Gordon had accepted a job on Wall Street. Two weeks before he was set to start, he walked away and joined Overtime as its 12th employee. The company had a few months of funding left. Today, Sam serves as VP of Programming and Head of YouTube at Overtime. Sam shares how $15 videos of Zion Williamson reached SportsCenter, why Overtime chose speed over production quality, and how the company grew from a social media account into a sports league. We also get the collector’s view of building the Topps OTE card products. Sam explains the push for on-card autographs, rookie logos, card backs written in Overtime’s voice, and the production demands that led to stickers and redemptions. He also tells the story of turning a Lionel Messi Superfractor autograph pulled from a box at work into his favorite card, a 1999 Michael Jordan Final Floor autograph. This is a conversation about trusting people, testing ideas, building with ownership, and creating sports cards from the collector’s seat. Passion to Profession is presented by eBay. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card. Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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#1079
Sunday · 27 min
Hobby Jobs: The Long Game — Build Trust Before You Need It
Relationships gain value when you take care of them before you need something. In this episode of Hobby Jobs, Brett shares why trust remains one of the most valuable assets in the sports card industry. Brett also announce BCW Supplies as the presenting sponsor of Hobby Jobs and explains why this partnership supports the people building businesses across the hobby. You will learn: How to support collectors before, during, and after a purchase Why the response to a problem defines the relationship What to give your network when you have nothing to ask for How relationships create career and business opportunities Why your work matters more than your hobby knowledge when applying for industry roles This week’s Hobby Jobs Highlight covers eBay’s Manager of Pricing and Assortment for Trading Cards. The role sits at the intersection of data, pricing, collector behavior, and marketplace strategy. Hobby Jobs is sponsored by BCW Supplies. For over 45 years, BCW has helped retailers and wholesale partners stay stocked with the storage and display accessories collectors trust—backed by dependable fulfillment and consistency to keep shelves stocked and margins strong. Learn more at bcwsupplies.com/wholesale. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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#1077
Saturday · 1 hr 16 min
Booked to Last: Wrestling Card Hot Takes — Prizm vs. Flawless and the Cards You Can’t Buy
Brett joins Adam for a round of wrestling card hot takes. Will Prizm become the defining product of the Panini WWE era? Are wrestling card values understated because many of the best cards are locked inside collections? They also break down the new Topps Universe release, WWE debut patches, PSA’s reopened grading tier, and recent sales involving Hulk Hogan, The Rock, X-Pac, and Becky Lynch. Plus, they discuss Bronson Reed’s return, Oba Femi’s direction, Money in the Bank, and the stories shaping WWE. Check out RbiCru7 for all your wrestling and sports card needs! Join Adam's Main Event Wrestling Cards group for free Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Ryan: | Instagram | Website | YouTube Follow Adam: | X | Instagram Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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#1076
Friday · 1 hr 28 min
The Football Card Podcast #64: There Is No Such Thing as a “PC for Life” Card
A 1998 SkyBox E-X2001 Randy Moss Essential Credentials Future rookie numbered to six sold for $144,000. The prior owner sold it for $60,000 to a buyer who said it was staying in their personal collection. Then the card changed hands. Pack and Brett discuss why “PC for life” should never influence the terms of a deal, why collectors must accept that interests change, and why selling a card means giving up control of its future. They also break down how new collectors can build a collecting thesis, why curation matters more than collection value, the role of autographs, and the choice between a Patrick Mahomes rookie card and a one-of-one Superfractor. Plus, Market Watch examines cards of Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and Drake Maye as the NFL season begins. Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking Slabs Follow The Football Card Podcast on Instagram for memes and stuff. Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok Follow Pack: | Instagram ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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#1075
September 10 · 34 min
Stop Counting Days: When a Landmark Sale Becomes the Market
One sale can change how collectors view a card. That does not mean the market has accepted the new price. In this episode, Brett explains why collectors should stop counting the days after a landmark sale and start counting confirmation. Using the John Cena WrestleMania Patch Auto 1/1, the Michael Jordan Red PMG, and the 2003 Topps Chrome LeBron James PSA 10, Brett breaks down what buyers and sellers should study after a major result. Where does the underbidder spend next? Do related cards sell? Does new supply enter the market? Does demand remain after the attention fades? The buyer wants confirmation. The seller can benefit from attention. Understanding that difference can help you make your next move with intent. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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#1074
September 9 · 25 min
Why Buying Less Can Make Collecting Better
Online card sales reached $911.79 million in August, setting a Card Ladder monthly record. That level of activity brings demand, access, and pressure to keep buying. Brett shares why he has limited his buying, sold cards that no longer fit, and focused on cards that hold meaning after the transaction ends. He breaks down the forces behind our purchase decisions, from social proof and scarcity to auction competition and comparison. The episode also offers six questions to ask before your next purchase and a 30-day exercise designed to bring focus back to your collection. Buying less is not about owning fewer cards. It is about making sure each yes belongs to you. Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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#1071
September 8 · 1 hr 3 min
The WNBA Card Podcast: Collecting the Seattle Storm — The Cards That Carry the History with Jenny (@wsportscollector)
Katelyn (@coldlunchcards) sits down with Jenny (@wsportscollector) to explore her Seattle Storm collection. Jenny shares how moving to Seattle during the 2020 championship season connected her to the team. She explains why she narrowed her collection, how she chooses cards, and why eye appeal matters more than a serial number. They also discuss Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson, Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd, the Storm’s next generation, and the opportunity to collect a team during a rebuild. Jenny tells the story of winning Panini’s WNBA Player of the Day promotion and opening cards alongside Cynthia Cooper. She closes with the Sue Bird rookie relic containing material from Bird’s first WNBA game and the ticket she paired with it. This is a conversation about team collecting, community, and owning pieces of the history that made you care. Follow the WNBA Card Podcast on Instagram Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok Follow Katelyn: | Instagram ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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#1072
September 7 · 53 min
Passion to Profession: Finding the Unfindable — How Grant Slayton Built His Business
Grant Slayton has built Waldorf Stories by finding cards most collectors never see and connecting them with people who value them. That reputation took years to earn. Grant joins Brett to explain why trust sits at the center of his business, how he approaches trades, and why relationships matter more than any single transaction. They discuss the five-and-a-half-year pursuit of the 1997 Ultra Michael Jordan Platinum Medallion 1/1, the work behind sourcing rare cards, and how Grant decides when a card means more than its market value. Grant also shares his advice for anyone who wants to turn cards into a profession. Help enough collectors get what they want, and the next opportunity often finds you. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card. Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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#1073
September 6 · 26 min
Hobby Jobs: The $911.75 Million Test — Who Supports the Collector?
Card Ladder tracked $911.75 million in online card sales during August 2026. That total exceeded the prior monthly record by more than $200 million. The demand is clear. The question is whether the sports card industry has the people and systems to support it. Brett explains why customer support shapes the collecting experience, how Leighton Sheldon built trust into the acquisition process at Just Collect, and why industry experience starts with solving collector problems. Brett also announces BCW Supplies as the sponsor of Hobby Jobs and examines COMC’s search for a Customer Support Manager who can move its operation from reactive to proactive. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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#1070
September 5 · 1 hr 11 min
Booked to Last: The Collector Behind the Rhea Ripley WrestleMania Patch Auto 1/1
A $115 break spot turned into the pull of a lifetime. Darius, known as @ihitbig2, joins Adam and Ryan to share the full story behind pulling the Rhea Ripley WrestleMania Patch Auto 1/1. He explains why he flew to Seattle to retrieve the card, why he brought it to Wrestling Card Takeover before consigning it, and why selling the card became the right decision for his family. The conversation also covers trust in the wrestling card market, the upcoming Topps Universe and Topps Royalty releases, and recent sales involving Alexa Bliss, The Rock, John Cena, and IShowSpeed. Check out RbiCru7 for all your wrestling and sports card needs! Join Adam's Main Event Wrestling Cards group for free Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Ryan: | Instagram | Website | YouTube Follow Adam: | X | Instagram Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
- Transcript
#1069
September 4 · 1 hr 23 min
The Football Card Podcast #63: Who Decides a Player's Defining Card?
What makes one card the defining card of a player? The rookie label? Market value? Recognition? Rarity? Pack and Brett challenge the belief that a player’s rookie card must be his best card. They use the $240,000 Patrick Mahomes Topps Chrome Superfractor and his $195,000 Prizm Gold Vinyl rookie to test where they stand. They also make their NFL division and Super Bowl picks, consider what the Topps era means for Panini case hits, and review sales of Caleb Williams, Jaxson Dart, Randy Moss, and Tom Brady. Plus, they share how fathers can watch football without losing the rest of their Sunday. Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking Slabs Join the Football Card Podcast Pick 'Em League Follow The Football Card Podcast on Instagram for memes and stuff. Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok Follow Pack: | Instagram ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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#1068
September 3 · 38 min
One Sale Is Not the Market: How Collectors Should Read Thin Markets
A landmark card sale creates attention. It also creates assumptions. The 2025 Topps Royalty John Cena WrestleMania Patch Autograph 1/1 has reached six figures with time left in the auction. What does that number tell us about Cena cards, wrestling cards, and other markets where sales data is thin? Brett breaks down the difference between a signal and a comp, introduces the evidence ladder, and shares a process collectors can use before buying, selling, or repricing a card. One sale can be historic without becoming universal. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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#1067
September 2 · 30 min
The Hobby You Have Now Rewards the Proactive Collector
The hobby has changed. Prices have risen. More cards compete for your attention. Every sale becomes content. It is fair to miss what collecting used to feel like. But the hobby we have now gives collectors access to sales history, checklists, population reports, saved searches, auction archives, and people with years of knowledge. Access is no longer the edge. Judgment is. Brett explains why the modern hobby rewards proactive collectors and shares a system for making decisions with purpose. Build a collecting thesis. Assign a role to each source. Monitor the cards that matter. Record why you buy. Give yourself confidence to pass. The hobby you remember is not coming back in the same form. That does not mean your best collecting years are behind you. Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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#1066
September 1 · 1 hr
The WNBA Card Podcast: Collecting the Washington Mystics’ New Era with Matthew (@dynastysportscards_)
Matthew (@dynastysportscards_) followed Georgia Amoore from college basketball to the Washington Mystics. That connection grew into season tickets, a family business, and a collection centered on the players he watches each week. Matthew joins Katelyn (@coldlunchcards) to discuss the Mystics’ young core, the link between attending games and collecting cards, Shakira Austin’s place on the hobby’s Disrespect Index, and the cards that define his collection. He also shares the story behind his personal grail. It is not his rarest card. It is a Sonia Citron Pink Laser auto /25 that he pulled with his daughter during a hard season for their family. Some cards matter because of what they are. Others matter because of where you were and who was beside you when you found them. Follow the WNBA Card Podcast on Instagram Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok Follow Katelyn: | Instagram ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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#1064
August 31 · 55 min
Passion to Profession: Building a 20-Year Sports Card Business with Leighton Sheldon
Leighton Sheldon has spent more than 20 years building Just Collect by asking questions, studying the market, and treating each collection as part of someone’s story. In this episode of Passion to Profession, Leighton shares why he chose the sports card industry over a career in consulting, what he learned working at Leland’s, and how those lessons shaped his approach to buying collections. He also tells the story of purchasing nearly 1,000 Goudey cards in Arizona, including 18 Babe Ruth cards, and explains why trust mattered more than pressure in closing the deal. We also discuss the problem that led him to cofound AuctionWire, the role content has played in his business, and the traits that give people staying power in the hobby. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card. Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
- Transcript
#1065
August 30 · 23 min
Hobby Jobs: The Collector Is the Business Model
Every company in the sports card industry says it supports collectors. The question is whether the collector has power inside the business. In this episode of Hobby Jobs, I break down five places where a collector-first approach becomes visible. What a company measures. How it rewards employees. Where it removes friction. How it responds when something breaks. Whether collector knowledge shapes decisions. I also share the story of Shane Walls, lead buyer at Indy Card Exchange. Shane bought a Tom Brady Black Prizm 1/1 for $600 and sold it years later for $96,000. The value of that story is not the return. It is the experience, relationships, and judgment that allowed Shane to act before the market agreed with him. Knowing cards is not enough to build a career in the hobby. You need to turn what you know into decisions that serve the collector and support the business. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
- Transcript
#1063
August 29 · 1 hr 11 min
Booked to Last: Buying Wrestling Cards When the Market Runs Hot
The wrestling card market has attention. That does not mean every card has value. Adam and Ryan examine the John Cena and Rhea Ripley WrestleMania patch auctions, the Cena and Shohei Ohtani one-of-one, and why putting chase cards in the same auction can serve each sale. They also break down the decisions collectors face when prices move: When should you pay above the last comp? Which cards should you sell before supply catches up? How many buyers exist for your card? What makes a card worth holding? The conversation closes with sales from Oba Femi, John Cena, and Giulia, plus the card elements that matter most when building a collection. Check out RbiCru7 for all your wrestling and sports card needs! Join Adam's Main Event Wrestling Cards group for free Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Ryan: | Instagram | Website | YouTube Follow Adam: | X | Instagram Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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