Corey of Show Your Slabs joins ‘The Chase’

By David Yarger

Co-Host “The Chase”

Happy Friday and what a cap off for the week. Alaina made her Chase co-hosting debut, we talked a ton of football and the history coming with Aaron Judge. But we also had Corey, the founder of Show Your Slabs on as our live guest. 

Show Your Slabs is a creative way that collectors and hobbyists can display and show off their cards in every way from necklaces to wall mounts. 

Corey said his love of the hobby began young collecting cards, POGs and more in the ’90s. Growing up in Baltimore, his main sport to collect was baseball, because the city had no basketball or football (at the time) team. But at a young age, it was never about monetary value, and all about collecting sets and displaying it.

As far as the development of Show Your Slabs, Corey said he’s been an entrepreneur his entire life and began working straight out of high school. After a few roles, about eight months before the COVID pandemic hit, Corey began seeing breaks for cards on Facebook. 

“Cards were back, cards were cool. So, I just dove back in and it was kind of ‘Oh, I can get this card for X (amount), grade it and flip it.’ But as soon as I got (into) cards back in early 2019 that was just back in love with collecting aspects of it again and not wanting to sell any of it and trying to figure out a cool way to display everything,” he said. 

Now, fast forward to today, SYS creates custom and standard displays, fitting for all 38 grading services. 

“The cool thing about our displays are they really can be built in any configuration,” Corey said. “You can customize it and put your name on it and kind of make it your own slab. So your collection is preserved.” 

Additionally, Corey mentioned the displays are something that can stand out when you go over a buddies house to watch a game and instead of having to huddle close together and hand out the cards for people to look at, they’re just displayed on the wall.

He also said he’s built a display for card shops, so when you walk in it is just a huge card wall!

Now, as seen on the show, SYS also does necklaces to display certain cards, and Corey said it came as an idea from his friend Tim of Slab Strong. 

“He wanted a way to show off his Slab Strongs, which are the rubber bumpers around the card. (And) me just always being somebody who can’t leave things alone … I ran to Home Depot, grabbed some stuff, kind of makeshift this necklace, but it was like a big board. He was literally walking around with nine cards around his neck and the reactions were just insane,” he said. “It’s almost like a walking billboard. … So we kind of finetuned it down to one and it was something we thought ‘Eh, we’ll sell a couple.’ … I take a lot of pride in some of these crazy designs and it’s like TikTok – you spend hours on a video and nobody watches it, then you film like a snail walking down the street and it’s got 10 million views. So now when that idea came, we started seeing that people love to buy them and wear them at a show for that one card they want to sell.”

He added, what he does for a living doesn’t even feel like work. Sometimes it may get stressful, but he said he’s very fortunate to be doing what he is and he credited the team he has working around him. 

“This is just not a job, it’s fun, but for me, too, it’s about seeing the end result. Sometimes I get caught up in the wanting to do it so bad and that’s why I have good partners that tell me, ‘Dude, we’re building a business.’ Don’t get me wrong, it is about building a business and it is about the next steps and it is about making the business succeed to the highest level … but that’s why I bring in these people who kind of ground me and say ‘I know you want to make this, but it costs us money,’ ” Corey said. 

Benefits of getting displays with SYS are plenty, as you don’t have to worry about a case over the display, meaning your cards can be interchangeable, and they also offer UV protection for anyone who feel the cards could fade. As far as the UV shield, he compared it to the likes of a screen protector on a cell phone. The product has also been tested with an art installation company that does a five-year shine simulation.

“Your collection is yours. One day you love Kenny Pickett, the next day you realize he sucks, you can take him out and replace him,” Corey said with a laugh. 

Additionally, Corey showed us a new product, as SYS got the license from Major League Baseball to create displays with the league’s logo, as well as team logos, called the “starting nine,” which will be coming soon. 

To get your displays, visit the SYS website, but also be sure to keep up with Corey and SYS on their Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

Also on “The Chase” …

• It was a loaded show today. We mentioned football, but a huge topic around baseball is Aaron Judge, as he closes in on the American League record for home runs in a season. His 60th home run ball was actually given back to him by Michael Kessler, who exchanged it for a signed bat and baseballs, a photo opp and a couple handshakes. The 60th for Judge tied him with Yankee legend Babe Ruth for second on the record list. Now many experts predicted the ball would have sold for tens of, maybe even hundred of thousands of dollars. For No. 61 and 62? The predictions are through the roof, with some even predicting into the million dollar circuit. But, here come the auction sites. Ken Goldin and Rick Probstein have already began putting bounties on each home run ball, including whatever home run number Judge finishes with. For that full insight, check out the scene from “The Chase,” clicking here. 
• Back to football, we got the chance to rip open Wednesday’s new release of Panini Gold Standard football. We had two autos, including a Gold Jacket Tom Flores card, and also a couple patches, including Trevor Lawrence. To enter to win the seven cards, head to the YouTube video and comment who you think will win the 2022 NFL Rookie of the Year.     
• For more information on everything Dave & Adam’s Card World related, visit dacardworld.com or visit all the social media platforms here.