Sultan of Swap

In a remarkable move, sports memorabilia enthusiast Brandon Steiner has acquired a staggering collection of 4 million trading cards, which notably includes 30 unique Bay Beer Auss.

At 66, Steiner has taken possession of this massive collection from Barry Telesnik, a self-described “crazy serial collector” from New Jersey, who values the lot at around $7 million. The collection boasts every Topps baseball set dating back to 1948, along with a plethora of valuable rookie cards and thousands of autographed ones.

“Meeting him made me think, ‘Could this turn into a trading card museum?'” Steiner reflected.

Barry Telesnik, who has spent over 50 years amassing his collection, shared his thoughts. He mentioned how many people reminisce about their childhood cards—stories like, “My mom threw it away,” or how they’d use them to make their bike wheels go vroom.

“I feel a bit guilty because the world could appreciate this too,” Telesnik admitted.

At 55, he continues to sift through the extensive collection, previously stored in his attic to protect it along with his home’s security system. “Some sets took me 40 years to complete,” he remarked, still trying to sort everything out.

Many of Telesnik’s cards will be featured on CollectibleXchange, an online marketplace founded by Steiner in 2019, although some of the rarest items are likely to be auctioned. Steiner stated, “I’ve encountered numerous sets and cards I’ve never seen before. Once these hit the market, people will be intrigued.”

Originally from Brooklyn, Steiner has built a significant reputation in the sports memorabilia world. He has signed contracts to acquire various notable items, including pieces from Yankee Stadium, selling remnants for substantial profits.

As Telesnik hands the cards over to Steiner, he retains about 20-35% of the profits from sales. Steiner recognizes the weight of responsibility in carefully verifying, authenticating, and grading the cards. He noted a particular piece of history—Derek Jeter’s famous “Mr. November” bat, which was pivotal during the 2001 World Series.

“Looking back, I sold that bat for $10,000. I sometimes wonder, did I sell it to the right person?” he mused.