The trading cards and collectibles giant has added new talent specializing in content, partnerships, and commerce.
Goldin Auctions has already had an enormous year. Last week, founder and Executive Chairman Ken Goldin announced that so far in 2021, the company has generated $150 million in sales, more than eclipsing its impressive 2020 tally of $100 million in four short months.
And there’s reason to believe that they are still just scratching the surface of what’s possible in such a skyrocketing trading cards and memorabilia market.
On the heels of $40 million in fundraising, there’s a handful of new faces at Goldin Auctions office posied to jump-start its latest phase of development. Among them is Samuel Farber, who will serve as Head of Business Development and Content. He joins Goldin from the NBA, where he spent over a decade and was most recently the Senior Vice President for Digital Media.
With this added momentum, the company plans on scaling its offerings — especially original content — as it shapes itself into a one-stop shop for hobby enthusiasts.
Goldin Auctions CEO Ross Hoffman was bullish about what Farber’s arrival means for the present and future of the company.
“Sam joins Goldin at a time when we are seeing a paradigm shift in the industry. His appointment is met with an unmatched level of investment into the hobby, both from institutions and individuals, showing that, yet again, more people look at trading cards and collectibles as a new asset class, either for their personal collection or their personal portfolio,” he told Boardroom. “It’s an exciting time, and Sam will help us scale by partnering with the biggest brands and individuals in and out of the hobby, with the goal of driving a larger and more engaged audience. This means striking landmark deals and developing original content in partnership with the biggest organizations and platforms in the world.”
Other key hires include former Misfits Market exec Moraa Gekonge as Head of Operations and Supply Chain, Josh Lee (Shutterfly, Pegasus Tech Ventures) as Head of Finance and Business Operations, former Uber claims operations boss Maly Ohrenschall as Head of Customer Experience, Larry Sequino (Tinder Group) as Head of Product, and former Flatiron Health senior director Dan Van Tran as Chief Technology Officer.
“Technology is our heaviest area of investment, and we have gone from a technology team of zero to hiring engineers, product designers, and product managers from the best companies in the world. We are first focused on stability and infrastructure, with a fast follow on fun, cool stuff,” Hoffman said.
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Farber expressed that he was excited to see what the future had in store, citing a world of possibilities in the global market due to the ever-expanding popularity of sports such as basketball and soccer. He sees the potential for the company’s evolution on the horizon and is excited to be a part of the work.
As he told the Philadelphia Business Journal, “I want Goldin Auctions to be a central figure for the hobby’s content ecosystem. There’s a dearth of high-quality content and authoritative sources in collectibles, and that’s a place we can play.”
It’s all of a piece: Goldin Auctions is scaling up to take full advantage of the explosive, generational interest in trading cards and collectibles as not just a pastime, but as portfolio assets.
The financial aspect won’t force the simple joy of the hobby to take a back seat, however.
“Trust, simplicity, and fun. Those are the words we want people thinking about when they engage with our product,” Hoffman told Boardroom. “A mix of entertaining and educational storytelling that engages our customers, bringing them closer to the hobby that they are either learning about or already love.”
