Podbit · My First Million
Sam Parr is a genuine vintage denim obsessive. Serious collectors evaluate 'honeycombs' (fading behind the knee), leather back patches, hidden copper rivets, and chain-stitch hems made on machines that no longer exist. Original 1800s Levi's buckleback jeans from old gold mines can fetch $20,000, largely driven by Japanese collector demand.
Where this was said
At 51:45 · chapter starts 50:13
With the PSA model established, Shaan turns the question outward: where else are there 'credence good' markets big enough to support a dominant third-party grader [1] — Shaan Puri "The PSA model — trusted third-party grading of credence goods — could work anywhere there's an opaque market with aligned incentives and a …" 50:13 ? His ideas range from youth sports — could you create a PSA-equivalent Combine for high school athletes? — to human capital, grading the top 1% of Ivy League graduates in a way employers and investors could trust. Sam steers the conversation into vintage denim, which turns out to be his genuine obsession. He explains what collectors actually look for: 'honeycombs' (the fade pattern behind the knee), whether the back patch is leather or cardboard, whether copper rivets are slightly green and thus genuinely antique, and whether the hem was sewn on a Union Special chain-stitch machine that hasn't been manufactured in decades. Original 1800s Levi's buckleback jeans recovered from old California gold mines can sell for $20,000, and Japanese collectors are the world's most obsessive buyers of authentic American vintage denim. Sam is currently wearing a pair he's proud of and stands up to give viewers a look at the roping fades. The segment closes with the observation that handbags are probably the largest untapped market for this kind of grading service, and both hosts issue an open invitation to Nat Turner and David Rubenstein to come on the podcast.
The PSA model — trusted third-party grading of credence goods — could work anywhere there's an opaque market with aligned incentives and a big enough economy. Youth sports combines, Ivy League graduate scoring, vintage handbags: Shaan Puri and Sam Parr brainstorm where the next attestation empire could be built.
Original 1800s Levi's buckleback jeans found in old gold mines can be worth up to $20,000, particularly prized by Japanese collectors.
Robby Hoffman has never bought a depreciating car. She flipped a $3,600 Toyota Corolla into a $6,000 sale, used that for a Cayman, flipped it for $18,000, and bought her dream 2001 Porsche 911 for a net $10,000.
Ryan carries the Sig P365 for daily carry and a suppressed .300 Blackout rifle at home — specifically because green-tip .223 flies through human bodies and walls, risking his kids' rooms. Strickland carries the Sig P365 AXG and a PSA AR-15 in .223. They debate why .300 Blackout matters for home defense and mock Staccato owners in equal measure.
Bobby never checks a bag — for any trip, including Australia. His secret: one pair of raw denim jeans (to develop a fade), sardine cans as in-flight snacks, and a Klingon hunting knife on his keychain. Andrew questions everything. Jimmy suggests he just check a bag for two weeks.
The crew drafts their Mount Rushmore of spoon foods. Ice cream goes first overall, soup goes second, and PFT shockingly passes on cereal to take gelato (then mashed potatoes), letting Hank and Zach steal cereal in the third round — a mistake PFT immediately regrets.
At 14, Achatz's father bought a disassembled 1970 GTO for $1,400 and spent two years rebuilding it with his son using the factory manual. The project taught Grant hands-on problem-solving — the same obsessive attention to how things are put together that would later define his kitchen.
A brief promo for Points North, an NPR Network podcast from Interlochen Public Radio featuring immersive stories about the natural world around the Great Lakes.
Sony stopping physical disc production sounds alarming, but Patrick Beja points to PC gaming as the test case: the platform went fully digital via Steam, the used game market disappeared, and yet games are cheaper in real terms than they were 20 years ago thanks to constant sales. The real fight should be for digital consumer rights, not physical media.
Richard recommends Monopoly Deal (the card game version of Monopoly, faster and nastier) and Wilkie Collins's Victorian novel 'No Name', which he says is ripe for a TV adaptation. Marina recommends live tournament football — the only thing on her mind after 1 hour's sleep.
The Campaign for North Africa board game takes roughly 20 years to complete at a reasonable pace, and no one has ever actually finished it. Pierre already knows the Italian forces need extra water for pasta, which is technically accurate to the rules.
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