We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Thomas Mascola. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Thomas below.

Thomas, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

A few years ago I tried something totally against my instincts: I bought a shiny new collector box—and left it sealed. For someone who lives for the crack of a fresh pack, that was agony. Still, I told myself I’d see what happened if I just…waited.

That single box became a turning point. With each new release, I faced the same tug-of-war: add another collector box or Secret Lair to the “do not open” pile, or rip everything apart and list the singles like I always had. Curiosity and FOMO usually won, so the sealed stack grew in the corner of my living room while I kept one eye on the market and the other on my box cutter.

The risk wasn’t only about money—it was about patience. Every sealed item was cash I couldn’t touch and temptation I could feel in my fingertips. Some boxes spiked in value; others drifted while the singles inside held steady. After a while I realized the mental clutter was as real as the cardboard tower itself. I missed the rush of opening packs, sorting foils, and shipping out cards people actually needed for their decks.

So I found a middle ground. I still stash a handful of collector boxes and Secret Lairs to scratch that “what if” itch, but I don’t treat every set like a retirement plan. Most of my inventory goes straight onto the playmat, gets sleeved, photographed, and sent off to the next player. Keeping the collection lean—and occasionally letting myself crack something special—keeps the cash moving and the hobby fun. That first sealed box taught me where my sweet spot is, and I’ve been riding that balance ever since.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Thomas Mascola, better known online as @TimTamUnboxing, and my little corner of the trading-card world grew out of three decades of pack-cracking curiosity. Playground Pokémon trades lit the first spark in the ’90s, Yu-Gi-Oh battles kept the fire going through high school, and a late-2000s Friday-night draft with coworkers sealed the deal: Magic was the game that blended strategy, art, and community in a way nothing else did. A later move to Okinawa dropped me into a tight-knit playgroup whose enthusiasm pushed me from casual collector to part-time seller, and I’ve been riding that wave ever since.

Today the “shop” is still a one-person operation run out of a spare bedroom. Most inventory comes straight from collector packs I open on camera—viewers on TikTok see every pull before it hits a penny sleeve. High-value orders ship with tracking, budget envelopes go the stamped route, and if anything ever looks off, my inbox is always open. I keep a small stash of sealed collector boxes and the odd Secret Lair because I like having a few mysteries on the shelf, but the real fun is moving singles quickly so players can finish decks without waiting on another restock.

The biggest headache for buyers in online groups is trust—scammers list cards they don’t own or ghost the moment money changes hands. My fix is simple: every card I list is in my hand, every condition note is honest, and every question gets a human answer, not a form response. That drama-free approach, plus next-day shipping whenever life allows, keeps people coming back even if a larger store might undercut me by a few cents.

What sets TimTam Unboxing apart isn’t warehouse volume; it’s the genuine excitement that comes through when a mythic foil slides out of a fresh pack. I grade, sleeve, and photograph each card like it’s heading into my own binder, and I price against the market daily so no one pays last week’s hype tax. The moments I’m proudest of aren’t record sales—they’re the late-night messages that read, “Cards arrived in perfect shape.” If you need a staple to finish a Commander brew, or just want to share pack-opening stories, you’ll find me behind the screen—scale, sleeves, and shipping labels ready, always thrilled to talk cardboard.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I built trust by keeping a running reference thread. After each sale I ask the buyer to leave a “+1” and a short note about the experience—usually a quick line like “cards arrived fast and well-packed.” When new customers see a long list of those +1s, they know real people have already tested my shipping and service, so they feel comfortable buying from me too.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Consistently sharp pricing has been the biggest driver. I check market numbers every morning, keep high-demand staples right around the going rate, and mark the lower-traffic cards a touch below it. That mix moves inventory quickly, frees up cash to restock hotter items, and gives buyers a reason to check my listings first because they know they’ll see fair numbers—not yesterday’s spike plus a surcharge. Over time that steady “good deal, no hassle” reputation has attracted more repeat customers than any ad spend ever could.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timtamunboxing/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16QZuKJCBd/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@timtamunbox?si=AzFts7Sq2e9d3TC6
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@timtamunboxing?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

  most items are posted on tiktok plus our sealed shop