If you are on ebay...I believe you have 50 free listings per month (at any starting price)...just try something (anything) and report back what you notice as "successes (hot)" and "failures (cold)". Have several different accounts and you can list another 50, and so on!
In the overall picture, you need to research these things on your own. I don't think people are going to tell you outright what's the most profitable items are at the moment since you would then be considered competition. Even if someone told you what's currently hot and you didn't have the inventory, then you would be SOL IMHO since acquiring said inventory would be unprofitable.
What's hot? Those Contenders Golden Tickets 1/1s, but everyone including me can't afford it. You should already know that.
LeBron/Wade autograph stuff, just because they're trending right now. But you should already know that, too.
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There are tons of "focus"/"niches" that you can corner and profit from if YOU did you own homework.
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In the end, I will offer this opinioin since you are always looking for them. Enjoy this HOBBY for what it is -- a hobby and don't think about "making money" off of it. Once it becomes a hobby again to you and you COLLECT within your means and parameters, you will seriously have fun. Don't worry about what other people think or consider good as long as YOU enjoy it.
Just my 2 cents