Blowout Buzz
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (April 5)

What's Buzzing: Cooper Flagg, Konnor Griffin, Topps Chrome WWE, LeBron James and more in this Sunday edition.
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1 -- Talking Cooper Flagg
3 -- All your MLB chatter is here
4 -- Reactions to Topps Chrome NFL
5 -- Chewing on the 2026 Topps Chrome WWE checklist
6 -- Pondering King James--
Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.
Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (April 4)

What's Buzzing: Konnor Griffin puts on a show, Chrome WWE, Luka Doncic, Topps Chrome NFL, fake Michael Jordan buybacks and more.
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2 -- Luka Doncic
3 -- Fake card alert ...
4 -- Reactions to Topps Chrome NFL
5 -- New MLB pulls
6 -- Chewing on the 2026 Topps Chrome WWE checklist--
Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.
Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.
First Buzz: 2025 Topps 30 Years of Toy Story trading cards

What: 2025 Topps 30 Years of Toy Story trading cards
Arrives: TBD 2026
Box basics: TBD
Checklist: Click here
Odds: Click here
Order: Click here (when live)What's buzz-worthy: Although this one was delayed the anniversary of the Toy Story franchise is celebrated here with a mix of stuff awaiting fans, including autographs from some of the notables who brought those beloved toy tales to life.
Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.
First Buzz: 2026 TRISTAR Hidden Treasures Auto Mini Helmets

What: 2026 TRISTAR Hidden Treasures Autographed Mini Helmets
Arrives: May 29
Box basics: One autographed mini helmet per box (eight boxes per case)
Order: Click hereWhat's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's Hidden Treasures line arrives for a new year with a new assortment of football minis in the mix and some of the biggest names in the history of the game among them.
First Buzz: 2025 Topps Chrome football cards (will update)

What: 2025 Topps Chrome football cards
Arrives: May 1, 2026
Box basics: One autograph per 20-pack hobby box (TBD boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here (when live)What's buzz-worthy: Topps returns to the NFL field in a fully licensed form for the first time since 2015 and it, of course, arrives with Chrome as its debut line as it "isn’t just back. It’s built for the next era of the hobby."
Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.
Buzz Buys ... A LOT of comics: Every single one is an incentive

Buzz buys a lot of stuff these days and for a few reasons, really. In recent times, I've been picking off bulk lots of comic books -- new stuff and old stuff -- by the box and have decided to make it a monthly drop here. Why? Just for fun ...
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NOTHING BUT RARES ...
The Lot: 23 assorted modern comic books ... find comic cards at BlowoutCards.com
The Price: $43 (shipped)Keep reading for more on this one ...
First Buzz: 2026 Pieces of the Past Mobsters Edition

What: 2026 Pieces of the Past Mobsters Edition trading cards
Arrives: June 8
Box basics: Two relic cards per eight-pack box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click hereWhat's buzz-worthy: Pieces of the Past focuses on notable criminals of the past -- as well as those who have ties to them in varying ways -- with a collection that includes far more than just memorabilia cards this time.
Keep reading for more info and a selection of images.
First Buzz: 2026 Topps Chrome UFC cards

What: 2026 Topps Chrome UFC cards
Arrives: TBD
Box basics: TBD autographs per hobby box (TBD boxes per case)
Checklist: TBD
Odds: TBD
Order: Click hereWhat's buzz-worthy: Topps returns to the Octagon for a new year in a familiar fashion -- Chrome -- with a new batch of Refractors and plenty more showcasing today’s competitors as well as greats from the past.
Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (April 3)

What's Buzzing: Konnor Griffin arrives, Topps Chrome WWE checklist reactions, mail from Butterbean and plenty more from MLB.
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1 -- Today’s the day for Konnor Griffin
2 -- Chewing on the 2026 Topps Chrome WWE checklist
3 -- Mail from Butterbean ... yes, the Butterbean
4 -- All your MLB chatter
5 -- New MLB pulls
6 -- Talking 2026 Topps Heritage--
Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.
Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.
Ticket Stud or Ticket Dud? You decide ... here's Chapter 53

With these Ticket Stud or Ticket Dud stories I'm turning just a tiny bit of that energy just a few degrees away from cards (we'll still have plenty of them here) for a different kind of cardboard. What am I doing? Simple ... this is an occasional dip into some random ticket lots -- a show and tell showing something small with a story.
This time? Action from the basketball court from nearly a decade ago.
Keep reading to see the details this time ... and tell me if you think it's a Ticket Stud or a Ticket Dud.
Collecting Ink (April): Oba Femi, Guns N’ Roses, a mystery sig, fake ink, Tiffy Time’s WrestleMania debut and ... a pizza cutter?

Many people collect autographs -- but not in the same ways -- and not all autographs are made alike. Some are mass-produced, some are in packs. Some are personalized, some are not. Some have all kinds of documentation and many more have none ... here's a look at a few that entered my collection in recent months.
CERTIFIED INK (THIRD-PARTY AUTHENTICATION)
The Items: Oba Femi autographed and inscribed 8-by-10 photos (via High Spots signing with JSA certification)
What It Cost Me: $30 apiece
What's It Worth: Well, business should be heating up with his ‘Mania match
The Buzz: This WWE rookie will be arriving on the biggest stage of them all -- Wrestlemania -- across from Brock Lesnar later this month and given how their first meeting went there could be some shocking things happening in the eyes of those who are just casually tuning in. Poke around in the archives and you’ll find me preaching on Femi for a while now ... and now he’s arriving in one of the biggest possible ways. This pair of autographed photos was a no-brainer to me and a happy accident in a way. I meant to pick off just one of these via a High Spots instant buy but the buying platform glitched and I ended up ordering two. All good with this one this time at that price. He’s going to be a big deal for a while.
Find Ink At: WWE boxes at BlowoutCards.comKeep reading for a few more autos that caught my attention.
Stacking Paper (April): A rookie Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, posters, Elton John’s baseball card, mags, an MLB player award & more

There are a lot of things one can collect that aren't cards -- sometimes they can even come in packs and sometimes they don't. Buzz has been exploring the world a little bit in different directions but with many of them still being paper items -- stacking paper but not in that ol' money kind of way. Here's a look at a few items that entered my collection in recent months that can all fall under this department, which will be found here roughly once a month.
NEARLEY PERFECT FOR WHAT IT IS ...
The Item: Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) -- The Sporting News, March 28, 1970
What It Cost Me: $7
What's It Worth: Not sure but it’s so clean I’d think more.
The Buzz: I spotted a dealer with some impressive copies of this sports newspaper of the past -- issues so clean they ultimately don’t even have a light bend from being lightly folded or stacked for storage -- and this one was an easy grab at that price with one of the NBA’s all-time greats front and center in what was his rookie season. My batch of these was so clean and free of the common issues for stuff like this that the lone problem that I only spotted here (but only after buying) was a bummer in comparison to others. See that light white line right by his name? That’s actually a small tear. I didn’t notice it at first or it blended right into the photo, but this is still a very impressive item otherwise that’s 56 years old. I’ve never really worried about anything on newsprint when it comes to collectibles -- they are far too challenging to store and often have lots of condition issues -- but these impressed me and you’ll see more like it in the coming months here as I picked off a decent little stack with legendary names attached. If you have names you collect, you might do some searches for your teams or players in this realm. They can be nice additions without breaking the bank.
Find Cards At: NBA boxes at BlowoutCards.comCheck out even more items after the jump.
First Buzz: 2026 Pulse Aura Chrome + Heat Seeker + Max box

What: 2026 Pulse Aura Chrome Basketball cards
Arrives: June/July
Box basics: Four encased autographs per six-card hobby box (10 boxes per case) or one autograph per Heat Seeker box (24 boxes per case) or two autographs per 24-card Max box (10 per case)
Checklist: TBD
Order: Click hereWhat's buzz-worthy: Pulse takes its cardboard to Chrome -- as in plastic Chromium stock -- and the hardwood for the first time with a trio of formats for basketball collectors to choose from.
Keep reading for more info and a gallery of images.
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (April 2)

What's Buzzing: Nothing but baseball-focused chatter and discussions in this Thursday edition.
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1 -- All your MLB chatter
2 -- "He looks bad but it’s early"
3 -- Drake Baldwin
4 -- New MLB pulls
5 -- Talking 2026 Topps
6 -- Talking 2026 Topps Heritage--
Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.
Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.
Making the Grade (April): Shohei Ohtani, Kurt Cobain, 50 Cent, Arnold Palmer, Oba Femi, Hannah Montana, Shotzi ink & more

Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading ... so here's this month's grading diary.
PERFECTION ON THE DIAMOND
The Card: Shohei Ohtani 2018 Topps Big League -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: One might argue that because this is Ohtani’s most low-end RC that it might not mean as much -- but that’s mostly just because of what the packs cost back in the day. How about now? How easy is it to find Big League packs vs. all of the other options that have his RCs inside? (I didn’t look ... that’s a question for you.) I'd suspect there are a boatload more flagship options to be found (at higher prices now) and a lot more of those cards slabbed vs. these. Why? While Big League was cheaper, I'd think there probably wasn’t as much made considering all of the packaging versions for flagship releases back then compared to this. That was a thought as to why I finally slabbed this one, especially when it looked pretty good.
The Grade: CGC 10 (Pristine)Grade 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 P10 Total Population 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 4 4 37 4 52 Reality Check: There’s a reason this global icon leads off this month. This one checks in as just one of four in that top mark. Just 7.6 percent of those graded have landed this mark ... while a heavy majority does check in at a standard 10. Sure, these are all pop numbers that could change at any time with more subs ... but I’d think that other RCs probably will get graded more than this one.
Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.
Buzz Buys (April): New stuff, old stuff, weird stuff, some of my usual stuff ... and unique stuff that caught my attention

Here's this month's roundup of items that have recently caught my eye as a buyer ...
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OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN ...
The Card: Captain Britain 2025 Topps Chrome Marvel Comics Yellow Lava Refractor
The Price: Under $2
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: There seems to be an influx of deep-pocketed collectors chasing down Marvel cards hot and heavy in recent years with Precious Metal Gems and Chrome Refractor rarities being gobbled up to the point that almost everything new is seemingly of the flashy variety like this with big box prices attached. This collector doesn’t go uptown without some guaranteed stuff inside -- hits such as autographs, sketch cards or memorabilia guaranteed -- so there’s not been much dabbling for me and I’m OK with that. (Can’t collect everything.) This simple card was my first taste of this release for a character I liked the most back when I was a regular comics dabbler in the early 1990s (when baseball cards got pricey and a bit uninspired at the same time). This modern take on the 1980 Topps MLB design is one that, while I’m familiar with it, doesn’t really resonate with me to chase ‘em all. I also wished that the edges and corners were a little cleaner here ... but I have seen rougher releases with chromium-stock sets from all companies in recent years. If you have the willpower and can dig in not worried about box prices, there are some interesting releases out there in the comics realm. I used to casually dabble more in the non-sports realm when the boxes were cheaper but singles like this might be where I look more often if something strikes me. There’s little doubt that the ceiling for rarer singles is higher than ever if you pull something good, too.
Grab a box right here: Marvel cards are here.Keep reading for more interesting items ...
Bored Buzz: Maybe-click threads on Blowout Forums (April 1)

What's Buzzing: Whatever, whoever, whenever ... yada, yada, yada ... read them or don't in today's edition.
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1 -- Hot stuff
2 -- Whoopee!
3 -- Whatever.
4 -- Who?
5 -- That guy?
6 -- LOL--
Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.
Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.
First Buzz: 2026 Topps Chrome Black MLB cards (updated)

What: 2026 Topps Chrome Black baseball cards
Arrives: April 29
Box basics: One encased autograph in every 13-card box (12 boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click hereWhat's buzz-worthy: This brand returns for a seventh season with the familar format and similar inclusions with some new looks as it showcases the stars of today.
Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.
First Buzz: 2026 Leaf Optichrome football cards

What: 2026 Leaf Optichrome football cards
Arrives: May
Box basics: Six autos and two base cards per hobby box (12 boxes per case) or 12 autos and three base per jumbo box (eight per case)
Order: Click hereWhat's buzz-worthy: Leaf Optichrome returns for another season loaded with autographs and some new looks and new inserts in the mix.
Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.
Buzz Break: 2025 Leaf Autographed Photo Pack

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.
The pack: 2025 Leaf Autographed Photo Pack
Where to buy: Will take some looking ... Click here for Leaf Photographic
Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was in this one.
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (March 31)

What's Buzzing: Non-sports pulls, WWE chatter, new MLB, Topps Series 1 and Topps Heritage.
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1 -- Ripping into a Pop Century case ... and more non-sports here
2 -- New MLB pulls
3 -- WWE chatter as Mania nears
4 -- All the MLB topics
5 -- Talking 2026 Topps
6 -- Talking 2026 Topps Heritage--
Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.
Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.
Make MLB picks to win free cards over at YourDozen.com

Take a minute and answer some hot-take questions and make some MLB picks -- and if you're at the top of the mountain when it's all over then you get some free cards.
It's always that simple.
YourDozen.com is back with more free cardboard up for grabs to one lucky winner -- this time it's for Sunday MLB action as well as some Majority Rules questions. Those questions are simple -- whatever gets the most votes is the winning answer -- and we've sprinkled in those along with the traditional picks. The end result is still the same -- whomever has the most correct answers once the dust settles wins free cards.
You have until 1 p.m. on Sunday to get your picks in. (Do it now -- one of the tiebreakers is who entered first.) The prize remains a mystery item.
Did you get in on last week's action? Check the leaderboard and contact fish@blowoutcards.com to claim your prize if you're the winner.
How does it work? It's short and simple. Register and you'll get a dozen questions where your answers will be compiled and compared to others. Whomever gets the most correct gets the prize -- or at least a shot at it if there's a tie.
The goal with YourDozen.com? Have a little fun and get free stuff into some of your hands.
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Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.
Collecting Game-used: A ball with key names and a little extra

There’s a visual giveaway above ... but there’s still a story to tell.
We’re back to the standard game-used baseballs for this month’s installment in the Collecting Game-used series that has one little detail that makes this one stand out from many out there -- but it has nothing to do with the names or the plays attached.
Just like the others in this series, its life in the game -- this time just two pitches -- are immortalized in the MLB Film Room database of video clips but it’s a little different. All I knew when grabbing this one, though, was the day of the game -- so I knew the lineups of the teams battling it out at Citizens Bank Park but not much else.
You can keep reading to see the details and see the ball in action ...
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (March 30)

What's Buzzing: New pulls from Series 1 and Heritage MLB, an impressive Kobe Bryant buyback Rookie Card, vintage cards and more.
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1 -- Talking 2026 Topps
2 -- One to see
3 -- Talking Topps NBA
4 -- Non-sports update
5 -- Vintage cards
6 -- Talking 2026 Topps Heritage--
Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.
Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.
Mystery Box Buzz Break: High Spots autographed card box

Mystery Box Buzz Break is a new series here on The Buzz -- it's essentially a Buzz Break but only for "mystery boxes" that seem to be everywhere these days -- and not just in the sports realm. Like this and want to see more? Is there a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.
The mystery box: High Spots Virtual Gimmick Table -- autographed card box
Where to buy: Via High Spots (on a weekly live stream) ... find new wrestling cards at BlowoutCards.comKeep reading for a full breakdown and a gallery of what was in this box.































