Buzz Break: 2023 Leaf Metal Pop Century 1/1 Proofs

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The box: 2023 Leaf Metal Pop Century 1/1 Pre-Production Proofs
Where to buy: Click here (when available)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was in this one.

Cards per box: 1
Base set completion: 
N/A
Duplicates: 0

Inserts/short-prints: 1 (all in gallery below)
Leaf Metal Pop Century Knockouts Autographs Clear Pre-production Proof (1) – Melissa Joan Hart (1/1)

What’s Buzz-worthy: Finding cards of newer names -- 1990s and up -- in releases like this aren't always the easiest thing but that's often why I'd rip into packs like this along with the price. A 1/1 card every time for a price that's tough to beat right now vs., say even retail options, seems like a lot better thing in the here and now and maybe in the long run, too. Why? Volume of stuff made and volume of options for the names on those cards. Granted, Hart won't have as much demand as, say, Bobby Witt Jr., but with fewer cards even regular stuff should have a little more interest than you might think later -- after all of the various colors for each card here come and go on eBay. Hart is a 1990s icon of sorts if you ask me, though I wasn't a big Sabrina The Teenage Witch or Clarissa Explains It all watcher -- I aged out there --  but she has plenty of other credits to show for a life spent in entertainment. This one likely pays for the pack it came in as well as maybe others, while the autos for her cards in the regular set here do look to be in demand. At the same time, she does have past Pop Century cards and Sabrina actually had a set of its own, complete with certified autos back in the day. ... As noted before, in past years, the proofs from Leaf's annual celebrity ink-fueled line Pop Century were released as slabbed cards and sometimes as 1/1 Proof autos, too, at a higher price per box. This time? One proof per pack in sealed top-loaders with a sticker and cert attached to both. At a glance on some cards that's a little distracting -- some are on clear plastic -- but ultimately the backs are all blank here along with the autograph spots. The price should be a little more friendly on these this year without slabs and ink but the lineup in Pop Century was as stacked as it gets so there should still be interest here as 1/1s, though there are many varieties per card with all the colors and textures, can sell well for names who are in obvious demand ... and maybe even for some you might not know. ... Overall, I like this approach as it's something that could trend affordable while remaining unique and something that could pique the interests of a lot of collectors out there with all of the various genres found here.

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Product Grade: A
Pack Grade: A-
Fun Grade: A- (one-card packs can be hit and miss)

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