Buzz Break: 2025 Leaf Metal Pop Century 1/1 Proofs

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 Metal Pop Century 1/1 Pre-Production Proofs 
Where to buy: Click here (these are box-toppers in Pop Century boxes)

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

Cards per box: 2 (yes, it's two ... there's a typo on the pack that they didn't fix that since these are box-toppers)
Base set completion: 
N/A
Duplicates: 0

Inserts/short-prints: 2 (all in gallery below)
Leaf Metal Pop Century Iconic Role Autographs Blue Crystal Pre-production Proof (1) – Tim Robbins in The Shawshank Redemption (1/1)
Leaf Metal Pop Century Autographs Shimmer Pre-production Proof (1) – Jimmie Walker (1/1)

What’s Buzz-worthy: An award-winning drama with a star who's been in his fair share of hit projects -- or Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh if you like baseball movies -- and then an iconic character of the 1970s (J.J. in Good Times) in a landmark series that launched him into pop culture and allowed him to work in comedy for decades. That's a good odd range of names in just two cards. Both here have photos tying them to those key projects with the Robbins from a subset specifically noting the film, which is even stronger than the generic actor cards. (Those aren't bad ... these are just more specific.) ... What are these? As noted last time, this year's Pop Century proof packs have a different twist to them as they arrive with top-loaded cards -- and sometimes can have printing plates -- and they're only found inside the actual boxes of Pop Century as box-toppers along with the hits in those far-pricier boxes. My cost on a pack? About $10 -- and for a pair of 1/1s every time I'll still do that. In past years, these were issued as bonuses with box buys and that meant they could be/would be stockpiled and sold on their own in lots. ... The checklist is pretty strong but also pretty deep, so there will be hits and there will be misses but at least with two per pack it might be (in theory) a little harder to have a whiff pack vs. a decent one. I'm fine with these at this price with everything a 1/1 for its particular color or texture. You'll see a few more breaks here for sure from my new lot and I'd totally open more if they presented themselves at the right price.

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Product Grade: A+ (plates improve this one, though being box-toppers makes them harder to find in lots)
Lot Grade: A (a star of the past and a bigger star of more recent years)
Fun Grade: A-

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