What: 2015-16 Upper Deck Star Rookies hockey cards
Arrives: February
Hobby box basics: 25-card boxed set -- 20 sets per case 

What's buzz-worthy: The NHL's No. 1 overall draft pick Connor McDavid will drive sales here along with 24 other newcomers from the latest NHL rookie crop all found inside. The main draw? One autographed parallel card per case.

See images of the autographs below.

Continue reading →

What: 2015 Panini National Treasures baseball cards
Arrives: January 2016
Hobby box basics: Eight autograph or memorabilia cards with one being a booklet.

What's buzz-worthy: National Treasures' third edition for baseball will up the ante on game-used memorabilia cards with oversized jumbo swatches for pieces not normally found in cards. Among them? Stirrup socks. Sock cards will be limited to five copies or less and showcase players such as Lou Gehrig, Bob Feller, Elson Howard, Gabby Hartnett, Herb Pennock, Mike Schmidt and Pete Rose. Also to be found? Fielding gloves, batting gloves and sweatband cards. This will include current and past stars such as Kris Bryant, Byron Buxton, Kyle Schwarber, Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, Tony Gwynn, Mike Schmidt and Willie Stargell, according to the company.

See a gallery and more ... below.

Continue reading →

What: 2016 Topps Gypsy Queen baseball cards
Arrives: April 6
Hobby box basics: 24 packs, 10 cards -- two autographs, two Relics and one 10-card mini box box-topper

What's buzz-worthy: The sixth edition of Gypsy Queen follows much of the same formula from the past releases with the same number of hits and the same mini box box-topper we have seen from past years. What's new here this time are a few insert sets (MVP Minis, Power Alley), some parallels (MVP Minis autos, Mini Black autos) and a few other fun inclusions. Those will be Laces Around the League Relics -- cards with baseball stitch swatches limited to five copies -- as well as jumbo patch Relic and Ancient Era Remnants -- aka buybacks from the 1920s to 1950s.

See a gallery and more ... below.

Continue reading →

What: 2016 Bowman baseball cards
Arrives: April 27
Hobby box basics: 24 packs, 10 cards -- one autograph

What's buzz-worthy: It it ain't broke, don't fix it -- just add to it. And that's exactly what Topps has done for 2016 taking the familiar lineup and adding Shimmer variation Refractors, a set of International Ink autos for July signees and a set of Sophomore Standout autos to capitalize on the successful arrivals of players such as Kris Bryant, Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa. Also new will be Turn Two autos where cards will be two-sided and showcase top prospects.

See a gallery and more ... below.

Continue reading →