For years now, autographed books coming direct from the publishers -- or direct from the authors themselves -- have been an affordable way to collect ink from notable names in all realms of pop culture.

It's not a perfect system with stamped autos, fakes and autopens sometimes in the mix -- a problem for publishers to catch as they are not authenticators -- but thanks to dedicated collectors on the Blowout Cards Forum and elsewhere, those problems often get caught and fixed ... or at least become well-known enough to avoid if it's an issue that goes uncorrected.

Getting ink in-person is always best -- book tours still happen, of course -- but landing autographed editions from publishers, online sellers or celebs themselves via their websites or other appearances are common.

Our latest subject and autograph in this ongoing series? A duo from the sports realm, Mike Greenberg and Paul "Hembo” Hembekides.

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What: 2026 Leaf Magnificence sports cards
Arrives: March 27
Box basics: One premium card (/5 max) per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf goes high-end with this brand once again and it’s a release that’s jam-packed with multi-autographed creations, cut autos, booklet cards and plenty more with as much as a dozen autos on some cards.

Keep reading for more info and a full gallery of images.

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What: 2026 Wild Card MATTE Metal Multi-Sport Edition trading cards
Arrives: Feb. 27
Box basics: One auto per five-pack box with one God Box per 12-box case (on average)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Wild Card returns for a new year with a "reinvention" release that it says is "a bold re-imagining of metallic trading cards" as the it "delivers deep color, rich blacks and sharp detail" on every card "instead of glare and mirror gloss." It also promises "a soft-touch metallic surface that feels modern, powerful and intentional."

Keep reading for more info and a gallery of images.

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What: 2026 Super Break Supercharged Edition
Arrives: April 2
Box basics: Three (or more) mystery-wrapped items per box (three boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Super Break offers up a new edition of its memorabilia blind-box product this spring with a mix of sports cards, autographs and other memorabilia in the mix.

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What: 2026 Leaf St. Patrick's Day sports cards
Arrives: March 6
Box basics: Three autographed cards per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The Metal holiday release approach once again put the focus on a single day and this one offers up a look at all kinds of stars with some international appeal in there, too. This one also will have an overall print run at half of its previous-year counterpart, according to the company.

Keep reading for more details and a teaser gallery for this one.

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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, many more have none at all ... here's a look at a few that have entered my collection in recent months as part of what will now be an ongoing series here. 

CERTIFIED INK
The Item: John Cena autographed The Last Time Is Now retirement tour 11-by-14 -- created and only initially sold by WWE
What It Cost Me: $24 via an autograph mystery buy
What's It Worth: He signed a lot of similar prints last year, typically selling for $75-100 and up over on eBay
The Buzz: The year-long retirement tour of WWE's top active star meant plenty of city-specific merch at many of his stops and then other general stuff like this signed print that was sold at other events. This one isn't tied to any one city -- many are and with some having announced editions of 1,000 copies -- and this one didn't have a specific volume signed that I have seen anywhere but I was more than pleased when I landed this one in a mystery box recently at a sliver of its typical eBay pricing. These photos were not sold unsigned and were released by WWE, making this a certified auto via them. Some eBay sellers have gotten these third-party authenticated (and that brings safety in the eyes of some buyers willing to pay more) while this is just like most of those that were signed. Cena's autographs are in high demand -- and perhaps higher demand now with life away from the ring to amp up more with him perhaps signing less WWE stuff -- but he's also been a signing machine for a long time. Watch this video from years ago. I have had his auto a few times on cards and other items from back in the day, so the stuff like this would not have been on my radar or in my collection if it wasn't for a mystery buy. I'll take it.
Find Ink: WWE boxes at BlowoutCards.com

Keep reading for a look at more autographs of different types.

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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 box: 2025 Panini Combat Anthology fighting cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a couple formats)

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

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What: 2026 Leaf Metal Presidents' Day
Arrives: February 2026
Box basics: Three autographed cards and one The Presidents card per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The Metal holiday release approach once again put the focus on a single day and this one offers up some political history, some patriotic salutes and plenty of star power from around the sports world -- and beyond -- all under one lid.

Keep reading for more details and a teaser gallery for this one.

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What: 2025 Wild Card MATTE Rookie Multi-Sport Edition trading cards
Arrives: Jan. 30, 2026
Box basics: One auto and two 1/1 cards per 20-pack brick box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Wild Card is back with a multi-sport release that has player packs and plenty to chase as it looks at young stars frown around the sports world all in the same spot.

Keep reading for more info and a gallery of images.

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What: 2026 Leaf Sports Heroes trading cards
Arrives: Jan. 28
Box basics: Three autographed cards per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Sports Heroes is back in the Leaf lineup for a new year with all autographed cards limited to no more than nine copies apiece -- and with several multi-signed cards in every case.

Keep reading for more.

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What: 2025 Panini Texas Longhorns sports cards
Arrives: Jan. 28, 2026
Box basics: Two autographs per six-pack hobby box (20 boxes per case), 24 cards per six-pack blaster (20 per case)
Checklist: TBD
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Stars from today's Texas Longhorns sports programs -- men's and women's teams -- hit cardboard from Panini in a release that's got plenty of stuff to chase, including cards for some top legends of the past.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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What: 2025 Leaf In The Game Used Sports cards
Arrives: Jan. 30, 2026
Box basics: Five "premium" hits per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf's multi-sport premium brand once again takes on the entire sports world with a mix of notable possibilities from the legends of the past to recent superstars all in one spot.

Keep reading for more as well as a full gallery of images released so far.

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What: 2026 Topps Chrome U.S. Winter Olympics & Paralympic Team trading cards
Arrives: Jan. 15
Box basics: Two autographs and one Relic card per 12-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Checklist: TBD
Order: Click here (when live)

What's buzz-worthy: The Olympians get Chromed once again but this time it's for the 2026 Winter Olympics arriving in Italy in February.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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What: 2025 Wild Card Joker's Wild Multi-Sport trading cards
Arrives: Dec. 10
Basics: One encased autograph card per 20-pack "God Brick" box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Wild Card's newest creation includes an encased 1/1 in every single pack, ink in every box and plenty of quirky and colorful energy on every card as it showcases past and present stars from around the sports world.

Keep reading for more info and a gallery of images.

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What: 2025 Leaf Metal Authentics Vol. 2 autograph cards
Arrives: December
Box basics: One on-card autograph per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: This Metal line is back for a second time this year with nothing but autographs and colorful, rarer parallels in play with a mix of sports and non-sports all in one -- and with multi-signed cards and inscriptions also mixed in.

Keep reading for more details and a teaser gallery for this one.

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What: 2025 Leaf Electrum Multi-sport trading cards
Arrives: Jan. 30, 2026
Box basics: Three auto cards per hobby box (10 per case) or five autos and one 1/1 Vibrance or Flash auto per super mega box (eight per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: One of Leaf's newer lines gets a sophomore release with a new packaging option in play and with stars from the field and beyond both found inside -- sometimes on the same card.

Keep reading for more info and a full gallery.

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What: 2025 Leaf Metal Happy Holidays autograph cards
Arrives: Dec. 12
Box basics: Three autographed cards per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The Metal holiday releases once again take a turn with this one -- carrying a wider distribution beyond just online -- with a holidays release that teams pop culture stars with icons from the sports realm.

Keep reading for more details and a teaser gallery for this one.

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What: 2025 Leaf Metal Women of Sport trading cards
Arrives: Nov. 28
Box basics: Four autographed cards per eight-card box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: It's time for Round 2 of this landmark brand that showcases the female stars in and around the sports world with a heavy dose of signed cards in every box -- and with many of them from unique signers.

Keep reading for more.

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What: 2025 Wild Card Haunted Hits Multi-sport Premium Autograph Edition sports cards
Arrives: Oct. 3
Basics: Five encased cards per box (20 boxes per case) -- four autographs per case
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Wild Card moves away from its ink-only approach with this one while embracing the ghouls of the fall along with the stars of the sports world as part of a lineup that includes a number of card types, some other chases and autographs a few times per case.

Keep reading for more info and a gallery of images.

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What: 2025 Historic Autographs 15th Anniversary trading cards
Arrives: Oct. 29
Box basics: Two encased 1/1 foil cards per six-card box (40 boxes per case via two inners) -- cut autos or memorabilia cards four per case
Checklist & more details: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Historic Autographs celebrates its 15th anniversary with a foil-enhanced "Fire & Ice" look back at a number of its past sets with hits from around the collecting universe in play ... all in one spot.

Keep reading for more information.

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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 packs: 2024 Leaf Metal Signature Series Multi-sport 1/1 Pre-Production Proofs (four)
Where to buy: Click here for other Leaf proof packs/lots

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

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What: 2025 Panini The Ohio State University sports cards
Arrives: Sept. 26
Box basics: Two autographs per six-pack hobby box (20 boxes per case), 24 cards per six-pack blaster (20 per case)
Checklist: TBD
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Stars from today's Ohio State Buckeyes sports programs -- men's and women's teams -- hit cardboard from Panini in a release that's got plenty of stuff to chase, including cards for some top legends of the past.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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What: 2025 Leaf Metal Halloween autograph cards
Arrives: Late September
Box basics: Three autographed cards per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The Metal holiday releases take a turn with this one -- carrying a wider distribution beyond just online -- with fewer than 450 cases made for a release that teams the pop culture stars of this holiday with icons from the sports realm.

Keep reading for more details and a teaser gallery for this one.

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What: 2025 Super Break Supercharged Series 2
Arrives: Oct. 15
Box basics: At least three items per box (three boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Super Break offers up a second helping of its new memorabilia blind-box product this year with a mix of some of the biggest names in the game from the sports realm and even more from pop culture possible among the finds.

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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 packs: 2024 Leaf Metal Signature Series Multi-sport 1/1 Pre-Production Proofs (three)
Where to buy: Click here for other Leaf proof packs/lots

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

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