Mystery Box Buzz Break: Boston Red Sox Publications Grab Bag

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: Boston Red Sox Mystery Publications Grab Bag
Where to buy: Via Red Sox on MLB.com (find new MLB cards at BlowoutCards.com)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and a gallery of what was in this box. (Yes, it was a box and not a bag ... but that's their image.)

Items in this mystery box: 10 ... see ‘em all in the gallery below
Official Yearbooks: 2000, 2003, 2006, 2022
Red Sox Magazine: Fourth Edition 2016
Game Programs: May 2021
Media Guides: 2023, 2020
Others: 2023 NHL Winter Classic program, 2018 Harvard-Yale at Fenway Park

Names on covers: Pedro Martinez, Nomar Garciaparra, Tim Wakefield, Jason Varitek, David Ortiz, Johnny Damon, Kevin Millar, Rafael Devers, Coco Crisp, Kike Hernandez and others

What's Buzz-worthy: Yes, I went back to the well for another one of these -- to get some free shipping -- but at least the variety was back up here with several pubs I have not seen here before in my half-dozen (or maybe more) of these I have opened in recent years. Why? They’re cheap and the results can be solid like that clean and crisp David Ortiz commemorative that could probably grade a CGC 9.8 right now. ... I last opened one of these last year and things were a but repetitive then, so this change was a welcomed one. Why rip into these? You never know what might pop up -- older or newer -- that might be appealing showcasing stars or fan favorites and this one (as have a few others) included a piece from the NHL when Fenway Park hosted. Why are these of interest? Memorabilia collectors, player collectors, team collectors, autograph collectors and slab collectors all might have something to draw them in here and the price per issue is good at less than $2 apiece. (I’m a publication collector, having made a few in my day, as well as a grader from time to time.) They’re generally all clean, not mangled and clearly unread copies from deep in the Red Sox archives. In the past, the MLB mothership promised "eight to 12 different publications that can be from the 1980s to current day" with the thought that "you never know what you'll get." They had me at mystery. There's very little downside to a cheap, different "break" like this from time to time ... other than storage since mags are a little bit bigger than cards. It just comes down to what kind of stock they have left and whether it gets repetitive after you open a few.

Product Grade: A- (good volume and value most times)
Box Grade: A (Ortiz finale was a win)
Fun Grade: B

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