Alabama
First Buzz: 2025 Panini Prizm Draft Picks football cards
What: 2025 Panini Prizm Draft Picks football cards
Arrives: Aug. 20
Box basics: Four autographs per four-pack box (16 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)What's buzz-worthy: Panini offers up Prizm Draft once again with some current college stars on NIL deals and greats of the recent past in their school colors with an autograph in every pack and plenty more.
Keep reading for more info and a full gallery.
Making the Grade (Dec.): Juan Soto, The Mask, Tua, Penny, LeBron, Shotzi, JFK, MJ, Mariah May, Machete & much more
Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.
Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ...
STRONG SEASON ... WHAT'S NEXT?
The Card: Juan Soto 2018 Topps 582 Montgomery Club Set 1 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: A big season that came up short of the goal ... but now it's time for a historic payday while still in his mid-20s. Soto's Rookie Cards (2018) aren't all that rare, really, but there's a lot of demand -- but they still might be good buys depending on where he goes next. (Mets? Watch out.) All those thoughts were in mind when I popped this one into a submission earlier this year along with other key names from this small set for Club members. It's not a traditional RC since it's from a small set, but it's still a good Soto to me ... so I slabbed it.
The Grade: CGC 10Grade 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 P10 Total Population 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 4 Reality Check: Top grade of a small volume works for me. I'm sure there will be more and I'm sure the pops are higher elsewhere, but the range of the grades here shows it might not be the easiest kind of card to grade thanks to that retro stock.
Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.
The List: NFL Draft meets 2022 Bowman University Best
What: 2022 Bowman University Best football cards
The Reason: The 2024 NFL Draft of course ... but not just this year's draft class.
Box basics: Two autos per box (eight boxes per case)
First Buzz Preview/Checklist: Click here
Order: Click hereWhat's buzz-worthy: This year's NFL Draft is upon us with Round 1 last night, two more tonight and then the final four on Saturday. Thanks to NIL deals the last few years, it's rare for a notable player to not have cards these days -- at least players from major schools -- and this officially licensed set that's the focus of The List includes a bunch of guys drafted just last night, including the No. 1 pick, as well as a bunch of guys in the NFL right now who were drafted last year. There will likely be more new pros to come tonight, too, but for simplicity's sake we'll look at last night's names and then the first three rounds of last year on this edition of The List. How many made The List from that alone? Almost 30 players in this one -- from just a 100-card set -- with autographs, parallels and more in play.
Keep reading for The List ...
Fast Five: NFL Draft first-rounders I'll watch on cardboard
This one is a quick idea for a new department here on The Buzz ... Fast Five -- a quick list under a simple topic that might offer a basic starting point for a themed collection. It's a basic list of five items that could be fun for a starting collector or a new way to add to a stash that might already seemingly include everything when it comes to cardboard. For some of you, it's probably common sense. For others of you out there, it's something to think about.
This time? First-rounders I'd be watching on cardboard ...
THE SURPRISE?
Jordan Love, QB, Packers
Remember last year when the Giants picked Daniel Jones sixth overall in the draft out of Duke and plenty of people had plenty to say about it? Remember how Jones played last year? Those things may not really apply here, but beyond the obvious big names I think the Packers' trade up to get this Utah State QB might have stole the show chatter-wise and that should translate into attention for his football cards. The obstacle that is future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers might scare some people off of his cards, but we may have a while before game action determines anything this year.Keep reading for four more making up the list this time.
Buzz Break: Panini Country Music (retail display box case)
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: Panini Country Music trading cards (retail display-box case)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
Boxes per case: 20
Packs per box: 24
Packs per case: 732
Cards per pack: 8
Cards per box: 192
Cards per case: 3,840 (approximated ... didn't sort base completely)
Base set completion: 100 of 100 (100 percent)
Duplicates: Plenty ... could be as many as 28 sets hereNotables on base cards – Darius Rucker, Florida Georgia Line, LeAnn Rimes, Tracy Lawrence, Kimberly Perry, Sara Evans, Alabama, Big & Rich, Trick Pony, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Wynona Judd ... and plenty more.
Buzz Break: 2017 Leaf U.S. Army All-American Football Vault
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: 2017 Leaf U.S. Army All-American Football Vault
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (when available)
Boxes per box: 2
Cards per pack: 4 in bonus box; varies in standard box
Cards in this box: 16
Base set completion: N/A
Duplicates: 0Buzz Break: 2014 Panini Country Music cards (hobby box)
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: 2014 Panini Country Music cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: Click here
Packs per box: 4
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 32
Base set completion: 21 of 100 (21 percent)
Duplicates: 0Base cards of notables – The Band Perry, Big & Rich, Eli Young Band, Alabama, Reid Perry, Brantley Gilbert, Jennifer Nettles, LeAnn Rimes
Sometimes collecting doesn't make sense -- and that's fine
The recent Ken Stabler Career Collection sale via Pristine Auction was one on my collecting radar from the second it was teased and on my mind until the final gavel came down earlier this month.Simply put, I had to have something.
Why? Stabler wasn't the first NFL player I ever met -- he was probably the second -- and I had his autograph a dozen times from various appearances where I played autograph hound in the past, but I knew I had met someone unique every time I ran into him. I knew that the MVP awards and the game-used items would be out of my reach. I knew that the game balls would be scooped up by serious collectors just like many of the odd mementos in the auction that included everything from wedding photos to belt buckles, cowboy hats and mix tapes.
But I knew I had to have something.
Buzz Break: 2016 Panini Black Gold college football cards
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: 2016 Panini Black Gold college football cards
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
Packs per box: 2
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 10
Base set completion: 0 of 89 (0 percent)
Duplicates: 0First Buzz: 2016 Panini Immaculate Collection Collegiate football cards
What: 2016 Panini Immaculate Collection Collegiate football cards
Arrives: Sept. 14
Box basics: Five autographs or memorabilia cards per box (15 boxes per case)What's buzz-worthy: The college gridiron gets its own Immaculate Collection release with the stars of the past (and recent past) with the high-end take we got a taste of with the multi-sport edition last fall.
Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.
Ken Stabler's personal memorabilia to be sold via Pristine Auction
More than 450 lots of memorabilia from the collection of a former Alabama Crimson Tide and Oakland Raiders great are headed into collectors' hands soon as they are now on the auction block.
Trophies, game-used memorabilia and more from the collection of Ken Stabler, who will be posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 6, are up for grabs after his family decided to part with them. "Snake" died in July 2015 after a brief battle with colon cancer.
"In honoring Ken Stabler’s requests, his family has chosen to make items from his personal career collection available to the fans of Mr. Stabler’s career through Pristine Auction," read a release from the Phoenix-based company. "It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity ... to obtain a piece of sports memorabilia owned by legendary Oakland Raiders quarterback and 2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Ken Stabler."
First Buzz: 2016 Panini Black Gold Collegiate sports cards
What: 2016 Panini Black Gold Collegiate sports cards
Arrives: July 27
Box basics: Four autographs or memorabilia cards per two-pack box (eight boxes per case)What's buzz-worthy: This brand arrives on the college level for the first time with four cards per pack and the familiar look that we've seen in other sports with baseball, football and basketball cards in this release.
Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.
Buzz Break: Panini Country Music trading cards (retail box)
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: Panini Country Music trading cards (retail box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 192
Base set completion: 100 of 100 (100 percent)
Duplicates: 45Base cards of notables – Darius Rucker, Florida Georgia Line, LeAnn Rimes, Tracy Lawrence, Kimberly Perry, Sara Evans, Alabama, Big & Rich, Trick Pony, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Wynona Judd
Buzz List: Five NFL players to watch in Week 13
With the Patriots jettisoned from the unbeaten ranks, all eyes are on MVP candidate Cam Newton as his 11-0 Carolina Panthers take on the high-powered offense and no-powered defense of the New Orleans Saints on Sunday afternoon.
Newton has thrown for 2,466 yards and 20 touchdowns this season, scoring seven more times on the ground. His 2011 Rookie Cards have to be among the most-watched right now, too, with Topps Chrome and Panini Contenders autos among perennial favorites with more tradition-minded collectors who can't swing for the high-end brands. (Or maybe that's just Buzz.)
Something wants Buzz to call an upset here because the Saints have potential on offense, but ... we'll see.
Keep reading for four more guys to watch on Sunday.
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