Ichiro Suzuki’s 2001 MLB arrival didn’t just change the game on the field — he helped feed growing international demand for baseball cards via plenty of new premium brands that helped pave the way for the ultra-deluxe stuff of today.

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A legendary career and baseball journey on two continents makes its final stop this month in Cooperstown, N.Y., and the Hall of Fame and there’s a lot that can be said about that in several directions. 

Ichiro Suzuki changed the game with his arrival in MLB, eschewing the longball in favor of speed and hits — lots and lots of hits. But, “hits” are also the story of all those years when it comes to baseball cards with the prized rarities found in packs with autographs on them — or pieces of memorabilia in them — being an unstoppable force in those years. 

Of course, hits didn’t start with the Japanese star’s arrival, but many of his cards in sets alongside another now-legendary 2001 rookie, Albert Pujols, helped change the cardboard world even faster. Demand for their stuff prompted several new brands from several companies making MLB cards back then to try new things, capitalizing on their new stars who could move packs and boxes of cards -- just like they could move players around the bases and move butts into seats to watch games. One could argue that 2001 was in part a big piece in the evolution of what we see in today’s sports card landscape -- a focus on rarities with small print runs and with premium prices that weren’t like the wax paper-wrapped pocket-change treasures of not that many years before. 

Now, what’s to come here is absolutely not a definitive list of top cards — and it’s not one purely based on volatile values or one limited solely to Rookie Cards. Why? There’s a lot to choose from for Suzuki on all fronts — there could be several ways to take on this challenge. He has more than 50 different Rookie Cards between his 1993 Nippon Professional Baseball and 2001 Major League Baseball debuts (depending on how you want to argue about RC definitions) and he had roughly 500 cards in 2001 alone. Many of them are rarer cards where it is impossible to own them all thanks to small print runs and rare serial-numbered versions. 

In all, he appears on more than 19,000 different cards made over the years between NPB and MLB -- and even though his playing career ended in 2019 his cardboard career has not. He’s got a place in the game in seemingly every new baseball card set on the way and that figures to be the story for the rest of cardboard eternity. He’s not just a Hall of Famer … he’s an international icon.

Here’s a small sampling of 25 Ichiro Suzuki cards that are both fun and notable.

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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: 2023 Topps Chrome Platinum baseball cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
First Buzz preview with checklist: Click here ... see odds here

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

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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: 2020 Topps Update baseball cards (Walmart blaster)
First Buzz preview with checklist/SPs/more: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

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

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: The NFL Draft is nearly upon us, Day 2 of 2020 Bowman 1st Edition, a free Bartolo Colon autograph (for anybody who buys his book) and more in today's edition.

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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: 2019 Topps Archives baseball cards (hobby box)
First Buzz preview, SPs & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 192
Base set completion: 
163 of 300 (54 percent)
Duplicates: 4

Notables on base cards – Ty Cobb, Shohei Ohtani, Richie Ashburn, Hideki Matsui, Andrew Benintendi, Al Kaline, Deion Sanders, Willie Stargell, Christy Mathewson, George Kell, Jeff Bagwell, Nolan Arenado, Tony Gwynn, Ichiro Suzuki, Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Catfish Hunter, Ivan Rodriguez, Bob Feller, Josh Donaldson, Thurman Munson, Todd Helton, Ronald Acuña Jr., Hank Aaron, Alex Rodríguez, Bob Gibson, Anthony Rizzo, Orlando Cepeda, Reggie Jackson, Don Larsen, Gary Carter, Goose Gossage, Eddie Murray, Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Rod Carew, Carlton Fisk, Jim Thome, Roberto Alomar, Bob Lemon, Pee Wee Reese, Jackie Robinson, Clayton Kershaw, Johnny Bench, Warren Spahn, Tris Speaker, Don Mattingly, Rickey Henderson, Manny Machado, Corey Seager, George Brett, Tim Raines, John Smoltz, Eddie Mathews, Roger Clemens, Harmon Killebrew, Roberto Clemente, David Ortiz, Joe Morgan, Rogers Hornsby, Gary Sanchez, Willie McCovey, Joey Votto, Babe Ruth, Ralph Kiner, Dizzy Dean, Miguel Cabrera, Sammy Sosa

Rookie Cards (27) – Cavan Biggio, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Michael Chavis, Ramon Laureano, Yusei Kikuchi, Kyle Wright, Ryan Borucki, Jake Cave, Cole Tucker, Jake Bauers, Kolby Allard, Ryan O'Hearn, Cedric Mullins, Cal Quantrill, Dakota Hudson, Bryse Wilson, Justus Sheffield, Nick Senzel, Carter Kieboom, Josh James, Brad Keller, Michael Kopech, DJ Stewart, Steven Duggar, Chris Shaw, Enel De Los Santos

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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: 2018 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 9
Cards in this box: 72
Base set completion: 
63 of 200 (32 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Um ... Bartolo Colon? (It's about RCs.)

Rookie Cards (16) – Juan Soto, Mike Soroka, J.D. Davis, Willy Adames, Austin Gomber, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Miles Mikolas, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Tyler Beede, Mitch Garver, Freddy Peralta, Yonny Chirinos, Tomas Nido, P.J. Conlon, Nick Kingham, Braxton Lee

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Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today's your day then as we launch 8 in 8 -- a series of a eight breaks of wax boxes and wax packs in as many hours today. We'll post one every hour ... this is Hour 4.

The box: 2018 Topps Heritage High Number hanger pack tray (eight packs)
The cost: Click here for a few formats

What's inside this one? Keep reading ...

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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: 2018 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 9
Cards in this box: 72
Base set completion: 
63 of 200 (32 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Bartolo Colon, Pat Neshek, Chase Utley (it's about RCs)

Rookie Cards (21) – Shohei Ohtani, Gleyber Torres, Scott Kingery, A.J. Minter, Eric Lauer, Freddy Peralta, Braxton Lee, P.J. Conlon, Niko Goodrum, Tomas Nido, Yonny Chirinos, Mitch Garver, Yoshihisa Hirano, Merandy Gonzalez, Shane Carle, Mike Soroka, Garrett Cooper, Andrew Suarez, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Miles Mikolas, Ryan Yarbrough, Austin Meadows

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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: 2018 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (hanger box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (this and other hobby/retail formats)

Cards per box: 35
Cards in this box: 34
Base set completion: 
30 of 200 (15 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Pablo Sandoval, Bartolo Colon (this one's about RCs)

Rookie Cards (7) – Miles Mikolas, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Fernando Romero, Marcus Walden, Freddy Peralta, Yonny Chirinos, Mitch Garver

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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: 2018 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 9
Cards in this box: 71
Base set completion: 
61 of 200 (31 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Bartolo Colon, Pat Neshek, Chase Utley (it's about RCs)

Rookie Cards (19) – Shohei Ohtani, Gleyber Torres, Scott Kingery, A.J. Minter, Eric Lauer, Freddy Peralta, Braxton Lee, P.J. Conlon, Niko Goodrum, Tomas Nido, Yonny Chirinos, Mitch Garver, Yoshihisa Hirano, Merandy Gonzalez, Shane Carle, Mike Soroka, Joey Lucchesi, Garrett Cooper, Andrew Suarez

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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: 2018 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (hanger box tray)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (this and other hobby/retail formats)

Boxes per tray: 8
Cards per box: 35
Cards in this tray: 280
Base set completion: 
200 of 200 (100 percent)
Duplicates: 52

Notables on base cards – Pablo Sandoval, Bartolo Colon, Pat Neshek, Chase Utley (and all others you might deem notable ... this one's about Rookie Cards)

Rookie Cards (68) – Notables include Ronald Acuña Jr., Shohei Ohtani (2), Juan Soto, Scott Kingery, David Bote, Austin Meadows, Dereck Rodriguez, Gleyber Torres, Tyler O'Neill, Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

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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: 2018 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 9
Cards in this box: 71
Base set completion: 
62 of 200 (31 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Bartolo Colon, Pat Neshek, Pablo Sandoval, Chase Utley

Rookie Cards (20) – Shohei Ohtani, Scott Kingery, Alex Blandino, Austin Gomber, A.J. Minter, Miles Mikolas, Eric Lauer, Freddy Peralta, Austin Meadows, Braxton Lee, P.J. Conlon, Ryan Yarbrough, Niko Goodrum, Tomas Nido, Yonny Chirinos, Mitch Garver, Yoshihisa Hirano, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Merandy Gonzalez, Willy Adames

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Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today's your day then as we launch 12 in 12 -- a series of a dozen breaks of wax boxes and wax packs in a dozen hours. We'll post one every hour all day long ... this is Hour 7.

The box: 1995 Classic 5-Sport retail box
The cost: $15 (will vary if you can find)

What's inside this one? Keep reading ...

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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: 2017 Topps Update baseball cards 
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby & other formats)

Packs per box: 1
Cards per pack: 72
Cards in this box: 72
Base set completion: 
65 of 300 (22 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards of note – Aaron Judge (3), Cody Bellinger (2), Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Manny Machado, Mookie Betts, Joey Votto, Jose Altuve, Gary Sanchez

Rookie Cards (24) – Notables include Aaron Judge (2), Cody Bellinger (2), Ian Happ (2), Yoan Moncada, Dansby Swanson, Tyler Glasnow, Ryon Healy, Brett Phillips

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Topps Now was a game-changer last season for baseball cards and it's been a big enough hit that "Fred" and friends now have an intern.

You might know him.

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Real cards in real time -- or at least the next day. It was a simple idea that became Topps Now that has helped in some ways transform collecting beginning on April 3, 2016.

Need proof?

There are 1,184 different Now cards now for MLB alone -- some with autographs and game-used memorabilia from the games that are depicted on the card. There are also Topps Now cards for last year's election and presidential debates, Now cards for WWE and for UFC and even real-time cardboard releases from AMC's Preacher and the Garbage Pail Kids taking on real-time scandals and viral curiosities. Oh, and there are other companies in on the real-time card business now for the other leagues, too.

Let's take a quick look at some of the highlights from last year's MLB releases before the 2017 Topps Now cards -- with a new look and numbering -- start soon and some basic info on every single one of the 2016 releases.

How do we knew there's a new look? Buzz checked the mailbox and found something inside. Keep reading for a first look at 2017 Topps Now.

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First there was the home run. Then there was the baseball card.

Now there will be a bobble-belly bobblehead.

That's the collectibles life of Bartolo Colon these days as the first career home run of the 42-year-old pitcher has sparked plenty of interest.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Bartolo Colon's home run card, The Golden Bear, vintage debates, vintage pulls and Superfractors ... plenty of Superfractors.

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On Saturday, Bartolo Colon hit the first home run of his big-league career. On Sunday, that memorable moment became a Topps Now baseball card. On Monday, it became the highest-selling Now card ever with 8,826 copies sold.

Today? Well, it's now a $60 baseball card.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Showing off your Top 10 cards, 1990s NBA box breaks, Bartolo Colon's historic homer, 2015 Topps Diamond & Tim Duncan's cardboard.

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With the Kansas City Royals and the New York Mets squaring off in Game 1 of the World Series tonight, there's plenty of collecting potential for both squads

Why? While there are some young stars and veterans who were once much higher on the radar of collectors in the past, there isn't one unquestioned hobby power player in the group. You know, one guy whose cardboard will be on the minds of everyone with a championship in hand.

Instead, there are a few players with big potential here ... so it's time for a Buzz List.

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