With these Ticket Stud or Ticket Dud stories I'm turning just a tiny bit of energy just a few degrees away from cards -- we'll still have plenty of them here -- for a look at a different kind of cardboard. You know ... tickets.

This time? It's not a debate of Stud or Dud in my book. In fact, this ticket isn't even from a mystery box of tickets like the first 44 seen at the link above -- it's from 20 years ago tonight in Boston where a little extra action took place at Fenway Park.

Keep reading to see the details this time ... and, like always, you can tell me if you think it's a Ticket Stud or a Ticket Dud but what's up next is my answer.

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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: The new Hall of Fame ballot, the NFL's "new dumpster fire," Topps Update pulls and more in today's edition.

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ...

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A PIECE OF THE GAME
The Card: Dri Archer 2014 Panini National Treasures Rookie NFL Football & Lace (/4)
The Price: $25
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I've always thought these cards with big and bold pieces of event-used footballs from the NFLPA Rookie Premiere are cool regardless of who they are made for. (Archer last played in 2015 so not much interest in that way.) This was the second time I've grabbed one of these -- the last being years ago at this point -- as I haven't really seen them pop up as much in recent years. (Can't say I'm constantly looking but they aren't super-plentiful, either.) This is literally half of the laces on an NFL ball embedded into a card and three-dimensional cards like this aren't done as often as they should be if you ask me, especially for premium brands. Sure, they cost more to make as those big swatches could have gone to several cards but all of them combined don't have as much oomph as cards like this do.
Grab a box right here: National Treasures boxes (all years)

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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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 Panini Diamond Kings baseball cards (mispacked Target blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby & FOTL)

Keep reading to see a breakdown and gallery of what's in this one.

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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 8.

The box: 2003 Topps 205 Series II baseball cards (hobby box)
The cost: Varies when found -- click here for new MLB boxes

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

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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: 2002 Playoff Piece of the Game
The cost: Varies when found (click here for newer MLB boxes)

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

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There are eight guys with realistic chances at being voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame tonight (announcement is set for 6 p.m. EST on MLB Network) and there's one good thing to be had here for potential new baseball card collectors or veterans still needing them.

Most of them have Rookie Cards can be easily landed thanks to the timeframe when they were made -- and they have plenty of cards to chase in boxes made since.

The first lock of the bunch is former New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, MLB's career saves leader (652), who is a contender for the highest Hall of Fame voting percentage ever. That mark is 99.6 percent of ballots and is held by Ken Griffey Jr. back in 2016. Unlike Griffey -- and others you'll see here -- Rivera has just one Rookie Card. It can be found in 1992 Bowman, a set that added gloss and white stock into the brand's repertoire along with a deeper checklist (and guys in street clothes). Rivera has more than 5,500 different cards but only one gets the RC label -- that's a rarity in this day and age that helps bolster its value. (If you want one, buy it graded. They have been counterfeited.) >> Check out his autographed cards (and more) on eBay

Who else is out there and potentially headed to Cooperstown?

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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 11.

The box: 2003 Topps 205 Series II baseball cards (hobby box)
The cost: $75 (click here for new MLB boxes)

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

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This year's Baseball Hall of Fame ballot has been released by the Baseball Writers' Association of America with several new names and players who appeared on last year's ballot but failed to get selected on 75 percent of the vote.

It's a crop that includes Chipper Jones, Jim Thome and Johan Santana among the newcomers and Larry Walker, Fred McGriff, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens among those left over from past ballots.

Below is the ballot that all BBWAA members will receive. The writers can vote for as many as 10 players. Those who appear on 75 percent of all ballots cast will be inducted into the Hall.

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What: 2017 Historic Autographs Ink'd Threads
Arrives: May 3
Box basics: One autographed jersey per box (12 boxes per case)

What's buzz-worthy: Hall of Famers from baseball, football and basketball will join some notable stars from today and some surprise non-sports inclusions in a product that includes nothing but signed jerseys.

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 box: 2017 Donruss baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 192
Base set completion: 
128 of 195 (66 percent)
Duplicates: 0
Short-prints (Nos. 1-45; Diamond Kings & Rated Rookies) (9) –  Paul Goldschmidt, Jackie Bradley Jr., Christian Yelich, Noah Syndergaard, Maikel Franco, Madison Bumgarner, Dansby Swanson, Tyler Glasnow, Aaron Judge

Notables on base cards – Manny Machado, Mookie Betts, Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber, Francisco Lindor, Miguel Cabrera, Carlos Correa, Albert Pujols, Corey Seager, Giancarlo Stanton, Gary Sanchez, Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey, Bryce Harper, Cal Ripken Jr., Johnny Bench, Kirby Puckett, Nolan Ryan, Pete Rose

>>> For a variation gallery, click here
>>> For a checklist & general gallery, click here

Rookie Cards (3) – Dansby Swanson, Tyler Glasnow, Aaron Judge

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This year's Baseball Hall of Fame ballot has been released by the Baseball Writers' Association of America with 19 new names as well as the players who appeared on last year's ballot but failed to get 75 percent of the vote.

Below is the list of names that all BBWAA members will receive. The writers can vote for as many as 10 players and those who appear on 75 percent of all ballots cast will go into the Hall. Your challenge here is different.

Unlike the writers, you don't get to pick 10. You get to pick just one player. 

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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: 2003 Playoff Piece of the Game baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: Wherever you can find it this reasonably priced ($49).

Packs per box: 6 (plus one bonus topper pack)
Cards per pack: 1
Cards in this box: 7
Base set completion: 
4 of 179 (2 percent)
Duplicates: 0

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What: 2016 TRISTAR Hidden Treasures History of Baseball autographed photos
Arrives: May 18
Box basics: One autographed photo per pack (30 packs per case; two 15-pack displays)

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's Hidden Treasures line of packaged memorabilia moves back to photos for its next release with a lineup that includes past greats and big names of today.

Keep reading for more about what's in this one.

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The Baseball Writers' Association of America votes are in, and there's no surprise at the top -- Ken Griffey Jr. is headed to Cooperstown, N.Y., this summer to join baseball's immortals.

He received 99.3 percent of the vote -- a record and three votes short of unanimous -- after his first time on the ballot. Joining him is former Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza, who appeared on 83 percent of the 440 ballots.

Griffey helped usher in a new era of collecting in 1989 as the iconic No. 1 in the first Upper Deck set, a release that helped change the printing and packaging of cards and the collecting expectations of a generation. For those same thirty-somethings and beyond, he's an also icon on the field with his backwards cap and a smooth but powerful left-handed swing that helped produce 630 home runs and countless more memorable moments for the Mariners, Reds and White Sox over 22 seasons but never a World Series at-bat.

Clearly he's one of the greatest players -- and most-beloved players -- in MLB history, a symbol of what's good about the game in an era of bogus records and inflated statistics that have undermined not only the results on the field but also the cardboard of our youth. His enshrinement this summer in Cooperstown will be the stuff that cardboard (and baseball) marketing is made of. In fact, there are already two forthcoming brands -- 2016 Topps Series 2 and 2016 Topps Finest (above right) -- that will spotlight Junior.

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This year's Baseball Hall of Fame ballot has been released by the Baseball Writers' Association of America with 15 new names and several players who appeared on last year's ballot but failed to get 75 percent of the votes.

Below is the ballot that all BBWAA members will receive. The writers can vote for as many as 10 players. Those who appear on 75 percent of all ballots cast will be inducted into the Hall. Your challenge here is a bit different.

Continue reading →