What: 2025 Panini Select NASCAR cards
Arrives: Aug. 8
Box basics:  Two autographs and one memorabilia cards per 12-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Select once again hits the NASCAR circuit with an array of potential collecting finds with a tiered set, plenty of parallels and a hit in every fourth pack.

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

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Here's this month's roundup of items that have recently caught my eye as a buyer ... 

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CROSSING HIM OFF 
The Card: Joe Montana autographed 1988 Topps card (BAS slabbed)
The Price: About $65
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Rewind the clock to the early/mid 1990s and Montana is the unquestioned top QB on cardboard with perhaps only a small number of RBs or WRs even coming close to competing with him for popularity on cards. Back then, in a new era of certified autographs from brands such as Pro Line and Classic or mail-order autographed items, there was ink to chase but Montana was never, ever on my radar. Why? Look at that auto ... there's still not much going on there that would have sparked me to pay a premium price for a glorified initialgraph with a slight more added on. Fast-forward to now and the Hall of Famer still has all those rings and all those MVP awards, but he's been surpassed on the stat sheets and cards ... it happens. The 68-year-old has done a lot of signing for Leaf for its releases and buyback brands -- I think this was one from there -- in recent years and it had been on my radar for literally months as I really like the look of many of his 1980s Topps cards. A relatively clean copy with an on-card auto is a no-brainer if the price is right and I got this one for about half of the asking price of man identical copy I'd been watching. All these years later, I can cross Montana off my ink-needed list.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this ... but NFL cards are here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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What: 2024 Panini Prizm NASCAR cards
Arrives: Dec. 4, 2024
Box basics: Three autographs per 12-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Prizm hits the track once again with plenty of past and present stars in the mix and with plenty of parallels and color.

Keep reading for more info.

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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 ... and this time there's a bit of everything in there.e--

FINALLY FOUND A FISTOGRAPH ???
The Card: Otis 2021 Topps WWE Undisputed Fistographs (/25)
The Price: About two Prizm WWE blasters (plus tax)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This box-topper from Topps' best release not named Transcendent back in its WWE days was not a regular kind of find. These days some of these are expensive and some are not, but the ones I'd want tend to have more dollars attached. While this literal big star -- a power and comedy guy -- isn't really on my radar, this was as a perfect example to own one of these cards for any name when I found it on the cheap. Now, what is it? If you haven't figured that out, that's a print from his right hand balled into a fist dipped in what looks like some light black paint and then pushed onto the card. The thumb touch blends in with his hand in the photo a bit but the rest is obvious, and it's a unique kind of card for a fighter.
Grab a box right here: Click for WWE cards

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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 stamps, 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. So, with that said, here's the first of what just might become a monthly department here on The Buzz for this new year

Our second subject and autograph in this ongoing series? NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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What: 2023 Panini National Treasures NASCAR cards
Arrives: Feb. 21, 2024
Box basics: Four autographed cards, three memorabilia cards and one base/parallel card per eight-card box (four boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: National Treasures is set to hit the track once again just after the dust settles after this year's Daytona 500 with plenty of nods to the past and present inside its boxes.

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

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What: 2023 Panini Prizm NASCAR cards
Arrives: Feb. 7, 2024
Box basics: Four autographs per 12-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Prizm arrives for NASCAR fans once again with all the energy and color fans have come to expect and with some new stuff and new names in there, too.

Keep reading for more info.

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What: 2023 Panini Prime NASCAR cards
Arrives: Nov. 22
Box basics: Three autographs and three memorabilia cards per seven-card box (eight boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: After some time in the shop, Panini America revives Prime for NASCAR fans with some new touches such as the Prime Number Signatures (above) that showcase laps led with each card limited to a digit in the total.

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

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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 ... a mix of low-and and higher-end finds as well as some non-traditional things people might like to collect. 

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MY HERITAGE SLEEPER SET ... 
The Card: Hank Aaron 2023 Topps Heritage Puzzles (announced /500)
The Price: $17.99
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This oversized box-topper set isn't huge at just 20 puzzles on the checklist but they don't drop all that often, either, from what I have seen -- one per case at most (and maybe not at all). It's one that I knew I liked immediately back when Heritage dropped with its lineup of mostly current names but also with some past stars all in one spot. What are they? Literal puzzles shrink-wrapped to a cardboard backer placed atop the packs in some boxes. A total of 13 active players (two rookies) are here along with seven Hall of Famers -- but some obvious names like Shohei Ohtani didn't make the cut ... so I suspect we'll see more in the second series later this year. I liked a few of the options in this one but waited for prices to dip and they really haven't as much as I had hoped they would. (Why? They're on the rarer side of things compared to a lot of stuff in this one.) This one presented itself on more of the affordable side more recently so I bit. These are just oldschool cool if you ask me -- something that feels a bit anti-2023 but also not totally part of a rigid Heritage formula that's been going for two decades plus now. I like surprises -- and this set felt like one.
Grab a box right here: 2023 Topps Heritage

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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What: 2023 Panini Chronicles NASCAR trading cards
Arrives: Aug. 23
Box basics: Three autos and one memorabilia card per six-pack box (16 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Panini brings its all-in-one brand to the NASCAR circuit for a fourth time with this one presenting a number of brands and some new inclusions in this one -- like two Immaculate Collection cards per box.

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

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What: 2023 Donruss NASCAR cards
Arrives: May 12
Box basics: One auto and two memorabilia cards per 24-pack box (20 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Donruss returns to the track with a familiar format but some higher-end inclusions and nods to NASCAR's 75th anniversary.

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

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It's a simple concept that can add a lot of surprise and some good value and it's back for another go in packs of 2022 Donruss NFL cards from Panini America.

Fans of the Game cards are just that -- cards of notable fans who've signed on to show the collecting world their other teams away from those that they might be known for. It's a set that, in some ways, loosened things up in sports cards almost 20 years ago when Donruss included Sopranos star James Gandolfini in packs of 2004 Donruss Elite along with rare inked versions. It sparked interest to where nearly every subsequent release from the company included a handful of famous fans and other sports sets started including ink from all around the collecting world.

This year? There is a small stack -- seven stars on either seven or eight basic cards -- but there are some A-list sports stars and some other A-list talent to be found ... with autographs once again in play.

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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: 2021 Panini Prizm NASCAR cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby when available)

Click to see the full breakdown and a gallery of highlights.

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What: 2022 Panini National Treasures NASCAR cards
Arrives: Feb. 15, 2023
Box basics: Four autographed cards, three memorabilia cards and one booklet card per nine-card box (four boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: National Treasures returns to the track with the familiar format and look of years past but with perhaps a little more color and new looks at young stars as well as legends from the past.

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

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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 Donruss NASCAR cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few versions)

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

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What: 2022 Panini Chronicles NASCAR trading cards
Arrives: June 22
Box basics: Three autos and one memorabilia card per six-pack box (16 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Panini brings its all-in-one brand to the NASCAR circuit for a third time with this one presenting a number of brands and some new inclusions in this one.

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

Continue reading →

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 ... and it's once again the biggest Buzz Buys ever. (A collection of pick-ups from recent times as well as in the past year or so.)

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A RECORD-SETTER, BUT ... 
The Cards: Wander Franco 2022 Topps Living Set (/68,228)
The Price: Direct from Topps (10-pack price)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This one re-wrote the new Living Set record book with its sales volume and I did a 10-pack to hopefully land a copy without centering issues and to maybe grade one or two. It turns out 10 wasn't enough as the front card is closest to centered but it has a cardboard blotch that should nix some top marks and any immediate grading from me. I still might but not right now. With so many made, there likely will be plenty graded in the coming months ... so without an obvious gem I'll wait. This might have been my first Living Set lot direct from Topps since Vladimir Guerrero Jr., so it will probably send me back to hibernation on that brand. We'll see.
Grab a box right here: No boxes for this one ... but MLB boxes are here.

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: 2021 Panini Chronicles NASCAR cards (blaster box)
First Buzz preview: Click here
The cost: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Keep reading for a 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 Donruss NASCAR cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Click to see the full breakdown and a gallery of highlights.

Continue reading →

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 Donruss NASCAR cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Click to see the full breakdown and a gallery of highlights.

Continue reading →

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 Torque NASCAR cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a couple formats)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of images that 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: 2018 Panini Prizm NASCAR cards (blaster box)
The cost: BlowoutCards.com

Keep reading for a 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 Panini Prizm NASCAR cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Click to see the full breakdown and a gallery of highlights.

Continue reading →

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 ...

FEELING SUPER
The Card: Nick Swisher 2015 Bowman Chrome Superfractor #129 (1/1)
The Reason Bought: I picked this one up off of a collector friend who grabbed it for me, making this just my second Superfractor for my retired favorite player and my third Super overall (I once pulled one from a Heritage blaster) in years of collecting. There's not a whole lot of grading drama to be had on either the grade or the pop report, but I figured I'd lead things off with the rarest card of the bunch for this edition.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: This is the only one that exists and it had been on the market for literally years online -- I got it for about $3 more than an offer I made for it when it first arrived and was declined. I've never been all that enamored enough to chase any of them, but this one I'm comfortable with since it was not much more than a basic Bowman box typically goes for at suggested retail price even after landing a top grade.

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

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What: 2020 Panini Prizm NASCAR cards
Arrives: Oct. 9
Box basics: Four autographs per 12-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Prizm hits the track for another lap with a number of the familiar inclusions collectors have come to expect from the brand.

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

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