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 Allen & Ginter baseball cards
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Keep reading for a full breakdown of what was in this one as well as a gallery of highlights.

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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 newer pick-ups and some retro/oddball finds.

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A SIMPLE VARIATION
The Card: Bryce Young 2023 Panini Prizm Draft Picks Variations Silver parallel
The Price: $9.99
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This one caught my attention out there in the world with it being the antithesis of a lot of draft cards these days -- a helmet-less studio portrait -- so I bit. It looked clean and potentially slab-worthy but after how his rookie season went I might wait and see if others go the slab route and I'll pick theirs off rather than sub this one. Or, over the long haul, maybe this will make its way into my submissions -- but it's not a priority at the moment. We'll see. Either way, I like this card and no matter what he does in the NFL he's always got a spot of some sort in the school ties part of my collection.
Grab a box right here: BlowoutCards.com

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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What: 2022 Super Glow Update Jumbo Edition
Arrives: Dec. 27, 2023
Box basics: Two autographs per six-pack box (five boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Super Break's revisiting of its original release for a late update set gets a second run with a ton of big names among possible finds from all around the sports world in both the pro and college ranks.

Keep reading for more info and a selection of images.

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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 Archives baseball cards (blaster)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

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

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: 2023 Topps Allen & Ginter X baseball cards
Checklist: N/A (base parallels regular A&G but not everything is in here)
Odds: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (when available)

Keep reading for a full breakdown of what was in this one as well as a gallery of highlights.

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What: 2022 Keepsake Multi-sport Edition cards
Arrives: Dec. 22, 2023
Box basics: One encased Keepsake card per illuminated display box (five boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Super Break's Keepsake brand goes high-end for fans of all sports in this one with a mix of legendary names from the past, present and future (college stars on NIL deals) all in play.

Keep reading for more info and a selection of images.

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If you hadn't noticed, there are a number of boxes with discounted prices right now right here as the first wave of Blowout Cards' Black November sales is here

Many of the discounts were dramatic enough that Buzz once again had to ponder the possibilities in many of the boxes and cases -- and here are five that caught this collector’s eye ... and there's far more that just might suit your tastes in the big sale.

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SCHOOL COLORS & MORE
2022 Bowman's Best University Football Hobby
It might be the season talking, but this box jumped out at me among the sales ranks as it's relatively new, includes a bunch of stars playing on Saturdays (thanks to NIL deals they're in here) and some notables who are now playing on Sundays right now, too. There are two Chrome autos per box here as well as quite a bit of insert and parallel potential, too, without breaking the bank. Sure, with a deeper checklist and names who won't be pros until later, there will be some leaner boxes than others -- like anything, really -- but with full logos, NIL guys, Chrome and parallels this one might have a shelf life a little longer than others in terms of popular players emerging on the fields and on collectors' minds. Among autos here? The last two Heisman Trophy winners, Bryce Young and Caleb Williams, along with Jordan Addison, Anthony Richardson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Heisman favorite J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix, Jordan Addison, C.J. Stroud and more ... and there are multi-player autos to find, too.

Keep reading for a few more boxes you should consider (and are likely to end up in Buzz's cart).

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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 Allen & Ginter X baseball cards
Checklist: N/A (base parallels regular A&G but not everything is in here)
Odds: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (when available)

Keep reading for a full breakdown of what was in this one as well as 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: 2022 Topps Stadium Club baseball cards (blaster)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of highlights from this box.

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What: 2023 Panini National Treasures baseball cards
Arrives: Nov. 22
Box basics: At least eight autographs or memorabilia cards -- including one booklet card -- per box (four boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: National Treasures baseball cards arrive for the 10th time with all-time greats, promising prospects and a few other young stars all inside what looks like a hits-only release this year.

Keep reading for more as well as a full gallery of images.

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What: 2023 Historic Autographs Ink'd Threads Fall Edition Signed Jerseys
Arrives: Mid-November
Box basics: One autographed custom jersey per box (16 per case) -- plus two Historic Autographs packs per box
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Historic Autographs turns its attention to memorabilia for a second time this year with this multi-sport release that will include autographs from around the sports world and beyond -- and Hall of Famers are once again found in every other box.

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: 2023 Donruss baseball cards (blaster)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for this one.

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What: 2023 Topps The Joy of Baseball Bob Ross X MLB
Arrives: Oct. 5 via Topps.com
Box basics: Two autographs and one paintbrush pen per eight-pack Collector's Edition box; TBD on Happy Little Boxes
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Do "happy little trees" make for happy little baseball cards and, in turn, happy little collectors? The world will find out soon as this meshing of MLB cardboard with the famed late artist arrives this week.

Keep reading for more as well as a full gallery of images.

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What: 2023 Leaf History Book Sports Edition Chapter 1 sports cards
Arrives: December
Box basics: Two booklet cards per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf offers up nothing but booklet cards in its newest high-end multi-sport release -- a mix of multi-player autograph and memorabilia groupings from around the sports world all in one spot.

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

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What: 2022 Super Glow Inaugural Update Edition
Arrives: Oct. 9, 2023
Box basics: Two autographs per six-pack box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Super Break revisits its original release for a late update set with a ton of big names among possible finds from all around the sports world in both the pro and college ranks.

Keep reading for more info and a selection of images.

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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 ...

FROM THE BARGAIN BIN TO ...
The Card: Ken Griffey Jr. 1989 Topps Traded -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: I picked up this at the last minute -- literally at closing time -- at a past National Sports Collectors Convention after some digging through a bargain bin where cards were literally bouncing around inside cases in a plastic tub. For just $5 this card (as a raw copy) was mine after one thing jumped out at me -- its back with all that black ink was perfectly cut and its front was super-close to centered. It's not that I needed this card, really, as I picked up about three or four sets from the 1989 JCPenney Christmas catalog -- just $12.99 apiece -- back in the day, but I found the rough back edges to be an issue when revisiting all my copies with the the stars that survived past purges. This one made it into one of my bulk grading subs earlier this year as it was past time to grade one. Yes, it's got a very slight rough spot on the front left -- some extra fuzz as it's some light cardboard -- but everything else here (especially the back) was too clean to not send it in.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: That's definitely the kind of grade I was going for here, though a lot of them seem to check in at that mark -- about 17 percent of the current population -- which seems high for the era, but, at the same time, these were released as boxed sets and not in packs so they perhaps didn't get handled as much during packaging. Plus, inner cards in the boxes got protected pretty well. I'll take it. This one has always been one of my favorite RCs for this icon ... because I could afford this one and not the other big one that many love. I have them all now, of course (I think), but I'm pretty sure few or even none of my copies from back then would grade like this one did. Not bad for a $5 find and then $10 more to grade it.

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

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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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IT'S FOOTBALL SEASON ... 
The Item: Paul "Bear" Bryant cut autograph (BAS authenticated)
The Price: Less than a lot of new hobby boxes.
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This pricier (for me) pick-up actually came in the last week of last year but I decided to hold onto posting it here until it's the right time -- and since football season is upon us, well, that means now's the time. In the fall of 2019, I bought a starter auto of this legendary Alabama Crimson Tide coach who before Nick Saban was easily the greatest in school history (right now, it's perhaps a toss-up) -- that one was an inscribed nickname-only auto -- for a lot less as it was a cut from a paperback book. This one? It's signed on thick, red paper (almost a light cardboard stock) and I know exactly where it came from -- a 1975 copy of his autobiography, Bear: The Hard Life and Good Times of Alabama's Coach Bryant. I have a clean-but-ratty copy of that book somewhere in my stash from an antiques store find 20-some years ago, but when this popped up from a West Coast mega-dealer of vintage (and selected modern-player) autographed stuff and plenty more I bit. I actually prefer the cut auto feel here in its case vs. the full book as it can be viewed when you find it vs. tucked behind a cover. A lot of Bryant autographs are found these days -- 40 years after his death -- are on signed copies of this book or on a style of autographed photo or two that is nearly always found inscribed and dated to fans or boosters from back in the day. While a photo (preferably slabbed) would be nice, this is a better, simpler item. Authenticated photos can cost less but look iffier depending on condition. I like this one -- and it's card-like feel -- and, heck, I might even do more. They are out there and findable.
Grab a box right here: College football boxes

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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What: 2023 Onyx Authenticated Baseball Clubhouse Collection Authentic Game-used Batting Gloves
Arrives: Oct. 20
Box basics: One pair of game-used batting gloves per box (12 boxes per case via four mini-cases)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: This MLBPA-approved product returns to collectors' hands with every box including a pair of used batting gloves from top young names, established veterans or all-time greats.

Keep reading for more info, including a full checklist.

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What: 2023 Onyx Hidden Gemz sports cards
Arrives: July 26
Box basics: One autographed Onyx card and one Hidden Gemz buyback card per box (four boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Onyx offers up a simple approach that gives collectors what they want in two simple ways -- an autograph and a buyback in every box.

Keep reading for more info and a checklist.

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What: 2023 Panini Immaculate Collection baseball cards
Arrives: Aug. 4
Box basics: Four autographs and two memorabilia cards per six-card box (eight boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Immaculate is back for a new season on the diamond with nothing but hits inside for stars from the past and then promising prospects and guys who may already be new to the majors just this year.

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

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What: 2023 Leaf Exotic Baseball cards
Arrives: Aug. 30
Box basics: Three autographed cards per box (20 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf's welcomes baseball collectors to the jungle with this colorful line now focusing on past and present stars of the diamond.

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

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What: 2022 Leaf Ultimate Soccer cards
Arrives: Sept. 29, 2023
Box basics: At least five autographs per six-card box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf brings Ultimate to soccer fans with a mix of hits being the only cards found inside its boxes with some of the biggest stars in the world, too.

Keep reading for more info and a gallery of images.

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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 set: 1992 UD MLB Team MVP Holograms
Where to buy: Check junk bins ... hit BlowoutCards.com for newer MLB cards

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

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What: 2023 Panini Select baseball cards
Arrives: July 19
Box basics: Two autographs and two memorabilia cards per 12-pack hobby box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Select hits the diamond with the familiar tiered approach for standard cards -- this time just prospects and retired MLB stars, though -- and then plenty of what collectors have come to expect elsewhere.

Keep reading for a gallery and more info.

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What: 2023 Leaf Vibrance sports cards
Arrives: June 30
Box basics: Two autographed cards per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The second release for this star-studded and colorful brand in the Leaf lineup once again will include greats from around the sports world all in one spot with a number of sets to chase but ink the key to everything in what the company calls "the single greatest multi-sport checklist in hobby history."

Keep reading for more info and images.

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