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

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GOING FOR THE GOLD
The Card: Shotzi Blackheart 2022 Panini Select WWE Gold Wave Prizm (/10)
The Price: Around the price of a blaster box at arrival
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This brand is my favorite of the Panini years for WWE, and in the case of this star who I collect I have seemed to found her rarities on the affordable side at times with this release. This is a perfect example of that with it being one of the rarest parallels in there but it cost me not much more than the price of a retail box. It was arguably underpriced, so I grabbed it quickly when I spotted it. Will I grade it? It's a possibility, though this release's centering issues can create some surprises (that aren't totally surprises) as I found out with a different parallel of this card. Poke around in Making The Grade last month for an example.
Grab a box right here: WWE cards are here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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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 HISTORY LESSON
The Cards: Huck Betts, Joe Oeschger & Whitey Glazner 2019 Historic Autographs Triple Play Cut Signatures Triple Play Booklet ... plus 1961 Topps Leon Cadore & Joe Oeschger (Brooklyn-Boston Play 26-Inning Tie) from the Baseball Thrills subset
The Price: $21 total
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I'm not exactly sure what sparked my going down the rabbit hole to end up finding this one -- whether it was some trivia about the game or just a search of cut autographs I'm not sure as I found this earlier this year -- but for something different without breaking the bank this cardboard duo was worth a lead-off spot this time. As the Topps card details, on May 1, 1920, the Brooklyn Robins and Boston Braves played 26 innings to a 1-1 tie that ended due to darkness and that's still an MLB record. Cadore and Oeschger both pitched all 26 innings -- think about that a minute -- and that's their only Topps card appearance. As for the cut, Oeschger gets the center spot with an inscription for that game, while Betts was a rookie in 1920 for the Phillies and Glazner was a rookie for the Pirates later that year. Why are all three on this cut auto book? I'm not totally sure ... but all three did pitch for the Phillies at some point so it could be that beyond 1920 highlights. The center auto here is the key to me ... that's some good trivia.

Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... BlowoutCards.com for MLB

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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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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HISTORIC INK 
The Card: Rachel Balkovec 2022 Topps Now MiLB Autographs (/99)
The Price: Around $10 (since I had discount rewards piled up) via Topps.com
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This autographed card was a first for Topps Now this year -- some minor-league cardboard -- since as you can see she was a bit of a history-maker in MiLB and baseball in general. Topps Now cards have had delays at times this year with stock shortages and this one was actually initially scheduled to arrive much later this year but it looks like the signing came together faster than expected. I believe this is my first Topps Now auto in my stash. Why? Cost is always a factor -- most are too much for me to bother looking -- but in this case it was about as low as it gets and then I snuck in toward the end of the line and added this on the cheap with rewards points from buys.
Grab a box right here: No boxes for this one ... but MiLB boxes are here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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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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SOMETHING SIMPLE ... 
The Card: Shaun Alexander 2000 EX NFL Debut Postmarks
The Price: $7.75
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is a throwback leading off because I have a simple question to present with it ... have we seen anything like this recently? As you can see, this card has a stamp affixed to a card with a postmark applied on the day of his NFL debut, which was in Miami. It's a simple kind of non-traditional card -- I don't think I'd call it a hit -- but something like this could mix things up a bit. Sure, there's a little extra work involved here but ... something different in packs that can be done for pocket change wouldn't hurt, right?
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... but NFL 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: 1992 Pro Line football cards (autograph box)
Where to buy: Will take some hunting ... get new football boxes here

Keep reading for a full breakdown of what was in this one along with a gallery of images.

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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 around there's some new stuff and some throwbacks as I await some new arrivals.

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IN THE HOUSE (BUT NOT IN THE STRIKE ZONE)
The Card: Dr. Anthony Fauci 2020 Topps Now (/51,512)
The Price: $6 (direct from Topps)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This card was a fun surprise after his awful first pitch to start the season on Opening Day last month and it set an all-time record for Topps Now with more than 51,000 copies sold. That's more than double the previous record for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s MLB debut last year. Why? The novelty of it and the market has been strong for this card as many non-collectors apparently want one. That price has made me glad I did a handful. I may or may not slab one as I had planned as these didn't come in as razor-sharp/perfectly clean as other Topps Now cards I've done. (And also because grading prices are getting steeper.) The real question for people out there ... did anybody get a parallel? Those are new for Now this year.
Grab a box right here: None for this ... get 2020 MLB boxes here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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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 around there's some new stuff and some oddball stuff as I'm still waiting on a bunch of pick-ups to arrive.

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A BIGGER DEAL 
The Card: Jasson Dominguez 2020 Bowman wall art (/99)
The Price: $17.50 (after promotional discount)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This guy's iconic card this year has eluded me beyond a couple of standard Bowman cards I pulled in blasters -- all I really wanted was a clean grading-worthy Chrome, but no -- so I opted for a limited version of a card that's a big deal this year but in bigger form as Topps wall art. This is an 11-by-13 version of the card that Topps sold on its site for $24.99 (sold out) but with a 30 percent discount if you buy three posters of any kind. I opted for this one and some other stuff you'll see here in the coming weeks and months. Will Dominguez pay off for the many chasing him? We'll find out eventually but this one fits into my stash pretty well no matter what as I try to pick off Rookie Cards as wall art -- mostly Heritage but I also include a few other iconic cards.
Grab a box right here: No boxes of these ... but 2020 Bowman can be yours in a few forms here

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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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 ...

A BIG WIN
The Card: Patrick Mahomes 2017 Donruss Optic #177 Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: I came real close to letting this one go raw, but late in the season I pulled it out of my "to-go box" and put it in the "slab-it stack" figuring I might get a little more out of it if I did let it go ... then they won it all. Needless to say now, that would definitely be the case for this key RC of the Super Bowl champ and new hobby go-to for many.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: I didn't expect a 9.5 and that's a mark that's getting this card up close to $500 on eBay right now -- a surprise to me as I just don't watch NFL card values as much as I probably should. I only have this one but I ripped plenty back then since 2017 NFL stuff was so plentiful (back then) I'd buy and rip some boxes heavily almost by default. Those boxes are scorchers now thanks to all of the possibilities for this guy and other key rookies that year. Most copies of this card check in at this mark ... but that's clearly not scaring people off here.

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

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.

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OFF-SEASON SLABBING
The Card: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 2019 Topps Chrome RC (PSA 9)
The Price: About $15
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: The pop report on this one is flip-flopped like a lot of new modern cards -- it's got more than 1,500 PSA 10s but just over 150 PSA 9s out of nearly 1,700 graded ... not the norm, really. Nonetheless, I still didn't mind it in this grade for this price. The short-printed Series 2 card that carries the same photo as this one is a tougher grade -- those corners can be chippy -- but rather than sub my own there and hope for a PSA 9 I just decided to go this route on Chrome. I'll probably do more when they present themselves or perhaps submit others at some point. (I'll have a big submission I already made batting lead-off in a future Making The Grade, too.) My gut feeling is that this super-rookie didn't live up to the massive hype we had envisioned last year -- so 2020 could be one that is dramatic for his cardboard ... one way or another.
Grab a box right here: 2019 Topps Chrome 

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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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 ...

The Card: Joe Namath 2015 Topps 60th Anniversary Rookie Reprint Autographs #T60RAJN
The Reason Graded: Buzz first met this NFL legend almost 20 years ago and landed the ink for free thanks to some luck while autograph hounding but when it comes to certified autographs of this icon I didn't have any until recent years. Why? He's always been a pricey auto but that has come down a bit as he's been a steady signer and doesn't have quite as much hobby heat as the guy at the end of this month's list. This release was how Topps burned off its Hall of Famer autographs via packs on its website once its NFL deal was done, so the influx of big-name autos helped make the supply even stronger at the time perhaps without added demand. I scouted them all where I buy and this one looked near-perfect to me in both its centering and that ink. Seriously, look at that signature ... that's a perfect Namath auto.
The Grade: BGS 9.5/10

Reality Check: I absolutely thought I had a BGS 10 contender with this one, though I submitted it before I picked up my better loupe and I probably didn't check the back as closely as I should have. Either way, it's still a very solid card in my stash. I don't grade autographs all that often -- I fear results I won't like on those -- but this one I had to. Most of them landed this grade with only one higher so I don't feel bad about not landing a 10.

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

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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 12.

The box: 1992 Pro Line football cards (hobby box -- look for silver stripe at bottom ... not gold)
The cost: Will vary when found -- get new football boxes here

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

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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 8.

The box: 1992 Pro Line football cards (hobby box -- look for silver stripe at bottom noting autograph ... not gold)
The cost: Will vary when found -- get new football boxes here

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 Panini Classics football cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 14
Cards per pack: 10
Cards in this box: 140
Base set completion: 
112 of 300 (37 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards: Dan Marino, Todd Gurley, Peyton Manning, Ken Stabler, Mark Ingram, Joe Greene, Joe Namath, John Elway, Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Raymond Berry, Fran Tarkenton, Matthew Stafford, Carson Wentz, Andrew Luck, Deion Sanders, Eric Dickerson, Steve Largent, Y.A. Tittle, Ed Jones, Boomer Esiason, Russell Wilson, Calvin Johnson, Len Dawson, Lawrence Taylor, Eddie George, Brett Favre, Bo Jackson, Aaron Rodgers, Franco Harris, Drew Pearson, Emmitt Smith, Roger Staubach, Rod Woodson, Brian Urlacher

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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 5.

The box: 2006 Upper Deck Legends football cards
The cost: Click here

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

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Note: A break from The National coverage for this month's Making the Grade as Buzz preps to be at the show later today. Look for plenty more from Cleveland here soon.

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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 ...

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 ...

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: 2018 Panini Classics football cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 64
Base set completion: 
56 of 300 (19 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards: Y.A. Tittle, John Hannah, Peyton Manning, Shaun Alexander, Eric Dickerson, Kurt Warner, Mike Ditka, Calvin Johnson, Howie Long, Marshall Faulk, Barry Sanders, Fred Biletnikoff, Ken Stabler, Lenny Moore, Jameis Winston, Derrick Henry, Ezekiel Elliott, Kareem Hunt, Odell Beckham Jr.

Continue reading →

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 8.

The box: 2001 Topps Archives NFL retail box
The cost: $55 (will vary if you can find it) 

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: Fanatics Authentic Alabama Crimson Tide football block (50 cards)
Price: $14.95 (via JCPenney.com)

What's inside one of these? Keep reading for a rundown and gallery.

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Collectors often bemoan the use of sticker autographs, but there are times where their use can create some cardboard that otherwise could not exist.

The card above is one of those times.

It's a 2017 Panini Absolute Football Hall of Fame Jersey Signatures card of Ken Stabler and just 49 copies of this one will arrive in packs of Absolute Football beginning next week. It notes Snake's Hall of Fame status (he was inducted last summer) and it includes a piece of a game-used jersey as well as his signature.

Why is this card special?

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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 Panini Classics football cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 64
Base set completion: 
55 of 300 (18 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards: Joe Namath, Ken Stabler, Marcus Mariota, Todd Gurley, John Elway, Joe Greene, Marshall Faulk, Fran Tarkenton, Randy Moss, Antonio Brown, J.J. Watt, Jared Goff, Drew Brees, Odell Beckham Jr., Ben Roethlisberger, Jameis Winston, Julio Jones

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: 2012 Upper Deck University of Alabama Crimson Tide football cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: Check online.

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 192
Base set completion: 
100 of 100 (100 percent)
Duplicates: 20

Notables on base cards – Nick Saban, Paul "Bear" Bryant, Julio Jones, Mark Ingram, Bart Starr, Joe Namath, Lee Roy Jordan, Ken Stabler, John Hannah, Ozzie Newsome, Cornelius Bennett, Derrick Thomas, Shaun Alexander

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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.

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Earlier this month the late Oakland Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame but this past weekend the treasures from that career entered the hands of collectors around the world.

The auction of "Snake" Stabler's personal collection of memorabilia via Pristine Auction ended on Sunday night with one six-figure item that didn't reach its reserve and many others of note. In all, the auction generated nearly $200,000 in sales.

The priciest item was his 1976 Hickok Belt Award for Professional Athlete of the Year (above), which reached $107,427.60. It's an honor that was awarded the final time with Stabler's win and this is the first copy of the award to hit the open market. It's an 18K gold belt buckle with a three-carat diamond, a three-carat ruby, a three-carat sapphire and 26 diamond chips totaling 5.5 carats.

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This year's Pro Football Hall of Fame class has taken its place in Canton, Ohio, and the legends have found their new homes.

It's not just in the museum -- it's on new Panini America cardboard.

The NFL's official football card licensee was on hand in Canton and made a pair of promotional sets for the new class of legends as well as cards for the Hall of Fame Game that was cancelled.

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