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 →

Have you seen the latest cool or interesting items on eBay? If not, you just might see some of those here every week as we're launching a weekly version of our eBay Buzz pieces that pop up from time to time. We’ll spotlight some items that have a story or just wow us with how much interest it might have — and we’re not just talking baseball cards, either.

--

ONE SUPER PULL
The Item: Ronald Acuña Jr. 2018 Topps Chrome Superfractor autograph
The Price: $3,050 after 19 bids (more than five days remaining)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is one of the biggest cards possible in this year's Rookie Card parallel lineup without the name Ohtani attached -- and even with that this should be one of the bigs -- and this one is on the auction block as an auction via an eBay seller with a heavy buyer list and a huge presence. How big will this card go? We'll find out in a few days -- and it was big enough my plans to not have an eBay Buzz this week hit the bench in favor of this Friday-night edition.
Similar Pieces: Other Ronald Acuña Jr. autos on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for 2018 MLB boxes

Keep reading for four more interesting items in this week's roundup ...

Continue reading →

What: 2018 Historic Autographs Kings Multi-sport autographs
Arrives: Dec. 28
Box basics: Two autographs per box (four boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Historic Autographs follows up its first Kings release with a new one that packs ink from legendary players from the past from baseball as well as some legends from elsewhere.

Keep reading for more information.

Continue reading →

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: Drew Brees' new record, no love for Adam Thielen, a random football-movie thread, showing off Michael Jordan and Tony Gwynn, and ripping into Panini Contenders Draft Picks.

Continue reading →

When it comes to baseball card brands, Topps' Allen & Ginter is one of the most-unique ones in the hobby today -- even though it's modeled after cards from the 1880s.

Why? Those original tobacco cards featured all kinds of people and all kinds of things -- not just baseball players -- among many releases but it's the "World's Champions" that drive the idea of what we've gotten today since Topps re-introduced the brand back in 2006.

Kate Upton, Takeru Kobayashi, George W. Bush, Serena Williams, Axl Rose, Michelle Beadle, Anthony Bourdain, Nick Saban, Cat Osterman, Kevin Costner, Sylvester Stallone, Roger Federer, Michael Phelps, Tony Hawk, Maria Sharapova, John Wooden, Laila Ali, Snoop Dogg, Pele, Henry Rollins and so many other surprising subjects have been found in packs of baseball cards beside typical MLB inclusions such as Mike Trout, Hank Aaron, Bryce Harper, Derek Jeter, Justin Verlander, Sandy Koufax, Clayton Kershaw and Ichiro Suzuki through the years. Those surprises can be pricey later, too. Upton wasn't a super-rare autograph but you wouldn't know it based on these prices.

Planning stages for the 2019 release are clearly already beginning for the brand as Topps took to Twitter on Thursday to ask collectors who they'd want to see in Ginter for non-baseball inclusions.

That got Buzz thinking ... and here are a few signers I'd want to see in 2019 Topps Allen & Ginter -- and more than a few of them have small ties to the baseball world.

Continue reading →

Have you seen the latest cool or interesting items on eBay? If not, you just might see some of those here every week as we're launching a weekly version of our eBay Buzz pieces that pop up from time to time. We’ll spotlight some items that have a story or just wow us with how much interest it might have — and we’re not just talking baseball cards, either.

--

SENIOR BOWL GAMER ... OF A HALL OF FAMER
The Item: Brett Favre 1991 Senior Bowl game-used and signed jersey
The Price: $22,000 Buy-It-Now (or best offer)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: The Senior Bowl has a rich history and a number of college stars who went on to NFL greatness after the big game -- and there are many who didn't. While you can find players' Senior Bowl jerseys placed into cardboard in recent years, a past gamer might be much rarer than you think. And one from a player of Favre's caliber? Well, that's an elite piece. This one came directly from Favre himself after being put on the market via Hunt Auctions in 2017. These aren't team colors that we most commonly associate with this Hall of Famer, but it's a one-of-a-kind piece compared to many potential gamers for his pro teams. It's impressive.
Similar Pieces: Brett Favre items on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for NFL boxes

Keep reading for four more interesting items in this week's roundup ...

Continue reading →

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: National hauls, chasing Michael Jordan rarities, retail wowsers, Pop Century rips & more.

Continue reading →

Remember yesterday when I mentioned finding a little something something while waiting in the Topps redemption line at the National Sports Collectors Convention?

This is that.

The Steiner Auctions booth near Topps is one that was right alongside the redemption line as it wrapped around the booth on my day of working the lines at the show. Steiner had a simple mystery bag that delivered far more than I had expected it would on Thursday. The signage seems simple enough -- and it is -- a Hall of Famer autograph of some type in an envelope for $15.

But why did I say bag?

Continue reading →

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: NSCC chatter, pondering the best ink-less NFL Rookie Cards, an oddball MJ and big pulls.

Continue reading →

Have you seen the latest cool or interesting items on eBay? If not, you just might see some of those here every week as we're launching a weekly version of our eBay Buzz pieces that pop up from time to time. We’ll spotlight some items that have a story or just wow us with how much interest it might have — and we’re not just talking baseball cards, either.

--

RARE AIR 
The Item: An uncut sheet of 1986-87 Fleer basketball cards
The Price: $709 after 24 bids (with just two days remaining)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I've not heard of entire sheets being counterfeited but with the Michael Jordan Rookie Card (heavily faked) you never know ... but what we do know with this one is that it's not perfect but an uncut sheet with this card and this landmark set is impressive. The back of the sheet suffers from massive red ink staining so that's probably why the sheet wasn't cut and put into packs. What kind of other flaws might there be? It's not clear based on the auction images, but it generally looks pretty good on the front and it's the kind of cool impressive piece to frame and display for not only its Jordan presence but every other Hall of Famer Rookie Card that's on it. (It's not worth professional cutting with the back staining.) This one is dirt cheap right now but could go crazy before it ends.
Similar Pieces: More 1986-87 Fleer eBay auctions
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for NBA boxes

Keep reading for four more interesting items in this week's roundup ...

Continue reading →

"Pieces From the Trash" promo cards featuring pieces of cut documents will be just one of the promo cards given out by Historic Autographs at this year's National Sports Collectors Convention starting Aug. 1 in Cleveland.

The first 20 visitors to the company's booth at the show each day will get one of these cards -- a memorabilia card featuring the remnants from a signed document -- for free. Others may receive two cards if they one a sealed box of HA product at the company's booth. Other possible rewards for ripping will include presidential coin and stamp relics as well as some other surprises.

Continue reading →

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: NSCC chatter, best and worst card decisions, showing off NBA cards, William Shatner vs. autograph hounds and more in today's edition.

Continue reading →

Have you seen the latest crazy items on eBay? If not, you just might see some of those here every week as we're launching a weekly version of our eBay Buzz pieces that pop up from time to time. We’ll spotlight some items that have a story or just wow us with how much interest it might have — and we’re not just talking baseball cards, either.

--

HOTTEST INK IN THE HOBBY?
The Item: 2018 Cryptozoic Rick And Morty Season 1 Autograph #JR-R Justin Roiland as Rick Sanchez (/50)
The Price: $947.64 Buy-It-Now
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Just like the cartoon series, you can't really explain it -- you just have to see it. A number of the autographs in this recently released product are scorchers and they're not even the main thrust of the set -- you'll find one and sometimes two full-color sketch cards per box (and sometimes an auto atop that). Roiland is the co-creator of this cult classic series and he signed a few different cards for characters in this release -- and that hasn't brought down prices for those that have sold or are on the block. Even the binders for this one are selling very well.
Similar Pieces: Check out other cards in this set
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for boxes and binders for Rick and Morty

Keep reading for four more interesting items in this week's roundup ...

Continue reading →

Enterbay has been producing some amazing sculpted NBA figures for the last few years, but there's a new piece on the way that captures a moment that set the stage for much of the basketball merch and a shoe revolution that came afterward.

It's a sculpt of the iconic Jumpman pose of Michael Jordan. 

Continue reading →

Not all ticket stubs are the same -- and this one is far rarer than an iconic card in the hobby.

This Chicago Bulls stub from Oct. 26, 1984, hits the auction block late this month and it's one that could push the $10,000 mark according to Heritage Auctions. 

Why?

Continue reading →

Those who pick up a VIP ticket package for this year's National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland will have a five-card Prominent Cuts set from Upper Deck in their bag and that's just the start of what the company has planned for the five-day show that begins on Aug. 1.

The stars leading the way in that set? Ben Simmons, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Tiger Woods and Serena Williams. 

Continue reading →

What: 2018 TRISTAR Signature Series National Edition
Arrives: Aug. 1
Box basics: One autographed item per envelope (eight envelopes per case).

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's Signature Series returns with just 80 eight-pack cases of authenticated autographed memorabilia just in time for this year's National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland.

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 →

What's the priciest piece of Los Angeles Dodgers memorabilia ever sold?

Well, according to Goldin Auctions, it's this 1963 road jersey used by Sandy Koufax, which sold for $429,625 on Saturday night in the latest event from the Runnemede, N.J.-based company.

"The rarity of Koufax game-worn memorabilia combined with its impeccable authenticity and the fact that it was from perhaps his greatest season when he captured the Cy Young, NL MVP Award and the World Series MVP makes it truly special," said Ken Goldin, the founder of Goldin Auctions, in a prepared statement. "This event also proved a vibrant market for Michael Jordan, Mike Trout, LeBron James and Tom Brady memorabilia with lots from all of them surpassing expectations."

Continue reading →

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: Nothing but big pulls in today's edition -- and how's this first Star Wars box find?

Continue reading →

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: Nothing but 1/1 pulls leading the way in today's edition.

Continue reading →

When he arrived in the NBA back in 2003, he already was known as "The Chosen One" and just a couple years later people were pondering whether he was the best ever.

Then, he took his talents to South Beach, won a couple of NBA titles and then returned to where it all started for him and won a championship in Cleveland where there hadn't been successes like that since the 1960s for any sport. His cardboard? It's been among the royalty of the NBA since Day 1 -- this isn't about that.

But tonight in San Antonio LeBron James will likely make a different kind of NBA history but is just as significant (if not more so) from a historical perspective.

Continue reading →

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: Nothing but breaks as we ready for Black Friday chaos.

Continue reading →

What's rarer than the rarified air of a pair of Michael Jordan game-used shoes?

A pair of Michael Jordan game-used Converse shoes -- and the latest pair of shoes from the 1984 Olympics to sell via SCP Auctions went for nearly six-figures at auction following a record-setting sale earlier this year.  Continue reading →

A pair of Michael Jordan's game-used shoes gifted to a Utah Jazz ballboy in exchange for a pair of tickets are hitting the auction block.

They're being sold by SCP Auctions and they were worn on Feb. 1, 1993, when Jordan's Bulls knocked off the Jazz, 96-92.

Now, about that trade ...

Continue reading →