Pete Alonso
First Buzz: 2025 Topps Archives Signature Series
What: 2025 Topps Archives Signature Series baseball cards
Arrives: Aug. 6
Box basics: One encased and numbered buyback autograph per box (20 boxes per case)
Player list: Click here
Order: Click hereWhat's buzz-worthy: Topps' long-running brand arrives once again with "a curated lineup of autographed buybacks — each one a piece of hobby history reimagined."
Keep reading for more.
Buzz Break: 2025 Topps Series 2 baseball cards (hanger)
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: 2025 Topps Series 2 baseball cards (hanger)
First Buzz preview & checklist/odds: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (a few formats)
Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.
Buzz Break: 2025 Topps Series 2 baseball cards (blaster)
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: 2025 Topps Series 2 baseball cards (blaster)
First Buzz preview & checklist/odds: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (a few formats)
Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.
Buzz Break: 2025 Topps Series 2 baseball cards (hanger)
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: 2025 Topps Series 2 baseball cards (hanger)
First Buzz preview & checklist/odds: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (a few formats)
Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.
Making the Grade (June): High-grade Heritage, iconic comics, history-makers, Clerks, WWE favorites, Beetlejuice and more
Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading ... so here's this month's grading diary.
TOUGH ONE?
The Card: Bo Bichette 2022 Topps Heritage image variation (found in Heritage High Number packs)
The Reason Graded: Some of you might wonder why this card is in the lead slot this month since it's a simple image variation -- but a great one -- from a brand that's not quite as pricey as it used to be. (At least for singles ... you can find this for about $2 or less.) But, finding one of these that will get a high (real) grade? Not so much. The centering can always be a bear here but that's not the constant problem spot. It's the backs of these that use full-bleed black ink where cards that may look flawless on the fronts are often demolished when it comes to those those back edges.
The Grade: CGC 10Grade 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 P10 Total Population 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Reality Check: This one? It still has a some minor spotting -- that's why it's not a perfect 10 -- but it's way better than every other one I've seen and that's why I subbed this after I found it raw. Why? That front is pretty much a perfectly crafted design and I definitely don't mind retro-styled sets like this one -- I call it the old-guy flagship set as it is for me vs. basic Topps. The stuff feels more sturdy with its stock and printing -- I'm not sure I trust foilboard to age that well, either -- but the trade-off is that Heritage is harder to grade and land those higher marks. In all ways, this one is a win for me, a Bichette collector, and that's why he's batting lead-off. (It also doesn't hurt he's starting to warm up on the field this season.)
Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.
Buzz Break: 2023 Topps Heritage baseball cards (mega box)
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 Heritage baseball cards (mega)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click hereKeep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was found in this one.
Buzz Break: 2021 Panini Contenders baseball cards (blaster)
From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down 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 Contenders baseball cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
Keep reading for a breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.
Buzz Break: 2023 Topps Series 1 baseball cards (Super Box)
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 Series 1 baseball cards (retail Super Box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (other formats)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click hereKeep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.
First Buzz: 2025 Topps Tribute baseball cards (updated)
What: 2025 Topps Tribute baseball cards
Arrives: April 23
Box basics: Three autographs and three Relics per six-pack box (four boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Odds: Click here
Order: Click hereWhat's buzz-worthy: Tribute is up next in the Topps MLB lineup with its familiar high-end approach the same but it having a smaller case size this year.
Keep reading for more as well as a full gallery of images.
Collecting Game-used: A new star, a single ... and a Polar Bear?
Bought it for one reason and one reason only ... and then it arrived with two other stars attached.
This latest entry in the Collecting Game-used series is another that came to me via a blind grab bag where all I knew was the date of the game ... and yet this was another impressive ball in terms of its star power. In short, this one was the kind of ball typically not destined for a mystery box.
The initial reason I picked the date of this baseball? This game was just the second in the career of Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood and that alone was good enough for me to grab one -- a debut ball would have cost me substantially more ($1,199 last I looked) and I figured anything here would have story potential -- but then this turned out to be a base hit for one younger New York Mets star and then a foul ball for a franchise player.
Keep reading to see the details this time ... and the ball in action.
Preview Gallery: 2025 Topps Celebration Series 1 inserts
They're not the mascots, but they figure to be in some collections.
Topps' upcoming Celebration boxes for 2025 Topps Series 1 will loosen things up and revisit a number of the inclusions in its old Opening Day brand and, while the checklist isn't yet officially revealed, we do have a sneak peek at a few of the insert sets to be found in this one when it arrives next month.
One set will be Dugout Peeks cards as you can see above -- 10 cards are teased in our gallery -- and they'll be joined by a few other sets. See 'em all after the jump.
Making the Grade (March): Shohei Ohtani, Tiger, Spider-Man, young WWE stars, strong vintage, cheap NFL rookies & more
Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading, so here's this month's grading diary.
CLOSE TO PERFECT
The Card: Shohei Ohtani 2018 Topps -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: Ohtani's historic 2024 season had me assessing all of my cards from my 2018 stash -- mostly lower-end stuff that's heavily graded -- but not graded by me. Why? I don't grade the heavily submitted stuff because a lesser mark wouldn't be as worthy of going through the process and, really, in most instances a card can always be found already graded if it's needed. But, with his 50-50 season being so big, I opted to slab a few basics and this is one that made the cut. The stock used in 2018 is almost as thin as it gets and all that dark ink definitely showcases flaws, but I picked a pair of cards I thought were perfect from my stash and sent them in.
The Grade: CGC 10Grade 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 P10 Total Population 0 0 0 1 1 6 16 32 54 90 0 200 Reality Check: I don't know where I missed a perfect mark here but I'll still take a 10 ... less than half check in there and I think it's really harder than that -- people are examining their stuff harder before sending them in. The fact that these have checked in as low as a seven show how this one isn't easy sledding when it comes to slabbing. And as for my perfect aspirations? Well, it doesn't exist.
Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.
Buzz Break: 2023 Topps Heritage baseball cards (mega box)
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 Heritage baseball cards (mega)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (a few formats)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click hereKeep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was found in this one.
Buzz Break: 2018 Topps Heritage Minor League baseball cards
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 Topps Heritage Minor League baseball cards
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (when available)
Keep reading for a full gallery and breakdown of what was in this one.
Buzz Break: 2019 Topps Heritage High Number (monster box)
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: 2019 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (monster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
First Buzz preview, SPs & checklist: Click hereKeep reading for a breakdown of what was in this one ...
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (Feb. 6)
What's Buzzing: Pete Alonso stays, signed books, Super Bowl chatter and picks ... plus 2025 Topps is on the way.
1 -- Pete Alonso returns to the Mets
2 -- Eagles vs. Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX
3 -- Who do you want to win it?
5 -- Checking in on the signed books thread
6 -- 2025 Topps arrives next week--
Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.
Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.
Buzz Break: 2024 Topps Holiday baseball card tins (two)
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 boxes: 2024 Topps Holiday baseball cards (tin)
Checklist: Click here
Odds: Click here
Where to buy: Click here
Why two? Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was in this pairing.
Buzz Break: 2024 Topps Holiday baseball cards tin
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: 2024 Topps Holiday baseball cards (tin)
Checklist: Click here
Odds: Click here
Where to buy: Click here
Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was in this one.
Buzz Break: 2021 The Highland Mint Trading Coins Series 1
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 pack: 2021 The Highland Mint Trading Coins Series 1 MLB
Where to buy: Will take some looking ... BlowoutCards.com for different Retro Rips
Keep reading for a breakdown and gallery for what was in this one.
Buzz Break: 2021 Panini Contenders baseball cards (blaster)
From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down 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 Contenders baseball cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
Keep reading for a breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.
Buzz Break: 2023 Topps Heritage baseball cards (blaster box)
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 Heritage baseball cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click hereKeep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was found in this one.
Buzz Break: 2022 Bowman Platinum baseball cards
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 Bowman Platinum baseball cards (blaster)
First Buzz preview/checklist: Click here
Where to buy: Initially at Walmart (here when/if available)Keep reading for a full breakdown and a gallery of what was in this box.
Buzz Break: 2023 Topps Series 2 baseball cards (blaster)
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 Series 2 baseball cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
First Buzz preview, odds & checklist: Click hereKeep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.
First Buzz: 2024 Onyx Baseball Clubhouse Lumber Collection
What: 2024 Onyx Baseball Clubhouse Lumber Collection
Arrives: Aug. 30
Box basics: One autographed or game-used bat per box
Order: Click hereWhat's buzz-worthy: This MLBPA-approved product arrives once again from Onyx Authenticated and includes bats from top young names as well as some established veterans among the possible finds.
Keep reading for more info.
Buzz Break: 2023 Topps Heritage baseball cards (value pack)
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 pack: 2023 Topps Heritage baseball cards (value)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few other formats)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click hereKeep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was found in this one.