The clock is ticking down and the cardboard is ready.

Saturday is Topps National Baseball Card Day and whether you're a regular at your local card shop or you're somebody who ripped into packs just for the gum decades ago, some free stuff can be yours at participating shops.

"National Baseball Card Day is a great way to celebrate a hobby we love, showing off favorite cards and reveling in great collections," read a company statement for the program.

The annual event is one that Topps and others hopes will draw people into collecting with some new stuff to start their stash -- or for veterans to chase down some potential rarities inside the five-card packs that are free with a visit. There's also a bonus card available with a $10 purchase on Saturday -- and another bonus card after that for you if you go back to the shop later in the month.

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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.

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A fully licensed newcomer to the baseball diamond this year is one that meshes both sports collecting and coin collecting in a new way -- all reflecting those in on the action with a shine that can't be seen when they are on the field.

It's still a rookie, but the demand for 2018 Baseball Treasure coins is there -- just check eBay.

"We see people from the coin side taking interest. We see people from the sports side taking interest and there are some of those people who do both," said company co-founder John Connor on the floor of the National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland last week. "The first one to show up at the aftermarket was Mike Trout and it went for $290 for the silver coin."

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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 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 25 (24 plus box-topper)
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 193
Base set completion: 
130 of 300 (43 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Claire Smith, Aaron Judge, Ichiro Suzuki, Bill James, Phil Coyne, Bryce Harper, Roberto Clemente, Kelsey Plum, Albert Pujols, Christopher McDonald, Biz Markie, Nolan Ryan, Greg Maddux, Mark McGwire, Jackie Robinson, Cal Ripken Jr., Honus Wagner, Sean Evans, Trea Turner, Mike Piazza, Austin Rogers, Tyronn Lue, Barry Larkin, Roger Clemens, Dansby Swanson, Manny Machado, Michael Rapaport, Mariano Rivera, Ryne Sandberg, Andrew Benintendi

Rookie Cards (17) – Shohei Ohtani, Brandon Woodruff (SP), Zack Granite, Willie Calhoun, Brian Anderson, Walker Buehler, Amed Rosario, Clint Frazier, Paul Blackburn, J.P. Crawford, Garrett Cooper, Nicky Delmonico, Jackson Stephens, Lucas Sims, Ryan McMahon, Alex Verdugo, Andrew Stevenson

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The wrapper redemption programs at the National Sports Collectors Convention are a challenge, a pastime and a must-do for many attendees every year.

But there are drawbacks, too, hence that challenge part. There can be long waits -- depending on how long the lines are and, more importantly, how early you got in them -- and there's the possibility that your line could get cut off before land your treasures.

But the wait can be worth it with the surprises in your packs -- or your boxes you grab to get said packs -- and that's what Buzz opted to try a few times this year. First up? The Topps program.

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What: 2018 Panini National Treasures baseball cards
Arrives: Sept. 26
Box basics: Eight autographs or memorabilia cards -- including one booklet -- per box (four boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The fifth edition of National Treasures baseball arrives with some of the biggest names in the history of the game in some crazy booklet card combinations as well as the autographs and memorabilia of current guys that collectors have come to expect.

Keep reading for more as well as a full 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 box: 2018 Donruss Optic baseball cards (Mega Box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Packs per box: 10
Cards per pack: 4
Cards per box: 40
Set completion: 
10 of 100 (10 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards – Cal Ripken Jr., Joey Votto, Eddie Mathews, Josh Donaldson, Justin Turner, Jose Ramirez, Marcus Stroman, Salvador Perez, Michael Conforto, Gerrit Cole

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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 Championship Collection Shohei Ohtani baseball repack (MJ Holding)
Where to buy: Walmart ($19.99)

Packs per box: 15 (five packs are bonus items) plus one Leaf Shohei Ohtani card
Cards per pack: Varies by brand

Notables on base cards – See gallery for key pulls (three hits this time)

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It's a triple-autograph 1/1 creation signed by three of the biggest stars in baseball today because they all homered for the same team last night.

And, Buzz could be wrong, but its price tag sets a new Topps Now price record.

The cost? A cool $9,999.99. It's still up for grabs as I type but who knows how long it might last as other versions are already long gone off of Topps' real-time cardboard platform.

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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 Topps Big League baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 6 (five standard, one Blue bonus parallel pack)
Cards per pack: 10 in standard four in bonus
Cards in this box: 54 (plus one more on the box)
Base set completion: 
43 of 400 (11 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards – Ichiro Suzuki, Kyle Schwarber, Francisco Lindor, Yasiel Puig, Brandon Nimmo, Honus Wagner, Byron Buxton, NL Stolen Base Leaders, NL Innings Leaders, NL Hits Leaders, Al Stolen Base Leaders, Kauffman Stadium fountains

Rookie Cards (4) – Scott Kingery, Victor Robles, Nick Williams, Tyler O'Neill

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Topps has its promo cards for this year's National Sports Collectors Convention ready to go.

The show, set for Aug. 1-5 in Cleveland, will begin with its VIP Party presented by Topps with autograph guests including Calvin Murphy, Mike Hargrove and Luis Tiant. The VIP ticket-holder gift bags will include a previously revealed 1983 Topps promo set. 

And now we have a teaser for the wrapper redemption plans for the show.

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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 Bowman Platinum baseball cards (collector's box)
Where to buy: Initially only at Walmart; Click here
Checklist: View here

Packs per box: 20
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 100
Base set completion: 
45 of 100 (45 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Mike Trout, Justin Verlander, Gary Sanchez, Cody Bellinger, Kris Bryant, Carlos Correa, Giancarlo Stanton, Andrew Benintendi, Alex Bregman, Mookie Betts

Rookie Cards (9) – Shohei Ohtani, Rafael Devers, Victor Robles, Chance Sisco, Dominic Smith, Harrison Bader, Clint Frazier, Ryan McMahon, Alex Verdugo

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The first details on a top-secret project at BlowoutCards.com dropped on Monday with nothing but pre-ordering and waiting coming between all of us and a 2018 Blowout Cards Mega Mix box. 

The waiting part is for the start of this year's National Sports Collectors Convention set for Aug. 1-5 in Cleveland, which is where this one will launch and be available -- but only for the first 600 buyers.

What does it include?

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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 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 25 (24 plus box-topper)
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 193
Base set completion: 
130 of 300 (43 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Derek Jeter, Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Roger Maris, Lou Gehrig, Roberto Clemente, Paige Spiranac, Method Man, Scott Rogowsky, Tyronn Lue, H. Jon Benjamin, Stugotz, Lincoln Riley, Sonny Fredrickson, Champ Pederson, Theo Epstein, Jim Thome, Chipper Jones, Willie McCovey, Roger Clemens, Ted Williams, Ryne Sandberg, Wade Boggs, Andre Dawson, Johnny Bench, Dave Winfield, Mookie Betts, Corey Seager, Justin Verlander, Buster Posey, Mark McGwire, Ozzie Smith, Carlos Correa, George Brett, Trea Turner, David Ortiz, Manny Machado

Rookie Cards (14) – Shohei Ohtani, Rafael Devers, Miguel Andujar, Gleyber Torres, J.P. Crawford, J.D. Davis, Amed Rosario, Jack Flaherty, Ryan McMahon, Garrett Cooper, Tyler Mahle, Sandy Alcantara (SP), Jen-Ho Tseng (SP), Dustin Fowler (SP)

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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 ...

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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 Topps Big League baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 10
Cards in this box: 240
Base set completion: 
199 of 400 (50 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards – Mike Trout, Manny Machado, Alex Rodriguez, Paul Goldschmidt, Pedro Martinez, Mariano Rivera, Cody Bellinger, Ted Williams, Carlos Correa, Johnny Bench, Ernie Banks, Anthony Rizzo, Frank Thomas, Giancarlo Stanton, John Smoltz, Rickey Henderson, Sandy Koufax, Kris Bryant, Alex Bregman, Corey Seager, Nolan Ryan, Bryce Harper, Clayton Kershaw, Albert Pujols, Dansby Swanson, Andrew Benintendi

Rookie Cards (20) – Shohei Ohtani, Brian Anderson, Francisco Mejia, Luiz Gohara, Richard Urena, Franchy Cordero, Nicky Delmonico, Gleyber Torres, Felix Jorge, Rhys Hoskins, Jack Flaherty, Walker Buehler, Dominic Smith, Clint Frazier, Austin Hays, Sandy Alcantara, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Andrew Stevenson, J.P. Crawford, Brandon Woodruff

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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 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 6
Cards in this box: 48
Base set completion: 
28 of 300 (9 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Joc Pederson, Champ Pederson, Joey Votto, Manny Machado, Ryne Sandberg, Jim Thome, Andre Dawson

Rookie Cards (2) – Sandy Alcantara (SP), Amed Rosario

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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 Bowman Platinum baseball cards (collector's box)
Where to buy: Initially only at Walmart; Click here
Checklist: View here

Packs per box: 20
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 100
Base set completion: 
45 of 100 (45 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Aaron Judge, Andrew Benintendi, Carlos Correa, Giancarlo Stanton, Justin Verlander, Gary Sanchez, Kris Bryant, Mike Trout, Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts, Joey Votto

Rookie Cards (9) – Shohei Ohtani, Rafael Devers, Nick Williams, Francisco Mejia, Victor Robles, Chance Sisco, Dominic Smith, Harrison Bader, Clint Frazier, Ryan McMahon

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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 NSCC discussions and some huge pulls in today's edition.

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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.

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THE ORIGINAL HOME RUN DERBY
The Item: 1959 Home Run Derby Mark Scott card PSA 4
The Price: $400 Buy-It-Now (or best offer)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This week's MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is a spectacle and one of the highlights of the season since it began back in 1985. But, 59 years ago this fall, there was a different Home Run Derby -- a television series that took us to an empty ballpark and showcased a number of Hall of Famers in one-on-one battles. The show's 26 episodes were filmed in the offseason of 1959 and they first aired in 1960 with Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Al Kaline, Harmon Killebrew, Mickey Mantle, Eddie Matthews, Willie Mays, Frank Robinson and Duke Snider among the 19 stars who battled it out. The show's producer and host was Mark Scott and all of them appeared on this oversized promotional card set that was produced in 1959 and released with the show. They measure 3 1/8 by 5 1/4 inches and they have all -- except for Scott -- been reprinted in the past. (Graded is a safer buy if you're paying big money here, while the reprints are fun and affordable.) Scott died in the summer of 1960 of a heart attack at age 45 and the production company canceled future episodes the show. Is this card particularly valuable? I'm not sure, but this copy -- not a high-grade one -- is the only Scott card on eBay. Oddly, I think I'd want the host card first -- you can watch episodes on YouTube as well as on DVD if you're curious about these.
Similar Pieces: Other 1959 Home Run Derby cards on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for MLB cards 

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

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What: 2018 Bowman's Best baseball cards
Arrives: Dec. 19
Box basics: Four autographs (two per mini-box) per 12-pack box (eight boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Bowman's Best returns with its mini-box format that delivers two autographs in just six packs with nods back to 1998 and nothing but on-card autographs.

Keep reading for more details and a gallery.

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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 Topps Big League baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 6 (five standard, one Blue bonus parallel pack)
Cards per pack: 10 in standard four in bonus
Cards in this box: 54 (plus one more on the box)
Base set completion: 
43 of 400 (11 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards – Ted Williams, Mookie Betts, Corey Seager, John Smoltz, Jose Altuve, Buster Posey, McCovey Cove, Stan Musial Statue, AL Hits Leaders, NL Slugging Percentage Leaders, NL Home Runs Leaders, 2017 AL Batting Average Leaders,

Rookie Cards (4) – Shohei Ohtani, Parker Bridwell, Miguel Andujar, Gleyber Torres

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If you want to see how different Topps' Allen & Ginter baseball card set is, all you have to do is look at the checklist set scroll down to card No. 18.

"Bullpen car."

That's just one of the surprises in the 2018 edition of the retro-styled brand that's been revived since 2006 with 1880s stylings that include not only baseball stars but "World's Champions" in other sports and beyond.

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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, the Allen & Ginter checklist, pondering a Joe Montana pick-up, big pulls and ... two Shohei Ohtani case hits in the same box? (Yep, it happened.)

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Leaf Trading Cards will be one place to grip and rip some packs at this year's National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland on Aug. 1-5 as the company will have three wrapper-redemption programs for collectors to consider.

The first is a retro Leaf set that can be chased via a box break at the company's booth. Those who open a box of 2018 Leaf In The Game-used or 2018 Leaf Pop Century will get a two-card pack of 1948 Leaf Metal cards. They'll be paralleled with cards as rare as 1/1 and the roster of names there will include Shohei Ohtani, Stephen Curry, Conor McGregor, Lionel Messi, Ken Griffey Jr., Pele, John Elway, Baker Mayfield, Shaquille O'Neal and Gordie Howe to name a few.

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