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: 2025 Leaf Metal Pop Century 1/1 Pre-Production Proofs 
Where to buy: Click here (these are box-toppers in Pop Century boxes)

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

Continue reading →

What's Buzzing: Ichiro Suzuki heads to Cooperstown, The National, Nick Kurtz, new pulls and more.

-

1 -- Ichiro Suzuki and new Hall of Famers ready for their moments

2 -- The National is this week

3 -- Nick Kurtz thoughts

4 -- New MLB pulls are here

5 -- A big Goodwin Champions pull

6 -- Hulk Hogan dies at 71

--

Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

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: Bowman Chrome Sapphire Edition chatter, the NBA Finals, pondering a price on Sir Paul and more in this midweek edition.

Continue reading →

What: 2023 Topps Transcendent Collection baseball cards
Arrives: March 27, 2024
Box basics: 50-plus autographs and more per box
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Transcendent returns with a larger run this time -- 190 boxes (up from 99) -- and with the familiar lineup of high-end inclusions mixed up in a new way.

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

Continue reading →

What: 2023 Pieces of the Past Art & Music Edition
Arrives: January 2023
Box basics: Two hits per four-pack box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Pieces of the Past once focuses on pop culture with a celebration of artwork from the past and then the names and faces of music and more among more recent years in both cuts, original artwork and more.

Keep reading for more info and a selection of images.

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 ... and this time around it's a bit heavy on autographs I've picked up over, say, the last year.

--

TURTLE POWER!
The Card: Kevin Eastman 2019 Topps The Art of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Green Artist Autographs (/99)
The Price: Around $30
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is an autograph from one of the original creators of the TMNT franchise that has been seen in countless comic books, video games, movies and other stuff out there in the world for years now -- a franchise among franchises. I'm not sure how rare his autograph is out there in the comic book world -- typically, artists do signings somewhat regularly -- but for trading cards he signed about 30 different options in this release that included one artist auto and one sketch card along with a very nice premium-style set ... and I think that is it for his cards. Poke around here on The Buzz and you'll see how these sets look and how I did pretty well opening a couple of them in the past. Why? The prices dipped rather dramatically in the year or so after they arrived but they have picked back up price-wise and aren't the cheapest of ripping options now -- but the sketches can be nice enough to pay for it all sometimes. I figured this auto was a key one in the long run, so I added this to go with my others. And, if you want to add some more pop culture trivia here, Eastman was the editor and publisher of Heavy Metal magazine as well as married to Julie Strain, a model and "The Queen of B-movies" who has appeared in BenchWarmer sets and helped create other card sets herself.
Grab a box right here: 2019 Topps The Art of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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: 2021 Gummy Arts trading cards (two packs)
Where to buy: Right here (when available)

What's this? Keep reading to see what was found in two packs of this one ...

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 ...

BIG BAT LEADING OFF ...
The Card: Fernando Tatis Jr. 2019 Topps Chrome Gold Refractors #203 (/50) -- RC parallel
The Reason Graded: Buzz found this rarity of a top RC in the absolute same box as the card that batted lead-off here last month -- and when that one graded really well I knew that this one would end up in a slab, too. Easily one of the best boxes I've seen for any non-premium product in years of collecting. I figured they needed to be slabbed together and matching grades would be cool, too.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: A matching pair is what we ended up with here -- and this also reinforces the fact that this was one of the best boxes I've ever seen. I was a little surprised to see only six copies of this card graded, but they're all at least a 9.5 with only one topping this mark. Meanwhile, 14 of them have been graded by PSA -- five 10s -- so perhaps some of Tatis' big-spending fans are also PSA fans, too. (Looking at you, Phil Hughes.)

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

Continue reading →

What: 2019 Historic Autographs 1969
Arrives: Nov. 20
Box basics: Three relic/chase cards per six-card box (24 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Historic Autographs looks back a half-century to a year that generated plenty of headlines in history whether it was in the news, pop culture, the sports world or beyond.

Keep reading for more information.

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: 2019 Topps Heritage baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (a few formats)

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 9
Cards in this box: 71
Base set completion: 
63 of 400 (16 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Bryce Harper, Clayton Kershaw, Yasiel Puig, Kyle Schwarber, Josh Donaldson, Dansby Swanson, Rafael Devers, Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Christian Yelich

>>> For variation details, click here

Rookie Cards (5 cards, 11 rookies) – Framber Valdez, Josh James, Dean Deetz, Chad Sobotka, Bryse Wilson, David Fletcher, Taylor Ward, Corbin Burnes, Nate Orf, Ryan O'Hearn, Meibrys Viloria

Continue reading →

What: 2018 Leaf Pop Treasury memorabilia boxes
Arrives: December
Box basics: Three memorabilia pieces per box (three boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf Trading Cards turns its attention to pop culture for its latest memorabilia product with just 66 cases of this one being made.

Keep reading for more.

Continue reading →

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.

--

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 →

A few pieces from one of rock's biggest names is hitting the market via Heritage Auctions and one lot alone -- a guitar and an iconic top hat -- is expected to fetch six figures.

A 1965 Gibson SG Cherry guitar used on stage by Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tom Petty and one of his hats from his time with The Traveling Wilburys -- a supergroup that also included Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison -- are being sold together.

They're one of eight lots being sold by the Dallas-based auction house this month and the lot carries an opening bid of $150,000.

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

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 9
Cards in this box: 72
Base set completion: 
61 of 400 (15 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Cody Bellinger, Aaron Judge, Jose Altuve, Clayton Kershaw, Buster Posey, Mike Trout, Yoan Moncada, Francisco Lindor, Trey Mancini

>>> For a checklist and variation galleries, click here

Rookie Cards (3 cards, 7 rookies) – Kyle Farmer, Tim Locastro, O'Koyea Dickson, Austin Hays, Chance Sisco, Willie Calhoun, Nick Gardewine

Continue reading →

What: 2017 TRISTAR Quest Top Shelf
Arrives: Oct. 11
Box basics: Four envelopes per case -- each with an autographed item or memorabilia redemption inside

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's Quest once again takes things up a notch with a product that is purely high-end memorabilia -- and just 30 cases will be made.

Keep reading for more.

Continue reading →

It was 50 years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play and one of the faces you can see on the famed cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club band above can be yours.

No, seriously, one of the props on that cover of The Beatles' iconic album that dropped in the United States on this day in 1967 is available in the newest Heritage Auctions sale running now until June 17.

Continue reading →

The Beatles' iconic Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band arrived in the United States 50 years ago tomorrow, helping forever change the musical landscape with songs such as "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," "With a Little Help from My Friends" and, of course, its title track.

The sonic experimentation (and heavily parodied album cover) stands up after all those years and the four members of the band will be hitting toy stores soon as part of the anniversary, adding to a wave of merchandise that also includes similar but smaller blind-wrapped mini figures for Yellow Submarine.

Continue reading →

What: 2017 Super Break Heavy Hitters
Arrives: Feb. 15
Box basics: At least two items per box (four boxes per case)

What's buzz-worthy: Super Break returns with a high-end release that includes buyback cards, memorabilia and 30 Super Draft coupons for a May 6 draft of big, big names.

Continue reading →

Marty McFly's Hoverboard. The Beatles' controversial butcher album cover. Superman's cape. Bettie Page's pumps. Steve McQueen's racing jacket. Wolverine's claws. The Death Star.

The latest Profiles in History Hollywood Auction begins on Wednesday with more than 1,700 lots of everything you'd expect to see -- and plenty more.

Continue reading →

It sounded like a fun, cheap rip of some oldschool wax -- a late-night buy just because it was a good deal -- but it turned into another lesson about old cardboard.

This time, the product was a long-forgotten (and maybe unknown to some) release from Pro Set back in 1991 -- the company's UK edition of SuperStars MusiCards.

To those of you who were around for Pro Set, you probably fondly remember the football card chases created by the Dallas, Texas-based company in 1989 and 1990 and the overproduction that was happening but we never saw because everybody (and their mother) was buying. By 1991, many of its products -- and there were many in the non-football realm -- arrived with a thud. Not because they were bad but because they were trying new things and new things didn't always work. (And because the presses kept on rolling.) By 1993, the company was back down to football and by 1994 the company was gone completely.

And if you weren't around then? Well, you missed out on some of the best simple cardboard of all times ... and one example of that is this 1991 SuperStars MusiCards UK Editon.

Continue reading →

Steiner Sports has four new stars on its roster -- John, Paul, George and Ringo.

The New Rochelle, N.Y.-based company announced Monday that it has acquired the rights to The Beatles for canvas wall art and framed presentations as part of a deal with Bravado International.

"As both a sports and music enthusiast all my life," said Brandon Steiner, the founder and CEO. "I am at once delighted and enthusiastic that not only is Steiner Sports now a part of the legacy of this most iconic and historical brand, but that we will now be able to bring unique products and memories to so many Beatles fans moving forward."

Continue reading →

Los Angeles-based Julien's Auctions concluded its sale of Ringo Starr's memorabilia on Saturday night and the biggest sale of the three-day event has a tie to the sports world.

The buyer? Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay.

The price?

Continue reading →

It's no secret that Ringo Starr isn't a fan of signing autographs -- even though he's done so thousands of times up until a few years ago when he posted a video on his website saying "no more."

But now The Beatles' drummer is signing just 250 copies of “Property From The Collection of Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach” which is the auction catalog box set for the upcoming sale of his memorabilia collection though Los Angeles-based Julien's Auctions.

How much?

Continue reading →