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

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 →

If you have a long-standing redemption from Panini America, the company will let you trade it in at the National Sports Collectors Convention.

One of the company's priorities at the show running Aug. 1-5 in Cleveland is its "Live Redemption Trade-Up" that will allow those with redemptions more than four months old and still in the company's system to trade them in for something live at the show.

Continue reading →

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.

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 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

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: We're just Jake Taylor (No. 7) days away from The National in Cleveland (where he and Roger Dorn are signing) and the chatter for the show is strong. Toss in some contracts and some pulls and that's today's edition.

Continue reading →

Panini America's National Sports Collectors Convention wrapper redemption plans are starting to come into shape publicly with the first glimpses of the cardboard to come revealed today.

And the key color of everything so far is pink.

Continue reading →

Wrapper redemptions are a big focus for many show-goers and BlowoutCards.com will be there at the center of it all for collectors at this year's National Sports Collectors Convention. 

In fact, products from all manufacturers that are part of this year's wrapper redemptions will be a heavy focus for the lineup at the Blowout booth for the show that's set for Aug. 1-5 at the IX Center in Cleveland.

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: A Ginter box with two Rip Cards ... and a pack with two metal minis, one fishy break, NSCC chatter and Blowout Mega Mix anticipation are just some of the highlights today.

Continue reading →

Super Break's Pieces of the Past line has helped fans of history and pop culture take a trip through time with standard trading cards featuring presidents and other notables as well as some cardboard creations that are not the norm.

One example? Pieces of the Past Relics that use pieces of signed documents as a memorabilia swatch -- they're similar but different. They're definitely unusual and often also affordable -- but some can command good cash from interested collectors, too.

In previous editions, that lineup was bolstered by stamp cards, news clippings and other surprises but in its latest edition -- the Hybrid Edition -- those things can be found together on cards along with a number of other potential finds with three memorabilia cards in every box.

Continue reading →

It's also a way to get an autograph of the Chicago Cubs' World Series-winning manager who has never sat down with a card company for a certified signature on a card despite a 15-year career as boss atop plenty more time as a coach and minor-leaguer. It's that time that helped bring some of these concepts to life.

"I’ve been wanting to do this for years" reads on essay on the Maddon Art website. "I’ve always enjoyed art, we all do. I’m not saying I’m an artist by any means, but I’ve always enjoyed the concepts. I believe baseball is a very artistic game and that major league players are artists, just like athletes from all of the other professional sports. For some time, I have tried to coerce Major League Baseball to utilize 'Put the Art Back in Thee Game' as a marketing campaign. I was unable to get anyone to bite, so I did it myself."

Continue reading →

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?

Continue reading →

What: 2018 Panini XR football cards
Arrives: Sept. 19
Box basics: Two autos and one memorabilia card per two-pack box (15 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Panini XR's sophomore season will once again pack plenty of Rookie Cards, rookie autographs and rookie patch autos inside its boxes -- but that's not all in this colorful release.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

Continue reading →

One of the highest-graded copies of The Amazing Spider-Man No. 129 is on the auction block and ends tonight with an iconic but dark Marvel star the big reason why.

No, it's not Peter Parker batting through his teen years ... it's the debut of Frank Castle, aka The Punisher.

Continue reading →

Roughly a year ago, St. Louis Cardinals prospect Daniel Poncedeleon was hit in the head by a line drive and collapsed on the pitcher's mound during a game in Des Moines, Iowa, never losing consciousness but wondering if his playing career (or life as he knew it) was over.

On Monday night in Cincinnati, he made his MLB debut for the Cardinals and was pulled from a game in the seventh inning despite having a no-hitter going and a 1-0 lead. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, the 26-year-old is just the fifth pitcher have a no-hit bid through seven innings in his MLB debut since 1961. (The Cardinals bullpen blew it in the ninth so it went down as a no-decision.)

"I think that played a huge part into this, because without that, I'm pretty weak," Poncedeleon told MLB.com. "With God, I have a lot of faith and confidence. ... The journey was not drawn up by me. Obviously, there is something greater drawing up this plan or this story. ... I just wanted to win, to be honest."

Continue reading →

Here's a look at the top five players on this week's Baseball America Top MLB Prospects Hot Sheet and their seasons so far. It's a little something to help those who might want to dabble with prospecting -- some basics on their baseball cards alongside a highlight line from those more scouting-minded. We may not do this every week, but we'll check in on BA's top crop from time to time for the remainder of the season.

1. Eloy Jimenez, OF, White Sox — Triple-A Charlotte Knights
Season so far: Hitting .326 with 20 doubles, 15 homers, 52 RBI and 0 SBs in 73 games
Baseball America’s highlight line: "After an extended stint on the disabled list, the White Sox’s No. 1 prospect returned on July 15 and quickly kicked off the cobwebs. ... He’s already socked half as many home runs (five) in 20 games with Charlotte as he did in 52 with Double-A Birmingham."
CARDBOARD BASICS
Approximate card total (so far): 730
First Chrome auto: 2017 Bowman
One auto to consider: 2013 Leaf Metal Draft
Buzz’s card take: If you don't know his name, it's too late to get in on the cheap as he was ranked as the No. 4 prospect entering this season by Baseball America and MLB.com. He was a key in the Jose Quintana trade and that means his present cards will show him in White Sox colors instead of Cubbie Blue as his first Chrome auto does. As long as all goes well health-wise, you should see him in the majors soon. In five MiLB seasons he's hit .306 with 58 homers and 258 RBI in 373 games.

Keep reading for the rest of the top five ...

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 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)

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 →

Topps' ultra high-end Star Wars set, Stellar Signatures, will be back once again this December with one of the biggest signers in the franchise who we haven't seen with much ink in recent years.

It's Samuel L. Jackson.

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 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

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: Big WWE (retail) and hockey (The Fantastic Store) pulls, NSCC chatter, a look at tonight's Ted Williams documentary & more.

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 →

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

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 →