Blowout MegaMix delivers fun surprises for collectors -- and even for Buzz -- at National Sports Collectors Convention

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Nestled in the northwest corner of the massive Blowout Cards booth (No. 743) under the shadows of the IX Center's Ferris wheel at this year's National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland, was a hot spot on the first day of the show. There were a number of fans waiting in line at the start of the show absolutely ready to dig into a little something crafted by Blowout just for this event.

In the hours before the official show opening, there had been a green tarp covering that section of the booth, but at the opening bell Blowout owner Thomas Fish personally greeted each and every buyer of the Blowout MegaMix to help them make their choice of one of 600 serial-numbered packages, see what was inside and help them collect their findings.

The scene you see above? That's The Boss in action with the collector to the left getting either a box lot of the pictured item or a sealed case. Other surprises in these $100 boxes -- besides the Blowout shirt, a VIP party drawing entry certificate (drawing is Saturday) and even a little sugary Megamix extra -- can include autographed jerseys from Hall of Famers, a guy you might know named Shohei Ohtani and even autographed baseballs from a few Atlanta Braves rookies. (That's all they would tell me in advance -- it's that top secret and the fun is in the mystery.)

Buzz had a little something to do with how this one came together in that I designed the envelopes that you're tearing into to see what you take home right then and there from these capsules. But rather than jump in line with those who pre-ordered their MegaMixes in advance, I waited and figured if they lasted long enough I'd grab one if they were still available -- but only after I made my first lap around the show floor to compile photos for the galleries you'll see here in the coming days. On that lap, I picked up a couple of my typical go-to cheaper hobby boxes and gave them a rip but neither really delivered. That's also when one of my helpers -- a relative helping take some of the photos you see here -- decided they wanted a shirt. I offered mine from a likely MegaMix buy and that's how my decision was 100-percent finalized.

We made our way to the Ferris wheel and worked our way around to MegaMix Corner. We waited for those making their picks to dig in -- some really digging in and around the piles of capsules sorted by shirt size -- to find their one and tear in for their surprise. One before me? A three-box lot of Prizm football boxes. Before that? A case of something -- I think that was Prizm, too.

The wax was flowing so I coughed up my Benjamin Franklin -- if Buzz buys it then Buzz keeps it, them's the rules -- and I figured I'd let the shirt-wanting photographer make the pick. Box No. 565 of 600 was the one and it had me thinking boxes for Buzz Breaks here, but, instead, I got the item that might be the No. 1 fun memory of my National so far -- an Onyx Authenticated autographed baseball of Atlanta Braves rookie Ronald Acuña.

That's something I really wasn't expecting even though I actually did know that it was one of the possibilities. And I was as surprised by the find as was the person who picked it, though she's not a collector who knows his name at all.

"I just stuck my hand in the pile and took the third or fourth one down," she said. "I never pick off the top." (So there's your red-hot MegaMix tip.)

I collected my ball, secured it in its box along with its cert and tucked it away with my other finds. I'm sure there are others who will discover this outcome -- or maybe something even crazier -- while they last, of course, in the coming days.

Finding that one item that can make you say "that made my show" -- you know, the one you'll instantly remember when you pulled it and where years later -- isn't always an easy thing to do. It can be an even bigger challenge with a show like this where there's so much stuff to see -- and you'll see stuff you didn't imagine seeing even if you're a veteran collector. I still have a day to go to see if I can top the surprise of this one, but I have a feeling it may not be topped.

Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

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