Buzz Break: 2012 Leaf Metal Poker trading cards

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: 2012 Leaf Metal Poker trading cards
Where to buy: Click here for poker cards (if/when available)

Keep reading to see a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

Autographs/Memorabilia: 5
Metal Base Autographs (3) – Lacey Jones, Antonio Esfandiari, Scott Fischman
Mega Short-print Metal Base Autographs (1) – Phil Hellmuth
Short-print Yellow Printing Plate Autographs (1) – Daniel Negreanu (1/1)

What's Buzz-worthy: Here's a box you don't see everyday -- and it took me some hunting to find one -- but it paid off big with two signers from the poker world who are SPs and easily (in theory based on eBay asking prices) pay for the box. The rest, like a lot of signers from back when poker was a cable TV phenomenon that spawned multiple card sets, aren't all that pricey and they signed with light-shade blue ink (or there was an issue here with the stock, I'm not sure). The two big autos I pulled have zero issues with the ink. ... So, why rip into this? There are a ton -- a ton -- of notables here who aren't names for the diehard poker fan. Some are actors you might not know a name but you'll know a face and there are other celebs in the mix. Among them? Brad Garrett, Cindy Margolis, Jason Alexander, Jerry Buss, Jose Canseco, Lou Diamond Phillips, Orel Hershiser and Patrick Warburton ... then there are big names among poker players like Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Gordon, T.J. Cloutier, Chris Moneymaker and others you might recognize from a myriad of ways (TV, other card sets, reality shows and so on). There are parallels to be found for the standard autos here -- Silver (/25), Red (/5) and 1/1 Gold (SP and MSP signers are lower) -- and then there are other auto sets to chase here ... Legendary Ladies, World Series Cash, National Pride, Bracelet Race 2011, Leaf Poker Hall of Fame and Faces of The Game. There are also, as this box shows, printing plates in the mix. It was the names like Buss (the former owner of the Los Angeles Lakers), Alexander (of Seinfeld fame), Phillips (La Bamba) and Warburton (Family Guy) got me to look ... well and also the price. I found this for around $60 which isn't all that more than a lot of the retail stuff being scooped up in the wild these days. All in all, while I'm not a pro poker fan, this box paid off ... and that's a thought for you guys. If you can't find something you want, check out things you might not naturally turn to -- it might pay off.

Product Grade: B (the ink issue hurts here but there are a lot of surprises on checklist)
Box Grade: A+
Fun Grade: B+ (small boxes)

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