Buzz Break: 2018 Panini Elite Extra Edition (three blasters)

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 Panini Elite Extra Edition baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby when available)

Buzz picked up three of these boxes in the bargain bin ... and the results dictated that they all be shown together.

BOX 1 (all cards from each box in gallery below)
Packs per box: 1
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 5
Base set completion: 
2 of 200 (1 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards (2) – Sandro Fabian, Jose Cosma (/999)

Insert cards: 1
Pink parallel (1) – Manny De La Rosa

Autographs/Memorabilia: 2
Panini Rewards (1) – 150 points (redeemed for a National Treasures auto)
Triple Materials Gold (1) – Yordan Alvarez (/99)

BOX 2
Packs per box: 1
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 5
Base set completion: 
1 of 200 (0.5 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards (1) – Junior Sanquintin (/999)

Insert cards: 2
Status Diecut Red parallel (1) – Luis Gil (/99)
Pink parallel (1) – Freudis Nova 

 Autographs/Memorabilia: 2
Aspirations Autographs Purple (1) – Keibert Ruiz (/100)
Quad Silver Materials (1) – D.J. Wilson (/149)

BOX 3
Packs per box: 1
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 5
Base set completion: 
1 of 200 (0.5 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards (1) – Mateo Gil (/999)

Insert cards: 1
Aspirations Red parallel (1) – Luis Escobar (/150)
Pink parallel (1) – Lizandro Rodriguez

Autographs/Memorabilia: 2
Panini Rewards (1) – 150 points (redeemed for a National Treasures auto)
Quad Gold Materials (1) – Luis Ortiz (/99)

What's Buzz-worthy: As said earlier, these were bargain-bin finds and that's about the only way the sting of getting Rewards points twice to not sting as much. It's not that I don't like points, though, it's just that I always find 150s and there isn't a massive amount of variety among newer cards for that tier. (That said, I did manage to turn both of them into National Treasures autos -- just not in baseball -- of a Hall of Famer.) These simple boxes include one pack but two hits every time, a retail parallel only found here (Pink) and numbered cards to round things out. Had I landed more names like Yordan Alvarez (that one paid for a box), I'd be perfectly fine here for digging around in the bargain bin. As it is, despite the Rewards bummer, I still give this one a decent grade. They shouldn't last in bargain bins long with the prospects that might be found inside them. ... As noted before, the Pinks might be much rarer than even the base since those cards are found in hobby packs, too. Consider that it would take you one in 200 boxes to land any particular guy on the checklist and you should realize how important a key player might be in Pink (though prospectors have a ton of options these days).

Product Grade: A-
Lot Grade: B+
Fun Grade: B+

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