Buzz Break: 2021 Fascinating Cards 117th U.S. Congress

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: 2021 Fascinating Cards 117th U.S. Congress Trading Cards
First Buzz preview: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

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

Packs per box: 18
Cards per pack: 10
Cards per box: 180 (plus some bonus cards direct from company as part of their sale)
Base set completion: 
176 of 535 (33 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards: See gallery for a sampling of them all ... some names here I just don't want to type. (😁)

Insert cards: 3 (all in gallery below with some base ... and then bonus cards)    (* -- bonus cards not in this total)
Foil parallels (3) – John Hickenlooper, Tom Carper, Gwen Moore
National Park set parallels (2) – Congaree National Park, Black Canyon of The Gunnison National Park (* -- bonus not in box)

Autographs/Memorabilia/Manufactured Relics: 1    (* -- bonus cards not in this total)
Yard-used Campaign Sign (1) – Shelley Capito (/10)
State Quarter Cards (1) – Kyrsten Sinema (/10) (* -- bonus not in box)
Autographs (2) – Mary Gay Scanlon, Doug Lamalfa (* -- bonus not in box)

What's Buzz-worthy: I bit here, grabbing two boxes at about a quarter of their original price as Fascinating Cards was clearing out its inventory for this release on their site as it's already time to start preparing for next year's edition. The price was lower than the sale price at the link above (but not by much) with some bonus cards guaranteed -- and they promised ink. At the price, that was my draw here as, well, I find a lot of the subjects in this one rather loathsome ... from both parties. I was surprised to find that my first box here had nothing inserted... just 100-percent base cards. (That box would get an F grade out of me ... even at the price and with bonuses.) This box, on the other hand, included the parallels right off the bat and then a sign card with the rest being base. They show their odds for sign, quarter and Chromes on the box -- all relatively high odds vs. the 18 packs in a box, so I was left a little confused by the box results as they had previously announced "two hits" per. The odds on the two types and the Chrome don't even combine to make that, so ... I'm not sure what's going on but I do think defining some terminology for inclusions would be handy for next year's edition. (Insert cards are not "hits" to most collectors.) Since my boxes were more blaster priced, I didn't dwell on it. My bonus cards got things closer to what seemed normal (for one box) with a rare coin card for somebody where "the money" seems pretty appropriate and then autos where I don't think those actually came out of packs. (Not sure.) Aesthetically, the cards are clean and pretty nice -- though they are not glossed in any way so the more they are handled the more wear they will show. (I sleeved a few here in case I get the oddball grading bug at some point ... maybe, maybe not.) The backs are clean and offer up a good amount of info. Would I open one more just to see the results? At the present price above ... maybe. At these prices a good name on a hit or insert card could pay for the box and if you're a patient seller who might list 'em all or sell sets/lots could also potentially come out ahead, too.

Product Grade: B
Box Grade: B- (unclear on what a "hit" actually is here ... and I did a second box that had 100-percent base)
Fun Grade: B- (bailed out by the company's clear-it-out price and bonus cards direct from them that were not in my boxes)

--

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

>> Click here to order wrestling cards on BlowoutCards.com