What: 2020 Topps Star Wars Authentics 8x10 Autos
Arrives: Aug. 19
Box basics: One autographed 8-by-10 photo, one serial-numbered trading card and one discount card per box (12 boxes per case)
Signers list: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: This signed photos line reverts back to 8-by-10 photos for its second release of the year with new ink from The Mandalorian and The Rise of Skywalker in play here.

Keep reading for more as well as a full gallery of images.

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If you happen to look at the backs of the 2019-20 Donruss Optic T-Minus 3, 2, 1, insert cards -- ones that show NBA players ready for liftoff on the front -- you might notice something.

It's the Flux Capacitor from Dr. Emmett Brown's DeLorean time machine in Back to The Future.

No, really ... and it's not alone.

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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.

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HOW YOU LIKE ME NOW?
The Item: Zion Williamson 2019-20 Donruss Optic Holo (Silver Prizm) Rookie Card parallel
The Price: $1,499.99 Buy-It-Now (or best offer)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: What's the hottest box on the planet at the moment? It might be this one and it arrives just as the NBA's No. 1 pick is at his peak so far after a late arrival that has generated plenty of attention. Retail boxes are vanishing within seconds of arrival for this one and the various hobby formats are also scorchers -- and it's not really been around long enough for a huge number of single-card sales to be out there on eBay just yet. Too many box flippers affecting that? Or is it just me? (It could be just as I've been shut out all season long on pulling any Zions in an NBA uni ... I'm bitter.) This brand is one I like because it seems to deliver a little more fun and a little more volume than its other Optichrome counterparts -- there are a few brands with plastic potential -- but they're all very popular this year and I'm sure there's more to come. I'm not totally sure what's going on with the photo crop here (Maybe it's to facilitate autos?) but that doesn't matter. Raw copies of the base card have pushed $100 so you can expect plenty of action -- and volatility -- on everything else, too. The one constant? People want them. If I pulled a big one like this, I'd be slabbing before selling.
Similar Pieces: Zion Williamson Optic cards on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for all 2019-20 Donruss Optic box formats

Keep reading for four more interesting items in this week's roundup ...

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What: 2020 Topps The Mandalorian: Journey of The Child trading cards
Arrives: April 8
Box basics: 30 cards per set along with two parallel cards (40 boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: The biggest little deal in Star Wars today -- Baby Yoda -- gets a card set of his own that will go retail-only when it arrives this spring.

Keep reading for more as well as a gallery.

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys.

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OFF-SEASON SLABBING
The Card: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 2019 Topps Chrome RC (PSA 9)
The Price: About $15
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: The pop report on this one is flip-flopped like a lot of new modern cards -- it's got more than 1,500 PSA 10s but just over 150 PSA 9s out of nearly 1,700 graded ... not the norm, really. Nonetheless, I still didn't mind it in this grade for this price. The short-printed Series 2 card that carries the same photo as this one is a tougher grade -- those corners can be chippy -- but rather than sub my own there and hope for a PSA 9 I just decided to go this route on Chrome. I'll probably do more when they present themselves or perhaps submit others at some point. (I'll have a big submission I already made batting lead-off in a future Making The Grade, too.) My gut feeling is that this super-rookie didn't live up to the massive hype we had envisioned last year -- so 2020 could be one that is dramatic for his cardboard ... one way or another.
Grab a box right here: 2019 Topps Chrome 

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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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 ...

The Card: Kobe Bryant 1996-97 Upper Deck #58 Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I actually bought this card more than a year ago and thought I had it waiting in my stash of cards to present here at some point but, after doing some searching, realized that I never took a photo of this iconic 1990s card and it had been waiting for its time to appear. Unfortunately, we know why this NBA legend has been on the minds of many sports fans out there this week so here we are. I picked up this Rookie Card back then since it was a decent grade for a decent price -- just $9 -- and I didn't ever pull one way back when. It doesn't have any obvious flaws on the front, so it looks much better than its grade, too. (Sub-grades on the back of this slab are all 9 or higher except for an 8.5 on corners and one corner shows why.) The shocking news of this week has created a frenzy of interest for Bryant's RCs and autographs -- and a card in this same grade (not an elite grade, really) sold for $200. Mine will remain in my stash.
The Grade: BGS 9

Reality Check: The pop report on this card is a lot stiffer than I had expected with this being the most-common grade and fewer than 600 checking in higher. I had expected there to be more but I suspect the pop reports on this card could change a lot in the coming months -- and it will be interesting to see if any ever reach BGS Black status. Bryant has a number of RCs -- more than 20 -- and this one is unique in that it doesn't show him in his Lakers uniform. The debate as to whether Bryant's cards will hold values in comparison to what people are paying right now is an interesting one over on the Blowout Forums where there are a number of discussions. I think this is a scenario that may defy common collecting logic -- I'd think that anything is possible in this case and there are a lot of buyers right now who will pick up cards and stash them away forever, leaving a smaller volume of stuff available for everyday collectors to grab on eBay and other market hot spots. Finding unopened boxes won't be an option for a lot of his Rookie Cards that people want to track down, either.

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... and this time around it's mostly stuff found on the affordable side.

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WORKHORSE PLATES
The Card: Derrick Henry 2016 Panini Spectra Plates & Patches black printing plate (1/1)
The Price: About $9
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: We'll know soon whether this monster of the gridiron this season will be playing in the Super Bowl for the first time, but I figured I'd lead off with him since he's had a huge year. I'd also let this serve as a reminder that there are some solid bargains to be found among stuff that's not brand new and that there are types of cards that seem to be overlooked. This card fits that bill. Yes, printing plates can have less appeal depending on the color of the plate and the design of the cards, but they seem to be overlooked by many for some unknown reason to me. They are 1/1s available in four different colors/separations but people don't seem to always act like they are when selling or buying. This price works for me and for my collecting tastes, especially when you consider this is also from his rookie year.
Grab a box right here: Spectra NFL boxes (all years)

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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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: Mostly box break highlights and big pulls making up today's edition ... check 'em out.

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What: 2020 Topps Chrome Star Wars Perspectives Resistance vs. First Order trading cards
Arrives: Aug. 5
Box basics: One autograph per 18-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Star Wars gets another go on Chrome with an all-encompassing look at the Star Wars universe with a focus on the players among The Resistance as well as The First Order as part of this hobby-only release.

Keep reading for more as well as a gallery.

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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 pulls, Star Trek ink, baseball movies, Kazuo Uzuki gold and more in today's edition.

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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: Joe Burrow, big pulls, the Houston Astros cheated, ESPN wants Tony Romo, and a solid six-pack all in today's edition.

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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: Derrick Henry is a freak, Drake's Rookie Card reaction, big pulls from around the collecting world and "What happens with Patrick Mahomes prices when Houston wins?"

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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: Some collecting goals for 2020, discussing part of an uncut sheet, clearance-bin gems and other big pulls as we head into the weekend.

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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 big Contenders NBA box, other big pulls, pondering Tom Brady's next team, buying a case for a 10-year-old and which Ronald Acuña Jr. card would you want?

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What: 2020 TRISTAR Signature Series Entertainment Live Edition
Arrives: Feb. 19
Box basics: Seven autographed memorabilia pieces per case
Pre-order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's Signature Series line turns its focus to the entertainment world with a release that includes a pretty good volume of items per case as part of a product that's rare -- just 50 cases will be made.

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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: Pondering 2020 Allen & Ginter signers, designing a new product, "my best case ever" and a number of big pulls, including this Zion Williamson gem.

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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: Tua Tagovailoa, Panini Blockchain, big pulls and ... Zion Williamson Silver from a $20.20 box? (Yep.)

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... and this time around there's a little bit of everything -- 20 items for a new year.

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WILL HE STAY OR WILL HE GO?
The Card: Kyle Schwarber 2016 Bowman's Best Rookie Card (PSA 10)
The Price: $8
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I picked this one up because the price was right for a high-grade Rookie Card but also because I took a look at the stat sheet. I'd argue that while he's been off the collecting radar of many lately, Schwarber put up a career year last season. His average was still low -- but a career-best .250 -- and he also had career marks in homers (38) and RBI (92) as well as games, at-bats, runs, hits, doubles ... pretty much everything except stolen bases and on-base percentage. He'll always be remembered as a member of the 2016 Cubs World Series championship team, but I said "had been" off collecting radars because there were recent trade rumors where he could be headed to the Yankees. A move like that would make these kinds of cheaper buys vanish far faster than they might already and rejuvenate his cardboard. I'd be buying on him right now among the cheap early options.
Grab a box right here: 2016 Bowman's Best baseball cards (when available)

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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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: Nothing but breaks and other big pulls in today's edition.

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What: 2020 Topps Star Wars Authentics Autographs
Arrives: March 18
Box basics: One autographed 11-by-14 photo and one serial-numbered trading card per box (12 boxes per case)
Signers list: Click here
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: The signing roster for the Star Wars universe is in full effect here -- with some new ones, too -- for this autographed photo line, which includes oversized autographs for the first time.

Keep reading for more as well as a full gallery of images.

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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 pulls, tracking Transcendent toppers, pondering grading differences and slower return times.

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 ... a super-sized edition with 20 cards to open 2020.

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SO CLOSE TO PERFECTION ...
The Card: Ronald Acuña Jr. 2018 Topps Chrome #193 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: This one looked very clean to my eye and I figured getting some of my past Acuña pulls slabbed was a good move considering his almost-40/40 showing last year. Some of his cards are heavily graded to the point where they can be had for not much more than a typical cost to slab if not in top grades. Meanwhile, others aren't as plentiful and some can typically grade very well. I went with this one since it's not as heavily graded and it does tend to grade well. Plus, I just liked the photo here compared to others -- and those I already own slabbed.
The Grade: BGS 10

Reality Check: This one surprised me a bit -- just one half-subgrade away from a BGS Black. Only 14 cards have gotten the perfect mark and this one is among an also-small population. Most cards here check in at 9.5s -- a solid mark and a perfect card to bat lead-off for this first MTG of the year. I expect big things from Acuña this year and I'll be slabbing him often.

Keep reading for more.

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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: Some unreal -- but totally legit -- Star Wars pulls, MLB breaks, new Optic NFL and plenty more in today's edition.

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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: Chasing Zion Williamson from fresh NBA boxes, big pulls and more surprises in today's holiday edition here on The Buzz.

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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: Pondering the NFL's all-time Made of Glass Team, collectors react to Hyun-Jin Ryu to the Blue Jays, and big breaks to start off the week.

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