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 ...

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?
The Card: Derrick Henry 2023 Panini Luminance Red (/25)
The Reason Graded: This card was an instant need for me in some form the second I saw that photo and I managed to find this rarer parallel on the cheap and in clean shape to make it a double win. It was so clean, it was one of a couple cards from this that made it into my recent submission and, well, it's another win for the school ties part of my collection.
The Grade: CGC 10 (Pristine)

Reality Check: That one checks in as a good as it gets and this release grades really, really well from what I have seen -- not a lot as it's a premium-priced brand -- but enough that it will get further looks from me. (Maybe more since football season will be upon us very soon.)

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for 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: Talking Olympic cardboard, Paul Skenes, non-sports licensing, Museum Collection and more.

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What: 2024 Fyre Four More In '24 Series 1 trading cards
Arrives: Aug. 24
Box basics: Five cards per pack (32 packs per case) -- autographs guaranteed at least once per case
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Fyre arrives with a take on the political headlines in an election year with the names you would expect but also with some surprises.

Keep reading for more information.

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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: MLB trade deadline reactions, Olympic basketball, sketch cards, comic books and more in this Monday edition.

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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 ... 

MAMI'S HOME ...
The Card: Rhea Ripley 2020 Topps Transcendent WWE (/50) -- Rookie Card
The Price: Less than some of my others ... and less than a new hobby box.
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: My lucky No. 13th copy of this RC from a super-deluxe release puts me over the 25-percent mark for stockpiling this card's entire print run and while it was still a pricey pick-up it wasn't my highest one, either. How many more will I find? Not sure ... but I do have a price ceiling, even for this top WWE badass and this badass card. I picked up this one awhile back and it got lost in my shuffle of WWE stuff awaiting a slot here, but since she's back from injury and ready to do some mauling she leads things off this month.
Grab a box right here: None for this one ... check out other WWE boxes.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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What: 2024 Super Break Insane Ink Edition
Arrives: Oct. 16
Box basics: One autographed item and one other (signed or un-signed) item (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Super Break's vault-style release returns for another run with one autographed memorabilia piece and one other item inside showcasing notables from pop culture, sports and beyond in every box.

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What: 2024 Topps Chrome Star Wars trading cards
Arrives: Aug. 9
Box basics: One autograph per 10-pack box (eight boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Star Wars hits Chrome with a smaller box size this time but with an autograph in every box and plenty of focus on the memorable characters from throughout the franchise. This one also introduces a debut medallion logo noting a character's first time on cardboard.

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: Ben Rice, a strong blaster, Wander Franco investing, C.J. Stroud, the Mickey Mantle theft and The National nears.

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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: Shohei Ohtani, Topps Heritage, new pulls, Hall of Famers at WR, The National and more.

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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: 2021 Space Jam: A New Legacy trading cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (when/if available)

Keep reading for a full breakdown of what was in this one.

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What: 2024 Leaf Electrum Multi-sport trading cards
Arrives: Aug. 30
Box basics: Three autographed cards per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf introduces a new line that meshes the world of sport with notables from pop culture all in one spot that's solely about autographs.

Keep reading for more info and a full gallery.

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What: 2024 Pieces of the Past Eight Year Collection Series 2 trading cards
Arrives: Aug. 8
Box basics: Eight hits per eight-pack box (eight boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Pieces of the Past revisits its anniversary hits-only approach for a second time this year with another release that's got a wide array of possible finds from throughout its past releases.

Keep reading for more info and a selection of images.

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Buzz buys a lot of stuff these days and for a few reasons, really. Sometimes it's just bargain-hunting, sometimes it's just something that strikes me. And other times it's a lot -- a group of things -- and that has happened enough lately I figured I'd try something different as a regularly appearing item. Sometimes my lots will be wins, sometimes they won't be ... but I'll let you decide. 

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A MYSTERY MIX ... THE FINALE
The Lot: A mix of 50 assorted non-sport inserts and promo cards
The Price: $9.99

Keep reading for more on this one ...

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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: Jerry West, Paul Skenes, NBA Finals chatter, chasing Fun Face, "what if" and more.

Continue reading →

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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DOGPOOL'S DEBUT
The Book: Prelude To Deadpool Corps No. 3 -- first Dogpool appearance
The Price: Under $8
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This was an impulse/curiosity buy once I saw Dogpool -- a character that I'm admittedly not that familiar with -- on this cover of Empire in advance of the Deadpool & Wolverine movie to come as well as in a preview trailer. Why? Well, one reason I grabbed this was that the lone graded copy of this book on eBay at that time had an asking price of $400-plus. While I know that's high, you never know what people might grab if the that pup steals the show or at least picks up some headlines alongside Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds when this one hits. (Weird thing have happened with Baby Yoda and Star Wars' Porgs in recent years.) This comic cover isn't exactly the same as what we're getting on the big screen dog-wise, but with the movie figuring to generate a lot of buzz and perhaps include a lot of cameos I've been looking at stuff here and there ... and I really need to go find that magazine, too. It's actually got higher asking prices on eBay than this book and has sold for more than $20. (It's a UK mag ... so it's perhaps not as easily found just yet.) The comic has had CGC 9.8 sales of $85 and $299 in recent months, too, so there's definitely some speculating ... and there should be. This movie will be huge.
Grab a box right here: BlowoutCards.com for non-sports cards

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: Bowman Chrome Sapphire Edition chatter, the NBA Finals, pondering a price on Sir Paul and more in this midweek edition.

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What: 2023 Pieces of the Past Presidential Edition
Arrives: July 24, 2024
Box basics: Two Pieces of the Past Relic cards per 24-card box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Pieces of the Past takes on a hits-only approach for past presidents -- and a few others -- in a release coming this summer.

Keep reading for more info and a selection of images.

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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 ...

GRADE LIKE A BUTTERFLY ...
The Card: Muhammad Ali 2021 Topps Muhammad Ali The People's Champ Collection Black parallel (/56)
The Reason Graded: When I spotted this card (ungraded) at about the price of a blaster, I bit as that was a good number for a parallel from this set that was released week by week for a year on Topps' site. Since it was both a rarer parallel and, if you ask me, one of the better-looking cards in this retro-styled set with that exposure photo, I also opted to slab it. Why? Well that stock and color is a grading challenge -- but it was one I was willing to take as this one looked strong.
The Grade: CGC 10

Reality Check: I was right and it graded actually better than I had hoped (I figured a 9.5)  making this a win atop of a win.

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

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What: 2024 Pieces Of The Past Sixer Mixer Edition trading cards
Arrives: June 26
Box basics: Six relic cards per box (five boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Super Break's Pieces Of The Past line goes with a hit-per-pack approach for its newest release to come with a wide array of possibilities inside.

Continue reading →

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 some traditional stuff and some odd stuff.

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CHECK IT OUT ... 
The Item: Pro Football Hall of Famer Deacon Jones autographed 1984 Warner Bros. payroll check
The Price: Less than a blaster box
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I haven't ever really dabbled with signed/canceled checks except for a few school ties names (Roll Tide!) who don't have a lot of stuff and where other items are pricey. One example? Former Yankees broadcaster Mel Allen ... a signed ball can be expensive but a signed check is still pricey but not as bad. In this case, I stumbled upon this check during a curiosity dive online and it seemed unique -- a Warner Bros. studio payroll check (pre-printed signatures on the front) made out to and signed by a Pro Football Hall of Famer on the back. The amount isn't massive, so I figured it was probably a royalty payment for some TV show appearance or movie re-run and he had a few in films and spots as himself on TV through the years. I wish I could figure it out, but IMDb only had an appearance on Super Bloopers and Practical Jokes in 1984 and an appearance on The Fall Guy in 1983 with other past projects also possible. (I didn't do a deep dive on figuring out who owned what for studio/network properties back then ... but it's probably do-able.) What do I know? This is something different compared to a lot of the stuff out there signed by "The Secretary of Defense."
Grab a box right here: None for this ... but NFL boxes are here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

Continue reading →

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: Showing off Deadpool cards, new NFL and MLB pulls, some bulk ripping and more in this Sunday edition.

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What: Game of Thrones House Of The Dragon Season 1 trading cards
Arrives: July 24 Aug. 15
Box basics: One autograph and two memorabilia cards per 24-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Pre-order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Thrones fans will have the new series hitting cardboard soon with the basics in from Rittenhouse Archives but no visual teasers just yet.

Keep reading for more info and images.

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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: 2002 TVT Records TV Guide 50 All-Time Favorite Themes Soundtrack
Where to buy: Will take some looking ... BlowoutCards.com for traditional non-sports cards

Keep reading for a breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

Continue reading →

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: Waiting for Bowman, new Star Wars pulls, showing off Superfractors and other big pulls plus plenty more in this Tuesday edition.

Continue reading →

Buzz buys a lot of stuff these days and for a few reasons, really. Sometimes it's just bargain-hunting, sometimes it's just something that strikes me. And other times it's a lot -- a group of things -- and that has happened enough lately I figured I'd try something different as a regularly appearing item. Sometimes my lots will be wins, sometimes they won't be ... but I'll let you decide. 

--

A MYSTERY MIX PART II
The Lot: A mix of 50 assorted non-sport promo cards (and some inserts, too)
The Price: $9.99

Keep reading for more on this one ...

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