What's Buzzing: A.J. Lee returns to WWE, NFL Week 1 chatter, Junior Caminero, Star Wars Chrome, Sapphire UFC and more.

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1 -- NFL Week 1 is here

2 -- A.J. Lee returns to WWE after a decade away

3 -- Checking in on the Junior Caminero thread 

4 -- Results from almost a half-case of Star Wars Chrome blasters 

5 -- Inside a Sapphire UFC box

6 -- All your MLB chatter

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What: 2025 Topps Chrome SpongeBob SquarePants trading cards
Arrives: Oct. 1
Box basics: Five autographs or sketch cards per case -- 12 packs per hobby box (12 boxes per case); seven packs of four cards per blaster box (40 boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Odds: Click here
Order: Click here (when live)

What's buzz-worthy: Topps' mission to Chrome the world reaches the realm of the square yellow sponge living in a pineapple in the city of Bikini Bottom on the floor of the Pacific Ocean at some point soon.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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What's Buzzing: The NFL season is here, non-sports chatter, new pulls and more in this Thursday edition.

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1 -- NFL Week 1 is here

2 -- Plenty of non-sports discussions

3 -- All your new pulls ...

4 -- Check out NFL finds here

5 -- Talking wrestling cards

6 -- More MLB chatter

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

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 pack: 2025 Leaf Metal Pop Century 1/1 Pre-Production Proofs 
Where to buy: Click here (these are box-toppers in Pop Century boxes)

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

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What's Buzzing: Talking NFL and MLB, Logofractors, eTopps, ripping Green Day GPK and more.

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1 -- An eTopps reaction ... and another thread

2 -- Still talking Logofractors

3 -- Living Set discussions

4 -- Opening some Green Day GPK

5 -- NFL Week 1 is almost here

6 -- More MLB chatter

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What: 2025 Historic Autographs World War II trading cards
Arrives: Oct. 15
Box basics: Two relics/inserts per 13-pack hobby box (24 boxes per case); one cut auto and one dirt relic per 115-card vending box
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Historic Autographs once again looks back at World War II with a release packed with cards that examine the "villains, heroes, battles and events that still shape our world today."

Keep reading for more information.

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Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading ... so here's this month's grading diary.

TOP-GRADE VARIATION
The Card: C.J. Stroud 2021-22 Bowman University Chrome Prospects -- image variation
The Reason Graded: If you poke around in the archives for the Buzz Breaks of this release, you'll likely find a break where I missed this one and just simply called it a Refractor despite it being an image variation (all are Refractors on these). It should have been obvious based on the practice photo vs. game action, but I only spotted it well after the fact -- months, if not years, later -- when going through my old boxes. When I stopped to look, this card looked absolutely flawless and since it's somewhat rarer than the others it's also still a bit pricier for a standard card. (It's no monster but it's definitely better than a few types of Refractors.) Since it was so clean and the NFL season is upon us, I put this one into a bulk submission.
The Grade: CGC 10 (Pristine)

Reality Check: This card checked in at exactly where I thought it would. Fun find and a win -- and it wasn't even tucked away in a box penny sleeved. The divide between mine and the other copies graded is also an interesting one -- perhaps there's a common flaw on copies due to position on the sheet or from machinery? No idea ...

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

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What's Buzzing: Green Day's Garbage Pail Kids, Big Dumper, non-sports grails, grading chatter and more.

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1 -- Still talking Big Dumper

2 -- All your MLB chatter is here

3 -- Talking Green Day's GPK debut

4 -- Non-sports grail cards?

5 -- Reactions to an ugly wrestling incident this past weekend

6 -- All your grading talk resides here

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What: 2025 Leaf Metal Halloween autograph cards
Arrives: Late September
Box basics: Three autographed cards per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The Metal holiday releases take a turn with this one -- carrying a wider distribution beyond just online -- with fewer than 450 cases made for a release that teams the pop culture stars of this holiday with icons from the sports realm.

Keep reading for more details and a teaser gallery for this one.

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What's Buzzing: Big Dumper closes in on record, Rafael Devers, NFL chatter, one card from every sketch card set ever, wrestling cards and ... a licensing development?

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1 -- Big Dumper is nearing a record and 50 homers

2 -- A licensing development?

3 -- Rafael Devers ... "so last month"

4 -- "Looking for one of EVERY licensed sketch card ever"

5 -- Talking wrestling cards

6 -- All your NFL chatter as the season nears

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What: 2025 Pieces of the Past Villains Edition trading cards
Arrives: Sept. 15
Box basics: Four memorabilia cards per 16-card box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Pieces of the Past turns its attention to "the most notorious villains the world has ever seen" in a release that keeps with the ongoing waves of focused series within an overall set.

Keep reading for more info and a selection of images.

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This new department will be an occasional series that will take a quick look at a game our gaming release with card elements -- essentially a breakdown of what's in a box, but not the typical kind of a Buzz Break. (Buzz isn't a gamer so this will just be what's in a box vs. gameplay analysis.) Maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

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The Game: Star Wars Rivals Expandable Game System Premier Set Series I (Funko Games, 2023)
Where to buy: Will take some looking ... BlowoutCards.com for other gaming -- or for traditional Star Wars cards

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery from this one.

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Here's this month's roundup of items that have recently caught my eye as a buyer ...

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PARALLEL POWER?
The Card: National League Wins Leaders (Spencer Strider, Zac Gallen, Justin Steele) 2024 Topps True Photo variant & Gold Foil parallel
The Price: About $11 total
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: The concept of this one is simple and it's striking -- knock off the border of a base card completely, using just its photo -- and I think it works. But there's also one thing here that's striking -- and not in the best way. These are arguably too rare to make that big of an impact with me and I think perhaps other collectors who might not bother to grab their players or even think about a team set or full set. How rare? They are one in 677 hobby packs and I'm confident they'd be more popular if people could reasonably collect a team run or set. Why? Because they're something dramatically different and you can compare the regular card and this version side by side. I also grabbed a Gold Foil parallel for this one this time after I bit on the variant ... just to say I had one. Even paying $10 for this was a stretch for me ... and those odds and that price might say that these aren't as popular as they could/should be. These are one in basically every third hobby case.
Grab a box right here: MLB cards are here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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What: 2025 Topps Marvel Comic Book Heroes trading cards
Arrives: TBD
Box basics: 32 cards per box (eight four-card packs)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here (when live)

What's buzz-worthy: Another Chromed Marvel release from Topps is on the way with a mix of past and present looks for its stars in play for the 50th anniversary of the original stickers.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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What: 2025 Pieces of the Past Royalty Edition trading cards
Arrives: Sept. 10
Box basics: One encased memorabilia card per box (10 boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Pieces of the Past turns its attention to world leaders and other icons for a memorabilia-only release that includes 100 different cards all with something embedded into them.

Keep reading for more info and a selection of images.

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What: 2025 Leaf Metal Authentics autograph cards
Arrives: Aug. 29
Box basics: One on-card autograph per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Metal is back with nothing but autographs and colorful, rarer parallels in play with a mix of sports and non-sports all in one -- and with multsigned cards (above) and inscriptions (below) also mixed in.

Keep reading for more details and a teaser gallery for this one.

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What: 2024 Topps GPK Battle of the Bands - Green Day trading cards
Arrives: Aug. 27, 2025
Box basics: 10 five-card packs per box (20 boxes per case) -- two serial-numbered parallels per box
Checklist: Click here
Odds: TBD
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Topps turns its Garbage Pail Kids franchise to the punk rock realm teaming up with and taking on the iconic long-time band in a release that's been delayed but will include autographs and Relics.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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What: 2025 Topps Mint Marvel trading cards
Arrives: Aug. 13
Box basics: One encased card per 11-card box (10 boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: A new release debuted at San Diego Comic-Con and it's one with just the basics for the iconic characters of the comics and movies empire.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading ... so here's this month's grading diary.

NINES ARE FINE
The Card: Aaron Judge 2017 Topps Archives -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: The unique 1960 Topps design always stands out to me. Why? Because one of my first clean vintage cards as a kid was a Gus Bell form the set, which I got since I knew he was a big-leaguer's dad. (Yay, trivia!) So that's perhaps one reason I held this Judge RC instead of letting it go. (Plus, I didn't rip as much of this brand ... so it was the only copy I pulled.) Judge's dominating 2025 season should make you stop and wonder about slabbing any RCs or early/rare stuff you have now ... just because. He and Shohei Ohtani are all-timers playing right in front of our faces now and are as safe as it gets when it comes to grab and slab or buy and hold -- even with plenty of their cards being graded.
The Grade: CGC 9

Reality Check: I knew this wouldn't be a 10 contender with the finicky stock here and the centering being a smidge off by my typical standards for a slab, but, like I said, it was my only copy. Most check in at this grade, so the nine makes sense, too, and the volume below it also shows this card isn't the easiest to grade.

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

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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: 2004 BenchWarmer Series 1 (Canadian box) trading cards
Where to buy: Will take some looking ... See newer BenchWarmer boxes here

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of everything in this box.

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What's Buzzing: Collectors remember Ryne Sandberg, Derek Jeter, The National nears, new pulls and more.

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1 -- Collectors remember Ryne Sandberg

2 -- The National is days away

3 -- Showing off new Derek Jeter cards

4 -- Ripping Goodwin Champions

5 -- Inside new Twin Peaks boxes

6 -- New MLB pulls

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What: 2025 Topps Chrome Star Wars trading cards
Arrives: Aug. 29
Box basics: One autograph per 10-pack hobby box (eight per case) or two autos per one-pack breaker's box (10 per case) or four parallels per 32-card Sapphire Edition box (TBD per case)
Checklist: Click here
Sapphire Checklist: Click here
Sapphire Odds: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Star Wars will hit Chrome once again with a few box options that are the only teasers for the time being along with any TBD details on the box mocks.

Keep reading for more as well as a gallery.

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What's Buzzing: Collectors react to the Hulk Hogan news, The National nears, sketch cards, Tom Brady Rookie Cards, Ozzy Osbourne and more in today's edition.

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1 -- Hulk Hogan dies at 71

2 -- The National nears

3 -- They had been talking Tom Brady Rookie Cards, but ... 

4 -- Talking sketch cards

5 -- Collectors react to the death of heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne

6 -- Reactions to an alleged autograph forgery ring

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What: 2025 Keepsake Bob Marley Collection trading cards
Arrives: Sept. 17
Box basics: One relic card and eight five-card packs per box (eight boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Keepsake turns its attention to another music icon in Bob Marley with a release for the late star that includes everything from pieces of instruments to a cut autograph embedded into cards.

Keep reading for more info and a selection of images.

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Ozzy Osbourne's first certified auto was a redemption in his TV show's Inkworks card set.

What's Buzzing: Collectors react to the Ozzy Osbourne news, The National nears, talking Ichiro Suzuki cards and more.

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1 -- Collectors react to the death of heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne

2 -- The National nears

3 -- Talking Ichiro Suzuki cards

4 -- Pondering a David Wright purchase

5 -- The future of sticker autographs?

6 -- Reactions to an alleged autograph forgery ring

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.