Auction Buzz is a monthly look at some of the variety found out there on the auction block ... check 'em out.

It's going to be a busy end of the year for Dallas-based Heritage Auctions with a number of regularly scheduled events as well as some showcase auctions with high-profile stuff all on the calendar. This time, we look at a few things from a few active sales this month.

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LUCILLE'S DEBUT ... AND MORE
The Item: Negan -- aka Jeffrey Dean Morgan -- signature ensemble and action "Lucille" bat from Season 7 of The Walking Dead (AMC 2010-2022). Certified via AMC and Heritage. 
The Price: $10,000 opening bid (ends Oct. 31)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: According to Heritage, the full lot here includes a leather jacket, an off-white T-shirt with staining, a pair of gray pants with a "'Negan Hero' bias label," a leather belt, a red bandana, a pair of leather boots, a right-hand leather glove and an "action version" of the famed "Lucille" baseball bat constructed of foam rubber that is "expertly painted and finished to appear as a lathed wood grain baseball bat with a black oval-shaped logo and blood stains." This comes from Season 7, Episode 1, "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" and Heritage says "Negan's introduction marked one of the most-dramatic turning points in the series" with this scene's game of "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe" with Abraham Ford (Michael Cudlitz) and Glenn Rhee (Steven Yeun). There's no estimate for how much this one will go for but the full package (Click image at left for a closer look) could be a headlining kind of item. For those who want a non-stunt Lucille, there are a few up for grabs in the overall event, which includes almost 900 listings.

Keep reading for more interesting pieces up for grabs right now.

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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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MY BEAR NECESSITY
The Item: Paul "Bear" Bryant autographed & dated/inscribed (Oct. 18, 1976) 8-by-10 photo (BAS authenticated)
The Price: $219 ... high for me but it's the perfect item for me
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This was a jaw-dropper of a find for me during a random search of Mill Creek Sports' superstore for autographed stuff earlier this year and I've saved it for football season, specifically this month, to present it and tell its story. It's personalized and that makes it perfect for me this time ... and to top that, the signed date -- the legendary Alabama Crimson Tide football coach and football icon who won 323 games dated everything signed like this -- might as well be on Buzz's actual birthday. (It's close ... close enough.) The odds of this existing or one being signed on my actual birthday? Well, I'm sure there were a number of things to sign on this Monday and I'm also very sure he wasn't sitting down to sign requests on a gameday when I kicked things off in the world. So, this is perhaps as close as it can get. The quality and condition of the photo are perfect and the ink is perfectly legible, too. Now, is his autograph really rare? Not particularly, but he died in January 1983 well before sit-down and paid signing sessions were en vogue for sports legends and he's still in high, historic demand despite Nick Saban equaling him and/or re-writing the Alabama record book in more recent years. It's the perfect item at a perfect price and it will always be mine.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this ... but football cards are here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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What's Buzzing: Dodgers advance in MLB postseason, NFL Week 5 is here, MVP chatter, a grading question, a SpongeBob thread and ... Living Set NBA?

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1 -- The MLB postseason threads are here

2 -- NFL Week 5 is upon us

3 -- Talking Topps Now and Living Sets

4 -- A grading question 

5 -- A SpongeBob thread

6 -- Still pondering the MVP ... 

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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.

They were made just for the show -- but now you can get them, too.

Keepsake was at the L.A. Comic Con this past week with a number of exclusives for 2025 Keepsake Invincible Season 1 available to those who hit the company booth -- and now you can have a shot at them right here.

Seven different packages were up for grabs during the show -- some only available during a single day --  with one biggie being the Blue Holo set above. It's limited to just 1,000 serial-numbered copies with all cards carrying a matching number. That one includes 449 cards and it includes all 140 Laser Signagraph cards and 10 Kill Splatter case hits in this style.

Keep reading for the rest of the show-made packages up for grabs.

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

A HIGH-GRADE DOMINATOR
The Card: Paul Skenes 2025 Topps Heritage
The Reason Bought: I'll fully admit I'm a sucker for high-grade Heritage Rookie Cards and, while this isn't an RC, this one captured my attention just like one as I've ripped my fair share of Heritage this year and, well, not much of the cards that matter that I pulled could have checked in at a perfect grade. All that perfection, the clean photo and the color scheme here got me to bite.
The Grade: CGC 10 (Pristine)

Reality Check: I didn't check the pop report before grabbing it, so it was an extra bonus to see that it's the lone card in the top slot with a decent number of cards below it -- and that goes as low as a CGC 7. That reinforces that Heritage isn't the easiest grade. That makes this one even more of a win in my book.

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 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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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: 2025 Topps Disney Wonder trading cards
Arrives: Oct. 15 for hobby/blaster ... Nov. 15 for Winter Mega
Box basics: One serial-numbered card per 20-pack hobby box (12 per case); seven packs per blaster (40 per case); 15 packs per Winter Mega (20 per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here (when live)

What's buzz-worthy: Topps introduces a new Disney line coming soon that has "magic in every pack" as this one "brings the entire Disney universe to life in stunning new designs" in an "enchanting collection features a 190-card tiered base set across specially designed Tier 1, Tier 2, Villain and Princess tiers."

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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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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GOING FOR THE GOLD
The Card: Shotzi Blackheart 2022 Panini Select WWE Gold Wave Prizm (/10)
The Price: Around the price of a blaster box at arrival
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This brand is my favorite of the Panini years for WWE, and in the case of this star who I collect I have seemed to found her rarities on the affordable side at times with this release. This is a perfect example of that with it being one of the rarest parallels in there but it cost me not much more than the price of a retail box. It was arguably underpriced, so I grabbed it quickly when I spotted it. Will I grade it? It's a possibility, though this release's centering issues can create some surprises (that aren't totally surprises) as I found out with a different parallel of this card. Poke around in Making The Grade last month for an example.
Grab a box right here: WWE cards are here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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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 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: 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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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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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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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 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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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.

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.

What's Buzzing: More reactions to an alleged large-scale autographed memorabilia forgery operation, The National, Juan Soto and plenty more in this Friday edition.

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1 -- Reactions to an alleged autograph forgery ring

2 -- The National nears

3 -- Talking Juan Soto

4 -- Wrestling cards are on their minds

5 -- Collectors' new pulls

6 -- Inside some new Star Trek boxes

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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.

Via @tristar1 ... Bo Jackson

This year's National Sports Collectors Convention is nearly here -- it's set for July 30-Aug. 3 in Chicago with a strong roster of autograph guests ready to sign for collectors who get a ticket and get in line for their moment beyond the ballpark.

Some signers are free if you attend the VIP reception on opening day of the show or buy a VIP ticket package -- a bonus for taking the time to hit every day of the show -- but landing other signers will take some planning and a few bucks.

It's tough to see everything at The National -- it's that big -- and the time it takes to work through autograph lines is valuable in that it impedes your shot at seeing it all. But, if you have wanted to meet a player and get that ink, a number of past and present stars are on the list this year. With that said, here are my picks -- skewing toward the best names for the lowest prices possible -- to grab off the autograph list during the full days of the show this year. (Keep reading for the full signers list at the end ... and, remember, times are always subject to change.)

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