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: Domingo Ayala in 2019 Donruss, several salty discussions, Michael Jordan underwear news and more in today's edition.

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals just might be to rip fewer blasters this year 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. Would they capture yours? I'd be interested to know -- sometimes they might, sometimes they won't and that's fine. It's a buyer's market out there with plenty of options and bargains as well as high-end gems to chase.

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

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DAK & THE DETAILS
The Card: Dak Prescott 2018 Panini National Convention Sparkle Relics (/15)
The Price: $4.95
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This card has a few things going for it and it was found in a show promo pack instead of some super-pricey box, which is a plus for me and my bargain-minded buys. (I like good pulls from cheaper places. They just seem more interesting ... or at least more of a challenge.) I picked this one off primarily because it's got a "prime" type swatch from a game-used football on this parallel and these inexpensive cards are gimmes for me since there simply aren't as many game-used football cards out there vs. other pieces of equipment. I did a double-take when I saw the serial-number, though -- his jersey number -- and that made it a done deal.  To me that adds to the appeal of this card and I'm still a big fan of memorabilia cards. Is this a money card? Probably not, but I'm a collector not a flipper and it just seemed like a no-brainer for the price and scarcity.
Grab a pack/lot: Check out the promo packs section

Keep reading for six 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: About that "found some vintage" thread, about the RC definition and collecting tips, big pulls and more.

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Knowing is half the battle -- and knowing about this one could be important to quite a few people out there.

Arriving next week from IDW Publishing is a new artwork collection focusing on the 1980s G.I. Joe toys -- but perhaps not something many of us saved.

It's a collection of the artwork from the packaging.

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What: 2019 SAGE HIT High Series football cards
Arrives: April 18
Box basics: 12 autos per hobby box (16 boxes per case)
Checklist: See gallery below
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: SAGE continues its HIT series for this season's NFL prospects with this release that will include autographs from Patrick Mahomes and Dwayne Haskins for starters.

Keep reading for more info.

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What: 2018-19 Panini Spectra basketball cards
Arrives: May 8
Box basics: Four autographs and one memorabilia card per eight-card box (eight boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Spectra takes to the court one more time with a new rookie class but the same colorful hits-driven array that collectors have come to expect from this brand.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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Make your picks with a click ... and free stuff could be yours. That's YourDozen.com in a nutshell, and up this week are a dozen questions for everything from spring training baseball and the NBA to NASCAR and the WWE.

Blowout Cards' new hot spot for your shot at free stuff -- store credit, boxes, memorabilia and other prizes -- is in its sixth week and the prize once again is $200 in Blowout store credit.

Did you get in on last week's event? Check the leaderboard and contact fish@blowoutcards.com to claim your prize if you're the winner.

How does it work? Keep reading ...

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This season marks the 150th for professional baseball in America and Topps will be taking us through the history books via baseball cards all year long via a new weekly offering.

It's the 2019 Topps 150 Years of Baseball set and it will be offered every week via Topps.com.

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What: 2018 Leaf Trinity baseball cards
Arrives: Late April/early May
Box basics: Six autographed cards per box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Trinity returns for another year with "an amazing mix of both brand-new draft picks and the hottest prospects in the game today."

Keep reading for more info and a full gallery.

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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: 2019 Topps Series 1 baseball cards (standard blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
Packs per box: 8 (seven standard and one commemorative patch pack)
Cards per pack: 14 per standard
Cards in this box: 99
Base set completion: 
88 of 350 (25 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards of note – Aaron Judge, Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, David Price, Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo, Paul Goldschmidt, Corey Seager, Nolan Arenado

Rookie Cards (9) – Kyle Tucker, Jonathan Loaisiga, Jacob Nix, Corbin Burnes, Ray Black, Garrett Hampson, Heath Fillmyer, Luis Urias, Ryan Borucki

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Basketball collectors now have another reason to hit the hobby shop daily.

The annual Panini NBA Player of the Day promo is back and it gives basketball collectors a little extra to check in on when they rip into packs of Panini America cards at participating shops through April 14.

Among the prizes? The chance to spend the say with an NBA player as well as autographed cards and other bonuses.

“The Player of the Day promotion helps hobby shops sell more trading cards while rewarding collectors who purchase Panini America products,” said Jason Howarth, Panini VP of Marketing. “We are thrilled to support hobby shops selling our NBA trading cards by expanding this proven promotion to even more hobby shops. We look forward to creating more memorable experiences for collectors this year.”

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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: Plenty of MLB chatter, NBA breaks and King Kong Bundy among today's links.

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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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CONTENDERS OPTIC ARRIVES
The Item: Josh Allen 2018 Panini Contenders Optic Gold Vinyl autograph (1/1)
The Price: $2,147 after 29 bids (six days remaining)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This brand takes one of the most historically popular brands for football collectors, Contenders, and gives it an Optichrome rainbow with a lot of ink to chase. You get two autos per box but the key cards of the key rookies -- not easy pulls in this format -- are the driving force and command big cash when you find them. With a box price and format that puts the focus on the hits and the chase more than an overall collecting experience with many packs, this one is a brand that adds to the big-hit oomph when you find one. This card shows you that as it's already in big interest. It should be interesting to see how this auction goes. I'm not that big of a fan of how the text is wiped out in this design, but it's clear that the bidders don't care -- it's a big card.
Similar Pieces: Other Contenders Optic autos on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for 2018 Contenders Optic boxes

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

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Baseball, football ... it doesn't matter -- Kyler Murray has a new team.

The Heisman Trophy-winning former Oklahoma Sooners star has signed an autograph deal with Panini America with the news formally announced on Monday. His first autos will arrive this month in 2019 Panini Prizm Draft Picks and 2019 Score will be the home of his first NFL cardboard.

“Kyler is one of the most dynamic playmakers to enter the NFL Draft and he has raised the level of excitement for this entire draft class since declaring,” said Panini America CEO Mark Warsop in a prepared statement. “We’re thrilled to be able to partner with him to deliver to fans and collectors his only officially licensed trading cards and autograph cards for the 2019 season.”

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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: NFL cards that never were, big new pulls from the NFL, WWE and more in today's edition.

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Bryce Harper donned his No. 3 Philadelphia Phillies jersey for the first time ever yesterday and today's the day for the first baseball cards reflecting that new reality.

It's thanks to Topps Now, the real-time baseball card platform from Topps, and that's where his cards will be printed to order after a 24-hour window closes over at Topps.com. The cards are $9.99 with quantity discounts available.

Harper agreed to a record-setting 13-year, $330-million contract with the Phillies on Thursday -- a deal that will lock him in place until he's 38 years old and in his 20th MLB season.

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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: Collectors react to Bryce Harper with the Phillies, spring training hype, plenty of 2019 Topps Heritage chatter and 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: Trae Young, Contenders Optic Michael Jordan, Topps Heritage and more in today's edition.

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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: 2018-19 Donruss Optic basketball cards (Mega Box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 10 (eight standard, two Hyper Pink)
Cards per pack: 4 per standard, 5 per Hyper Pink
Cards in this box: 42
Base set completion: 20 of 150 (13 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards: Ben Simmons, Anthony Davis, Donovan Mitchell, Karl-Anthony Towns, Rajon Rondo, Lauri Markkanen, Goran Dragic, Evan Turner, J.R. Smith, Denzel Valentine, Dion Waiters, Jrue Holiday, Zach Collins, DeWayne Dedmon, Patrick Beverley, Clint Capela, George Hill, Wesley Matthews, Mario Hezonja, Kyle Korver

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Bryce Harper's first Philadelphia Phillies baseball cards are here.

There are a pair of cards and a pair of posters available now -- and in uniform -- thanks to Topps. However, they're not via Topps Now the real-time baseball card platform. They are instead more like wall art in their style and formats.

Poster A is the blue version, while Poster B is red and gray. Alone they are $19.99 apiece via Topps.com. The cards are the same 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: 2019 Topps Heritage baseball cards (hanger box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (a few formats)

Packs per box: 1
Cards per pack: 35
Cards in this box: 35
Base set completion: 
33 of 400 (8 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Josh Donaldson, Mike Trout, Salvador Perez, Chris Sale, David Price, Max Scherzer, Ryan Braun, James Paxton, Noah Syndergaard

>>> For variation details, click here

Rookie Cards (1 card, 3 rookies) – Framber Valdez, Josh James, Dean Deetz

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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: 2014 Topps Chrome Update #MB46 Mookie Betts RC
The Reason Graded: I didn't buy a ton of Mega Boxes when these arrived five years ago, but I did land this card, which is a Rookie Debut version for then Red Sox rookie and now-reigning American League MVP Mookie Betts. This card is an ironic classic in that he's captured taking the field at Yankee Stadium. That aspect of the photo isn't as easily seen in Chrome form, but I opted to get this pricier version of the card graded. I'll probably grade some more of my others in the future. For now, though, this one leads the way.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: I wasn't that confident in this one as I just have bad luck at times with Chrome cards, but this one turns out to be one of the highest-graded copies. I'll take it, especially considering what I've got up next.

Keep reading for the rest of this month's new grades and additions.

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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: 2019 Topps Heritage baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (a few formats)

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 9
Cards in this box: 71
Base set completion: 
64 of 400 (16 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Mike Trout, Paul Goldschmidt, Freddie Freeman, Salvador Perez, Chris Sale, David Price, Robinson Cano, Dustin Pedroia, Michael Conforto

>>> For variation details, click here

Rookie Cards (4 cards, 9 rookies) – Kyle Tucker, Cionel Perez, James Norwood, Duane Underwood Jr., Kevin Newman, Kevin Kramer, Francisco Arcia, Ty Buttrey, Williams Jerez

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Bryce Harper is headed to the Philadelphia Phillies.

The contract to come? A record-setting 13-year $330-million deal that would lock him in until age 38 and his 20th MLB season.

Harper, who's been on cards since he was was on the USA Baseball 16U team back in 2008, was the 2015 National League MVP when he hit 42 homers with a .330 average. Last year he hit .249 with 34 homers, upping his career total to 184 in seven seasons all with the Washington Nationals.

So, what's next for his cardboard?

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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: Plenty of 2019 Topps Heritage chatter and pulls, MLB players with big fan bases, pondering the card market without Mike Trout and plenty more -- all baseball -- in today's edition.

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