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.

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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: 1988 Topps football cards
Where to buy: Will take some looking ... hit BlowoutCards.com for newer football cards

Keep reading for a breakdown and gallery for what was in 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.

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What's Buzzing: About Bo Jackson's football Rookie Card, offseason NFL chatter, Downtown cards, an interesting foil botch, Topps Dynasty and Topps Heritage.

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1 -- Bo Jackson's NFL Rookie Card: A lot of correct answers here

2 -- Offseason NFL chatter is here

3 -- Downtowns ... now or later?

4 -- An interesting foil botch

5 -- Awaiting Topps Dynasty

6 -- Still talking Topps Heritage

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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.

Some call it the junk wax era, but it's a time where many fans were collecting, many more were stockpiling and everybody seemingly enjoyed some classic cardboard and memorable Rookie Cards for some of the biggest stars and record-breakers in modern baseball -- and it wasn't just MLB cardboard that entered the public consciousness, either.

Plenty of fans were interested -- and plenty of everything was made back then -- and, in the here and now of 2025, BlowoutCards.com is buying.

Keep reading for more details.

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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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CROSSING HIM OFF 
The Card: Joe Montana autographed 1988 Topps card (BAS slabbed)
The Price: About $65
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Rewind the clock to the early/mid 1990s and Montana is the unquestioned top QB on cardboard with perhaps only a small number of RBs or WRs even coming close to competing with him for popularity on cards. Back then, in a new era of certified autographs from brands such as Pro Line and Classic or mail-order autographed items, there was ink to chase but Montana was never, ever on my radar. Why? Look at that auto ... there's still not much going on there that would have sparked me to pay a premium price for a glorified initialgraph with a slight more added on. Fast-forward to now and the Hall of Famer still has all those rings and all those MVP awards, but he's been surpassed on the stat sheets and cards ... it happens. The 68-year-old has done a lot of signing for Leaf for its releases and buyback brands -- I think this was one from there -- in recent years and it had been on my radar for literally months as I really like the look of many of his 1980s Topps cards. A relatively clean copy with an on-card auto is a no-brainer if the price is right and I got this one for about half of the asking price of man identical copy I'd been watching. All these years later, I can cross Montana off my ink-needed list.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this ... but NFL cards are here.

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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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THERE'S ALWAYS TIME FOR TIFF
The Card: Tiffany Stratton 2024 Panini Instant WWE Red-White-Blue Autograph (/10)
The Price: $49.99 via Panini Instant
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This was an instant buy for me for that price and I suspect that future autos for this rising WWE star will cost more when they happen again via Instant based on asking and sale prices over on eBay that are far higher. (And because Panini has charged more for names who aren't as popular.) It's not a perfect card with the auto running off the sticker to a small degree here (though others I saw were worse with that being part of the "T") but that doesn't matter to me much with this being a personal collection addition. The only question is whether I'll slab it or not and I'm leaning toward no as I don't want any surprises on a solid card. With this victory, she got a title match anywhere and at any time, so this is a key moment upon that rocketship ride to the top as she only started wrestling in any capacity in late 2021 and already has all the skills to pay the bills. (Here's one match to see.) There will be more Strattons to come here as long as the prices don't get too crazy.
Grab a box right here: Not for this ... WWE cards are here

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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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 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.

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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 ...

LEGENDARY INK
The Card: Undertaker 2022 Panini Revolution WWE Sunburst Autographs (/99)
The Reason Graded: This cost me less than what two boxes would have when I bought it raw -- and then I submitted it to grade after seeing that some typical problem spots for cards from this brand weren't really issues. (In my view, the back corners and edges can be funky for both years.) Why grab this? Undertaker was not a regular signer for a long time and even when has signed cards in recent years he's been more limited since his signing fees are always high -- seemingly far higher than others -- based on public signing prices. I have his ink on a few items sold direct from WWE in the past, but I hadn't rally bothered with anything for cards and figured this could make for a nice slab -- even with sticker ink -- as the photo is as iconic as it gets for a legendary character in WWE history. This would be a perfect kind of auto card if it had an on-card sig ... and it's still not far off as it is with that photo. It's also a perhaps-overlooked brand in the Panini WWE portfolio.
The Grade: CGC 9

Reality Check: A nine I'm fine with -- so no worries here -- but anything less than that I would have been kind of mad at myself for trying it. Why? Generally, I don't like pricey surprises with grading, so I don't slab as much ink as I should as I own plenty of them raw. I need to do more slabs like this, but a miss on cheaper, oddball cards that are interesting aren't as risky in my book.

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

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What: 2023 Topps Series 2 baseball cards
Arrives: June 7
Box basics: One auto or Relic per 24-pack hobby box (12 per case) or one auto, one Relic & one manufactured Relic per jumbo (six per case)
Checklist: Click here
Odds: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The second wave of the flagship release of Topps baseball cards arrives with a similar approach to the past but also with some new looks and new stars on cardboard.

Keep reading for more info.

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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 ...

MY FIRST NEW-LABEL SLAB ...
The Card: Derrick Henry 2016 Panini Origins Rookie Autographs #112
The Reason Graded: My latest submission of stuff from CSG is already back -- in times far faster than what's posted on their site -- and this card of Tennessee Titans star (and former Alabama Crimson Tide standout as well as Heisman Trophy winner) Derrick Henry was my choice for my first fast sub under their new format. Why? I thought it looked quite flawless with a solid on-card sig with literally nothing obviously wrong with the card. With this being perhaps my best NFL auto for him I opted to slab it since thick-stock cards like this have tended to grade cleanly for me.
The Grade: CSG 9.5 (10 auto)

Reality Check: I was a little surprised this didn't check in higher as the only couple of white spots on the card appeared to be to be part of the design's specs and splats but ... I'll live with it. This one might also be reflective of CSG's tough standards, which don't appear to have gotten easier at all with their new slabs and slightly tweaked scale at its top. (Cards previously in a CSG Gem Mint 9.5 are now Gem Mint 10s.) All in all, I'm good with this card and their new scale and look -- straight-on scans don't do these slabs justice. While I liked the previous style (and own plenty) this one is tight and right ... just like their time for return, price and structure that lets you see the front and backs of the cards as they were in-house. There won't be tampering/fake slabs when you can look up the card online -- a big plus over other slabs if you ask me.

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: Opening softball cards, Ozzie Albies, a grading question, big pulls, chasing Bo Jackson's Rookie Card and "Zion Investors are you concerned?"

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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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IT'S STILL WRESTLEMANIA SEASON ... 
The Card: Toni Storm 2019 Topps WWE NXT Silver Autographs (/25)
The Price: Under $100
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Here's a bit of a spoiler here ... there will be a number of WWE items in this piece and (another spoiler) you probably won't see Toni Storm at WrestleMania ... but I'm still a buyer. Why? This first WWE autograph is still her only signed card (also with parallels) to date. They have been scorchers since that time, too, but I'm sure we'll finally get a new wave in the next WWE Women's release that's set to arrive after Mania. (Right?) The price on this was arguably lower than it should have been and the condition is a lot cleaner than many other cards from this dark-bordered, skinny-stock release. I pulled one parallel version, have bought a couple base autos (they're in past editions of this series) and then I grabbed this one. Why? Because she's one of a trio of young and/or NXT stars I'm sold on. I also kind of like the challenge of trying to get an auto from this release with a good grade but that's something for a story down the line later. Once more autos arrive, perhaps prices will come down some here ... I'd probably still be a buyer.
Grab a box right here: No boxes of this one ... see all WWE boxes here.

Keep reading for more interesting items in this one ...

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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 ... and this time it's still a few more past pick-ups than usual as my pre-COVID grading submissions are delayed and still in graders' hands.

GOOD AS GOLD?
The Card: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 2019 Topps Update Gold #US1 (/2,019) -- Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Graded: This one looked razor-sharp when I pulled it -- and that wasn't always the easiest thing with the corners for cards in this release. While I might want to slab a few key RCs in this one, I wouldn't unless I think that the corners could be decent enough to get a 9.5 or better. Why? Because a lot of people are grading stuff here so you can let them take the chance at stuff coming back surprisingly low. Meanwhile, because of those corner issues (tight wrappers or chippy stock) a high-grade card is seemingly just not easy in this one -- and Gold parallels can be problematic at times, too,  though they were cleaner here than other past years.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: This card checked in where I had hoped but I'm definitely not alone as nearly all of the cards graded checked in as 9.5s. While the grade is a win, the pop report is a bit of a bummer. Long-term that might not matter as the demand will be there if he lives up to the expectations.

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

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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 ...

BIG-TIME PULL
The Card: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 2019 Topps Chrome Orange Refractors #201 (/25) Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Graded: This one came out of one of the best Topps Chrome boxes I've ever seen -- in fact, it might have been one of the best non-high-end boxes I've ever seen for any brand -- and I knew instantly that the two big cards from it would end up slabbed. This one is up first and I actually had it graded awhile back but held it a little closer to baseball season -- and we're here. This guy could be set for a big season after a rookie campaign that was closely watched but perhaps not as lofty as was expected. With so few copies of this one made, I figured it was a no-brainer no matter how he fares this season.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: I was glad to see this grade, and it turns out that two of the three that were slabbed were graded on the same day -- I just missed out on "first-graded" status. The Series 2 short-print (which looks just like this) is probably going to be the long-term iconic card for Guerrero, but rare Chromes like this one figure to be very strong, too, even if in a lesser grade. Interestingly only four copies have been graded by PSA -- three 10s and one PSA 9.

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

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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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LUKA'S SKYWALKING CARDBOARD
The Item: Luka Doncic 2018-19 Panini Contenders The Finals Ticket auto (/25)
The Price: $3,999.99 Buy-It-Now (or best offer)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: The arrival of this brand marks the arrival of the newest rare cardboard for this rookie who has been scorching when it comes to cardboard and not that shabby on the court for the Dallas Mavericks with 19 points 6.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. It's interesting that this one hasn't been slabbed up -- so it could have more price potential -- though the Optic versions of his cards in this one might be the top target for a few buyers. His cards are pricey across the board, so they are worth a look any time more arrive.
Similar Pieces: Other Luca Doncic autos on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for 2018-19 NBA boxes

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

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 What: 2018 Topps MLS soccer cards
Arrives: April 11
Hobby box basics: Two autos and one jumbo Relic per 24-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Back for its sixth year, the flagship for Topps' American soccer presence will arrive with nods to the 1980s but plenty of the energy and cardboard qualities that collectors expect today.

Keep reading to learn more and see a full gallery of preview images.

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Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today's your day then as we launch 12 in 12 -- a series of a dozen breaks of past wax boxes and wax packs in a dozen hours. We'll post one every hour on the hour all day long today ... this is Hour 7.

The pack: 1988 Topps football cello pack 
The cost now: $2
The cost then: 79 cents

What's inside this one? Keep reading ...

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Bo was one of the biggest stars of the 1980s as a college football star, a professional baseball and football star and a marketing star. Everybody knew his name and they still know why.

And then suddenly one day it was gone.

Sure, Vincent Edward Jackson played some baseball after his final NFL game -- that hip injury was 26 years ago tomorrow -- but he was never the same. And in an interview today he had a different take on his career.

"If I knew back then what I know now," he told USA TODAY Sports, "I would have never played football. Never. I wish I had known about all of those head injuries, but no one knew that. And the people that did know that, they wouldn’t tell anybody."

His career as a pro -- in both sports -- lasted less than a decade but he's easily one of the biggest icons of his time. It's a story worth checking out if you missed it and it's worth revisiting if you didn't.

Here, though, we simply have one bit of curiosity presented below.

[polldaddy poll=9634961]

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Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

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