Ichiro Suzuki’s 2001 MLB arrival didn’t just change the game on the field — he helped feed growing international demand for baseball cards via plenty of new premium brands that helped pave the way for the ultra-deluxe stuff of today.

-

A legendary career and baseball journey on two continents makes its final stop this month in Cooperstown, N.Y., and the Hall of Fame and there’s a lot that can be said about that in several directions. 

Ichiro Suzuki changed the game with his arrival in MLB, eschewing the longball in favor of speed and hits — lots and lots of hits. But, “hits” are also the story of all those years when it comes to baseball cards with the prized rarities found in packs with autographs on them — or pieces of memorabilia in them — being an unstoppable force in those years. 

Of course, hits didn’t start with the Japanese star’s arrival, but many of his cards in sets alongside another now-legendary 2001 rookie, Albert Pujols, helped change the cardboard world even faster. Demand for their stuff prompted several new brands from several companies making MLB cards back then to try new things, capitalizing on their new stars who could move packs and boxes of cards -- just like they could move players around the bases and move butts into seats to watch games. One could argue that 2001 was in part a big piece in the evolution of what we see in today’s sports card landscape -- a focus on rarities with small print runs and with premium prices that weren’t like the wax paper-wrapped pocket-change treasures of not that many years before. 

Now, what’s to come here is absolutely not a definitive list of top cards — and it’s not one purely based on volatile values or one limited solely to Rookie Cards. Why? There’s a lot to choose from for Suzuki on all fronts — there could be several ways to take on this challenge. He has more than 50 different Rookie Cards between his 1993 Nippon Professional Baseball and 2001 Major League Baseball debuts (depending on how you want to argue about RC definitions) and he had roughly 500 cards in 2001 alone. Many of them are rarer cards where it is impossible to own them all thanks to small print runs and rare serial-numbered versions. 

In all, he appears on more than 19,000 different cards made over the years between NPB and MLB -- and even though his playing career ended in 2019 his cardboard career has not. He’s got a place in the game in seemingly every new baseball card set on the way and that figures to be the story for the rest of cardboard eternity. He’s not just a Hall of Famer … he’s an international icon.

Here’s a small sampling of 25 Ichiro Suzuki cards that are both fun and notable.

Continue reading →

What: 2025 Super Break Supercharged
Arrives: April 30
Box basics: At least three items per box (three boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Super Break offers up a new memorabilia blind-box product to start the spring with a mix of some of the biggest names in the game -- all sports -- and more in pop culture possible among the finds, which include this baseball signed by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

Continue reading →

What: 2024-25 Donruss soccer cards
Arrives: Jan. 15, 2025
Box basics: One autograph and one memorabilia card per 12-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Football fans of the international form get another new batch of Donruss soon with a release that once again includes a mix of base, Optichrome and more with stars from around the world all in one spot.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

Continue reading →

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 ...

MAMI'S HOME ...
The Card: Rhea Ripley 2020 Topps Chrome WWE Gold Refractor Autographs (/50) -- rookie-year auto
The Reason Graded: I picked up this one a few years ago for a pretty modest price -- about the price of a box back then -- and since then Ripley has emerged as the top name among a newer wave of stars who, barring injuries, should be helping redefine women's wrestling for some time. I had this one in my get-graded stacks for a long time as I don't often slab up auto cards -- I don't like surprises -- but I did it on this one and a standard auto earlier this year since they looked quite clean.
The Grade: CGC 10 (Pristine) with 10 auto

Reality Check: As good as it gets and this card is a monster as it is. A raw copy pushed $500 not that long ago and a PSA 9 sold for that much as well earlier this year. A perfect 10 absolutely works for me on this one ... it's the best color here if you ask me, too.

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

Continue reading →

What: 2024 TruMystery Lucky Envelope Asia Edition
Arrives: April 23
Box basics: One autograph per box (eight boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: TruCreator  focuses its attention on Asian athletes and stars throughout pop culture in a release that's all about autographed items -- and premium items also will be in play here via redemptions.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

Continue reading →

What: 2023-24 Panini Prizm Premier League soccer cards
Arrives: Jan. 31, 2024
Box basics: One autograph per 12-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The Premier League's annual Prizm release arrives with an insert in every pack -- sometimes more -- as it showcases stars from around the world with plenty of the colorful parallels that are always in play.

Keep reading for more info as well as a gallery of images.

Continue reading →

Panini America's newest teammate might be its youngest.

The NBA card-maker revealed on Tuesday that it has signed high school standout and likely 2025 NBA Draft lottery pick Tre Johnson to an "exclusive, multi-year partnership." According to the company, Johnson is the first high school athlete to sign an NIL deal of this type with Panini. The 6-foot-6 Dallas star guard recently transferred to Link Academy in Branson, Mo., for his senior season.

"This is a milestone for Panini America and Tre Johnson will be an excellent partner for our brand," said Jason Howarth, Senior VP of Marketing and Athlete Relations, in a prepared release. "Not only is he one of the best basketball players in the country, but he's an athlete from our backyard and someone we have had our eye on. We are excited to support Tre and help him grow as he continues to progress in his basketball career."

Continue reading →

What: 2022-23 Panini Select Premier League soccer cards
Arrives: April 26
Box basics: Three autos or mem cards per 12-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Some of soccer's biggest stars will arrive in this one as part of a colorful and parallel-packed ensemble celebrating the Premier League.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

Continue reading →

What: 2022-23 Panini Immaculate Collection soccer cards
Arrives: March 17, 2023
Box basics: Five autos or memorabilia cards in every seven-card box (six boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Immaculate Collection continues its time on the pitch with big names, big ink, big cards and more possible in every small box of this one.

Keep reading for more info and a full gallery.

Continue reading →

What: 2022-23 Panini Select FIFA soccer cards
Arrives: March 8
Box basics: Three autos or mem cards per 12-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Some of soccer's biggest stars will arrive in this one as part of a colorful and parallel-packed ensemble celebrating the global game.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

Continue reading →

What: 2022 Panini Eminence World Cup soccer cards
Arrives: Dec. 23
Box basics: Nine autographs and one other card per box
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Eminence turns its premium format to the stars of the World Cup -- past and present -- all in one nearly hits-only spot.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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: Wander Franco, Zion Williamson, Wander Franco RCs, a look at a major collector, 2022 Topps breaks, big pulls and ... the Las Vegas Athletics?

Continue reading →

What: 2021-22 Panini Mosaic Road To FIFA World Cup soccer cards
Arrives: Oct. 5
Box basics: One autograph per 10-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The World Cup action gets a colorful, parallel-loaded release with this one, which will include 40 chase cards in every box.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

Continue reading →

What: 2021 Panini Immaculate Collection soccer cards
Arrives: Feb. 2
Box basics: Five autos or memorabilia cards in every seven-card box (six boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Immaculate Collection arrives with the same format as years past but with a number of inclusions that offer the world's biggest stars in strong ways.

Keep reading for more info and a full gallery.

Continue reading →

Christian Pulisic won't be changing cardboard teams any time soon.

Panini America revealed on Wednesday that it has extended its exclusive long-term deal with the soccer star for autographs and memorabilia for another five years. He's been with the company since 2016.

“We’re proud to have Christian as an exclusive member of the Panini family – it’s a special relationship that has really blossomed during the first five years,” said Panini America CEO Mark Warsop in a prepared release. “Christian has been a driving force behind our entire soccer portfolio – both domestically and internationally. This extension will see so many things taken to the next level and we can’t wait.”

Continue reading →

Soccer icon David Beckham has a new team ... Panini America. 

The "exclusive long-term relationship that makes Beckham a global brand ambassador for the company" will include soccer cards as well as signed memorabilia via Panini Authentic.

“This partnership is one of the most significant in our history and we’re ecstatic to be able to bring David into the Panini family in such a meaningful way,” said Panini America CEO Mark Warsop in a prepared release. “We are excited to move into this next phase by highlighting him as a global ambassador through a variety of initiatives, trading cards and unique memorabilia that celebrate his incredible career.”

Continue reading →

What: 2020 Panini Immaculate Collection soccer cards
Arrives: TBD
Box basics: Five autos or memorabilia cards in every seven-card box (six boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Immaculate Collection arrives sometime soon for another go with high-end finds all over the place for many of the stars of the global game.

Keep reading for more info and a full gallery.

Continue reading →