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

-

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

--

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

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What's Buzzing: Ichiro Suzuki heads to Cooperstown, The National, Nick Kurtz, new pulls and more.

-

1 -- Ichiro Suzuki and new Hall of Famers ready for their moments

2 -- The National is this week

3 -- Nick Kurtz thoughts

4 -- New MLB pulls are here

5 -- A big Goodwin Champions pull

6 -- Hulk Hogan dies at 71

--

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

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

For years now, autographed books coming direct from the publishers -- or direct from the authors themselves -- have been an affordable way to collect ink from notable names in all realms of pop culture.

It's not a perfect system with stamped autos, fakes and autopens sometimes in the mix -- a problem for publishers to catch as they are not authenticators -- but thanks to dedicated collectors on the Blowout Cards Forum and elsewhere, those problems often get caught and fixed ... or at least become well-known enough to avoid if it's an issue that goes uncorrected.

Getting ink in-person is always best -- book tours still happen, of course -- but landing autographed editions from publishers, online sellers or celebs themselves via their websites or other appearances are common.

Our latest subject and autograph in this ongoing series? Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman.

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: Finishing up a five-year project, Prizm WWE, Formula 1 card chatter, new NASCAR cards and more.

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: MLB breaks, Seiya Suzuki, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Julio Rodriguez, new pulls and more in today's edition.

Continue reading →

Fast Five is a quick list under a simple topic that might offer a basic starting point for a themed collection. It's a basic list of five items that could be fun for a starting collector or a new way to add to a stash that might already seemingly include everything when it comes to cardboard. For some of you, it's probably common sense. For others of you out there, it's perhaps something to ponder.

This time? Five areas of collecting perhaps overlooked by many.

VINTAGE-ERA PLAYER GAME-USED MEMORABILIA CARDS
With some card companies moving toward player-worn memorabilia cards for living legends along with the prospects a little more than in the past, I think game-used memorabilia cards of Hall of Famers and other notables from vintage years (for this argument I'd go pre-1990s players, but even moreso 1970s and before) seem like a safer buy with finds for all budget types. Some brands -- National Treasures, Prime Cuts, Classics, Museum Collection, Flawless and Immaculate Collection for example -- seem to ride older players' presences a little harder than others and you can find some gems. NT baseball for Hall of Famers, for example, is a prime spot for solid cards with bats a little easier than jerseys. For cheaper finds of players with fewer cards and still some nice possibilities, I'd suggest looking in this same realm at NFL and NBA sets ... some of those players simply may not have cards made in the future as the game-used items just aren't easy finds compared to baseball. (A glance at major auction house catalogs show that, too -- it can be nearly all MLB with other sports a seeming afterthought ... and that's where card companies often do their shopping.) Skepticism about origins of swatches have softened markets at times, but you'd be surprised what you can find out there under $100 ... heck even under $50 if shipping with a focus. Who should you pick up? Pick up who you like or who seems to be a good buy.

Keep reading for four more making up the list this time.

Continue reading →

This one is a quick idea for a new department here on The Buzz ... Fast Five -- a quick list under a simple topic that might offer a basic starting point for a themed collection. It's a basic list of five items that could be fun for a starting collector or a new way to add to a stash that might already seemingly include everything when it comes to cardboard. For some of you, it's probably common sense. For others of you out there, it's something to think about.

This time? Five modern tobacco-inspired brands that always catch my attention. Why go here? Because we're getting a new take on Topps 206 (at right) coming from Topps later this week.

THE MAINSTAY FOR ME ...
Topps' Allen & Ginter baseball card set has been a go-to for me in various forms since its first set in 2006 with that debut carefully following the design of the 1887 Allen & Ginter World's Champions multi-sport set that included baseball players alongside other athletes on cards inserted into cigarette packs. (If you don't know, that's basically the origin of trading cards ... something printed on cardboard used to help stiffen cigarette packs -- i.e. tobacco cards.) Ginter includes one mini card in the same size as the originals -- 1 7/16 by 2 5/8 inches -- and also has framed autos and Relics that are those size, too. Those things have stayed the same as modern takes on a retro design of that feel have been the evolutionary feature since. Do you recognize the 2006 card up top? You might not as it was a mini promo card found inside a promo Rip Card sent to dealers to show one of the interesting features of the brand.

Keep reading for four more making up the list this time.

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 Today: NBA season comes to an end (for now), coronavirus worries and some break highlights to lighten the mood, too. (How about this pull?)

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 Today: Nothing but big pulls from around the collecting world in this Tuesday edition.

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 Today: NFL breaks and other big pulls lead the way among the collecting highlights today.

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 Today: Nothing but NSCC chatter and notable pulls in this holiday edition.

Continue reading →

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Big pulls from Playbook, Goodwin Champions, Five Star & more.

Continue reading →

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: 2013 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 12
Cards per pack: 4
Cards in this box: 36
Base set completion: 
36 of 150 (24 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notable players on base cards – Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Danica Patrick, Dan Marino, Nolan Ryan, John Elway, Larry Bird, Rory McIlroy, Natalie Gulbis

Continue reading →

One of the bright spots in Upper Deck's Goodwin Champions is the variety of autographs and memorabilia found inside as the company's distinct focus is placed on everywhere but what you'd expect.

(And what you'd expect is in there, too.)

This year's release officially arrives today and the cards have started trickling onto online auctions so we can truly see the variety of what's inside.

Continue reading →

Upper Deck's 2016 Goodwin Champions arrives later this month and it will pack all kinds of interesting cardboard inside its packs.

The surprises of who's signing for this one are now solved with the release of the final checklist as well as our gallery earlier today.

What's inside? Click here to view a PDF of the product's inclusions. 

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

>> Click here to buy baseball cards on BlowoutCards.com

When the newest edition of Upper Deck's Goodwin Champions arrives on July 13, it will include some of the biggest names in the sports world, some of the weirdest new cardboard out there and tributes to those who helped America and its allies win World War II.

It's a collectibles treasure trove and a history lesson all in one.

Continue reading →

Tim Burton is bringing Through the Looking Glass to the big screen this week with a new surreal installment of the Alice in Wonderland tale and Upper Deck will revisit the story as well in an upcoming trading card set.

Goodwin Champions has been known for its unusual inclusions in its run with Upper Deck, which began back in 2009. This year's edition will include hand-painted booklets that revisit the Alice story chapter by chapter when it arrives in July.

So, yes, the card seen above is a hand-painted creation.

Continue reading →

Nick Loiacono
Also known as: @YanksandBeans
Website: thecardboarddugout.blogspot.com
Email: NickLoiacono@gmail.com
Location: New York
Work away from cards: Mobile DJ (PickNickParties.com)
Collecting since: 1986-91, 2008-present

Main focuses: Through-the-mail autographs, New York Yankees, Thurman Munson, Mariano Rivera, Rickey Henderson, Will Ferrell (on cardboard)

Favorite players/teams: I’ve always loved Yankees first basemen. When I started collecting again in 2008, I decided to "supercollect" Mark Teixeira. It was going good for a long time, but was getting frustrating as I was constantly getting outbid on auction sites by someone I dubbed as my "Nemesis." Long Story short, that collector was featured on Buzz, Robert Morris, and to this day he remains one of my best collecting friends. I eventually conceded my collection to him and sent him all of my 1/1s to add to his insane collection. I still have great stuff, but I knew when to cut my losses.

Continue reading →

Hollywood's awards season is here with the nominees for the SAG and Golden Globes arriving this week and the inevitable chatter about who might get an Oscar nomination on Jan. 15 heating up online.

Good luck finding yourself Oscar cardboard, though, as cards showing Hollywood's biggest honor aren't all that common at all. In fact, they're downright scarce even though countless Oscar winners themselves have appeared on cards. (At right is a 2005 Topps Chronicles card Buzz bets most of you have never seen.)

Because of that, we're going with a different piece of awards cardboard above -- you all remember that one and its 2011 Topps American Pie card, right? -- as Buzz presents his picks for the top Oscars collectors need to know.

Continue reading →