Ken Griffey Jr.
eBay Buzz: Zion Williamson, Joe Burrow, Jasson Dominguez's Mega Box heat and Hall of Famer cardboard you can bank on
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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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THE BASIC BIG ONE
The Item: Zion Williamson 2019-20 Panini National Treasures NBA Rookie Patch Autograph (/99)
The Price: $76,700 after 128 bids (two days remaining)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This was the first NT Zion Williamson card to hit eBay from this premium brand and it's one that's, believe it or not, not even the priciest card to hit the auction site. Hit that link below to see the rarer six-figure version of a Williamson card already up for grabs ... the first of many to come from this release. Is there hype here? Yep. Is there the money being paid for cards like this? Yep. Is there risk? Yep. Is there big-reward potential if he dominates the NBA for years? Yep. The boxes aren't cheap but the potential for life-changing cards is real ... in case you missed this here it is again. There are a lot more than 99 people out there around the world who would want this card and the price is in part a reflection of that. How it ends will be interesting to watch -- and I also wonder if the bidding would be helped by a better-looking photo (I had to clean things up to present it here) but that's probably a topic for a different time.
Similar Pieces: Zion Williamson National Treasures cards on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for 2019-20 Panini National Treasures NBA boxes and casesKeep reading for a few more interesting items in this week's roundup ...
King Saladeen's smallest canvas? Project 2020 baseball cards
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Think a lot of Project 2020 baseball cards are made digitally? Think again. (Via @kingsaladeen | Instagram)
One thing you might assume about Topps Project 2020 is that many artists do their work digitally but that's not often the case and as you can see above that's definitely not the deal here.
That's the work of King Saladeen as he bought his Willie Mays card to life for the series and he teased it via his Instagram page.
"I wanted to show some of the process behind creating my latest card," he wrote with this behind-the-scenes image. "My goal is to add to each card, add some of my swag and vision from this present time. ... This Project was unreal to bring the new-school creators to another amazing arena. Art and sports both saved my life. Blessed to show the world my vision on so many different canvas."
If you're wondering , his canvas has included plenty of things -- vinyl bears, clothing, airport murals, traditional pieces and even millions of dollars in exotic sports cars.
We touched base with this West Philadelphia-born artist for a Hobby Q&A to learn a little more about his experience in Project 2020.
Buzz Break: 2019 Topps Update baseball cards (jumbo packs)
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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 lot: 2019 Topps Update baseball cards (three jumbo packs)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby/jumbo)
What was inside these? Keep reading for a full breakdown ...
First Buzz: 2020 Topps Triple Threads baseball cards
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What: 2020 Topps Triple Threads baseball cards
Arrives: Oct. 7
Box basics: Four hits in every two-pack box (18 boxes per case via two inners)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click hereWhat's buzz-worthy: Triple Threads is back with some new looks, some new players but the same formula that's heavy on the hits with some of the strongest MLB booklets out there.
Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.
eBay Buzz: Jasson Dominguez's 2020 Bowman ink, Zion's new Rookie Cards, Project 2020 scorchers and ... Jenny McCarthy?
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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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THE BIG ONE ...
The Item: Jasson Dominguez 2020 Bowman Chrome Prospects Orange Shimmer Refractor autograph (/25)
The Price: $12,850 after 54 bids (two days remaining)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This guy is a huge reason why 2020 Bowman boxes are scorchers right now and people have actually seen more than one of his sigs arrive in the same box. (Imagine that for a moment ... ) There are a number of his autos out there all with new-car prices and this one is one that has both that high price and heavy bidding. How will it end? We'll find out soon ...
Similar Pieces: More Jasson Dominguez autos on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for 2020 Bowman boxesKeep reading for a few more interesting items in this week's roundup ...
Topps Project 2020 surpasses half-million cards sold (so far) with this Griffey a record-setter ... what's its key to success?
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The Topps Project 2020 baseball card of Ken Griffey Jr. that you see here has obliterated the sales records for the company's online offering of 20 memorable baseball cards re-imagined by 20 different artists.
This creation from artist Keith Shore -- a re-do of Junior's 1989 Topps Traded Rookie Card -- sold a record 99,177 copies in just two days, obliterating the previous high of 34,950 sold for one of the Mike Trout cards earlier this spring. (See all past cards in the series here.)
With today's numbers finally revealed, the overall volume of cards sold in this ongoing series has surpassed the half-million mark (650,102) less than a fourth of the way into its release -- two cards are offered every weekday via Topps.com until all 400 are done. Meanwhile, the re-sale prices on a number of these cards have reached into the thousands of dollars (despite having an original price of just $19.99) -- and that's left people pondering the possibilities of what happens when pop art meets the pop of the bat.
It doesn't hurt here that artists are often their own best marketers, right?
"Absolutely. The goal of Project 2020 was to appeal to the fans of the artists," said Jeff Heckman, Topps' Director of E-commerce. "Therefore the social media presence of the artist was an important factor in choosing the artist. We wanted the artists to have fun with the Project and engage with their community. So far, the engagement and interactions with the artists has been amazing."
Heckman fielded a number of other questions about Project 2020 ... keep reading for an exclusive Q&A.
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (May 16)
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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: Unpopular collecting opinions, old stuff popping up at retail, 1989 Griffey chatter, new breaks and more in today's edition.
First Buzz: 2020 Panini Absolute Baseball cards
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What: 2020 Panini Absolute Baseball cards
Arrives: July 10
Box basics: Four autographs and two memorabilia cards per two-pack box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)What's buzz-worthy: Absolute takes the field once again with three hits per pack and "the perfect balance of nostalgic hits with a modern twist."
Keep reading for more as well as a full gallery of images.
Buzz Break: 2013 Panini USA Baseball Champions (hobby box)
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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: 2013 Panini USA Baseball Champions (hobby box)
Where to buy: Click hereKeep reading for a full breakdown of what was in this one ...
Making the Grade (May): Baby Yoda, Pete Alonso, Mandy Rose & Ryan Leaf all check in with some impressive grades + more
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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 ...
GRADING THE PHENOM
The Card: Baby Yoda ("The Child") 2019 Star Wars Living Set #58
The Reason Graded: I picked up a few of these since I knew they'd be hot -- it set a record with 9,663 copies sold that shows how it definitely was in demand. However, that volume is significantly higher than anything else in the set and that can also lead to lower re-sale prices as those who bought in bulk want to move them. (They have more competition.) Grading-wise, this one is the big leader, too, but I still wanted to chase a 10.
The Grade: BGS 9.5Grade 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 B10 Total Population 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 24 3 0 29 Reality Check: I came close but ultimately checked in where most cards here do. Nearly 50 cards from the set have been graded and this guy is on 29 of them. Only two other copies have five or more graded copies and that leaves the rest as population-one cards. I didn't get a 10 but I'm fine with this mark as the stock does seem like it might be a tougher grade than other types.
Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.
First Buzz: 2020 Leaf Greatest Hits Multi-Sport Edition
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What: 2020 Leaf Greatest Hits Multi-Sport Edition
Arrives: Aug. 28
Box basics: Three buyback cards or special redemptions per box (three boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)What's buzz-worthy: Greatest Hits arrives as a multi-sport buyback release for the first time with collation that "will be completely random and therefore volatility of content will be higher than normal."
Keep reading for more.
Buzz Break: 2020 Topps Series 1 baseball cards (blaster box)
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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: 2020 Topps Series 1 baseball cards
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
First Buzz preview with checklist/SPs/more: Click hereKeep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.
Buzz Buys: Project 2020, NFL Draft gems, Samuel L. Jackson, Stacy Keibler, Hall of Famers, cheap memorabilia & more
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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 that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ...
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PROJECT 2020 GOT ME
The Card: Ken Griffey Jr. 2020 Topps Project 2020 -- Artist: King Saladeen (/2,504 made)
The Price: $19.99
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This was my first card I picked up in the recently launched Project 2020 series from Topps, which is a higher-end premium-stock card set that takes a look back at 20 memorable players' memorable cards through the eyes of 20 different artists. They start at $19.99 with combo and volume discounts available, but I'm going to be on the boat for selected cards here and there as I don't heavily collect any of the players and all artists' styles aren't for me. That said, this card is a memorable take of a memorable Rookie Card for one of the biggest players of the last 40 years so I grabbed it. There are 400 cards in the set with each having Artist Proofs (/20) that vanish instantaneously as well as a Gold 1/1 that's randomly inserted into direct orders from Topps. You'll see more of these cards here throughout the year and you can see the ongoing gallery that updates every weekday right here on The Buzz. I have more of these incoming but this is the only one I presently have in-hand.
Grab a box right here: No boxes for this set ... see MLB boxes hereKeep reading for more interesting items ...
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (April 6)
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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: Repack pulls, photo-matched mem cards, NFL QBs, NBA slabs with some heat and more in today's edition.
Making the Grade (April): A Fernando Tatis Jr. classic, Sasha Banks' ink, Toni Storm's first, vintage legends, Steve Austin & Jay Leno Rookie Cards and ... an unthinkable Pro Set grade?
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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 BAT LEADING OFF ...
The Card: Fernando Tatis Jr. 2019 Topps Chrome Gold Refractors #203 (/50) -- RC parallel
The Reason Graded: Buzz found this rarity of a top RC in the absolute same box as the card that batted lead-off here last month -- and when that one graded really well I knew that this one would end up in a slab, too. Easily one of the best boxes I've seen for any non-premium product in years of collecting. I figured they needed to be slabbed together and matching grades would be cool, too.
The Grade: BGS 9.5Grade 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 B10 Total Population 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 0 6 Reality Check: A matching pair is what we ended up with here -- and this also reinforces the fact that this was one of the best boxes I've ever seen. I was a little surprised to see only six copies of this card graded, but they're all at least a 9.5 with only one topping this mark. Meanwhile, 14 of them have been graded by PSA -- five 10s -- so perhaps some of Tatis' big-spending fans are also PSA fans, too. (Looking at you, Phil Hughes.)
Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.
First Buzz: 2020 Topps Total baseball cards
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What: 2020 Topps Total baseball cards
Arrives: The first of nine 100-card waves os available now via Topps.com
Box basics: 10 cards per packWhat's buzz-worthy: Topps Total is back on the baseball field once again as an online-only release.
Keep reading for more info.
Buzz 8 in 8: Busting 2020 Topps Series 1 MLB cards (Hour 3)
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Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today's your day then as we launch 8 in 8 -- a series of a eight breaks of wax boxes and wax packs in as many hours today. We'll post one every hour ... this is Hour 3.
The box: 2020 Topps Series 1 baseball cards
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
First Buzz preview with checklist/SPs/more: Click hereWhat's inside this one? Keep reading ...
Making the Grade (March): A few new Juniors, Muhammad Ali, Aubrey Plaza, vintage gems, Jack Tripper, Rookie Cards & more
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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 9.5Grade 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 B10 Total Population 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 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.
Topps Black & White MLB set returns via Topps On Demand
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The newest Topps On Demand set of the year is here and it's one that carries with it a dramatic and nearly colorless look at Major League Baseball.It's the 2020 Topps MLB Black & White and it includes a 75-card base set and more
Packs of this one are $60 and include a one-in-two chance at an autograph with 25 base cards and five parallels/inserts also inside when bought directly via Topps.com. The format is the same as it was for this one last year.
Making the Grade (Feb.): Kobe Bryant, Eddie Vedder, Rookie Cards, The Four Horsemen, Meghan Markle, Superman & more
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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: Kobe Bryant 1996-97 Upper Deck #58 Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I actually bought this card more than a year ago and thought I had it waiting in my stash of cards to present here at some point but, after doing some searching, realized that I never took a photo of this iconic 1990s card and it had been waiting for its time to appear. Unfortunately, we know why this NBA legend has been on the minds of many sports fans out there this week so here we are. I picked up this Rookie Card back then since it was a decent grade for a decent price -- just $9 -- and I didn't ever pull one way back when. It doesn't have any obvious flaws on the front, so it looks much better than its grade, too. (Sub-grades on the back of this slab are all 9 or higher except for an 8.5 on corners and one corner shows why.) The shocking news of this week has created a frenzy of interest for Bryant's RCs and autographs -- and a card in this same grade (not an elite grade, really) sold for $200. Mine will remain in my stash.
The Grade: BGS 9Grade 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 B10 Total Population 1 9 11 28 92 306 922 1,058 585 8 0 3,029 Reality Check: The pop report on this card is a lot stiffer than I had expected with this being the most-common grade and fewer than 600 checking in higher. I had expected there to be more but I suspect the pop reports on this card could change a lot in the coming months -- and it will be interesting to see if any ever reach BGS Black status. Bryant has a number of RCs -- more than 20 -- and this one is unique in that it doesn't show him in his Lakers uniform. The debate as to whether Bryant's cards will hold values in comparison to what people are paying right now is an interesting one over on the Blowout Forums where there are a number of discussions. I think this is a scenario that may defy common collecting logic -- I'd think that anything is possible in this case and there are a lot of buyers right now who will pick up cards and stash them away forever, leaving a smaller volume of stuff available for everyday collectors to grab on eBay and other market hot spots. Finding unopened boxes won't be an option for a lot of his Rookie Cards that people want to track down, either.
Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.
First Buzz: 2020 President's Choice Solitaire sports cards
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What: 2020 President's Choice Solitaire sports cards
Arrives: Jan 15
Box basics: Three 1/1 cards per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click hereWhat's buzz-worthy: President's Choice returns with a high-end multi-sport release where it's nothing but one-of-a-kind cards showing legends from around the sports world -- a mix of autographs and memorabilia cards with multiple pieces and multiple subjects all in one spot.
Keep reading for more information.
First Buzz: 2020 Panini Diamond Kings baseball cards
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What: 2020 Panini Diamond Kings baseball cards
Arrives:April 29June 10
Box basics: One autograph and one memorabilia card per 12-pack box (24 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)What's buzz-worthy: Diamond Kings will take to the field once again with an insert in every pack and plenty of notable names from the past and present inside, too.
Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.
First Buzz: 2018-19 Leaf Pearl sports cards
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What: 2018-19 Leaf Pearl sports cards
Arrives: January
Box basics: 11 premium cards including one cut auto per box (two boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)What’s buzz-worthy: Leaf Pearl will take on a multi-sport approach in in the coming year with a range of athletes and sports stars from the past and present with autographs from O.J. Simpson, Lionel Messi and plenty more in the mix along with some legendary pieces of memorabilia, too.
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (Dec. 17)
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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: One Topps Mini pack with not one, not two, not three but four 1/1 parallels, the future for prospects and other big pulls in today's edition.
Buzz Break: 2019 Topps Update baseball cards (blaster box)
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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 Update baseball cards
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby/jumbo)
Packs per box: 8 (seven standard, one commemorative patch pack)
Cards per pack: 14
Cards in this box: 99
Base set completion: 88 of 300 (29 percent)
Duplicates: 0Base cards of note – Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger, Albert Pujols, Alex Bregman, Nolan Arenado, Justin Verlander
Rookie Cards (28) – Pete Alonso (3), Austin Riley, Will Smith, Cavan Biggio, Eloy Jimenez, Braden Bishop, Lane Thomas, Skye Bolt, Pedro Avila, Cole Irvin, J.D. Hammer, Austin Allen, Merrill Kelly, Adam Haseley, Nicky Lopez, Matt Festa, Kevin Cron, Taylor Clarke, Dylan Moore, Oscar Mercado, Elvis Luciano, Griffin Canning (2), Thomas Pannone, Kyle Dowdy, Richard Lovelady