What: 2022 Topps Black & White baseball cards
Arrives: Now via Topps.com
Box basics: Two parallels and three inserts per 30-card box
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here (when available)

What's buzz-worthy: Black & White arrives once again with a lineup of just 100 base cards and parallels where color is the chase.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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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 it's a mix of really recent pick-ups as well as stuff found over the last year.

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A NEW CLASSIC ... 
The Cards: Roger Maris 2022 Topps Living Set five-pack (/5,722)
The Price: Bundle price via Topps
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Maris' name was in the headlines quite a bit with Aaron Judge's run toward his American League record 61 home runs -- also the New York Yankees' franchise record -- and Topps responded with a new Living Set card for this legend. The Jared Kelley piece includes some Easter eggs with the obvious one being a "61" on his bat and when I saw it I knew it was an instant buy. I grabbed a five pack with an eye on grading at least one, maybe two copies. (One is on its way to CSG as I type this and depending on how that goes a second might go there, too.) I haven't bought too many Living Set cards this year with lighter stock and centering issues straight from Topps happening too often even in my limited experience, but I think my one I sent in here should do well.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... but MLB boxes are here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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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 ... 

GOOD AS GOLD ...
The Card: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin 2022 Panini Select WWE Gold Flash (/10)
The Reason Graded: If you recognize this card, well, there's a reason. Just a few weeks ago, I pulled it from a blaster box and thanks to CSG's quick, budget-minded services I turned this around fast and, well, this rarity pays for itself. This retail-only card is rare -- only nine others like it exist -- and it came back with a top mark since even the horizontal centering was clean. (That's not the norm from what I have seen with this release.) This is a pricey card right now so that was my main reason for slabbing, and now it's that much better.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: It's the only one that has been slabbed so far. How many might still be sitting in packs? Generally speaking, Select is a strong release worth your look in any format -- and I have other stuff here I intend to get graded.

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

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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: 2022 Topps Archives baseball cards (hobby)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Keep reading for a full breakdown of what was in this one.

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What: 2022 Panini Mosaic Choice baseball cards
Arrives: Nov. 4
Box basics:  Two autographs per eight-card box (20 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Mosaic's Choice box may arrive first for this one with a smaller format packing two autos every time as well as plenty of color for the stars of MLB.

Keep reading for more info and a full gallery of images released so far.

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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: 2022 Topps Fire baseball cards (hobby box)
Checklist: Click here
Where to buy: Initially at Target (here when available)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was 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 it might be the biggest edition ever.

BIG SEASON AHEAD?
The Card: Josh Allen 2018 Donruss Optic #154 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: I pulled a pair of these from a number of rips -- probably deep in the archives here if you poke around -- but I never slabbed any of them back then, instead grading guys like Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and maybe a Nick Chubb. Meanwhile, it turns out this guy might be The One over the long term from this rookie class. After this past season's successes and close finish at the end, I figured it was time to grade a pair of these and I'm still working through some of my past pulls to see if I need to grade more for this franchise QB.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: I was happy with this one (and I'll drop my other one here at some point later this season) as Optic stock can be hit and miss, particularly on the backs. Sometimes it's dents and wrinkles or minor dents but this one was clean. It looks like these do grade pretty well with nearly half of them getting this mark. An interesting comparison to make here? PSA has graded more than 2,500 of these with more than half being 10s, while BGS has graded only 160 and SGC has slabbed 320.

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

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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: 2022 Topps Archives Signature Series Retired Player Edition baseball cards
First Buzz preview & signer list: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 1
Cards per pack: 1
Base set completion: 
N/A

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What: 2022 Topps Diamond Icons baseball cards
Arrives: Aug. 17
Box basics: Seven auto cards, two auto-Relic cards and one Relic per 10-card box (four boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: "One of the Crown Jewels in the Topps trading card collection" is back once again with the same format as previous years but with new players and plenty of hits -- in fact, nothing but hits.

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

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What: 2022 Onyx Premium baseball cards
Arrives: Sept. 9
Box basics: Two on-card autographs per box (24 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Onyx goes this fall with nothing but autographed cards in this one once again with top prospects in the mix as well as an iconic Hall of Famers and even some unusual and creative ink.

Keep reading for more info and a gallery of 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 pack: 2019 Topps Series 2 box-topper pack
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

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What: 2022 Leaf Decadence sports cards
Arrives: Sept. 30
Box basics: Three framed autographed cards per box (three boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf's meshes chromium-stock autographs with a framed presentation for legends from all around the sports world in a high-end autographs-only release that it calls "one of our greatest items ever."

Keep reading for more info and a full gallery of 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: 2022 Topps Pristine baseball cards
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
First Buzz preview/checklist: Click here

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

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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: The National nears, Topps Pristine returns, a nice dual-auto pull, a late arrival, new Chrome soccer and is it time for "vintage" to change?

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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: 2021 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
First Buzz preview with checklist: Click here

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

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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. 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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NEW CHROME
The Item: Ken Griffey Jr. 2021 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary Aqua Wave Refractor
The Price: $249.95 Buy-It-Now (or best offer)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I don't think this price is a solid one -- but as an early arrival on eBay it might get hit as this massive set (700 cards) could create challenges of easily finding any one name you're hunting, let alone a parallel of an iconic player with a solid photo and a team-appropriate parallel color. All those variables are why Junior bats lead-off here. The parallel rainbow isn't quite as vast as was originally planned for this year-later, delayed-but-now-here release, but it is one that will still create collector challenges if they dare to do it all. (I think some people might try sets given the convergence of Chrome and a Heritage-ish feel.)
Similar Pieces: 2021 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: 2021 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary

Keep reading for a few more interesting items ...

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TRISTAR will have plenty going on at The National this year with all of the autograph signers, but that's not all -- the company also will have bonus bags for collectors who buy boxes from dealers at the show and bring them to its booth to open them.

Selected retailers will have your shot at getting a TRISTAR bonus bag at the show.

Three TRISTAR Hidden Treasures products are eligible for this one and bonus bags will include shots at autographed memorabilia pieces from Ken Griffey Jr., Ben Affleck, Mike Trout, Ted Williams and Shohei Ohtani for starters.

And that's not all.

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What: 2022 Topps X Lauren Taylor baseball cards
Arrives: Today for the first week-long wave
Pack basics: Five cards and one chase card per single-pack box ... or five cards and one chase card per five-pack box.
Checklists: Wave 1 Wave 2
Order: Via Topps.com; Click here (when available)

What's buzz-worthy: Project 2020 and Project70 artist Lauren Taylor returns to cardboard with her own collection of cards released over at least two waves beginning today.

Keep reading for more info and a gallery for this one.

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What: 2022 Leaf In The Game Used Sports cards
Arrives: Oct. 28
Box basics: Five hits per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf's multi-sport premium brand once again takes on the entire sports world with a mix of notable possibilities from the legends of the past to recent superstars all in one spot.

Keep reading for more as well as a full gallery of images released so far.

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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: 2022 Panini Absolute Baseball cards (blaster)
First Buzz preview: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for 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 ...

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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What: 2022 Break King Multi-sport Premium Edition
Arrives: June
Box basics: Two buybacks -- one graded -- per box (three boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Break King brings the slabs to every box with autographs, memorabilia, vintage and plenty more all in the mix for this multi-sport, star-stuffed release.

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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: 2021 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards (hobby box)
First Buzz preview & Checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

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: NFL Draft chatter, Trevor Bauer, Panini Prizm WWE, card altering, big questions and ... what if Tom Brady hadn't played for the Patriots?

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: 2022 Topps Opening Day baseball cards (blaster)
First Buzz preview & Checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

Continue reading →