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: Check out all of the handy 2020 Topps Series 1 links, a huge NBA Hoops pull and a LeBron lesson in supply and demand.

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A sports legend and a pop culture icon is gone.

One of the NBA's greatest players, former Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, died in a helicopter crash that killed eight other people on Sunday morning in Calabasas, Calif. He was just 41.

A five-time NBA champion nicknamed "Black Mamba," Bryant was an 18-time All-Star during a 20-year career that began when he was drafted 13th in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft as a 17-year-old. He ranks fourth on the NBA's career scoring list with 33,643 points, a mark that was passed just yesterday by Lakers star LeBron James. Both of Bryant's uniform numbers -- Nos. 8 and 24 -- were retired by the Lakers and he remains the franchise's leader in points, three-pointers, steals and free throws made.

“Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames,” Bryant tweeted last night. “Much respect my brother.”

The National Basketball Players Association offered its condolences on Sunday as tributes poured in from around the world.

"We are stunned and devastated by the news of the sudden passing of Kobe Bryant," read the NBPA statement. "Words cannot express his impact on our Players, the NBA and the game of basketball. This is a monumental loss for the entire basketball community and our hearts are quite simply broken. We send love and prayers out to his wife, Vanessa, and the entire family."

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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: 2019-20 NBA Hoops basketball cards (Dollar Tree packs)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: Dollar Tree for these packs; BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Packs in this lot: 18
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this lot: 90
Base set completion: 66 of 280 (24 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery ...

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down 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: 2019-20 Donruss NBA cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 11
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 88
Base set completion: 76 of 250 (30 percent)
Duplicates: 0

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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: 2019-20 Panini Prizm NBA cards (blaster box)
First Buzz preview: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (a few formats)

Packs per box: 6
Cards per pack: 4
Cards in this box: 24
Base set completion: 
10 of 200 (5 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards – LeBron James, Clyde Drexler, Yao Ming, Austin Rivers, Wendell Carter Jr., Justin Jackson, Fred VanFleet, Aaron Holiday, Julius Randle, Jae Crowder

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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: 2018-19 Panini Threads NBA cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 7
Cards per pack: 5
Cards per box: 35
Base set completion: 20 of 100 (20 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Aaron Gordon, Andrew Wiggins, Jayson Tatum, Kyle Lowry, Eric Bledsoe, Kyle Kuzma

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What: 2020 Onyx Authenticated Milestones Collection
Arrives: Jan. 17
Box basics: One autographed and encased ticket per box (five boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Only 125 boxes (25 cases) will be made for this one with autographed stubs from legends around the sports world in play -- everybody from Tom Brady and Michael Jordan to Muhammad Ali and Gordie Howe can be found in this one.

Keep reading for more info on this one, including the checklist.

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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: 2019-20 Panini Prizm NBA cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (a few formats)

Packs per box: 6
Cards per pack: 4
Cards in this box: 24
Base set completion: 
8 of 200 (4 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards – Clyde Drexler, Yao Ming, Isaiah Thomas, Wendell Carter Jr., Justin Jackson, Eric Gordon, Ricky Rubio, Landry Shamet

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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: 2019-20 NBA Hoops Winter basketball cards (blaster box)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Packs per box: 11
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 88
Base set completion: 72 of 280 (26 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery ...

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Update (Oct. 20): It sold for $187,500.

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The Chosen One's jersey is on the auction block and it could fetch six-figures when it sells next month.

Seventeen years after LeBron James made his Sports Illustrated debut, the gold St. Vincent-St. Mary Fighting Irish jersey he wore for that photo and a game that night is being sold via Runnemede, N.J.-based Goldin Auctions.

"Few players transcend their sport and few collectibles transcend the industry," said Ken Goldin the auction-house founder. "When you combine those two elements into one item records are broken and that is what we fully expect with this historic high school jersey of the world's most recognizable athlete of this generation."

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down 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 Panini Contenders Draft Picks basketball cards (two blaster boxes)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Packs per box: 7
Cards per pack: 6
Cards per box: 42
Cards in this box: 84
Base set completion: 
36 of 100* (36 percent) (*two versions for 50 cards equally distributed)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards – Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic, Magic Johnson, Trae Young, Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jayson Tatum, Jaren Jackson Jr., Blake Griffin, Kemba Walker, Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Chris Paul, DeAndre Ayton, Klay Thompson

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What: 2019-20 Super Break One-time Basketball
Arrives: Oct. 9
Box basics: At least one basketball card per box (three boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Super Break takes to the hardwood once again this year with buyback cards as well as "randomly inserted Zion signed certified collectibles."

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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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ALLLLLL ABOARD?
The Item: Zion Williamson 2019-20 Panini Contenders Draft Picks College Ticket parallel (/5)
The Price: $50,000 Buy-It-Now (or best offer)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: The Zion packs are here and there are a number of possibilities with the various parallels in this one -- and there are a number of them that are rare like this card. Will this price be hit? Well, big things are also possible for NBA phenoms -- and there are other active auctions that are higher (seriously, hit that link below) for the No. 1 overall draft pick. So ... maybe. Part of me wants to cite the arrivals of Shaq and LeBron James in comparison to this but the hype train just seems to be bigger and pricier than those Hall of Famers. Will it last? We'll see -- again, anything seems possible with NBA cards and the global demand without a massive global supply -- but the key is to ride the track however you want to as a seller, buyer or collector. We have some time before NBA Hoops arrives with him in pro colors so the Duke stuff will get plenty of attention until that time.
Similar Pieces: Other Zion Williamson Contenders autographs on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for 2019-20 Panini Contenders Draft Picks

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

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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 Goodwin Champions trading cards (retail mega box)
Where to buy: Click here for hobby boxes

Packs per box: 13 (12 standard, one parallels)
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 65
Base set completion: 
56 of 100 (56 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – DeAndre Ayton, Zazie Beetz, Martina Hingis, Serena Williams, Coco Ho, Danielle Harris, Robert Pollard, Ben Simmons, Ali Krieger, Tiger Woods, Aries Spears, Rob Paulsen, Trey Lippe-Morrison, John F. Kennedy, Georgia Ellenwood, Red Dela Cruz, Wayne Gretzky, Wright Brothers, Pete Weber, Victor Robles, Michael Jordan, Brian Ortega, Molly Qerim, Brandon Boyd, Kristen Ledlow, Hailie Deegan, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Alexandra O'Laughlin, Cici Bellis, Michael Chang, Luka Doncic, Jack Johnson, Walter Ray Williams Jr., John McCain, Miles Bridges, Robert F. Kennedy, Buster Douglas, LeBron James, Crystal Dunn, Ryan Garcia

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This year's National Sports Collectors Convention is still a ways away -- it's set for July 31-Aug. 4 in Chicago -- but that hasn't stopped Upper Deck from revealing promotional cards that will only initially be found at the event.

The company will produce a five-card VIP set along with a wrapper redemption program as part of its 30th anniversary celebration.

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The speculation and big business that will be Zion Williamson basketball cards this season and in the future is already apparent -- but in a negative way -- over on eBay.

How do we know? The sales of fake cards. Yes, fake cards.

Fleer, Gatorade, McDonald's, DC Comics, Marvel Comics and even Rated Rookie (on an opposing company's design) trademarks can be seen on Williamson cards not made or authorized by their respective owners -- and there's no compensation being made to owners of intellectual property of the Duke Blue Devils the NBA or the New Orleans Pelicans for the use of their logos and other legally protected intellectual property.

The memorable designs of the past like the 1986-87 Fleer set above -- owned by Upper Deck -- are also being absconded (though many designs aren't generally trademarked) and other notable athletes such as Michael Jordan and LeBron James -- guys whose image rights are also in high-dollar demand -- also are having their likenesses used without authorization (in NBA uniforms) to make money selling fake cardboard that's all over eBay. (Jordan is exclusive to Upper Deck for card appearances and his ink is also an exclusive there just like it is for James.) Photographers also aren't being compensated for the use of their work like they would be when card companies pay them or their employers to use images. Then there are "graded" cards with autographs attached, cards with facsimile autos in slabs and many cards in sealed holders emulating card companies' uncirculated efforts.

Right now, there are nearly 1,300 different active eBay auctions for "Zion Williamson" in the basketball cards category -- meanwhile just two legitimately authorized cards exist right now. Expand that search to all items and there's plenty more to be found.

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What: 2019 Super Break Super Deluxe Edition
Arrives: Aug. 30
Box basics: At least eight premium items per case
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Super Break is back with a high-end option for card and memorabilia collectors as part of a limited release.

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals just might be to rip fewer blasters this year 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. Would they capture yours? I'd be interested to know -- sometimes they might, sometimes they won't and that's fine. It's a buyer's market out there with plenty of options and bargains as well as high-end gems to chase.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... and this time around there are a dozen weird, cheap or interesting cards.

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BEFORE THE NBA CAREER ... 
The Card: LeBron James 2003 Sports Illustrated For Kids #264 (BGS 9)
The Price: $11
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: There was a time when this was a popular card in the hobby -- maybe not Tiger Woods SI For Kids big, but popular. What is it? It's a card pulled from a perforated sheet in an issue of the kids' magazine, something it has done since the 1980s, showcasing countless big-name athletes and many others who don't have much -- or any -- cardboard. Everybody knows how much hype there was for James back then -- and his first cardboard from SAGE was huge -- but this one was one of only a few options until his NBA cardboard arrival on Rookie Cards (and plenty more) on 2003-04 releases. Ultimately all those early cards don't command as much interest as NBA stuff, but I liked the look and price on this one for a slab -- especially when you consider higher-graded cards can push $50-100 and 10s can be quite big at auction even today ... at least for a card found in a magazine.
Grab a box right here: No boxes for this one ... click here for NBA boxes

Keep reading for five more interesting items ...

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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: Past breaks, big pulls, NFL rookie autograph quality and more in today's edition.

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What: 2019 TRISTAR Best Of All Time 1 autographed memorabilia
Arrives: June 5
Box basics: Six autographed items per case
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's autographed memorabilia line goes uptown with it promising the biggest names in the history of sports in tow.

Keep reading for more and a gallery of what's in this one.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down 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: 2018-19 Donruss Optic basketball cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 7
Cards per pack: 4
Cards in this box: 28
Base set completion: 17 of 150 (11 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards: LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, Victor Oladipo, Blake Griffin, Tony Parker, Chris Paul

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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 5.

The box: 2010-11 Panini Season Update NBA (hobby)
The cost: Click here

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

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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: Domingo Ayala in 2019 Donruss, several salty discussions, Michael Jordan underwear news and more in today's edition.

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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: Chasing complete print runs, revisiting the card shop, big pulls and more.

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What: 2019 SportKings Originals 1/1 Art Masterpieces
Arrives: Feb. 15
Box basics: One original piece of SportKings artwork per pack (10 packs per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Want a one-of-a-kind piece original trading card history? This new release brought to the market by Blowout Cards gives collectors just that in every single pack.

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

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