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? Dominating Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky.

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What: 2024 TruMystery Going For Gold Buyback Edition
Arrives: Sept. 25
Box basics: One slabbed buyback card per box and one memorabilia redemption per case (eight boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: TruCreator's blind-box line keeps the Olympic spirit going next month with a buyback release that puts a slabbed card in every box and a little more once per case.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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What: 2024 Topps Chrome U.S. Olympic & Paralympic & Hopefuls cards
Arrives: July 26
Box basics: Two autographs and one Relic per 12-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The Olympians return to cardboard -- and this time it's on Chrome with some other chase elements beyond the plastic.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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What: 2024 Leaf Decadence sports cards
Arrives: July 31
Box basics: Three framed autographed cards per box (three boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf once again meshes chromium-stock autographs with a framed presentation for legends from all around the sports world in a high-end, autographs-only release.

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

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What: 2024 Leaf Signature Series sports cards
Arrives: June 28
Box basics:  Two 1/1 autographed cards per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf Signature Series is back "newly revamped and reinvigorated" with new themes and "tons more multi-signed cards, inscriptions and some exciting new designs."

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: 2019 SportKings Originals 1/1 Art Masterpieces
First Buzz preview: Click here
Where to buy: Exclusively at BlowoutCards.com (boxes and cases)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and look at what was in this one ...

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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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Imagine a world where New York Yankees star Aaron Judge had just a single product where you could find his one Rookie Card and one rookie autograph -- okay, okay, throw in some parallels of them and maybe a variation or two to make it a more realistic scenario.

What might those sell for? How tough would that wax become over time? It's something to ponder.

That hypothetical is much, much closer to reality for Olympic athletes and the heavy focus on the few cards they do have gets amplified a million times over during the Olympic Games, no matter whether they are of the summer or winter variety. While we're still on the cusp of this year's Winter Olympics, some of the notable first-time autographs already are selling very well -- but there's clearly room for more as they become true household names. One of those likely names belongs to 17-year-old snowboarder Chloe Kim, who'll appear on the cover of ESPN The Magazine's Olympics Issue dropping on Friday when the Winter Games open in South Korea.

The Kim 2018 Topps U.S. Winter Olympic Team & Hopefuls Gold autograph (/25) you see here already sold for $199, which seems low compared to the hype that already comes before she takes to the halfpipe and her dominating success in the Winter X Games. It's also impressive considering it comes from a box guaranteeing ink that's presently less than $75.

But it's not alone.

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Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today's your day then as we launch 12 in 12 -- a series of a dozen breaks of past wax boxes and wax packs in a dozen hours. We'll post one every hour on the hour all day long today ... this is Hour 5.

The box: 2011 Topps American Pie trading cards blaster box
The cost: BlowoutCards.com

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

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Today is Sports Illustrated's birthday -- the first issue arrived today back in 1954 with baseball Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews on the cover -- but since we're in the here and now there's still a relatively collectable news nugget today.

Katie Ledecky, Michael Phelps and Simone Biles share the latest cover along wth their medal haul as of a few days ago, giving Olympic collectors something new to chase.

In case you missed it here on The Buzz, we've recapped how Ledecky has little cardboard, how Phelps has plenty of certified autographs and how Biles and her "Final Five" teammates have been heating up on cardboard.

The SI cover will be one of note for autograph collectors wanting something beyond a card or photo and it's an affordable option for a simple piece of Olympic memorabilia highlighting three of the nation's biggest stars so far in the Rio Olympics. It's Phelps' 13th SI cover appearance.

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

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

After another ridiculously dominating run in the pool last night, Michael Phelps claimed the 22nd Olympic gold medal of his career and ran up his medal collection to 26.

It's a mark that's not likely to be touched -- but it's also a mark that can't compare to his number of certified autographs.

Although he's a pricey signature, he's one of the most-prolific Olympians when it comes to autographed cards.

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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: 2016 Topps U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Team Hopefuls cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 182
Base set completion: 
74 of 74 (100 percent)
Duplicates: 28
Triplicates: 25

Notable athletes on base cards – Michael Phelps, Claressa Shields, Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi, Candace Parker, Missy Franklin, Justin Gatlin, Natalie Coughlin, Abby Wambach, Sue Bird, Ryan Lochte, Bob Beamon, Rulon Gardner, Jenny Thompson, Aly Raisman, Carly Patterson, Gary Hall Jr., Gabby Douglas

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The U.S. Olympic Team is taking shape on the various fields of play but the final checklist for the 2016 Topps U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Team Hopefuls trading card set is here.

Among the notable signers for this one, which is set to arrive Friday with an autograph, a Relic and a manufactured Relic in every box, are a who's who of Olympic stars. There will be ink from Michael Phelps, Claressa Shields, Missy Franklin, Natalie Coughlin, Abby Wambach, Sue Bird, Ryan Lochte, Rulon Gardner, Gabby Douglas, Brittney Griner, Candace Parker and many more.

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If you've watched any NFL games this season, you've likely heard the word "concussion" many times as the league has implemented new tests on players to help prevent future problems by assessing the here and now immediately following a hard hit.

On Christmas Day, a film about the issue of concussions in football called Concussion opens in theaters. You've probably seen the commercials for the film during NFL games.

Will Smith stars as Dr. Bennet Omalu, who discovered the degenerative brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. It's a real-life issue that has affected more than 80 former players -- many you've seen on football cards and might have collected. The movie is an important one and Sports Illustrated has Smith on its cover this week to discuss the movie.

Is it the first time a celebrity has appeared on the cover of the highly collectable sports magazine?

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