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: Mookie Betts' cycle, one mellow massive pull video, Ginter X and more in today's edition.

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The clock is ticking down and the cardboard is ready.

Saturday is Topps National Baseball Card Day and whether you're a regular at your local card shop or you're somebody who ripped into packs just for the gum decades ago, some free stuff can be yours at participating shops.

"National Baseball Card Day is a great way to celebrate a hobby we love, showing off favorite cards and reveling in great collections," read a company statement for the program.

The annual event is one that Topps and others hopes will draw people into collecting with some new stuff to start their stash -- or for veterans to chase down some potential rarities inside the five-card packs that are free with a visit. There's also a bonus card available with a $10 purchase on Saturday -- and another bonus card after that for you if you go back to the shop later in the month.

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One of the unusual inclusions in packs of Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards this year is the 15-card The World's Hottest Peppers set, which is precisely what it's name indicates.

The Carolina Reaper you see here? It's apparently a modern-day Babe Ruth of heat, a Slambino of the Stomach  with its Scoville Heat Units mark at 1.6 million according to its card. But that's just its average score -- apparently it can reach a world-record high of 2.2 million and it broke its own record. Meanwhile, another pepper in the set reportedly tops it but hasn't been recognized by Guiness World Records just yet. (What does really it all mean? Buzz is no expert -- I don't dare go beyond some spicy barbecue sauce -- but "pain" simply comes to mind first.)

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A Babe Ruth game-used New York Yankees cap from the early 1930s is dominating on the auction block via SCP Auctions with its price approaching the quarter-million-dollar mark.

The auction's reserve is not yet met, but there are a couple days remaining before the final gavel. After 10 bids, it stands at $235,795 but is estimated to push as much as $800,000 before the auction is final.

It's not just any cap worn by "The Bambino," either, this is a piece of memorabilia with a little extra Yankees history attached to it.

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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: Pat Neshek's Topps Living haul, big pulls, pondering Juan Soto's age, post-National chatter and ... National Baseball Card Day is here early on eBay?

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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: 2015 Topps Strata baseball cards 
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 1
Cards per pack: 2

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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: National hauls, chasing Michael Jordan rarities, retail wowsers, Pop Century rips & more.

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A fully licensed newcomer to the baseball diamond this year is one that meshes both sports collecting and coin collecting in a new way -- all reflecting those in on the action with a shine that can't be seen when they are on the field.

It's still a rookie, but the demand for 2018 Baseball Treasure coins is there -- just check eBay.

"We see people from the coin side taking interest. We see people from the sports side taking interest and there are some of those people who do both," said company co-founder John Connor on the floor of the National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland last week. "The first one to show up at the aftermarket was Mike Trout and it went for $290 for the silver coin."

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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 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 25 (24 plus box-topper)
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 193
Base set completion: 
130 of 300 (43 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Claire Smith, Aaron Judge, Ichiro Suzuki, Bill James, Phil Coyne, Bryce Harper, Roberto Clemente, Kelsey Plum, Albert Pujols, Christopher McDonald, Biz Markie, Nolan Ryan, Greg Maddux, Mark McGwire, Jackie Robinson, Cal Ripken Jr., Honus Wagner, Sean Evans, Trea Turner, Mike Piazza, Austin Rogers, Tyronn Lue, Barry Larkin, Roger Clemens, Dansby Swanson, Manny Machado, Michael Rapaport, Mariano Rivera, Ryne Sandberg, Andrew Benintendi

Rookie Cards (17) – Shohei Ohtani, Brandon Woodruff (SP), Zack Granite, Willie Calhoun, Brian Anderson, Walker Buehler, Amed Rosario, Clint Frazier, Paul Blackburn, J.P. Crawford, Garrett Cooper, Nicky Delmonico, Jackson Stephens, Lucas Sims, Ryan McMahon, Alex Verdugo, Andrew Stevenson

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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: Post-National chatter, pondering Wood mini whereabouts, inside VIP Party packs, big pulls and more.

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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 Topps Chrome baseball cards (mega box)
Where to buy: Click here for jumbo, hobby & blasters

Packs per box: 12 (10 packs plus two X-fractor packs)
Cards per pack: 4 per standard, 5 per X-fractor
Cards in this box: 50
Base set completion: 
31 of 200 (16 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Alex Bregman, Miguel Cabrera, Josh Donaldson, Jon Lester, Andrew McCutchen

Rookie Cards (10) – Scott Kingery, Garrett Cooper, Andrew Stevenson, Francisco Mejia. Chance Sisco, Dominic Smith, J.P. Crawford, Jackson Stephens, Tyler Wade, Tyler Mahle

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Via @joeorlandoPSA ... This might be the coolest story of the #nsccshow so far. While live on the #GA_Collectibles show, Leighton Sheldon opened a PSA-certified 1955 Bowman baseball pack. Inside he found this beauty. It graded a PSA Mint 9. Incredible.

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: National post-show chatter, big pulls and more as Buzz recovers from the NSCC.

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Remember yesterday when I mentioned finding a little something something while waiting in the Topps redemption line at the National Sports Collectors Convention?

This is that.

The Steiner Auctions booth near Topps is one that was right alongside the redemption line as it wrapped around the booth on my day of working the lines at the show. Steiner had a simple mystery bag that delivered far more than I had expected it would on Thursday. The signage seems simple enough -- and it is -- a Hall of Famer autograph of some type in an envelope for $15.

But why did I say bag?

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The wrapper redemption programs at the National Sports Collectors Convention are a challenge, a pastime and a must-do for many attendees every year.

But there are drawbacks, too, hence that challenge part. There can be long waits -- depending on how long the lines are and, more importantly, how early you got in them -- and there's the possibility that your line could get cut off before land your treasures.

But the wait can be worth it with the surprises in your packs -- or your boxes you grab to get said packs -- and that's what Buzz opted to try a few times this year. First up? The Topps program.

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Note: A break from The National coverage for this month's Making the Grade as Buzz preps to be at the show later today. Look for plenty more from Cleveland here soon.

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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 ...

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If you're headed to this year's National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland, odds are you have a few bucks in your pocket.

We want you to earmark $10 for a little something something at the show -- whatever you want from wherever you want, whatever you think is cool.

Why? We've got a package of 10 cards (see our gallery) that can be yours if you participate in the Blowout Buzz $10 NSCC Challenge. 

Keep reading for the details.

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Here's a look at the top five players on this week's Baseball America Top MLB Prospects Hot Sheet and their seasons so far. It's a little something to help those who might want to dabble with prospecting -- some basics on their baseball cards alongside a highlight line from those more scouting-minded. We may not do this every week, but we'll check in on BA's top crop from time to time for the remainder of the season.

1. Trevor Rogers, SP, Marlins — Low-A Greensboro Grasshoppers
Season so far: 1-4 with 5.13 ERA, 65 strikeouts and 20 walks in 54.1 innings (12 starts)
Baseball America’s highlight line: “Rogers has worked six or more innings in his last three starts, culminating with Sunday’s gem, where he struck out a career-best 12 batters and carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning."
CARDBOARD BASICS
Approximate card total (so far): 300
First Chrome auto: 2017 Bowman Draft
One auto to consider: 2016 Leaf Metal Perfect Game
Buzz’s card take: His season numbers look a little LaLooshian but he was the 13th overall pick in last year's draft and he's on the Marlins so they'll take it -- and the potential. The recent games look relatively solid, so if you're sold on the potential of a Marlins pitcher then you might want to bite.

Keep reading for the rest of the top five ...

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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 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 6
Cards in this box: 47
Base set completion: 
26 of 300 (9 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Mike Trout, John Smoltz, Michael Rapaport, Ted Williams, Cryptocurrency, Frank Thomas, Ben Lecomte, Reggie Jackson, Roger Clemens

Rookie Cards (5) – Ozzie Albies, Walker Buehler, Lucas Sims, Clint Frazier, J.P. Crawford

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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: Dominating pulls, showing off 1990s NFL cards, NSCC chatter and the "best box of my life."

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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: An NHL show-off thread, Hulking Out Chrome cards, big pulls, NSCC chatter & more.

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It's a triple-autograph 1/1 creation signed by three of the biggest stars in baseball today because they all homered for the same team last night.

And, Buzz could be wrong, but its price tag sets a new Topps Now price record.

The cost? A cool $9,999.99. It's still up for grabs as I type but who knows how long it might last as other versions are already long gone off of Topps' real-time cardboard platform.

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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 Topps Big League baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 6 (five standard, one Blue bonus parallel pack)
Cards per pack: 10 in standard four in bonus
Cards in this box: 54 (plus one more on the box)
Base set completion: 
43 of 400 (11 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards – Ichiro Suzuki, Kyle Schwarber, Francisco Lindor, Yasiel Puig, Brandon Nimmo, Honus Wagner, Byron Buxton, NL Stolen Base Leaders, NL Innings Leaders, NL Hits Leaders, Al Stolen Base Leaders, Kauffman Stadium fountains

Rookie Cards (4) – Scott Kingery, Victor Robles, Nick Williams, Tyler O'Neill

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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: NSCC chatter, pondering the best ink-less NFL Rookie Cards, an oddball MJ and big pulls.

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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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RARE AIR 
The Item: An uncut sheet of 1986-87 Fleer basketball cards
The Price: $709 after 24 bids (with just two days remaining)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I've not heard of entire sheets being counterfeited but with the Michael Jordan Rookie Card (heavily faked) you never know ... but what we do know with this one is that it's not perfect but an uncut sheet with this card and this landmark set is impressive. The back of the sheet suffers from massive red ink staining so that's probably why the sheet wasn't cut and put into packs. What kind of other flaws might there be? It's not clear based on the auction images, but it generally looks pretty good on the front and it's the kind of cool impressive piece to frame and display for not only its Jordan presence but every other Hall of Famer Rookie Card that's on it. (It's not worth professional cutting with the back staining.) This one is dirt cheap right now but could go crazy before it ends.
Similar Pieces: More 1986-87 Fleer eBay auctions
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for NBA boxes

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

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If you have a long-standing redemption from Panini America, the company will let you trade it in at the National Sports Collectors Convention.

One of the company's priorities at the show running Aug. 1-5 in Cleveland is its "Live Redemption Trade-Up" that will allow those with redemptions more than four months old and still in the company's system to trade them in for something live at the show.

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