Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading ... so here's this month's grading diary.

A HIGH-GRADE DOMINATOR
The Card: Paul Skenes 2025 Topps Heritage
The Reason Bought: I'll fully admit I'm a sucker for high-grade Heritage Rookie Cards and, while this isn't an RC, this one captured my attention just like one as I've ripped my fair share of Heritage this year and, well, not much of the cards that matter that I pulled could have checked in at a perfect grade. All that perfection, the clean photo and the color scheme here got me to bite.
The Grade: CGC 10 (Pristine)

Reality Check: I didn't check the pop report before grabbing it, so it was an extra bonus to see that it's the lone card in the top slot with a decent number of cards below it -- and that goes as low as a CGC 7. That reinforces that Heritage isn't the easiest grade. That makes this one even more of a win in my book.

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

Continue reading →

Ozzy Osbourne's first certified auto was a redemption in his TV show's Inkworks card set.

What's Buzzing: Collectors react to the Ozzy Osbourne news, The National nears, talking Ichiro Suzuki cards and more.

-

1 -- Collectors react to the death of heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne

2 -- The National nears

3 -- Talking Ichiro Suzuki cards

4 -- Pondering a David Wright purchase

5 -- The future of sticker autographs?

6 -- Reactions to an alleged autograph forgery ring

--

Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

Buzz buys a lot of stuff these days and for a few reasons, really. Sometimes it's just bargain-hunting, sometimes it's just something that strikes me. And other times it's a lot -- a group of things -- and that has happened enough lately I figured I'd try something different as a regularly appearing item. Sometimes my lots will be wins, sometimes they won't be ... but I'll let you decide. 

--

A MYSTERY MIX ... THE FINALE
The Lot: A mix of 50 assorted non-sport inserts and promo cards
The Price: $9.99

Keep reading for more on this one ...

Continue reading →

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 ...

GRADE LIKE A BUTTERFLY ...
The Card: Muhammad Ali 2021 Topps Muhammad Ali The People's Champ Collection Black parallel (/56)
The Reason Graded: When I spotted this card (ungraded) at about the price of a blaster, I bit as that was a good number for a parallel from this set that was released week by week for a year on Topps' site. Since it was both a rarer parallel and, if you ask me, one of the better-looking cards in this retro-styled set with that exposure photo, I also opted to slab it. Why? Well that stock and color is a grading challenge -- but it was one I was willing to take as this one looked strong.
The Grade: CGC 10

Reality Check: I was right and it graded actually better than I had hoped (I figured a 9.5)  making this a win atop of a win.

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

Continue reading →

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 ...

LEGENDARY INK
The Card: Undertaker 2022 Panini Revolution WWE Sunburst Autographs (/99)
The Reason Graded: This cost me less than what two boxes would have when I bought it raw -- and then I submitted it to grade after seeing that some typical problem spots for cards from this brand weren't really issues. (In my view, the back corners and edges can be funky for both years.) Why grab this? Undertaker was not a regular signer for a long time and even when has signed cards in recent years he's been more limited since his signing fees are always high -- seemingly far higher than others -- based on public signing prices. I have his ink on a few items sold direct from WWE in the past, but I hadn't rally bothered with anything for cards and figured this could make for a nice slab -- even with sticker ink -- as the photo is as iconic as it gets for a legendary character in WWE history. This would be a perfect kind of auto card if it had an on-card sig ... and it's still not far off as it is with that photo. It's also a perhaps-overlooked brand in the Panini WWE portfolio.
The Grade: CGC 9

Reality Check: A nine I'm fine with -- so no worries here -- but anything less than that I would have been kind of mad at myself for trying it. Why? Generally, I don't like pricey surprises with grading, so I don't slab as much ink as I should as I own plenty of them raw. I need to do more slabs like this, but a miss on cheaper, oddball cards that are interesting aren't as risky in my book.

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

Continue reading →

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 ...

--

THIS SET IS A CLASSIC
The Card: Tua Tagovailoa 2023 Panini Luminance Gold (/250)
The Price: About $5.50
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This set was among many recent NFL releases on the high-end spectrum when it comes to box price, so, well, I'm not ripping it ... but when this one popped up in an online search I did some scrolling and I quickly realized that this set just might be one of the best photo-editing jobs done in all of modern football card history (view a lot of them here). I scouted listings and opted for this clean parallel of a top guy in the NFL this season and this one arrived so clean that there's a very good shot this will end up slabbed and in a future Making The Grade ... that's how much I like this card. The base set is full of strong images. Strong, strong images.
Grab a box right here: Grab a box by clicking here

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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: 2012 BenchWarmer Vault trading cards
Where to buy: Will take some looking to find ... See newer BenchWarmer boxes here

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of everything in this box.

Continue reading →

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 ...

--

IT'S FOOTBALL SEASON ... 
The Item: Paul "Bear" Bryant cut autograph (BAS authenticated)
The Price: Less than a lot of new hobby boxes.
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This pricier (for me) pick-up actually came in the last week of last year but I decided to hold onto posting it here until it's the right time -- and since football season is upon us, well, that means now's the time. In the fall of 2019, I bought a starter auto of this legendary Alabama Crimson Tide coach who before Nick Saban was easily the greatest in school history (right now, it's perhaps a toss-up) -- that one was an inscribed nickname-only auto -- for a lot less as it was a cut from a paperback book. This one? It's signed on thick, red paper (almost a light cardboard stock) and I know exactly where it came from -- a 1975 copy of his autobiography, Bear: The Hard Life and Good Times of Alabama's Coach Bryant. I have a clean-but-ratty copy of that book somewhere in my stash from an antiques store find 20-some years ago, but when this popped up from a West Coast mega-dealer of vintage (and selected modern-player) autographed stuff and plenty more I bit. I actually prefer the cut auto feel here in its case vs. the full book as it can be viewed when you find it vs. tucked behind a cover. A lot of Bryant autographs are found these days -- 40 years after his death -- are on signed copies of this book or on a style of autographed photo or two that is nearly always found inscribed and dated to fans or boosters from back in the day. While a photo (preferably slabbed) would be nice, this is a better, simpler item. Authenticated photos can cost less but look iffier depending on condition. I like this one -- and it's card-like feel -- and, heck, I might even do more. They are out there and findable.
Grab a box right here: College football boxes

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

Continue reading →

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 ...

BAD IN BLACK!
The Card: Julio Rodriguez 2022 Topps Allen & Ginter X
The Reason Graded: I ripped a pair of these boxes and haven't even sniffed at the regular stuff -- a first for me in its run since 2006 when I used to clear everything I saw on every shelf -- but instead I opted to grade a couple of key pulls from this and other postseason releases with notable newcomers in play. Why this one? It just looked perfect even vs. others I pulled -- and since I only pulled one and have really no plans at this moment to even dabble with regular Ginter I put it into my bulk sub.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: CSG may have a flub in its system as this didn't even show in the pop report (perhaps it was tagged as a regular card) but I'll present it here* with what I know ... and that's that I know at least this one exists. He's the face of 2023 Topps, so he's on the minds of a few fans right now -- and that's why he's batting lead-off despite this pop report anomaly.

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

Continue reading →

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 ... 

--

END OF AN ERA
The Item: Sasha Banks autographed 11-by-14 photo (BAS Witnessed)
The Price: $60
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: She's back in the ring but not in WWE -- and she's known as Mercedes Moné now -- and those are reasons why it looks like an industry mega-dealer that did a witnessed signing is moving these at a bit lower than they might normally be over on WWE Shop. (Since she's not with WWE, they can't be sold there now.) I have her auto on a number of cards and she's typically a pricier sig, but I couldn't pass on this striking kind of photo with its size and big, bold sig. I suspect she'll be back at some point and she'll still be high-profile elsewhere, though, and all that starts later this month with her first match in New Japan Pro Wrestling. If her other past ink dips more, I'll be looking.
Grab a box right here: Click here for WWE boxes

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

Continue reading →

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's one of my biggest groupings ever.

RARER THAN RARE ...
The Book: Batman No. 457 -- second-print newsstand edition
The Reason Graded: This one is why you grade. Why? Well this book is more than obscure ... it's obscure on top of obscure with a pop report that shows that in a couple ways. I had this sitting in a junk box of books -- comics bagged in bulk with others taped shut in between a couple boards -- since the late 1990s with it having absolutely no thought in my mind for that time. When I opened up the bag, though, I remembered its cool cover -- that's why I saved it -- and in the here and now it's an example of how the grading world has changed a lot of stuff. It wasn't popular back in the day and that makes it more valuable (potentially) now. What is it? It's a second printing of a newsstand copy for an issue that had the debut of a key character, Tim Drake as Robin. The regular edition of this book has been graded almost 1,400 times -- actually still a modest number for the era -- but a newsstand copy is something else. And a second-printed newsstand copy? Nobody wanted that. How many could have even been made and how many went unsold or were trashed? There's some mystery there as with a lot of things but the pop report talks.
The Grade: CGC 9.8 (Universal)

Reality Check: Just four copies of the 78 graded have checked in at my mark -- not bad considering I got this in some Sears catalog mystery box with like 25 comics for $10 back in the early 1990s. It wasn't a really impressive buy at all at that time -- a lot of stuff that just wasn't appealing or was later printings and I'm betting some of them were pitched or given away. Nobody wanted that then. But now? The numbers game and speculation has people on eBay sellers challenging the market. A 9.6 -- with twice as many copies as this one in existence -- has an eBay asking price of ... well just see it for yourself. It's not alone, either, as a 8.5 checks in with an asking of $3,800, an 8.0 checks in at $3,500 and a 6.5 is $1,499. Other versions (first print direct and newsstand) are cheaper along with direct second prints as they've all got far higher pop reports. People like the easier versions a lot -- eBay highs as much as $255 but not for this one -- and who knows where the other three 9.8s might even be? What might mine command? I'm not sure ... but I know this is pretty solid potential for something that was pocket change from years ago. Again, this is why you grade.

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

Continue reading →

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 ... a mix of recent grabs and some older stuff, too.

--

A SURPRISING SEASON
The Cards: Spencer Strider 2022 Topps Living Set (five-pack)
The Price: Bundle price via Topps.com
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: The defending World Series champs didn't have the finish they'd hoped for this year, but one big highlight this season was the arrival of this rookie seemingly out of nowhere. Strider flashed record-setting potential for strikeouts when on the mound as he went 11-5 this season with a 2.69 ERA and 202 strikeouts in 172 innings He reached 200 Ks in 130 innings -- an MLB record held by Hall of Famer Randy Johnson -- and he had 16 Ks in a single game to break the team record. The year also got him a new contract that will keep him in Atlanta along with a number of other young stars for several years. Strider had RCs in this year's stuff since early on but should have more to come in the later releases that have been delayed. I grabbed this pack with an eye on grading with mixed results -- one had big, nasty surface issues, two having unusual and not-good surface problems and then two that are yes/maybe for slabbing. One is in CSG's hands as I type this.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... but MLB boxes are here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

Continue reading →

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 big one to end the year.

--

HIS TIME OF YEAR
The Card: Nick Frost as Santa Claus 2018 Topps Doctor Who Signature Series Autographs
The Price: About $20
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This set is a loaded one in terms of its depth for the long-running, multi-generational UK television series that has a number of stars in it where you may also know them from elsewhere. One of those names? Nick Frost, who you might know as Simon Pegg's right-hand man in hits such as Shaun of The Dead, Hot Fuzz and Paul. He's a veteran actor and star in the UK so he's got far more notable credits than those and then, of course, this smaller spot in the Who universe that got him this card. He's got about 20 total certified autos from three Doctor Who releases and this is the newest one. I grabbed it months ago -- they may have dried up since then -- to drop this right here this time of year.
Grab a box right here: None for this one ... see non-sports boxes here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

Continue reading →

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 ...

--

WITH CLAWS I
The Card: Wolverine sketch card by Skip Charron -- 2017 Upper Deck Marvel Annual Sketch Cards (1/1)
The Price: $24
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: There are a boatload of quality sketch cards out there in the world that seem seriously undervalued right now despite the fact that everything is one of a kind. This one is nice -- a color piece of an iconic character -- but these types of cards are also really the kind of item where one can't say "go grab all of these" as they are one of a kind and they can all be so different between artists and subjects. Why does this one lead off this time? To make that point -- if you can't find boxes, don't like prices on new Rated Rookies who haven't even hit your store shelves yet or just want to try something different ... then you might check out stuff you might not have at this time a year or two ago. That's what I did here.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... see all Marvel boxes here

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

Continue reading →

When it comes to baseball card brands, Topps' Allen & Ginter is one of the most-unique ones in the hobby today -- even though it's modeled after cards from the 1880s.

Why? Those original tobacco cards featured all kinds of people and all kinds of things -- not just baseball players -- among many releases but it's the "World's Champions" that drive the idea of what we've gotten today since Topps re-introduced the brand back in 2006.

Kate Upton, Takeru Kobayashi, George W. Bush, Serena Williams, Axl Rose, Michelle Beadle, Anthony Bourdain, Nick Saban, Cat Osterman, Kevin Costner, Sylvester Stallone, Roger Federer, Michael Phelps, Tony Hawk, Maria Sharapova, John Wooden, Laila Ali, Snoop Dogg, Pele, Henry Rollins and so many other surprising subjects have been found in packs of baseball cards beside typical MLB inclusions such as Mike Trout, Hank Aaron, Bryce Harper, Derek Jeter, Justin Verlander, Sandy Koufax, Clayton Kershaw and Ichiro Suzuki through the years. Those surprises can be pricey later, too. Upton wasn't a super-rare autograph but you wouldn't know it based on these prices.

Planning stages for the 2019 release are clearly already beginning for the brand as Topps took to Twitter on Thursday to ask collectors who they'd want to see in Ginter for non-baseball inclusions.

That got Buzz thinking ... and here are a few signers I'd want to see in 2019 Topps Allen & Ginter -- and more than a few of them have small ties to the baseball world.

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 pack: 1985 Topps Cyndi Lauper wax pack
The cost: $2

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

Continue reading →

A fun and so far inexpensive piece of pop culture history has hit the auction block via Heritage Auctions and it's a bit bananas.

B-A-N-A-N-A-S.

It's some artwork form Dan Fraga, an artist who also has worked in comic books and television, and they're the storyboards for the "Hollaback Girl" video from Gwen Stefani -- one of the hits from her debut solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. back in 2005.

Continue reading →

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 ...

Continue reading →

With this year's MTV Video Music Awards set for Sunday, Topps' Garbage Pail Kids are ready with a new set that mocks the always-watched and often-befuddling event.

The 2017 Garbage Pail Kids Empty V Awards set consists of 12 stickers -- two versions of six images -- and they're only available for a limited time.

Continue reading →

This is one of those black days for music fans.

Soundgarden and Audioslave singer Chris Cornell -- one of the iconic voices of grunge music in the 1990s and a successful performer in all the years since -- has died at 52.

Known for his intense guttural sound but also dramatic range, Cornell was part of six studio albums with Soundgarden and three with Audiosoave as part of a career that spanned more than 30 years and included two Grammy awards.

“For me to make a connection with music it has to either have a visceral nature, whether it’s anger or aggression or that kind of passion which shows up in rock music, or there has to be some sort of melancholy and introspection, something about it that makes you feel your own pain,” he once told Rolling Stone.

But, when it comes to cardboard, there's not a lot to go around to note his lengthy career.

Continue reading →

The music world lost another of its memorable stars on Sunday as George Michael died at age 53.

He sold more than 100 million albums during his career as a solo artist and as half of the band Wham!, which arrived with the first of its three Platinum albums in 1983. His debut solo album, Faith, has sold more than 25 million copies since 1987.

But when it comes to cardboard? Well, collectors really only have two places to look.

Continue reading →