It's also a way to get an autograph of the Chicago Cubs' World Series-winning manager who has never sat down with a card company for a certified signature on a card despite a 15-year career as boss atop plenty more time as a coach and minor-leaguer. It's that time that helped bring some of these concepts to life.

"I’ve been wanting to do this for years" reads on essay on the Maddon Art website. "I’ve always enjoyed art, we all do. I’m not saying I’m an artist by any means, but I’ve always enjoyed the concepts. I believe baseball is a very artistic game and that major league players are artists, just like athletes from all of the other professional sports. For some time, I have tried to coerce Major League Baseball to utilize 'Put the Art Back in Thee Game' as a marketing campaign. I was unable to get anyone to bite, so I did it myself."

Continue reading →

Barring some unforeseen need for shelving in the next few days, I made one last trek to a Toys R Us on Saturday afternoon -- Store No. 8919, according to my receipt -- in advance of its closing forever.

By this time next week, the long-running toy chain will be no more as bankruptcy will be the final chapter of this story that began back in the 1940s. It will end a run that clearly had its share of successes -- and mistakes -- but one that has left an indelible mark on pop culture and kids everywhere -- and probably their parents' pocketbooks, too.

I don't wanna grow up ...

Jogging my memory a bit, I've been to Toys R Us stores in probably five states -- that's not a lot as I didn't really grow up as a true Toys R Us Kid, meaning we had to drive a couple hours to find the closest one when I was younger and most in my toy prime. But this particular store? It just might be -- actually, I can pretty much guarantee this -- it is the first Toys R Us I ever visited. When? I'm not sure when the first time happened but those same doors I walked through today were the doors I walked through long ago looking for 1988 Donruss baseball cards and other "bargain packs" all those years ago. It's definitely where I first bought a Jose Canseco Baseball Card Kit and it's where I first discovered The Conlon Collection in baseball card form. (The price was right and the history there is still priceless today.) It's where I'm sure I bought a few NASCAR diecasts in the more recent past, too, as we would visit relatives on vacation and I'd hit all the different stores in town looking for cards and whatever other interesting toy or collectable piqued my interest at the time.

Continue reading →

What: 2018 TRISTAR Signature Series National Edition
Arrives: Aug. 1
Box basics: One autographed item per envelope (eight envelopes per case).

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's Signature Series returns with just 80 eight-pack cases of authenticated autographed memorabilia just in time for this year's National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland.

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 Today: Nothing but big breaks as we start a new work week.

Continue reading →

What: 2017 TRISTAR Quest Top Shelf
Arrives: Oct. 11
Box basics: Four envelopes per case -- each with an autographed item or memorabilia redemption inside

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's Quest once again takes things up a notch with a product that is purely high-end memorabilia -- and just 30 cases will be made.

Keep reading for more.

Continue reading →

If you hadn’t noticed, there are a number of boxes with discounted prices this weekend and for the next week or so over on the mothership and they were dramatic enough that Buzz had to sit down and ponder the possibilities in many of them.

So much so here's another of a few "picks" to come in the next few days.

Continue reading →

What: 2017 TRISTAR Quest autographs
Arrives: June 7
Box basics: Five envelopes per lockbox -- each with an autographed flat or memorabilia redemption inside (three lockboxes per case)

What's buzz-worthy: This TRISTAR line will be limited to only 50 cases of autographed items from around the sports world and beyond.

Keep reading for more.

Continue reading →

Do you like Buzz Breaks? We recently launched 12 in 12 -- a series of a dozen breaks of past wax boxes and wax packs in a dozen hours. This is a single-pack break in that style -- but not the launching of a new 12 in 12. (We'll perhaps have one of those later this month. Click the logo below to see the previous posts in the series.)

The pack: 1983 Topps Greatest Olympians
The cost now: $8
The cost then: Less than $1

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

Continue reading →

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Breaks from around the collecting world and a couple collecting debates that might make you think.

Continue reading →

What: 2017 Super Break Heavy Hitters
Arrives: Feb. 15
Box basics: At least two items per box (four boxes per case)

What's buzz-worthy: Super Break returns with a high-end release that includes buyback cards, memorabilia and 30 Super Draft coupons for a May 6 draft of big, big names.

Continue reading →

What: 2017 Leaf Pop Century Signed Photograph Edition
Arrives: Late March
Box basics: One autographed 8-by-10 photo per box (12 boxes per case)

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf's latest autograph product for pop culture arrives with certified autographed photos from the biggest names in Hollywood as well as big names from elsewhere.

Continue reading →

What: 2017 Super Break Super Fight Edition
Arrives: Jan. 17
Box basics: Between four and six items per box

What's buzz-worthy: Super Break gets in the ring with this one that will include notable stars' autographs and memorabilia from the worlds of boxing, wrestling and MMA all in one place.

Continue reading →

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Big pulls, big questions, a Pele case and The Greatest, too.

Continue reading →

What: 2016 TRISTAR Quest Top Shelf
Arrives: Oct. 26
Box basics: Four envelopes per box -- each with an autographed item or memorabilia redemption inside (one box per case)

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's Quest takes things up a notch with a breaker product that is the company's most high-end line to date.

Keep reading for more.

Continue reading →

One of The Greatest's greatest belts is on the auction block this week.

It's Muhammad Ali's WBC heavyweight championship belt from his win over George Foreman during the "Rumble in the Jungle" fight and it's being sold by Heritage Auctions.

"The historical significance of the piece, arguably the most significant boxing award ever made available at public auction, is quite simply immeasurable," reads the Dallas-based auction house's listing. "Far more than just a trophy of elite athletic achievement, this belt serves as a mute witness to Muhammad Ali's undaunted pursuit of justice itself, and as a symbol of the myriad complexities of race, religion and patriotism that challenge all of us to this day. It is a truly priceless artifact of the American experience."

Continue reading →

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.

Continue reading →

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Bad cardboard, Doom autographs, 2016 Topps Series 2, The National & more ...

Continue reading →

There are many sports cards sets out there from the past that aren't valuable in the financial way at all but they can carry some intrinsic quality that should just resonate with some collectors anyway.

Maybe it's just because Buzz ripped these packs in the past -- or maybe because they are just so much more different than anything made in the years since -- but one set that feels that way for me is 1992 Pro Line Portraits. It's a football card set that's simple -- portraits on the front -- and oddly non-statistical with thoughts from the person on the back. Most are football players, but some are players' wives and others are celebrities who have a fondness for the game. One of those people, for example, is Muhammad Ali and you can see his Team NFL insert card (No. 1 in the set) above. The biggest draw of these back then? There was an autographed card guaranteed in every box.

For a simple Sunday item -- call it a Sunday Six -- here's a look at six fun cards from the product.

Continue reading →

Boxing fans will get a sneak peek at the Muhammad Ali trading card set that's coming later this month from Leaf Trading Cards tonight on eBay.

The company has decided to sell the 1/1 proof cards from 2016 Leaf Muhammad Ali Immortal Collection directly to the public via the auction site. (Update: The cards will be posted at a specific time announced in advance on Tuesday.)

Continue reading →

As he told us all, he floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee -- he was the greatest of the great ... his name was Muhammad Ali.

The legendary boxer, iconic athlete, activist and cultural figure died Friday night. He was 74.

"A true great has left us," promotor Bob Arum told ESPN. "Muhammad Ali transformed this country and impacted the world with his spirit. His legacy will be part of our history for all time."

Continue reading →

What: 2016 Leaf Muhammad Ali Immortal Collection
Arrives: June 29
Box basics: One hit per nine-card box (five boxes per case)

What's buzz-worthy: One of the world's greatest athletes returns to cardboard with a high-end 30-card set that guarantees a hit in every box and at least one cut autograph in every case.

Continue reading →

What: 2016 TRISTAR Quest Discovery autographs
Arrives: May 25
Box basics: Five envelopes per box -- each with an autographed flat or memorabilia redemption inside (three boxes per case)

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR is creating this one solely for breakers, giving online collectors a shot at some of the biggest autographs possible in the sports world and beyond.

Keep reading for more.

Continue reading →

 
What: 2016 TRISTAR Signature Series Special Delivery
Arrives: Feb. 18
Box basics: 10 envelopes per case -- each with an autographed piece of memorabilia (or redemption for item)

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's Signature Series line of packaged memorabilia returns with a new selection of pieces possible and with every other case containing one "Hot Hit" item that typically sells for more than $500.

Keep reading for more.

Continue reading →

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: 1/1 showcases, unopened wax stashes, Connor McDavid, big-time retro box breaks & Muhammad Ali.

Continue reading →

What: 2016 Topps U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Team & Hopefuls trading cards
Arrives: May 11, 2016
Box basics: One autographs, one Relic and one manufactured Relic in every 24-pack hobby box

What's buzz-worthy: The latest batch of future Olympians arrives on cardboard in advance of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in August. As with past Olympic releases, there are plenty of first-time signers who can become overnight sensations and sell very, very well once the Olympics arrive.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

Continue reading →