Are you struggling with the card economy right now? If so, you're probably not alone but things should (hopefully) get closer to "normal" in the coming months or next year.

That key piece of everything -- supply and demand -- is a big part of pretty much everybody's collecting existence right now whether they are a collector, a flipper or a dealer. Finding boxes is a challenge. Affording boxes? Probably a challenge for many, too. Demand for seemingly everything new in wax form is partly elevated due to hot new players like Zion Williamson, Luis Robert and Joe Burrow and then young veterans such as Patrick Mahomes, Luka Doncic and Ronald Acuña Jr. Old guys like LeBron James, Tom Brady and even Michael Jordan have had their moments this year in different ways, too, with all of their successes and then their card sales drawing attention. Also fueling things are returning collectors, new collectors, bot-buyers scooping up plenty of stuff and holding it all, and, of course, all of this is exacerbated by the coronavirus putting a dent in manufacturers' ability to flat-out make more cardboard for a few reasons.

So, why does a three-year old Sasha Banks wrestling card from Topps appear here? Here's one tale of trying to collect in 2020.

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: 2020 Topps Archives baseball cards (blaster box)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Keep reading for a full breakdown of what was in this one.

Continue reading →

What: 2020 Panini National Treasures baseball cards
Arrives: Oct. 23
Box basics: Eight autographs or memorabilia cards -- including one booklet -- per box (four boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: The seventh edition of National Treasures will arrive with new rookies, all-time greats and plenty of the high-end stuff that collectors expect from this one.

Keep reading for more as well as a full gallery of images.

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: 2020 Topps Opening Day baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (when available)

Continue reading →

What: 2020 Leaf Metal Draft baseball cards
Arrives: Nov. 27
Box basics: Six autos per hobby box (12 per case) or nine autos and one 1/1 slabbed auto per jumbo box (six per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Metal Draft takes the field this year with two box formats and one includes a guaranteed rarity with both potentially including some of the biggest baseball prospects in the game today.

Keep reading for more.

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: 2020 Donruss Optic baseball cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (other formats)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of images.

Continue reading →

What: 2020 Leaf Ultimate Draft Baseball cards
Arrives: October
Box basics: Six autographs per box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf turns its attention to baseball with this release that will include nothing but autographs and ink from new draft picks as well as some established MLB stars and retired greats all in one place.

Keep reading for more info and a gallery of images.

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: 2020 Topps Archives baseball cards (blaster box)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Keep reading for a full breakdown of what was in this one.

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: 2020 Topps Chrome baseball cards (mega box)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: Click here (a few formats)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

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: 2020 Donruss Optic baseball cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (other formats)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of images.

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: 2020 Donruss Optic baseball cards (Walmart Mega Box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (other formats)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of images.

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: 2020 Topps Chrome National Baseball Card Day hanger box
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: Click here (a few formats)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

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: 2019 Topps Update baseball cards (hanger)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby/jumbo)

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: 2020 Topps Big League baseball cards (blaster box)
First Buzz Preview & Checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (a few formats)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in 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 ... and this time it's still a few more past pick-ups than usual as my pre-COVID grading submissions are delayed and still in graders' hands.

GOOD AS GOLD?
The Card: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 2019 Topps Update Gold #US1 (/2,019) -- Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Graded: This one looked razor-sharp when I pulled it -- and that wasn't always the easiest thing with the corners for cards in this release. While I might want to slab a few key RCs in this one, I wouldn't unless I think that the corners could be decent enough to get a 9.5 or better. Why? Because a lot of people are grading stuff here so you can let them take the chance at stuff coming back surprisingly low. Meanwhile, because of those corner issues (tight wrappers or chippy stock) a high-grade card is seemingly just not easy in this one -- and Gold parallels can be problematic at times, too,  though they were cleaner here than other past years.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: This card checked in where I had hoped but I'm definitely not alone as nearly all of the cards graded checked in as 9.5s. While the grade is a win, the pop report is a bit of a bummer. Long-term that might not matter as the demand will be there if he lives up to the expectations.

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

Continue reading →

This one is a new department here on The Buzz ... Fast Five -- a quick list under a simple topic that might offer a basic starting point for a themed collection. It's a basic list of five items that could be fun for a starting collector or a new way to add to a stash that might already seemingly include everything when it comes to cardboard. For some of you, it's probably common sense. For others of you out there, it's perhaps something to ponder.

This time? Five perhaps overlooked things baseball card collectors should consider.

USA BASEBALL
Nearly every year, nearly every draft pick already has appeared on a baseball card thanks to the USA Baseball deal with Panini today and a few other companies in the past. If you want an autograph, memorabilia card or just basic baseball card (or two, or three) for this year's No. 1 draft pick, Spencer Torkelson, all you have to do is rip into some USA Baseball packs. He's already got almost 200 different card appearances there -- nearly half of those autographs -- thanks to these releases and other prospect All-Star showcase products. The same can be said for a lot of notables from the last decade-plus and they won't cost you nearly as much as popular-brand MLB prospect debut cards or MLB Rookie Cards. Isn't the big appeal of first prospect cards or Rookie Cards their being early? USA Baseball can trump them all with players in their teen years having cards years before college or pro stardom. Torkelson, for example, has had cards since 2016 and had his first USA stuff in 2018 (Elite Extra Editon). He can be found in the last two Stars & Stripes releases, too. These cards are also easy enough to find to rip in bulk and stockpile/slab.

Keep reading for four more making up the list this time.

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: 2020 Topps Series 2 baseball cards 
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
First Buzz preview with checklist/SPs/more: Click here

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

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: 2020 Panini Absolute Baseball (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for this one.

Continue reading →

What: 2020 Panini Chronicles baseball cards
Arrives: Sept. 18
Box basics:  Three autographs and one memorabilia cards per six-pack box (16 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Panini's all-in-ones brand arrives once again with some familiar sets as well as some new ones all under one lid with either a hit or a Spectra card in every pack.

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

Continue reading →

This one is a new department here on The Buzz ... Fast Five -- a quick list under a simple topic that might offer a basic starting point for a themed collection. It's a basic list of five items that could be fun for a starting collector or a new way to add to a stash that might already seemingly include everything when it comes to cardboard. For some of you, it's probably common sense. For others of you out there, it's perhaps something to ponder.

This time? Five boxes in the big sale that I'm considering digging into right now.

RETRO-STYLED HIGH-END MLB
Buzz doesn't really rip a lot of high-end boxes -- I go for the safety of volume value since I'm generally not a re-seller at all -- but this one in the big sale (the only box of my picks over $60 on this list) is one that has a combo that you don't see a boatload of these days ... a retro aesthetic with high-end potential. Boxes of 2019 Topps Brooklyn Collection MLB include seven cards -- two autographs, two parallels and three base cards -- all on thick stock with styles from the past but never used. All five of the parallel sets are /75 or less with just 50 cards in the base set (simple enough to chase via singles). The auto list is 79 with four parallels per card with names that include Hall of Famers and past/present stars. It's a mix that includes Derek Jeter, Hank Aaron, Ichiro Suzuki, Bryce Harper, Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, Ken Griffey Jr., Mike Trout, Ronald Acuña Jr., Sandy Koufax, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and many more. Only two autos per box might make landing these notables tougher ... but they are in there.

Keep reading for four more making up the list this time.

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: 2020 Bowman baseball cards (blaster)
First Buzz preview & Checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Keep reading for what was inside this one ...

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: 2020 Panini Diamond Kings baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby & FOTL)

Keep reading to see a breakdown and gallery of what's in this one.

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: 2018 Topps Archives baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Keep reading for a breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

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: 2020 Panini Diamond Kings baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby & FOTL)

Keep reading to see a breakdown and gallery of what's in this one.

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: Baseball Mystery Box repack (MJ Holding)
Where to buy: Retail outlets ($19.99) -- click here for MLB boxes

Continue reading →