This is quite possibly my best grab-bag buy ever.

This latest ball in the Collecting Game-used series is one where there's a franchise icon attached, an entire at-bat and even an impressive hit all in one. I can't say that I've ever landed that from what's essentially a blind grab-bag kind of buy, but that happened for me with a ball that was pulled from the field less than two months ago before making its way into my collection this week for just $29.95 -- substantially less than a Chrome blaster box out there in the retail wild and perhaps substantially less than it might cost as a known hit ball with the big name attached. The only thing I had a choice in here? I picked the date -- so I knew the two teams that would be attached and that's it.

Keep reading to see the details this time ... and the ball in action.

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What: 2024 Topps Finest baseball cards
Arrives: Aug.7
Box basics: Two autos per six-pack box (eight boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Odds: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The checklist and odds are in for a new year of finest as well as the six teaser image you can see above as the flashy and colorful brand arrives once again with a new batch of players and plenty of artistic flair

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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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: 2023 Topps Chrome Platinum baseball cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
First Buzz preview with checklist: Click here ... see odds here

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

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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: 2024 Bowman baseball cards (blaster)
First Buzz preview & checklist/odds: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Keep reading for what was inside this one ..

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What: 2024 Topps Tier One baseball cards
Arrives: July 3
Box basics: Two autos and one Relic per four-card box (12 boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Odds: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: A new year of Tier One is here with "a fresh look on a classic brand," according to Topps with new colors, parallels, inserts and more all in store this time around.

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

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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: 2024 Bowman baseball cards (blaster)
First Buzz preview & checklist/odds: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Keep reading for what was inside this one ..

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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: The NBA Finals are coming, inside a case break, MLB stats, Montgomery Club reactions, Angel Hernandez and Ronald Acuña Jr. reactions.

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What: 2024 Topps Series 2 baseball cards
Arrives: June 12
Box basics: One auto or Relic per 20-pack hobby box (12 per case) or one auto, one Relic & one manufactured Relic per 10-pack jumbo box (six per case)
Odds: Click here
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The full hobby details for the second series of Topps' flagship baseball cards are here in advance of its arrival next month.

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

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Have you looked at your 2024 Bowman card backs yet?

It's fine if you haven't -- we know you're busy looking for the new big names, their colorful Chrome parallels and, of course, their autographs -- but for years now there have been tons of trivial nuggets that appear on cards that can be downright odd.

They're found on the "Up Close" blurbs across all base and prospect cards in this release -- and plenty of past ones -- and after ripping my first blaster of the year I did my check for them ... and again they delivered ... even with a small sample size.

The Adley Rutschman card above was perhaps the standout of the small bunch in my box with "bountiful hugs," the origin of "Rooster" as part of a Top Gun: Maverick name-drop and a nod to family sports, too. They're not all that jam-packed, but every card has Up Close details from what I've seen this year.

Let's take a look at 20 more card backs from 2024 Bowman 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: 2024 Bowman baseball cards (blaster)
First Buzz preview & checklist/odds: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Keep reading for what was inside this one ..

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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 TRISTAR Hidden Treasures Autographed Bats
Arrives: Aug. 30
Box basics: One autographed baseball bat per box (four boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: A new line in TRISTAR's autographed baseball chase lineup ups the ante on what can be found -- this time it's nothing but signed bats -- and there's a big chase item in this one of legendary proportions. How legendary? Well, it's got 44 Hall of Famers in play -- and more -- all in one spot

Keep reading for the details and a gallery of what's in this one.

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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: 2024 Topps Heritage baseball cards (giant)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)
First Buzz preview, odds & checklist: Click here

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

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What: 2024 TRISTAR Hidden Treasures Dugout Dreams autographed baseballs
Arrives: June 28
Box basics: One autographed baseball per box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: A newer brand on TRISTAR's autographed baseball chase lineup arrives for another summer with two monster Grand Treasure balls and then plenty of past and present superstars all among the finds in these mystery boxes.

What's the biggest of them all this year? Keep reading for details on those and a gallery of what's in this one.

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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: 2024 Topps Heritage baseball cards (giant)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)
First Buzz preview, odds & checklist: Click here

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

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What: 2024 Leaf Lumber baseball cards
Arrives: July 31
Box basics: Four premium hits per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf's bats-focused brand arrives for another summer with legends from the game in play as well as fan favorites from more recent years with multi-auto and multi-mem cards to be found in this hits-only release.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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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: 2024 Topps Series 1 baseball cards (hanger)
First Buzz preview & checklist/odds: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

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

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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: 2023 Topps Heritage baseball cards (hanger)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here

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

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What: 2024 Onyx Preferred Players Baseball Collection autographed baseballs
Arrives: Mid May
Box basics: One signed baseball per box (three boxes per case; 12 boxes per master case)
Final player checklist: TBD
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: This MLBPA-approved product hits the diamond once again with some big surprises in store and a roster of young names who are in demand as well as legends of the game.

Keep reading for more info and a checklist.

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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 ...

SNIKT!
The Book: Wolverine No. 50 (newsstand edition)
The Reason Graded: Back in 1992, Little Buzz was probably nearing the end of his comic book days -- or maybe a little after this one arrived -- but with some connections to a local book store I was able to get comics before they hit those spinner racks that resulted in books getting broken spines like they were Batman up against Bane. (Or something.) And with that era being one of mass-produced stuff that was still very creative on both the art front as well as the printing/gimmick front, I and many others were buying ... in quantity. This issue is one exploring Wolverine's origins and it's got a cardboard cover with his claws the source of the big die-cut gashes here revealing the first page of what's in the file (issue). I bought maybe a half-dozen of them as it was cool -- a few at the local comics shop and a few more at the book store -- and that's the key here. These newsstand versions -- same except for the UPC in the corner and not a marvel direct logo (that started in 1981) filling the box -- figure to be much, much rarer in a high grade.
The Grade: CGC 9.8 (Universal)

Reality Check: This one was a win but I expected it as my copies here are razor sharp. How many of those graded might be newsstand copies? It's a mystery right now but asking prices on eBay as I prep this file are as high as $500 for a newsstand copy while a direct has a max asking of $299. Actual sales for 9.8s in recent weeks? About $320 for newsstand and $85 for direct. I'll take that ... I'm in for just $2.50 (though I may have gotten a discount) and my grading fees. Most "serious" collectors bought at comics shops in the boom years, seeing newsstand is inferior with those barcodes ... now those barcodes are gold as long as you're in an elite grade.

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

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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: 2023 Topps Holiday baseball cards
Checklist: Click here
Odds: Click here
Where to buy: Click here (when available)

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

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What: 2024 Topps Chrome Black baseball cards
Arrives: April 17
Box basics: One autograph in every four-card box (12 boxes per case)
Checklist: TBD
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: This one returns for a fifth time with the same approach of the past -- an encased autograph and more in every box -- but also with some new chases in store for those who rip.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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What: 2023 Topps Garbage Pail Kids X MLB Series 3
Arrives: Now via Topps.com (March 26, 2024)
Box basics: One insert card per seven-card pack (three packs per box, 10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (when available)

What's buzz-worthy: For a third time, the Garbage Pail Kids have been taken over by the stars of Major League Baseball and it's a larger lineup with a mix of past and present stars.

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

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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: 2020 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
First Buzz preview, SPs & checklist: Click here

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

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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: Spring training standouts, new MLB pulls, Shohei Ohtani and more in this Monday edition.

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