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: Pondering the future of Kevin Durant RCs, comparing him to LeBron James, new pulls and more in today's edition.

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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: Ripping new golf, Albert Pujols to the Dodgers, Target sales, WWE chatter, alleged falling NBA prices and ... a loaded 2021 Bowman format?

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What: 2021 Leaf Autographed Football Helmets
Arrives: Summer 2021
Box basics: One autographed full-size replica helmet per box (four boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf brings a new batch of autographed helmets to collectors with legends of the past and present as well as some surprises in the mix ... like Tiger Woods.

Keep reading for more.

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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: MLB chatter, grading debates, Sports Illustrated cards, breaks and pondering other sports -- and Tiger Woods' -- Rookie Cards.

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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 Sports Illustrated covers I'd want on cardboard now in Topps' new card set ... and five more after that.

Junior goes home ... Ken Griffey Jr. | Feb. 21, 2000
It was a blockbuster kind of move, and, while Junior's first SI cover (May 7, 1990) might be in more demand, the portrait on this one would get my cardboard nod first in the new Topps set. Why? It's just a much better photo than his debut. I'm pretty sure I saved my copy of this one from back in the day ... so if there's no card I'll survive. Junior's days in a Seattle uniform seem get more attention than his time with the Reds and that's another reason I'd do this one.

Keep reading for four more making up the list this time ... and five more after that.

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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: Tiger Woods, Topps Chrome UFC potential, pondering print runs and more in today's edition.

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What: 2021 Break King Stars & Legends
Arrives: April 30
Box basics: At least one graded buyback per three-card box (three boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Break King takes on the legends of the sports world in this one with greats from the past and present in several sports all found here.

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In its first 10 months, The Modern Wax Fund reflected some crazy times in the sports card world.

How crazy? The Fund's valuation report of the underlying asset holdings during its rookie season shows an overall increase of 195.1 percent, fueled by an explosion of interest for the recent-year NBA assets. Basketball boxes alone jumped 301 percent in a year, while NFL also had a 164-percent jump and "other sports" (in lower total volume) jumped 194 percent.

This first-of-its-kind private-equity fund focused on trading cards is a creation of Attic Investments and Blowout Cards. It started with more than $3 million in unopened product -- some of the rarest and most-desired baseball, basketball, football and other cards from the modern era -- last February with a $25,000 minimum buy-in from investors.

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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: James Wiseman, old NBA logoman cards, Tiger Woods, soccer, big breaks and ... a run on early and key UFC autographs?

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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 Goodwin Champions sports cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: Click here for hobby

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: 2018 Goodwin Champions (hobby box)
Where to buy: Click here

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

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Fast Five is 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 areas of collecting perhaps overlooked by many.

VINTAGE-ERA PLAYER GAME-USED MEMORABILIA CARDS
With some card companies moving toward player-worn memorabilia cards for living legends along with the prospects a little more than in the past, I think game-used memorabilia cards of Hall of Famers and other notables from vintage years (for this argument I'd go pre-1990s players, but even moreso 1970s and before) seem like a safer buy with finds for all budget types. Some brands -- National Treasures, Prime Cuts, Classics, Museum Collection, Flawless and Immaculate Collection for example -- seem to ride older players' presences a little harder than others and you can find some gems. NT baseball for Hall of Famers, for example, is a prime spot for solid cards with bats a little easier than jerseys. For cheaper finds of players with fewer cards and still some nice possibilities, I'd suggest looking in this same realm at NFL and NBA sets ... some of those players simply may not have cards made in the future as the game-used items just aren't easy finds compared to baseball. (A glance at major auction house catalogs show that, too -- it can be nearly all MLB with other sports a seeming afterthought ... and that's where card companies often do their shopping.) Skepticism about origins of swatches have softened markets at times, but you'd be surprised what you can find out there under $100 ... heck even under $50 if shipping with a focus. Who should you pick up? Pick up who you like or who seems to be a good buy.

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

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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 ...

A BIG WIN
The Card: Patrick Mahomes 2017 Donruss Optic #177 Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: I came real close to letting this one go raw, but late in the season I pulled it out of my "to-go box" and put it in the "slab-it stack" figuring I might get a little more out of it if I did let it go ... then they won it all. Needless to say now, that would definitely be the case for this key RC of the Super Bowl champ and new hobby go-to for many.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: I didn't expect a 9.5 and that's a mark that's getting this card up close to $500 on eBay right now -- a surprise to me as I just don't watch NFL card values as much as I probably should. I only have this one but I ripped plenty back then since 2017 NFL stuff was so plentiful (back then) I'd buy and rip some boxes heavily almost by default. Those boxes are scorchers now thanks to all of the possibilities for this guy and other key rookies that year. Most copies of this card check in at this mark ... but that's clearly not scaring people off here.

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

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With the COVID-19 pandemic erasing pretty much everything in the sports world right now, ESPN's decision to launch The Last Dance early is a jolt of nostalgia that's fueling plenty of extra demand for some already legendary basketball cards from the past.

The eagerly awaited 10-part documentary arrives Sunday night at 9 p.m. Eastern and it tells the story of the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls and their final championship run -- their third title in three years and sixth of that decade. It obviously keys upon the NBA's greatest player of all time and its biggest name on cardboard, Michael Jordan. But he's far from alone as the series will present original and new footage from that season as well as interviews from the players -- both on the court and beyond -- back then. We'll also hear from others from around the league who were on the court or covering the team as it commanded attention, won it all and then was forced to go their separate ways.

For Jordan, that meant a second retirement and return with the Washington Wizards three years later -- we probably won't hear a word about that (call it a hunch) -- but we'll be hearing plenty from many involved every Sunday night (two installments per evening) from here until May 17. If you're a new collector wanting to jump on the Jordan bandwagon it's not going to be easy -- you're about 35 years and 13,000 cards too late -- and the asking prices for many a Jordan gem are though the roof more now than ever. However, if you're a fan who missed some of the historic action back then there are still plenty of ways to dabble in cardboard from The Last Dance as it's ultimately a tale that's not just about Jordan.

Keep reading for 12 ways to explore the cardboard for The Last Dance ... both for Jordan and others who we'll see often every Sunday night.

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What: 2020 TRISTAR Best Of All Time autographed memorabilia
Arrives: May 13
Box basics: Four autographed items per case
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's autographed memorabilia line goes uptown for another year with it promising the biggest names in the history of sports in tow.

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

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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 ... a super-sized edition with 20 cards to open 2020.

--

SO CLOSE TO PERFECTION ...
The Card: Ronald Acuña Jr. 2018 Topps Chrome #193 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: This one looked very clean to my eye and I figured getting some of my past Acuña pulls slabbed was a good move considering his almost-40/40 showing last year. Some of his cards are heavily graded to the point where they can be had for not much more than a typical cost to slab if not in top grades. Meanwhile, others aren't as plentiful and some can typically grade very well. I went with this one since it's not as heavily graded and it does tend to grade well. Plus, I just liked the photo here compared to others -- and those I already own slabbed.
The Grade: BGS 10

Reality Check: This one surprised me a bit -- just one half-subgrade away from a BGS Black. Only 14 cards have gotten the perfect mark and this one is among an also-small population. Most cards here check in at 9.5s -- a solid mark and a perfect card to bat lead-off for this first MTG of the year. I expect big things from Acuña this year and I'll be slabbing him often.

Keep reading for more.

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If you hadn't noticed, our second wave of Black Friday boxes with discounted prices have dropped right now right here as BlowoutCards.com is bringing a wave approach to today's sales.

There are three more waves of discounted boxes to come later in today's big sale ... so keep watching.

Here are five boxes/cases that caught this collector’s eye in this first wave.

2019-20 Panini NBA Hoops hobby box
The big discount on this one is an opportunity to chase some of those big on-card autos of the big guy here, Zion Williamson, along with plenty of other autos as you get two per box. There isn't some kind of tiny limit on how many boxes you can grab here, either, so that helped make this one the lead-off spot for this new wave. Loading up on basic Rookie Cards from brands like this are better done now than later as flagship-style releases and their RCs are prime grading material and seemingly more popular than ever in recent years across the major sports. For many collectors who might have first dabbled in basketball cards with the arrival of Hoops back in 1989, this brand is a comfortable one. There's also plenty of insert action and other stuff to chase in here, too, beyond the guy on the box.

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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: 2019 Goodwin Champions trading cards (retail mega box)
Where to buy: Click here for hobby boxes

Packs per box: 13 (12 standard, one parallels)
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 65
Base set completion: 
56 of 100 (56 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – DeAndre Ayton, Zazie Beetz, Martina Hingis, Serena Williams, Coco Ho, Danielle Harris, Robert Pollard, Ben Simmons, Ali Krieger, Tiger Woods, Aries Spears, Rob Paulsen, Trey Lippe-Morrison, John F. Kennedy, Georgia Ellenwood, Red Dela Cruz, Wayne Gretzky, Wright Brothers, Pete Weber, Victor Robles, Michael Jordan, Brian Ortega, Molly Qerim, Brandon Boyd, Kristen Ledlow, Hailie Deegan, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Alexandra O'Laughlin, Cici Bellis, Michael Chang, Luka Doncic, Jack Johnson, Walter Ray Williams Jr., John McCain, Miles Bridges, Robert F. Kennedy, Buster Douglas, LeBron James, Crystal Dunn, Ryan Garcia

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This year's National Sports Collectors Convention is still a ways away -- it's set for July 31-Aug. 4 in Chicago -- but that hasn't stopped Upper Deck from revealing promotional cards that will only initially be found at the event.

The company will produce a five-card VIP set along with a wrapper redemption program as part of its 30th anniversary celebration.

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What: 2019 TRISTAR Best Of All Time 1 autographed memorabilia
Arrives: June 5
Box basics: Six autographed items per case
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's autographed memorabilia line goes uptown with it promising the biggest names in the history of sports in tow.

Keep reading for more and a gallery of what's 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 Today: Did you pay the taxman? If so, you can continue reading today's highlights ...

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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: Nothing but big pulls in today's edition, including this huge pull from a retail case in the big sale.

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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: Nothing but big pulls in today's edition.

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Those who pick up a VIP ticket package for this year's National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland will have a five-card Prominent Cuts set from Upper Deck in their bag and that's just the start of what the company has planned for the five-day show that begins on Aug. 1.

The stars leading the way in that set? Ben Simmons, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Tiger Woods and Serena Williams. 

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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: Nothing but big pulls and interesting discussions in today's edition.

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