First Buzz: 2016 Topps The Mint baseball cards

What: 2016 Topps The Mint baseball cards
Arrives: Aug. 17
Box basics: Five autographs per hobby box (four boxes per case)

What’s buzz-worthy: Topps takes its baseball cards to high-end levels not seen before with this ultra high-end brand that “will raise the bar for premium card collecting” with a box that packs nothing but autographs and game-used — oh and an autograph of Atlanta Braves rookie Ebby Calvin “Nuke” LaLoosh from Bull Durham, too.

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

Hobby Notebook (Feb. 22): Topps’ future plans & Leaf lands Daisy Ridley

Topps‘ presentation at this year’s Industry Summit included a few nuggets of info … here are the most-notable items.

National Baseball Card Day will return this year. … Topps Supreme baseball (above) will not be made this year. … Topps Mint baseball will be a new addition to the lineup. … Japanese star Kenta Maeda’s autographs will be coming soon. … Bowman Chrome and Bowman Draft will have new builds when they arrive. … No physical football card releases are being planned. … Topps is still pursuing an autograph deal with Star Wars star Daisy Ridley. … A high-end 65th Anniversary baseball product is in the works.

Leaf Trading Cards’ presentation later in the afternoon included a rundown of the dozen hockey brands, eight package memorabilia brands and four football brands it intends to release this year. … And Leaf has landed a non-sports big one — it has signed Star Wars star Daisy Ridley to an autograph deal. Her autographs will appear in Pop Century.

Panini America‘s session is set for Tuesday afternoon.