Buzz 12 in 12: Busting a 1999 Upper Deck Ovation MLB blaster (Hour 7)

Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today’s your day then as we launch 12 in 12 — a series of a dozen breaks of past wax boxes and wax packs in a dozen hours. We’ll post one every hour on the hour all day long today … this is Hour 7.

12in12-logo-smallerThe box: 1999 Upper Deck Ovation baseball cards (blaster)
The cost now: 
$19.95
The cost then: $34.99

What’s inside this one? Keep reading …

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Buzz Break: 2017 Donruss baseball cards (blaster box)

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: 2017 Donruss baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby when available)

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 7
Cards in this box: 56
Base set completion: 
41 of 195 (21 percent)
Duplicates: 0
Short-prints (Nos. 1-45; Diamond Kings & Rated Rookies) (2) – Gregory Polanco, Dansby Swanson

Notables on base cards – Mookie Betts, Cal Ripken Jr., Nolan Arenado, Albert Pujols, Giancarlo Stanton, Willie Stargell, Kirby Puckett, Kyle Schwarber, Ryne Sandberg, Frank Thomas

>>> For a variation gallery, click here
>>> For a checklist & general gallery, click here

Rookie Cards (1) – Dansby Swanson

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Buzz Break: 2017 Topps Fire baseball cards (collector’s box)

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: 2017 Topps Fire baseball cards (collector’s box)
Where to buy: 
Initially only at Target ($69.99)

Packs per box: 20
Cards per pack: 6
Cards in this box: 120
Base set completion: 
98 of 200 (49 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Bryce Harper, Chipper Jones, Anthony Rizzo, Corey Seager, Ken Griffey Jr., Fergie Jenkins, Derek Jeter, Greg Maddux, Dave Winfield, Eddie Mathews, Warren Spahn, Ted Williams, Manny Machado, Carl Yastrzemski, Nolan Ryan, Mike Piazza, Kris Bryant, Andre Dawson, Jose Canseco, Pedro Martinez, Cal Ripken Jr.

Rookie Cards (25) – Cody Bellinger, Andrew Benintendi, Matt Olson, Dansby Swanson, Alex Bregman, Ian Happ, Ryon Healy, Lewis Brinson, Rob Zastryzny, Joe Musgrove, Hunter Dozier, Luke Weaver, Yulieski Gurriel, Orlando Arcia, Jake Thompson, Carson Fulmer, Braden Shipley, Jose DeLeon, Raimel Tapia, Seth Lugo, Jorge Alfaro, Gavin Cecchini, Renato Nunez, Hunter Renfroe, Tyler Glasnow

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Buzz Break: 2017 Donruss baseball cards (blaster box)

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: 2017 Donruss baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 7
Cards in this box: 56
Base set completion: 
41 of 195 (21 percent)
Duplicates: 0
Short-prints (Nos. 1-45; Diamond Kings & Rated Rookies) (1) – Madison Bumgarner (DK), David Dahl (RR)

Notables on base cards – Tom Seaver, Mike Trout, Kris Bryant, Jim Palmer, Jose Altuve, Miguel Cabrera, Kirby Puckett, Willie Stargell, Cal Ripken Jr., Clayton Kershaw

>>> For a variation gallery, click here
>>> For a checklist & general gallery, click here

Rookie Cards (1) – David Dahl

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Buzz 12 in 12: Busting a 2017 Donruss baseball blaster box (Hour 1)

Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today’s your day then as we launch 12 in 12 — a series of a dozen breaks of past wax boxes and wax packs in a dozen hours. We’ll post one every hour on the hour all day long today … this is Hour 1.

12in12-logo-smallerThe box: 2017 Donruss baseball (blaster)
The cost: $19.99 (get hobby here)

What’s inside this one? Keep reading …

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Buzz Break: 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards (hobby box)


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: 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy:
 BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 25 (24 standard packs plus box-topper)
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 194
Base set completion: 
128 of 300 (43 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, Ichiro Suzuki, Buster Posey, Johnny Bench, Nolan Ryan, Hank Aaron, Ken Rosenthal, Krazy George, Ken Griffey Jr., Babe Ruth, Frank Thomas, Dave Winfield, Derek Jeter, Roger Maris, Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Schwarber, Mike Piazza, Don Mattingly, Laurie Hernandez, Cal Ripken Jr., Ernie Banks, Jose Canseco, Nick Jonas, William Shatner

Rookie Cards (18) – Teoscar Hernandez, JaCoby Jones, Jesse Winker, Robert Gsellman, Matt Olson, Ryon Healy, Antonio Senzatela, Chad Pinder, Alex Reyes, Yulieski Gurriel, Hunter Renfroe, Jharel Cotton, Tyler Glasnow, Luke Weaver, Gavin Cecchini, Carson Fulmer, Seth Lugo (SP), Dan Vogelbach (SP)

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Buzz Break: 2017 Topps Series 2 baseball cards (hobby box)

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: 2017 Topps Series 2 baseball cards 
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 36
Cards per pack: 10
Cards in this box: 365
Base set completion: 
305 of 350 (87 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards of note – Yu Darvish, Nolan Arenado, Jake Arrieta, Michael Conforto, Buster Posey, Justin Verlander, Yasiel Puig, Ichiro Suzuki, Albert Pujols, Manny Machado, Jose Altuve

Rookie Cards (22) – Manny Margot, Roman Quinn, Adalberto Mejia, Jorge Alfaro, Jharel Cotton, Hunter Renfroe, Koda Glover, Bruce Maxwell, Hunter Dozier, Jesus Aguilar, Rob Zastryzny, Jose Martinez, German Marquez, Renato Nunez, Stephen Cardullo, Rob Segedin, Ty Blach, T.J. Rivera, Matt Olson, Gavin Cecchini, Pat Valaika, Trey Mancini

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Aaron Judge’s home run barrage has him on pace to be in elite company

If the season ended today, New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge would win the Triple Crown.

As a rookie.

With two homers on Sunday — one a highlight-reel worthy 496-foot shot — he upped his mark to 21 this season and that goes right alongside a .344 batting average and 47 RBI. Will the Triple Crown pace continue? Who knows, but the power is a barometer of baseball card potential and he’s on pace to be among the best rookies in MLB history.

He’s on pace to top the 40-homer mark and that’s been done just one other time by a rookie. Even if he struggles some, by season’s end he’s likely to be very close to — if not among — the top 10 sluggers for most home run seasons by a rookie.

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Buzz Break: 2017 Topps Archives baseball cards (hobby box)


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: 2017 Topps Archives baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 192
Base set completion: 
176 of 300 (59 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Dennis Eckersley, Sandy Koufax, Anthony Rizzo, Jackie Robinson, Roberto Alomar, Anthony Rizzo, Eddie Murray, John Smoltz, Gary Sanchez, Ivan Rodriguez, Clayton Kershaw, Ivan Rodriguez, Carlos Correa, Tony Clark, Jimmie Foxx, Francisco Lindor, David Ortiz, Jose Altuve, George Brett, Derek Jeter, Ted Williams, Warren Spahn, Tom Seaver, Randy Johnson, Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Roberto Clemente, Joe Morgan, Rollie Fingers, Ichiro Suzuki, Tony Perez, Carl Yastrzemski, Don Mattingly, Mike Piazza, Willie McCovey, Albert Pujols, Bo Jackson, Jim Palmer, Lou Gehrig, Buster Posey

Rookie Cards (24) – Ryon Healy, Raimel Tapia, German Marquez, David Dahl, Manny Margot, Tyler Glasnow, Jorge Alfaro, Rio Ruiz, Roman Quinn, Jose DeLeon, Teoscar Hernandez, Gavin Cecchini, Carlos Asuaje, Andrew Benintendi, Yulieski Gurriel, Jake Thompson, Alex Bregman, Hunter Dozier, T.J. Rivera, Tyler Austin, Jacoby Jones, Matt Strahm, Seth Lugo, Matt Olson

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Buzz Break: 1997 Score Series 1 baseball cards (jumbo box)

 

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 faster break in that style — but not the launching of a new 12 in 12. We’ll have another marathon soon. (Click the logo below to see the previous posts in the series.)

The box:
 1997 Score Series 1 baseball cards (jumbo box)
The cost now: 
$9.99
The cost then: $71.64 in U.S., $107.64 in Canada ($1.99/$2.99 per pack; prices printed on them)

What’s inside this box? Keep reading …

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Buzz 12 in 12: Busting a 1994 Upper Deck Series 1 Hobby Eastern Region baseball wax box (Hour 3)

Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today’s your day then as we launch 12 in 12 — a series of a dozen breaks of past wax boxes and wax packs in a dozen hours. We’ll post one every hour on the hour all day long today … this is Hour 3.

12in12-logo-smallerThe box: 1994 Upper Deck Series 1 Hobby Eastern Region baseball cards
The cost now: 
$19.99
The cost then: $72 (or more … it was hot)

What’s inside this box? Keep reading …

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Buzz Break: 2017 Donruss baseball cards (hobby box)

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: 2017 Donruss baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 192
Base set completion: 
128 of 195 (66 percent)
Duplicates: 0
Short-prints (Nos. 1-45; Diamond Kings & Rated Rookies) (9) –  Paul Goldschmidt, Jackie Bradley Jr., Christian Yelich, Noah Syndergaard, Maikel Franco, Madison Bumgarner, Dansby Swanson, Tyler Glasnow, Aaron Judge

Notables on base cards – Manny Machado, Mookie Betts, Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber, Francisco Lindor, Miguel Cabrera, Carlos Correa, Albert Pujols, Corey Seager, Giancarlo Stanton, Gary Sanchez, Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey, Bryce Harper, Cal Ripken Jr., Johnny Bench, Kirby Puckett, Nolan Ryan, Pete Rose

>>> For a variation gallery, click here
>>> For a checklist & general gallery, click here

Rookie Cards (3) – Dansby Swanson, Tyler Glasnow, Aaron Judge

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Topps reveals new autograph inclusions for 2017 Topps Tribute

There will be some new features in 2017 Topps Tribute when it arrives later this month and chief among them will be some new autographs that weren’t available back in September when this one was announced.

The biggest one? Former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, who signed with the company in November. His ink will be found in Tribute Autographs and the Generations of Excellence Autographs sets.

What else is in play? Keep reading …

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Rare Kris Bryant autos, party passes, sketches & cuts command cash from Topps’ historic Transcendent release

2017-topps-transcendent-collection-baseball-case

With 52 autographs in every box — as well as a posh party invitation — it doesn’t take a lot to see the dollar signs inside each $25,000 box of 2016 Topps Transcendent Collection baseball cards.

s-l1600-3Those invites alone get a good chunk of change back (details here) and each case’s 1/1 Kris Bryant autograph using one of the 65 historic Topps designs commands some, too. Those cards have sold for as much as $2,182 on eBay (so far) and all seven sold have gone for at least $1,000.

Meanwhile, the asking or bid prices in current auctions are over the $1,000 mark in all but one instance and range as high as $7,250 for those in the historic set.

But the priciest find found inside one of those 65 silver briefcases? It’s much more impressive.

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Get the 2016 Topps Gold Label baseball card checklist here

2016-topps-gold-label-bryce-harper

Gold Label returns this week from Topps with a framed autograph in every seven-pack box.

What specifically might it include? Well that answer came today with the release of the final checklist.

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Cooperstown enshrinement awaits Ken Griffey Jr. & Mike Piazza

Hall-of-Fame

Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza are in Cooperstown, N.Y., this weekend to join baseball’s immortals as the newest members of the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday.

One is the first No. 1 overall draft pick to ever make it to the Hall. The other is the lowest draft pick to ever be enshrined in Cooperstown.

Griffey received 99.3 percent of the vote — a record and three votes short of unanimous — after his first time on the ballot. Meanwhile, Piazza appeared on 83 percent of the 440 ballots in his fourth vote.

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Mike Piazza’s NYPD helmet from 2001 game heads to auction block

7bcd4fc1-a27c-4ce6-8bd0-749f7a6eb101

The helmet that Mike Piazza used in the first game after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks will be on the auction block and sold during an auction during the National Sports Collectors Convention in Atlantic City, N.J.

The New York Mets catcher and Hall of Famer’s helmet will be sold via Goldin Auctions with 50 percent of the buyer’s premium headed to a New York-based charity, Tuesday’s Children, which supports first-responders and their families.

“We are very lucky to have the opportunity to share such an important piece of baseball history and at the same time support the worthwhile work of this wonderful organization that supports those affected by the events of Sept. 11,” said Ken Goldin, the founder of Goldin Auctions. “Similar to Piazza’s jersey from that night, this helmet will forever connect fans to one of the most memorable moments in Mets history. Those who were lucky enough to be there, or view it on television will never forget it.”

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Gallery: 2016 Panini Flawless baseball cards (updated)

2016-panini-flawless-1We’re less than two weeks away from the arrival of 2016 Panini Flawess and its game-changing high-end potential being unleashed upon the hobby.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t yet get a sneak peek of what’s coming.

Panini America is busy readying those silver briefcases with baseball cards for the first time, and they’ll include 10 cards per box (or 20 total if you go the sealed case case route).

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Gallery: 2015 Leaf Q sports cards

2015-Leaf-Q-sports-cards-44The latest Leaf sports card brand arrived on Friday in the form of the high-end 2015 Leaf Q, which packs a few sports-related surprises inside along with some of the biggest names in all of sports history.

Among the surprises? Chevy Chase‘s first certified autographs — the first of a few to come, actually — with this one remembering his time as an NBA player in Fletch.

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Mike Piazza’s game-used jersey from first game after 9-11 sells for $365K

22289a_lgThree years ago, the New York Mets privately sold a group of game-used jerseys from its first game following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

back-0415-copyThe biggest jersey of them all has been re-sold — so it can be displayed in public.

Two minority owners of the team paid $365,000 for the jersey worn by Mike Piazza during that memorable game so it can be displayed at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, the Baseball Hall of Fame or the Mets museum at CitiField.

The jersey had been put up for sale via Goldin Auctions, which entertained offers to end an auction for the jersey early only on the condition it be displayed. The jersey’s story landed it on the back cover of the New York Daily News today.

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Board Buzz: Five must-read threads on the Blowout Forums (Jan. 8)

griffeyThe 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: Ken Griffey Jr., Mike Piazza, Johnny Manziel, Steiner Sports, BGS 9.5s, Star Wars and more …

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Cooperstown calls for Ken Griffey Jr. as well as Mike Piazza

1989-UpperDeck-KenGriffeyJrThe Baseball Writers’ Association of America votes are in, and there’s no surprise at the top — Ken Griffey Jr. is headed to Cooperstown, N.Y., this summer to join baseball’s immortals.

He received 99.3 percent of the vote — a record and three votes short of unanimous — after his first time on the ballot. Joining him is former Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza, who appeared on 83 percent of the 440 ballots.

Griffey helped usher in a new era of collecting in 1989 as the iconic No. 1 in the first Upper Deck set, a release that helped change the printing and packaging of cards and the collecting expectations of a generation. For those same thirty-somethings and beyond, he’s an also icon on the field with his backwards cap and a smooth but powerful left-handed swing that helped produce 630 home runs and countless more memorable moments for the Mariners, Reds and White Sox over 22 seasons but never a World Series at-bat.

16_Topps Finest Baseball-griffeyClearly he’s one of the greatest players — and most-beloved players — in MLB history, a symbol of what’s good about the game in an era of bogus records and inflated statistics that have undermined not only the results on the field but also the cardboard of our youth. His enshrinement this summer in Cooperstown will be the stuff that cardboard (and baseball) marketing is made of. In fact, there are already two forthcoming brands — 2016 Topps Series 2 and 2016 Topps Finest (above right) — that will spotlight Junior.

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Examining 20 Baseball Hall of Fame candidates’ Rookie Cards + Buzz casts his votes for Cooperstown

1989-Topps-traded-griffey
There are 32 players on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Hall of Fame ballot this year and the ongoing debate of who’s worthy, who’s not and who cheated with performance-enhancing drugs will rage on well beyond the reveal of the voting results on Jan. 6.

In Buzz’s book, there’s quite possibly only one new Hall of Famer headed to Cooperstown this coming summer, and that lock is Ken Griffey Jr.

The rest? Well, it’s not that easy. Buzz has eliminated 12 of the guys who are not likely to even make the cut to be on next year’s ballot and examined the stats for 20 of those who are left. Along with this, Buzz has added some key Rookie Card info, too, just in case you haven’t tracked any of them down just yet or want to revisit cardboard from your youth.
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Who gets your single vote for the Baseball Hall of Fame this year?

1989-UpperDeck-KenGriffeyJrThis year’s Baseball Hall of Fame ballot has been released by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America with 15 new names and several players who appeared on last year’s ballot but failed to get 75 percent of the votes.

Below is the ballot that all BBWAA members will receive. The writers can vote for as many as 10 players. Those who appear on 75 percent of all ballots cast will be inducted into the Hall. Your challenge here is a bit different.

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