Buzz Break: 2013 Panini Golden Age sports 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: 2013 Panini Golden Age (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24 (plus one box-topper pack)
Cards per pack: 6
Cards in this box: 148
Base set completion: 103 of 150 (69 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards: Tatum O’Neal, Sparky Anderson, Jerry Lewis, Earl Campbell, Grace Kelly, Jim Thorpe, Jimmy Carter, Seabiscuit, Henry Ford, Johnny Carson, Red Grange, Yogi Berra, Mel Ott, Penny Marshall, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mario Andretti, Abraham Lincoln, The Three Stooges and plenty more.

Buzz Break: 2013 Panini Golden Age sports 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: 2013 Panini Golden Age (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24 (plus one box-topper pack)
Cards per pack: 6
Cards in this box: 148
Base set completion: 104 of 150 (69 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards: Tatum O’Neal, Bo Derek, Jackie Earle Haley, Sparky Anderson, Jerry Lewis, Jane Russell, Henry Fonda, Eva Gabor, Branch Rickey, Earl Campbell, Grace Kelly, Jim Thorpe, Jimmy Carter, Seabiscuit, Henry Ford, Johnny Carson, Red Grange, William “Buckwheat” Thomas, Curley Neal, Yogi Berra, Bob Hope, Mel Ott, Penny Marshall, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mario Andretti, Evel Knievel, Abraham Lincoln, Knute Rockne, The Three Stooges, Walter Cronkite, Henry Winkler, Harry Houdini

Buzz Break: 2013 Panini Golden Age sports 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: 2013 Panini Golden Age (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24 (plus one box-topper pack)
Cards per pack: 6
Cards in this box: 148
Base set completion: 104 of 150 (69 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards: Tatum O’Neal, Bo Derek, Jackie Earle Haley, Sparky Anderson, Jerry Lewis, Jane Russell, Henry Fonda, Eva Gabor, Branch Rickey, Earl Campbell, Grace Kelly, Jim Thorpe, Jimmy Carter, Seabiscuit, Henry Ford, Johnny Carson, Red Grange, William “Buckwheat” Thomas, Curley Neal, Yogi Berra, Bob Hope, Mel Ott, Penny Marshall, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mario Andretti, Evel Knievel, Abraham Lincoln, Knute Rockne, The Three Stooges, Walter Cronkite, Henry Winkler, Harry Houdini

First Buzz: 2018 Panini Diamond Kings baseball (early retail details)

What: 2018 Panini Diamond Kings baseball cards
Arrives: March 28
Box basics: Three retail-exclusive insert cards per seven-pack blaster box (20 boxes per case)

What’s buzz-worthy: We’ve got early word on what’s coming to the retail aisle from Panini America in 2018, and it’s the newest crop of Diamond Kings will be the second set to arrive next March.

Keep reading for more info.

Buzz 12 in 12: Busting a 2001 Topps Archives MLB blaster 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.

The box: 2001 Topps Archives baseball cards (blaster)
The cost: $50 now ($34.99 then by the box, $3.99 per pack)

What’s inside this one? Keep reading …

First Buzz: 2018 Onyx Baseball Icons Collection Hall of Fame signed baseballs

What: 2018 Onyx Baseball Icons Collection Hall of Fame signed baseballs
Arrives: Dec. 12
Box basics: One autographed baseball per box and one vintage graded card per case (12 boxes per case)

What’s buzz-worthy: Only 25 sealed cases will be made for this one — half as much as last year — but there will still be one buyback card per case and a Hall of Famer in every box.

Keep reading for more info, including a checklist.

Buzz 12 in 12: Busting a 2013 Panini Golden Age 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.

The box: 2013 Panini Golden Age
The cost now: Click here
The cost then: $72

What’s inside this one? Keep reading …

Buzz Break: 2013 Panini Golden Age sports 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: 2013 Panini Golden Age (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24 (plus one box-topper pack)
Cards per pack: 6
Cards in this box: 146
Base set completion: 102 of 150 (68 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards: Evel Knievel, Abraham Lincoln, Jackie Earle Haley, Knute Rockne, Mario Andretti, Tatum O’Neal, Elizabeth Montgomery, David Stambaugh, Lana Turner, Bobby Jones, Grace Kelly, Bobby Hull, Erin Blunt, Bob Gibson, Henry Ford, Yogi Berra, Johnny Bench, Earl Campbell, Jane Russell, Mel Ott, Johnny Carson, Eve Plumb, Sugar Ray Leonard, Rocky Marciano, Henry Winkler, Walter Cronkite, Jimmy Carter, Penny Marshall, Grantland Rice, Donna Douglas, The Three Stooges, Tris Speaker, Jean Harlow, Bo Derek

Buzz Break: 2011 TRISTAR Obak 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: 2011 TRISTAR Obak cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24 (plus one jumbo T4 box-topper)
Cards per pack: 6
Cards in this box: 144
Base set completion: 
103 of 110 (94 percent)
Duplicates: 7

Notables on base cards – Ken Griffey Jr., Mike Trout, Nolan Ryan, Josh Gibson, Andre Dawson, High Jennings, “Old Hoss” Radbourn, Hack Wilson, Jack Chesbro, Pete Gray, Ernie Harwell, Kennesaw Mountain Landis, Cap Anson, Johnny Vandermeer, Paul Goldschmidt, Gary Sanchez, Will Clark, “Cool Papa” Bell, George H.W. Bush, Whitey Ford, Hank Greenberg, Stan Musial

Newest Lelands auction includes some serious baseball history

A number of high-end and truly historic baseball items are leading the way in the latest Lelands Masters Auction.

What you see above? A 1962 Topps first series cello box.

It includes 36 packs that originally cost buyers $3.60 if they cleared out the box. It’s been inspected, authenticated and documented by Baseball Card Exchange and includes a number of packs with stars showing, including four showing Stan Musial and then appearances by Sandy Koufax, Ernie Banks, Eddie Mathews, Brooks Robinson and a number of leaders cards.

Bidding currently sits at $48,717 after just eight bids — and it’s not even close to the biggest item in the sale.

Buzz 12 in 12: Busting a 2008 Donruss Threads Baseball hobby box (Hour 2)

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 2.

The box: 2008 Donruss Threads Baseball
The cost: $79

What’s inside this one? Keep reading …

Buzz 12 in 12: Busting a 2007 UD SP Legendary Cuts MLB box (Hour 2)

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 2.

The box: 2007 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts baseball cards
The cost: Click here

What’s inside this one? Keep reading …

Hot Box: 1948 Bowman baseball find fetches more than $500,000

It shouldn’t exist — and that’s why it fetched six-figures at auction.

What you see here is a near-complete box of 1948 Bowman baseball cards — packs that originally cost just a nickel apiece back in the day when kids ate the gum and, if they cared, had a shot at Yogi Berra, Stan Musial, Warren Spahn and Bob Feller Rookie Cards.

This rarity hit the auction block not long ago and finally sold via Mile High Card Co. last week.

Buzz Break: 2017 Panini Diamond Kings 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 Panini Diamond Kings baseball cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Packs per box: 7
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 35
Base set completion: 
19 of 100 (19 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Francisco Lindor, Josh Donaldson, Jake Arrieta, Chipper Jones, Lloyd Waner, Pee Wee Reese, Ty Cobb, John McGraw, Stan Musial, Joe Jackson

Harry Caray’s Restaurant gives fans chance to collect namesake

If you know a Chicago Cubs fan and haven’t finished your holiday shopping, this is your post.

If you’re a fan of Major League Baseball and collecting its legends, this is your post.

A nice piece of mail — something Buzz found online and ordered this weekend — arrived on Wednesday with a surprise inside. What you see here is an oversized pair of plastic glasses — an apparent jovial bonus this holiday season with any purchase of $49 or more from 33 West Kinzie Street in Chicago.

Not familiar with the location? That’s the home of Harry Caray’s Restaurant. And, while it’s funny, this simple gift to me can’t touch what I bought.

Buzz Break: 2016 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: 2016 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: 
175 of 300 (58 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notable players on base cards – Buster Posey, Albert Pujols, Satchel Paige, Carl Yastrzemski, Ryne Sandberg, Mike Trout, Stan Musial, Bryce Harper, Madison Bumgarner, Kris Bryant, Ted Williams, Carlos Correa, Stephen Strasburg, George Brett, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, Eddie Mathews, Clayton Kershaw, Nolan Ryan, Ken Griffey Jr., Hank Aaron.

Rookie Cards (25) – Kaleb Cowart, Corey Seager, Michael Conforto, Miguel Sano, Colin Rea, Kyle Waldrop, Zack Godley, Jose Peraza, Trea Turner, Henry Owens, Zach Lee, Matt Reynolds, Mac Williamson, Jorge Lopez, Kyle Schwarber, Ketel Marte, Miguel Almonte, Aaron Nola, Brandon Drury, Peter O’Brien, Raul Mondesi, Travis Jankowski, Jon Gray, Socrates Brito, Gary Sanchez.

Board Buzz Gallery: Just don’t drool over these baseball cards

Sometimes you just have to let the images speak for themselves.

Check out this gallery of images — new additions to a Blowout forum collection thread that Buzz included in yesterday’s Board Buzz.

Making the Grade IV: Joe Namath, Ichiro, WWE stars & legendary ink

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 the fourth Grading Diary here on The Buzz …

First Buzz: 2016 Panini Flawless baseball cards

What: 2016 Panini Flawless baseball cards
Arrives: June 1
Box basics:  Six autographs, two memorabilia cards and two jewel cards per box (two boxes per case)

What’s buzz-worthy: Flawless comes to baseball with the elite names from the past and the biggest names of the present to go with the elite high-end price tag.

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

Board Buzz: Must-read threads on the Blowout Forums (Feb. 14)

The 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: Big NFL pulls, big NFL legends, autograph rainbows, new Stan Musial autographs and Japanese 1/1s.

First Buzz: 2016 Panini Diamond Kings baseball cards

What: 2016 Panini Diamond Kings baseball cards
Arrives: March 30
Box basics: Two autographs or memorabilia cards per 12-pack box (24 boxes per case; 12 per inner case)

What’s buzz-worthy: Diamond Kings returns for another season with a heavy amount of inserts in every box and some of the biggest names in the past and present of the game.

Keep reading for more.

Buzz Break: 2012 Panini Cooperstown baseball cards

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down 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: 2012 Panini Cooperstown baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 120
Base set completion: 
86 of 150 (57 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notable names pulled on base cards: Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson, Christy Mathewson (all base cards are Hall of Famers)

What surprises may be found in 2016 Topps baseball card packs?

An early version of the 2016 Topps Series 1 baseball checklist arrived on Tuesday and that first glimpse offered a few surprises before its arrival on Feb. 3.

But there are also undoubtedly more still to come.

The First Pitch cards showing celebrities making ceremonial appearances? They’re not on the checklist but are confirmed as still coming. There’s no note of variations or short-printed cards for the release — we all know those are coming. They always do.

What else? Keep reading for a rundown of what’s known and notable from the checklist

Just For Fun: Can you identify which years these vintage baseball card photographs were used?

When someone says “1952 Topps Mickey Mantle” there’s simply one image that comes to mind for collectors — the image of the Oklahoma-born slugger looking over his right shoulder where his Louisville Slugger resides.

The blue hues and the yellow bat — the results of colorized images back in those days — are dramatically different than what we often expect from the cardboard of today, yet they are the basis of everything, too.

Seeing one of these memorable card images recently got Buzz wondering whether fellow collectors would be able to identify photographs from memorable vintage baseball card sets — but without the accoutrement that make 1952 look like 1952 or 1965 look like 1965.