Ever wonder how a half-case of blaster boxes breaks down? Let’s look at 2011 Panini Americana …

Blaster boxes are the taste-testing location — the sample platter you might say — of many products for many people who may not have a hobby shop or want to try something new without spending too much.

After a few years, some of those boxes get dirt cheap as collectors’ attentions are focused elsewhere and it’s fun to dig in with those boxes become available at a fraction of their original cost.

One such product for this collector is 2011 Panini Americana, a non-sports release that’s somewhat higher-end and hit-driven at hobby — one hit per pack, just four packs per box — while the blasters typically include a hit of some type and typically more base cards than a hobby box inside.

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Gallery: Pop culture icons plentiful in this week’s Profiles in History sale

Lot 1291: Michael J. Fox "Marty McFly" hero Mattel Hoverboard from Back to the Future Part II. Estimate: $40,000 - $60,000

Marty McFly‘s Hoverboard. The Beatles‘ controversial butcher album cover. Superman‘s cape. Bettie Page‘s pumps. Steve McQueen‘s racing jacket. Wolverine‘s claws. The Death Star.

The latest Profiles in History Hollywood Auction begins on Wednesday with more than 1,700 lots of everything you’d expect to see — and plenty more.

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