Buzz Break: 2017 Topps Star Wars Masterwork trading cards

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 Star Wars Masterwork (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 4
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 20
Base set completion: 
6 of 75 (8 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards — Obi-wan Kenobi, Princess Leia, Ezra Bridger, Baze Malbus, Admiral Statura, Sabine Wren

Topps includes new Relics in 2017 Topps Star Wars Masterwork

Topps is adding a new element to an upcoming Star Wars set that will allow collectors to feel The Force in a new way.

The set is 2017 Topps Star Wars Masterwork and they’ll include Source Fabric Material Relics. 

First Buzz: 2017 Topps Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D Widevision cards

What: 2017 Topps Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D Widevision trading cards
Arrives: June 6 ($99.99)
Box basics: One 44-card set and two autographs per box

What’s buzz-worthy: The 40th anniversary of Star Wars continues on cardboard with a boxed set that offers an expanded look at the most-recent film with a chance at some big autographs.

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

Topps launches Star Wars Authentics site to offer autographs & photographs from franchise

You can find the autographs from the stars of Star Wars in packs of Topps cards but now you can find them on photographs and more from the newest official source of authentic ink for the legendary sci-fi franchise.

It’s Star Wars Authentics and Topps launched the division and its website, starwarsauthentics.com, on Wednesday to everyone who’s not in a galaxy far, far away.

“We identified a hole in the entertainment industry — a need for certified authentic pieces for the Star Wars brand — and with this collaboration we are able to meet consumer demand,” said David Leiner, Topps’ GM and VP of the North American Sports & Entertainment division. “Topps excels in visual arts and printing technologies and we are thrilled to bring our expertise to Star Wars, building upon our trading card and Major League Baseball memorabilia business.”

Disney launches line of Ultimate Studio Edition Star Wars props

Replica props are big business and a new line of Star Wars props released Thursday by Disney help prove it.

Eight pieces launched the Ultimate Studio Edition of Star Wars Collectibles with the cheapest item starting at $1,250.

First Buzz: 2016 Topps Star Wars Masterwork trading cards

What: 2016 Topps Star Wars Masterwork trading cards
Arrives: Aug. 10
Box basics: Four hits in every four-pack hobby box (eight boxes per case)

What’s buzz-worthy: Topps ushers in the new generation of Star Wars to the high-end with a mix of the past and present films in the sophomore release of its highest-end set for the franchise, complete with new signers and new Relics that include … wait for it … a piece of the Death Star.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

Second wave of Topps’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens cards arrives with simple short-printed twist

When the second series of Topps‘ Star Wars: The Force Awakens cards officially arrive tomorrow, there will be two base cards that will add a simple twist to the collecting of everything from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Series 2 will include a pair of short-printed base cards.

Topps teases 10 more autograph signers for upcoming Star Wars & Doctor Who trading card sets

Topps has a pair of upcoming non-sports sets in the works — Star Wars: The Force Awakens Series 2 and Doctor Who Timeless — and the company has been busy teasing upcoming signers for both releases.

So far, there have been five names announced for both sets. For the Star Wars set, there will be former Alias and Heroes star Greg Grunberg, BB-8 operator Brian Herring, Harriet Walter, Jessica Henwick and David Acord.

First Buzz: 2016 Topps Star Wars: The Force Awakens Chrome trading cards

What: 2016 Topps Star Wars: The Force Awakens Chrome trading cards
Arrives: July 13
Box basics: One hit in every 24-pack hobby box (12 boxes per case)

What’s buzz-worthy: Topps takes the Star Wars universe to the Chrome galaxy with one autograph, Relic, printing plate, sketch or medallion card per box and, of course, a rainbow of color.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

eBay Buzz: Topps Star Wars Force Awakens Mystery Autograph Redemption tops $2,000 mark

The last time we had checked in on the Mystery Redemption from 2015 Topps Star Wars: The Force Awakens Series 1 it had sold for big bucks on eBay — going for $1,700.

(Spoiler alert: It was initially revealed to be for an autograph of Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey, though Topps Marketing Communications Manager Susan Lulgjuraj said there is not yet a confirmed subject for the card.)

But now an actual sale has gone even higher.

Earlier this month, a copy of the redemption topped the $2,000 mark, selling for $2,050 via a Best Offer in this auction. That has helped inflate asking prices for the card in active auctions as cards continue to be tucked away into personal collections.

First Buzz: 2016 Topps Star Wars: The Force Awakens stickers

What: 2016 Topps Star Wars: The Force Awakens stickers
Arrives: March 9
Box basics: five stickers per pack, 50 packs per box, 24 boxes per case

What’s buzz-worthy: The newest Star Wars release comes with some sticking points that have nothing to do with the plot of The Force Awakens. Instead, it’s all about a collecting experience that beginners — and a few others — might adhere to.

Keep reading for more.

Daisy Ridley’s Star Wars mystery autograph redemption keeps selling

There was an awakening and it’s been felt on eBay as well as the box office.

Another Mystery Redemption from 2015 Topps Star Wars: The Force Awakens Series 1 has sold for big bucks on eBay, going for $1,700 on Sunday. (Spoiler alert: It’s for an autograph of Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey.) Four other copies have sold for $1,200 or more on eBay since the product’s release 11 days ago, while a fifth sale came in at $900 to set the low mark.

Asking prices for the card in current auctions have gotten steeper, though.

Board Buzz: Five must-read threads on the Blowout Forums (Dec. 29)

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: Results from 2015 Topps Dynasty, favorite sets, Star Wars, prospecting the 2016 NFL Draft & more

First Daisy Ridley Force Awakens Mystery Autograph redemption card sells for big bucks on eBay

A pair of 2015 Topps Star Wars The Force Awakens Mystery Redemptions have hit eBay since the set’s release on Friday.

And the first one has sold — for big bucks.

The card was initially announced as being for Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey in The Force Awakens, but Topps unspoiled its spoiler by removing the reference to it being a card for her on the autograph checklist posted on its website.

So, how much did it go for?

First John Boyega 2015 Topps Star Wars High Tek autograph hits eBay … with a rather Forceful price tag

Will it sell? That’s the simplest question as the first certified autograph of Star Wars: The Force Awakens‘ John Boyega has hit eBay.

Click here to see its price — if it’s not gone already.

Boyega plays Finn in the film, which opens today and this card is from 2015 Topps Star Wars High Tek, which includes one autograph or sketch card in every box. He’s the only signer for the new cast members in the product and it’s his first run at a certified autograph.

Spoiler Alert: Daisy Ridley autographs arrive in Topps’ Star Wars set as mystery redemption

Update (Aug. 8, 2016): After a long wait, Ridley has been confirmed as being the mystery auto by Topps.

Topps has released the checklist for 2015 Topps Star Wars The Force Awakens Series 1, and it includes a Mystery Redemption on the autograph checklist.

But there’s no mystery — it’s Daisy Ridley. (It says so right on the checklist.)

>> Click here to view the 2015 Topps Star Wars The Force Awakens Series 1 checklist as released by Topps

Among the signers, only Ridley and John Boyega are the only signers among the new cast. The rest are notable names from the past films who’ll apparently appear in The Force Awakens. Among them are Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Kenny Baker and Peter Mayhew.

Keep reading for a full autograph checklist and more details.

Star Wars Galactic Connexions fans must eat fresh to collect them all

Star Wars Galactic Connexions fans will need to eat fresh to collect them all beginning tomorrow.

Topps‘ second series of packs for the collectible disc game arrives tomorrow only in Walmart stores, but that’s not the only reason that a fan would have to hit the retail giant.

There are also Connexions discs found only at Subway shops that are located inside of Walmart stores.

Topps confirms John Boyega autos in The Force Awakens sets

Less than two days away from the arrival of The Force Awakens and the newest Star Wars card sets, Topps solved one of the mysteries about its forthcoming releases.

John Boyega, who plays Finn in The Force Awakens, will appear on the autograph checklists for both 2015 Topps Star Wars High Tek and 2015 Topps Star Wars: The Force Awakens Series 1.

“We are very excited to have John Boyega join the Topps family,” said brand manager Mark Von Ohlen. “He’s such an important part of the movie and having him in the product was pivotal for us. We know all the fans out are going to love opening packs of cards knowing they can potentially find a John Boyega autograph.”

>> Click here to view the 2015 Topps Star Wars High Tek checklist

How much will Daisy Ridley’s first Star Wars certified autograph cards sell for if they arrive on Friday?

We’re less than two days away from the arrival of The Force Awakens and the newest Star Wars card set from Topps — and both have carry plenty of mystery.

Why? We don’t have a checklist yet because even it could contain potential spoilers.

The checklist for 2015 Topps Star Wars: The Force Awakens Series 1 is coming as early as tomorrow and it’s likely to include the first autographs of the new generation of Star Wars stars — the likes of Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver, who haven’t had certified autographs before.

And that got Buzz thinking about the possibilities.

It’s officially awards season and Buzz’s Oscar picks are in …

Hollywood’s awards season is here with the nominees for the SAG and Golden Globes arriving this week and the inevitable chatter about who might get an Oscar nomination on Jan. 15 heating up online.

Good luck finding yourself Oscar cardboard, though, as cards showing Hollywood’s biggest honor aren’t all that common at all. In fact, they’re downright scarce even though countless Oscar winners themselves have appeared on cards. (At right is a 2005 Topps Chronicles card Buzz bets most of you have never seen.)

Because of that, we’re going with a different piece of awards cardboard above — you all remember that one and its 2011 Topps American Pie card, right? — as Buzz presents his picks for the top Oscars collectors need to know.

First Buzz: 2016 Topps Star Wars Evolution trading cards

 What: 2016 Topps Star Wars Evolution
Arrives: May 4, 2016
Box basics: Two hits in every 24-pack hobby box with 12 boxes per case (hobby only)

What’s buzz-worthy: One of Topps memorable Star Wars brands from the past returns with a new wave of autographs, hits and more from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

Empire creates six Star Wars covers for The Force Awakens arrival

There will be an awakening in less than a month and we’ve all felt it in some form or fashion as collectors.

The latest example of that might be Empire magazine’s newest issue, which arrives this week with not one, not two, but six different covers for stars of Star Wars: The Force Awakens arriving on Dec. 18.

Each cover arrives with a 3D look delivered via lenticular plastic — you know, like the old school Kellogg’s and Sporflics cards … but just more intergalactic and stuff.

This might be the rarest Star Wars comic book ever … and it just sold for $3,739 in an eBay auction

Variant editions of comic books are sometimes the Superfractors of that world, commanding crazy cash because of their scarcity and, of course, demand for them.

While this copy of Star Wars Vader Down issue No. 1 is not a 1/1 creation, it’s estimated by those in the know to be as rare as a dozen copies because it was only available to dealers who ordered … wait for it … 4,999 copies of the standard book. You buy that many, you get one of these.

New Era Caps releases Star Wars Big Face Collection

New Era Caps, the maker of on-field hats for Major League Baseball and countless other styles of headwear in the sports world and beyond, launched a new line of Star Wars caps on Thursday with classic characters from the science fiction saga but also some new characters from The Force Awakens arriving on Dec. 18.

It’s the Star Wars Big Face Collection.