This week, Pokémon returns with Astral Radiance, the tenth main expansion during the Sword & Shield Series. MSCHF drops the latest figure in their international Blur series, and Panini gives us the high-end 2022 Impeccable Basketball as well as the debut of 2021-22 Mosiac Premier League Soccer. Read up on all of these trading cards and collectible releases plus more in this week’s edition of The Rip.
Pokémon Astral Radiance
Pokémon Astral Radiance brings trainers the English language edition of cards that were previously released in Time Gazer/Space Juggler, Battle Region, and the VSTAR Starter Sets that were all released in Japan earlier in 2022. Astral Radiance brings an absolutely massive group of 189 cards, plus an additional 27 Secret Rares, and 30 Trainer Gallery cards to the TCG that has now been around for a quarter-century. The set introduces Pokémon from the Hisui Region that were first introduced in the Pokémon Legends: Arceus video game. Among the exciting new Pocket Monsters to chase after are the Origin Forms of the Legendary Pokémon Dialga and Palkia which both can be found in their powerful V and VSTAR versions. New Radiant Pokémon also make their debut, which are all Basic Pokémon that, much like Shiny Pokémon, feature different coloration from what is usual for its species.
Seeing as Pokémon Astral Radiance is the tenth main expansion to the Sword & Shield Series, the set will feature a full lineup of Booster Boxes, Elite Trainer Boxes, Pokémon Center Exclusive Elite Trainer Boxes, and Build & Battle Boxes. The Pokémon Astral Radiance Booster Box comes in the standard format with ten cards per pack, and 36 packs per box.
All Pokémon Astral Radiance products will be released on May 27th with Booster Boxes available at local and online trading card hobby shops, and standard Elite Trainer Boxes releasing wherever Pokémon cards are sold.
MSCHF Blur A$50 AUD Figure
It has now been a year and a half since MSCHF launched its first viral Blur figure. The first “eCommerce performance art piece” was simply entitled “Blur”, with a product image that appeared to be a fuzzy image of a stack of US $20 bills. MSCHF sold the figures with the disclaimer that all sales were final, in order to learn what exactly it was, you’d have to purchase the product. When buyers received the item in the coming weeks they learned that it was exactly what MSCHF had advertised, a six-inch sculpture depicting a blurry stack of $20 bills.
Now, MSCHF is releasing the sixth figure in the series, the MSCHF Blur A$50 AUD Figure. The figure shares the same dimensions as the previous Blur sculptures released in the series, measuring just over six inches tall, but this time the figure shows an out-of-focus stack of $50 Australian Banknotes.
The MSCHF Blur A$50 AUD Figure is set to drop on May 23rd on the MSCHF app and website for a retail price of $35.
2021-22 Panini Impeccable Basketball
While the NBA season is winding down with the Mavericks battling the Warriors and the Celtics taking on the Heat in the Conference Finals, 2021-22 Panini Impeccable Basketball helps to kick off the high-end basketball card collecting season. Aside from the base set, this year’s edition of Impeccable Basketball offers a plethora of on-card autographs and jersey autograph options that include standout rookies such as Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes, Evan Mobley, and Jalen Green. You can also find several of the NBA’s current stars in the many autograph subsets, and even hit autographs from NBA legends such as Magic Johnson in the Impeccable NBA 75th Anniversary Autograph checklist. Cards featuring real Gold and Silver bars sporting the NBA logo can also be added to your collection if you are fortunate to hit Silver Draft Logo or Gold NBA Logo cards.
Each 2021-22 Panini Impeccable Basketball Hobby Box comes packed with nine total cards: three base or base parallel color variation cards, one Metal insert, and five autograph cards.
The 2021-22 Panini Impeccable Basketball Hobby Box will release on May 25th via the Panini Direct Store.
2021-22 Panini Mosaic Premier League Soccer
Mosaic continues to be one of Panini’s fastest expanding product lines as, this week, the English Premier League becomes the latest subject to get the Opti-chrome treatment. The 2021-22 Panini Mosaic Premier League Soccer base set covers 200 players plus a lineup of color variation parallels for each player including the talents of Cristiano Ronaldo, Christian Pulisic, and more. Short Print hits in the set include Stained Glass inserts as well as sticker autographs in the Autographs Mosaic and Scripts Mosaic subsets.
Each 2021-22 Panini Mosaic Premier League Hobby Box contains 15 cards per pack, and ten packs per box. Each hobby box will add one autograph, five Silver parallels, 15 Mosaic parallels, and a mix of 20 inserts or insert parallels to your collection, on average.
The 2021-22 Panini Mosaic Premier League Hobby Box will be released on May 25th on the Panini Direct Store, with retail products, such as blasters, expected to hit shelves of Targets and Walmarts in the weeks following.
2020-21 Upper Deck Stature Hockey
2020-21 Upper Deck Stature Hockey marks the sophomore season for the higher-end NHL set. The base set totals 200 cards and is divided up into 100 veterans and legends and 100 rookies, with each rookie card limited to 399 copies. The rookie cards in the set are for players who made their NHL debut during the 2020-21 campaign such as Alexis Lafreniére, Tim Stützle, Kirill Kaprizov, plus more. All autograph and patch autograph cards in the set feature on-card signatures and include some of the game’s biggest names such as Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews, in addition to last season’s stand-out rookies.
Inside each 2020-21 Upper Deck Stature Hockey Hobby Box, you will be presented with eight cards per pack, and one pack per box. On average, each box should give you one autograph or autograph patch card, and one Base Rookie card limited to 399 copies.
The 2020-21 Upper Deck Stature Hockey Hobby Box will be released on May 25th at online and local trading card hobby shops.
2022 Topps Stadium Club Chrome Bundesliga Soccer
2022 Topps Stadium Club Chrome Bundesliga Soccer is making its debut this year, offering stunning photography of the top rookies and veterans competing in the premier German league. The base set is home to 100 cards with 15 color variation parallels to chase after for each player. Sticker autographs also appear in subsets, such as Base Autographs, Ball Artists Autos, Bundesliga Stars Autos, plus more. Some of the league’s best talents have signatures to track down, including Manchester City’s newest weapon, Erling Haaland.
The 2022 Topps Stadium Club Chrome Bundesliga Soccer Hobby Box contains six cards per pack, and 18 packs per box, promising one autograph per box, on average.
You can start collecting 2022 Topps Stadium Club Chrome Bundesliga Soccer on May 27th as hobby boxes are set to release at online and local trading card hobby shops.
Pokémon Kleavor VSTAR Premium Collection
Add to your VSTAR lineup with the Pokémon Kleavor VSTAR Premium Collection. This box is focused on the powerful slashing attacks of the Fighting-type Pokémon, Kleavor. Inside you will find one etched foil promo card featuring Kleavor V, one etched foil promo card plus an oversized foil promo card of Kleavor VSTAR, six Pokémon TCG booster packs, a Kleavor collector’s pin, a metallic coin featuring Kleavor, and one acrylic VSTAR marker.
The Pokémon Kleavor VSTAR Premium Collection will hit shelves wherever Pokémon cards are sold on May 27th for a retail price of $40.
