HOBBY NEWS • RELEASES • COLLECTOR CONVERSATIONS
The Weekly Wax — October 26, 2026
Sports hobby: Five Star brings five signatures per box
2026 Topps Five Star Baseball arrives Wednesday, October 28, at noon Eastern through EQL. Each box contains six cards: five on-card autographs numbered to 199 or less, plus one base card numbered to 50 or less.
Topps also lists two autograph relics and one color-ink autograph per case. Those are case-level contents, so they aren’t promised in every individual box.
New autograph lines include Leaderboard Legend and Apex Autographs. Returning one-of-one Rookie Cap cards feature MLB Logoman and side-logo patches from hats used during the season.
The checklist and odds are available now. For collectors, the useful question is whether the player lineup matches what you collect. Five signatures give you autograph content, but the configuration alone doesn’t tell you what those cards will be worth.
Source: Topps Five Star Baseball product page, checklist and odds
TCG hobby: Three Pokémon promos, different places to find them
Pokémon has announced Kyogre, Groudon, and Giratina gift-with-purchase promos tied to Mega Evolution—Delta Reign. The promotion begins November 6, the expansion’s release date, with a qualifying purchase of at least $15 in Pokémon TCG products.
In the United States, Kyogre is listed at participating Hot Topic, Barnes & Noble, Five Below, and Macy’s locations. Groudon is assigned to GameStop, and Giratina to Best Buy.
Each card carries the Pokémon 30 / What’s Your Favorite logo. The offers are listed for in-store and online purchases, while supplies last.
Collectors targeting all three need to plan around different retailers, rather than expecting one purchase to provide the whole trio. Confirm promo stock and the qualifying purchase with the store before checking out.
Source: Pokémon’s retail promo announcement, October 23
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The Weekly Wax — October 19, 2026
This week brings an immediate football-card preorder and two confirmed updates for Magic: The Gathering | Star Trek. Here is what has been announced, what remains uncertain, and why collectors may want to pay attention.
2026 Topps Chrome Football preorders open October 19
Topps has set 1 p.m. Eastern on October 19 for 2026 Topps Chrome Football preorders. The company has posted a checklist and says the release brings the 2026 NFL draft class together with active stars and legends. It names Fernando Mendoza, Jeremiyah Love, Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, and Caleb Downs among the rookies featured. Returning Chrome inserts include Helix, Ultra Violet, and Radiating Rookies; Topps also lists football-themed chases such as Game Genies, Kaiju, and Tecmo.
The buying route differs by box type. According to Topps, hobby boxes, jumbo boxes, and hobby cases will be offered through EQL, while hanger, value, and mega boxes will be sold directly on Topps.com while supplies last. That distinction matters when comparing formats or trying to understand why one option appears on a different purchase page. The posted time is for preorders, not an announcement that collectors or shops already have the product in hand. Product details and dates can change, so the official listing remains the best reference.
Source: Topps Chrome Football product page and checklist
Magic | Star Trek previews start October 20
Wizards of the Coast published its preview schedule on October 16. The Magic: The Gathering | Star Trek debut is planned for October 20, followed by reveals of cards, mechanics, and treatments across the rest of the month. Wizards says its card-image gallery will be updated on weekday mornings with previously revealed cards, and the complete gallery is expected October 30. The tabletop release is planned for November 13.
That schedule gives players and collectors a clearer way to follow the set than isolated early images. It also leaves important questions open until the reveals happen: which cards will matter in play, which designs will resonate with Star Trek fans, and how the finished checklist will compare with early expectations. Those are reactions to wait for—not confirmed outcomes today.
Source: Wizards of the Coast preview schedule, October 16
North American Star Trek Commander decks may arrive late
In a separate October 16 notice, Wizards said production and shipping issues could delay selected Star Trek products by region. In North America, Commander decks may arrive after the November 13 tabletop release. Wizards says Play Boosters and Prerelease Packs remain on track for Prerelease and release events. This is not a cancellation or a delay of the entire set.
The distinction matters for anyone planning a release-week visit or purchase: the core pack-opening and Prerelease experience is currently expected to proceed, but a specific Commander deck may not be on the shelf at the same time. Wizards describes the timing as fluid and says it will update its notice as availability changes. Local inventory will ultimately determine what is actually available at each store.
Source: Wizards of the Coast product availability notice, October 16
The Weekly Wax — October 12, 2026
Two confirmed developments frame this week: Topps Update Series Baseball is due October 14, and Magic: The Gathering has laid out a substantial redesign of its 2027 boosters. One is an immediate release to examine; the other changes how packs will be built next year. Here is what collectors know so far, and what remains to be seen.
Topps Update closes out the 2026 baseball flagship run
Topps lists October 14 as the release date for 2026 Topps Update Series Baseball. The 350-card base set is designed to capture the parts of the season that the earlier flagship sets could not: in-season call-ups, traded players in new uniforms, and other developments after Series 1 and Series 2. Topps also ties the release to its 75th anniversary, with anniversary-themed inserts and autographs alongside returning insert lines such as All Aces, Heavy Lumber, and Home Field.
That timing is the point of Update. By the fall, collectors have had months to see which newcomers earned larger roles and which team changes actually shaped the season. A name missing from an earlier checklist can become central to this one. The appeal is therefore different from an early-season release: Update lets the hobby revisit the baseball year with more evidence about the players involved.
Format matters, too. Topps lists 40 cards per pack and 10 packs per jumbo box, with one autograph and one relic card per jumbo box. Those are jumbo-box specifications, not a promise for every format. The posted checklist gives collectors a way to check whether their team or player priorities are represented before release day. Topps notes that release dates can change, and a listed hit configuration does not by itself establish what any individual card will be worth.
Source: Topps Update Series Baseball product page and checklist
Magic reveals a different pack-opening experience for 2027
On October 5, Wizards of the Coast announced changes beginning with Nauctis: The Sunken Realm, its first Magic set of 2027. Play Boosters will be called Booster Packs. In those packs, traditional foil common and uncommon cards are going away, and a foil card will no longer be guaranteed in every pack. When a Booster Pack does contain a foil, Wizards says it will be a rare or mythic rare. The company also plans to raise the chance of foil rares and mythics and bring traditional foil Japan Showcase cards into the Booster Pack wildcard slot.
The headline is the new God Pack: Wizards says one in every 1,000 Booster Packs for eligible Magic Multiverse sets will contain 14 rare or mythic rare cards plus a celebration card. It also describes a separate Collector Booster God Pack at one in 300 Collector Boosters. Those are stated pack rates, not an assurance that a given box or case contains one. Wizards says the rollout begins with Nauctis for Magic Multiverse sets, while Universes Beyond sets are expected to join in 2028.
This is a change in what a typical opening can look like as well as in the long-shot chase. Removing common and uncommon foils means fewer low-rarity shiny pulls; adding higher-rarity opportunities may make a foil feel more consequential. Collector Boosters are changing as well: Wizards says two foil commons and one foil uncommon will be removed from them without replacement. The company says these changes do not raise MSRP. Whether collectors prefer the new mix will become clearer once the first 2027 set reaches stores and real opening results can be compared with the announcement.
Source: Wizards of the Coast, “Updating Our Boosters in 2027,” October 5
KettsKards Monday Hobby Brief — October 5, 2026
3.52 million cards graded in September
GemRate reported 3.52 million cards graded in September, up 9% from August and 62% year over year. Those totals exclude Beckett. CGC also added approximately 60,000 semi-rigid AUTH cards to its population report, a detail worth keeping in mind when comparing the numbers.
Collector conversation: More slabs mean more choices, but a grade alone does not tell the whole story. Look at the card, its population, and actual sales. Are we grading too many cards?
Source: GemRate September grading recap
Panini expands its Minor League player coverage
Panini America and MLB Players, Inc. announced a non-exclusive, multiyear agreement covering active Minor League Baseball players. Panini says Three and Two Baseball will be the first release under the agreement, planned for November 2026.
Collector conversation: This gives prospect collectors another product to watch. Player rights and team-logo rights are different, so check exactly what a release includes before buying. Which prospect are you following?
Source: Panini America announcement, September 28
Pokémon’s 30th Celebration continues
Pokémon’s October product calendar lists new 30th Celebration products for October 2, including Booster Bundles and Mini Tins. The anniversary release gives collectors another chance to explore the set and compare the different product formats.
Collector conversation: Decide whether you are chasing a particular card, building a set, or collecting sealed products before choosing what to buy. Are you opening your anniversary packs or keeping them sealed?
Source: Pokémon’s October product calendar
Cosmic Chrome Baseball preorders open October 5
Topps lists 2026 Cosmic Chrome Baseball preorders for October 5 at noon Eastern. The space-themed release features veterans, rookies, and legends, with new Mars Attacks MLB and Cosmic Dust inserts alongside Planetary Pursuits.
Collector conversation: Topps has posted the checklist and odds. Review both before deciding whether to preorder, wait, or shop for singles. Which Cosmic insert catches your eye?
Source: Topps Cosmic Chrome Baseball
Editorial Note: The Weekly Wax is built from my own experiences and perspective as a collector and seller. I use modern research and editing tools to help present those ideas.