Author: Allan Teruel, Waxstat.com
Growing up in North America, we always heard the saying “April showers bring May flowers”. It resonated with us because we knew as kids that as soon as April hit, the bad storms were weaning off and sunshine and summer were just around the corner. The same is true today as it was years ago.
Now that we’re into April, I’m really excited that the 2024 baseball season, March Madness is coming to its climactic end and The Masters will kick off the Major’s season. April 2024 is starting out strong, so here’s what you have to know about hot release for this month:
2023 Panini Impeccable WWE Hobby Box (Release Date: April 3, 2024)
Just in time for WrestleMania 40, the Panini Release Calendar tells me that the 2023 version of the high end Panini Impeccable WWE is dropping on April 3, 2024. I’m not gonna lie, I’m pretty excited to see The Rock back in the ring with Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes and Seth Freakin” Rollins for the first night’s Main Event. With Impeccable, not only will you get 5 autos per box, but some of the chases that you should be eyeing are the one-ounce silver inlays and half-ounce gold-logo inlays – like the Cody Rhodes pictured here.
2023 Panini Immaculate Football Hobby Box (Release Date: April 5, 2024)
Football may be done for the season, but it isn’t forgotten. The Football Card Release Calendar is packed as football fans absorb all the news and rumors from the NFL Draft, OTAs and Summer Training Camp. Panini is releasing 2023 Immaculate Football on April 5 in single hobby boxes and 6-Box Cases. Each box has 6 cards that include 5 autos or memorabilia and 1 base/parallel card. Prices have seen a drop from an all-time high of $1800 USD in January to around $1280 USD at the time of its release. Now that Stefon Diggs is WR1 for CJ Stroud and the Texans, collectors are already speculating that Stroud will have a better sophomore year leading Houston back to the postseason. Let the Stroud chase continue!
2024 Topps Heritage Baseball Hobby Box (Release Date: April 10, 2024)
Topps is bringing back the dual-color 1975 Topps Baseball design to its 2024 version of Topps Heritage. Price affordably at $100 USD, collectors will get more bang for their buck as they chase inserts such as Baseball Flashbacks and Then and Now. According to the Topps Checklist, some of the bigger chases include the Clubhouse Collection Autograph Relics, Clubhouse Collection Dual Autograph Relics and Flashback Autographed Relics from the 1975 season.
2023-24 Panini Origins Basketball Hobby Box (Release Date: April 12, 2024)
I was ripping 2022-23 Origins Basketball with a buddy at the Mint Collective last year and we hit what I think is one of the coolest SSP cards I’ve ever hit – the Stephen Curry #3 Origins Tiger Eyes. I was like ‘wow’ with a bunch of NSFW words sprinkled in there out of extreme excitement. The Tiger Eyes has a simple but elegant design. And luckily we’re getting the Tiger Eyes SSP back for this year and while the 2023-24 Origins checklist isn’t public yet, I expect to see an SSP of Victor Wembanyama.
2024 Topps Chrome Black Baseball Hobby Box (Release Date April 14, 2024)
One of my annual favorites is Topps Chrome Black Hobby. I like the Chrome Black design, and the autographs. For about $165 USD per hobby box, you get 4 cards consisting of 2 x Chrome Base, 1 x Refractor Parallel and the chase of the box: 1 x Encased Chrome Autograph. According to the Topps’ Checklist, new for this year is the Rose Gold Wave Refractor #’d to 15, along with the Depth of Darkness insert which is found in 1 in every 5 cases (or 1 in 60 packs) with the Red Refractor #’d to 5 and the Super Refractor being the 1-of-1.
2023-24 Panini Donruss Soccer Hobby Box (Release Date: April 17, 2024)
One of two soccer card releases this month (the other being the 2024 Futera Unique Nostalgia Football Soccer Box), Panini is releasing their flagship with 23-24 Panini Donruss Soccer. For those that like the quantity of the rip, you won’t be disappointed with this hobby box. According to the product’s Soccer Checklist, in a single hobby box priced at $300 USD, you’ll get 1 autograph card and 1 memorabilia card, 100+ Optic Parallels and 48 inserts. That’s a pretty big pile of cards with a possibility of hitting insert favorites such as Kaboom!, Pitch Kings, Net Marvels and my favorite Crunch Time. Donruss Soccer will surely appease all soccer fans.
2023 Upper Deck Fleer Ultra Marvel Wolverine Hobby Box (Release Date April 19, 2024)
We’ve seen numerous delays with Upper Deck products over the past few years, but I’m hoping the Fleer Ultra Marvel Wolverine will make it on time. As a big Fleer Ultra design fan, a Wolverine fan and the fact that Deadpool 3 is coming to theaters this summer, this April 2024 release is well timed. This set has 90’s nostalgia all over its box with the yellow Wolverine suit and his arch enemy Sabretooth in the background. The early sell sheets indicate that creator autographs will be in the Wolverine checklist and no reference to Hugh Jackman autographs. Kudos to Upper Deck for releasing Wolverine this month.
2024 Upper Deck SP Game Used Golf Hobby Box (Release Date: April 26, 2024)
I’m a golf junky. Over the course of my life, I’ve learned to appreciate golf as a sport, hobby and collectible. Now that Upper Deck brought back their Golf Trading Cards with 2024 Upper Deck Golf in March, they’re not slowing down. You can only imagine my surprise when I saw on the Upper Deck Release Calendar that on April 26, the company is releasing 2024 Upper Deck SP Game Used Golf Hobby. The chase is on for what appears to be an autographed nameplate called the Leaderboard Letter Marks that include a “new wave of autograph” that feature “low-#’d veterans and rookies”. This includes the G.O.A.T. – Tiger Woods. Hobby boxes are available for $120 USD and you’ll get 3 autographs on average per box.
Other products to keep an eye on for April 2024:
2024 Topps Sterling Baseball Hobby Box (Release Date: April 3, 2024)
2023-24 Upper Deck Connor Bedard Collection Set (Release Date: April 3, 2024)
2023-24 Panini Revolution Basketball Hobby Box (Release Date: April 5, 2024)
2024 Futera Unique Nostalgia Football Soccer Box & Checklist (Release Date: April 6, 2024)
Magic the Gathering Outlaws of Thunder Junction Play Booster Box (Release Date: April 12, 2024)
Magic the Gathering Outlaws of Thunder Junction Collector Booster Box (Release Date: April 12, 2024)
2023 Upper Deck Skybox Metal Universe Champions Hobby Box (Release Date: April 17, 2024)
2023-24 Upper Deck Black Diamond Hockey Hobby Box (Release Date: April 17, 2024)
2024 Leaf Metal Football Hobby Box (Release Date: April 19, 2024)
2023-24 Topps UEFA Club Competitions Soccer Hobby Box (Release Date: April 24, 2024)
2023 Topps Pristine Road To Euro 2024 Soccer Hobby Box (Release Date: April 24, 2024)
2022-23 Upper Deck Premier Hockey Hobby Box (Release Date: April 24, 2024)
2022-23 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Hockey Hobby Box (Release Date: April 24, 2024)
2023-24 Panini Recon Basketball Hobby Box (Release Date: April 24, 2024)
2023 Leaf Magnificence Box (Release Date April 29, 2024)
