Buzz Buys: Affordable autographs, Hall of Famer Rookie Cards, Silent Bob ink, dirty baseball cards, promos, mascots & more

Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals just might be to rip fewer blasters and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention. Would they capture yours? I'd be interested to know -- sometimes they might, sometimes they won't and that's fine. It's a buyer's market out there with plenty of options and bargains as well as high-end gems to chase.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... and this time around there's a surprise or two.

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BIG CHANGE, BIG GAME
The Card: Kenyan Drake 2016 Panini Encased Rookie Notable Signatures (/75)
The Price: $3.25
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This guy had a change of scenery and a big game in his first time suiting up for the Arizona Cardinals ... so that's why he leads off here. (This week's game? Not so big ... I'll admit.) That one big game -- 15 carries for 110 yards and a TD -- shows how short-term showings could help move cardboard in quick-flip scenarios if you're organized enough or use buy-sell on sites that can let you flip stuff fast. I'd think that this card could have doubled that price had I been selling, but I picked this off well before that game because he's one of the names I grab on the cheap when they present themselves. (This price suits that with an on-card auto and it being a high-end brand.) Had he done much this week, there would probably be more interest in him ... but now we just have to wait to see what happens the rest of the season.
Grab a box right here: 2016 Panini Encased

Keep reading for a few more more interesting pick-ups ...

PARALLEL PICK-UP
The Card: Tim Duncan 1997-98 Topps Minted in Springfield Rookie Card parallel (SGC 9.5)
The Price: $13
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I jumped on this one because it was a rarer, but no means impossible (one-in-six-pack) parallel Rookie Card of this future Hall of Famer. This one was priced like it was a standard version. I casually collect cheaper graded Duncan RCs -- I check on them a few times a year, typically when the season starts -- and found this in a recent search and it felt like a solid bargain. Chrome steals a lot of this one's thunder, but base Topps is a go-to for me in certain years as it had a good retro and simple feel. I pulled the standard RC long ago but never chased the parallel ... I must have been waiting on this. 
Grab a box right here: Newer NBA boxes are here

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SILENT BOB'S SIG
The Autograph: Kevin Smith autographed Jay & Silent Bob Reboot soundtrack CD
The Price: Free with purchase of CD ($17.99)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: A Boston-based music (and more) store chain called Newbury Comics regularly sells signed CDs solely for the price of the CD -- no mark-up for ink -- and I landed this one there after seeing a tweet about these from Silent Bob himself. Smith has had his fair share of certified autograph appearances in the Clerks set, a past Allen & Ginter from Topps and some Upper Deck hockey and multi-sport releases, but I figured I'd mix things up here and put this pick-up on the list. He's not a tough autograph as you can find many signed items on his comics shop's website.
Grab a box right here: Non-sports boxes

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PROMO PACK SIMPLICITY
The Card: Joe Namath 2019 Panini National Convention VIP Lazer
The Price: $2
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: The Lazer parallels in standard Prizm packs in recent years have been dazzlers and this one is another example of that style but coming from a show-related promo pack. These really reflect colors in a few layers here when you move the card, making them look better than what you see here. This is a combination of a key player I grab, a cheap price and something different. Promo packs these days are worth a look as there is stuff way more advanced than this to be found, including autos and memorabilia.
Grab a box right here: Check out the promo packs section

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MODERN MICK
The Card: Mickey Mantle 2018 Panini Chronicles Spectra Neon Pink (/75)
The Price: $4
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Spectra wasn't a standalone brand in baseball last year -- this is one of many sets found in Chronicles -- but they really did stand out from the pack there as thicker cards with some serious color and energy with all their textures. I grabbed this Mantle because it seemed underpriced for its print run, but also because I like the feel of Spectra in many instances. The brand is a bit stronger in other sports, but there is a ton of variety in there no matter where you're looking.
Grab a box right here: 2018 Panini Chronicles

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SECOND-YEAR CARDBOARD
The Card: Jim Bouton 1963 Topps 
The Price: $6
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: There was a recent discussion about strong second-year cards over on the board and, while this probably wouldn't come to anyone's mind there, this is one. Bouton's Rookie Card comes from the year before this where his floating cut-out head is found beside a few other players -- a pretty awful look if you ask me though many would call those classics. This card is a bit cleaner and crisper than its predecessor and this is a relatively clean copy from a year with small borders that make centered cards tough. It caught my eye compared to other copies where I was looking, and that was, oddly, was the day before this baseball player turned author died back in July. It's probably not grading-worthy, but I did contemplate that, too.
Grab a box right here: New MLB boxes are here

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PROMO PACK FROM THE PAST
The Card: 1993-94 NBA Hoops preview promo pack (Shaquille O'Neal, Larry Johnson, Harold Miner, Karl Malone, Dikembe Mutombo, Jim Jackson)
The Price: Pocket change
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This was a find in a small batch of promo packs I picked up recently. Why? Because it seems those types of cards commonly made in small pack-size sets in the past (mostly before the Internet) to promote upcoming sets are a lost art and they aren't as easily found as basic stuff from around the same timeframe. Is this some hot prediction or pick-up tip? Nah, I just like stuff like this and will dabble from time to time. These cards are ultimately the same as the cards that were released for Hoops except they are missing card numbers. The player selection here also is a time capsule of sorts with some legends and newcomers who didn't turn out to be as big-time as people had hoped. They aren't glossed so that Malone card is also a reminder of the oddities you can find in older packs -- it's got ink missing in front of his face.
Grab a box right here: Newer NBA boxes are here

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OLDSCHOOL MEMORABILIA
The Card: Doak Walker 2004 Leaf Certified Materials Fabric of the Game (/100)
The Price: $8.23
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame was a Heisman winner, NFL Rookie of the Year and a two-time NFL champ. He played just six seasons as a pro but was a five-time All-NFL player and a five-time Pro Bowl participant. Despite all of his legendary achievements, I was able to find this relatively rare card on the dirt-cheap side of the scale. I like how it notes this was a practice-worn jersey, too, though the Lions did begin wearing red jerseys not long before Walker arrived in 1950. Oldschool NFL memorabilia cards with swatches from before the 1980s seem to be far rarer compared to other sports, though I can't say I dabble there as hard as I do in others. They are always worth a pick-up in my mind if the price is right.
Grab a box right here: Newer NFL boxes are here

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WAIT, WHAT?
The Card: Mr. Pristine autographed 2019 Pristine Auctions National Convention VIP card
The Price: Too much ... though this is priceless
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is precisely what it looks like -- a mascot autograph card -- and, well, I'm one of those people who'll pick up oddities like this when the price is right. (But I won't admit how much I paid ... I'm not that crazy.) This auction house mascot has walked the floor at The National the last few years and even gotten his foam bat signed by a number of legends -- you can see them in the photo. This card was released in some fashion at this year's event ... could there be a sequel next year?
Grab a box right here: MLB boxes are here

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THE NEW GENERATION
The Card: Ember Moon 2018 Topps WWE Then Now Forever Autographs (/99)
The Price: $7.25
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Moon is a high-flying performer among the newer wave of WWE stars and she's been a regular signer in a few recent releases -- so much so her ink can be found affordably. I picked this one up since it's a good photo that shows off some of her colorful look and, yep, it was a cheaper add. (A lot of her autos are typically between $10 and $20.) I didn't know much about her before she arrived in WWE (I don't watch much indy stuff) but I was sold the first time I saw her finishing move. Check this out.
Grab a box right here: Check out WWE boxes here

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AFFORDABLE ROOKIE CARD
The Card: Howard "Hopalong" Cassady 1957 Topps Rookie Card
The Price: $2.70
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This former Ohio State star and 1955 Heisman Trophy winner is another textbook example of how football legends from the past can be criminally under-valued. He's a College Football Hall of Famer and stepped into Detroit just after Walker was done. He played seven seasons for the Lions before also suiting up for the Browns and Eagles while playing on both sides of the ball. He also was on the 1957 NFL championship-winning team. Did I mention that this was his RC for less than the price of a typical pack? It's not minty fresh, but it's also not mangled ... that's crazy. Higher-grade copies (not PSA 9s or 10s of course) can be easily found for a lot less than $100.
Grab a box right here: Newer NFL boxes are here

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GONE FISHING ...
The Card: Jim "Catfish" Hunter 2019 Panini Diamond Kings DK Materials Holo Gold (/25)
The Price: $8.75
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: The colorful photo and good image got me here along with there being two different colors on the swatches. This was not some photo shoot-worn jersey combo, either, as "Catfish" died back in 1999 from Lou Gehrig's disease -- well before "vintage-years" players donning jerseys for photo shoots and mem cards became more of a norm (though it's not been heavy in baseball for long). This Hall of Famer won five World Series rings -- three with the Oakland A's and two with the New York Yankees -- and had a stretch where he was top-four in the Cy Young votes four years in a row, winning it once. He was a 20-game winner in five consecutive seasons as part of that span, too. He's criminally undervalued if you ask me, and is a player where he actually has more memorabilia cards (close to 300) than certified autographs (120 or so). On the flip side, he was a regular signer though-the-mail for free -- that's how I landed him decades ago. Hunter's only places to find memorabilia cards this year are in Diamond Kings, National Treasures and a rare single card in Leather & Lumber (those are auto-mem cut combos) limited to a handful of copies.
Grab a box right here: 2019 Panini Diamond Kings

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A DIRTY CARD ...
The Card: Satchel Paige 2013 Panini America's Pastime (/125)
The Price: $2.25
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is a solid card for a baseball legend but I actually picked this one up so I could show off and revisit one small thing that I really liked about this high-end brand (one where boxes have really dried up). The base cards' design (yes, this is a base card /125) has a layer of dirt as part of the build along with their worn paper textures that are part of the design but not the actual card surface. The dirt really stands out on his Kansas City Monarchs jersey with its black-and-white photo compared to other cards -- but the dirt does appear on all of them. This needs to be done again on some type of really-retro set. (This one is retro but also clearly very modern.) I dig it. 
Grab a box right here: MLB boxes are here

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REMEMBER ME?
The Card: Lolo Jones 2014 Leaf Pop Century Signatures
The Price: $8
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This track-and-field Olympian got a lot of non-sport attention for her comedic uses of social media platforms but came up short of medaling in a couple of Olympics. Then she became a competitor in the Winter Olympics as part of the U.S. bobsled team. This card arrived after the LSU product's second Olympics where her best finish was fourth and it's actually from a non-sport/multi-sport set, though she has a pretty meaty amount of other autograph appearances from Leaf and Topps' officially licensed Olympic releases (more than 100 certified autos among them). Interestingly, none of those cards came after 2014. This was a solid price compared to other autos -- she still can sell pretty well where I was looking -- and a good photo made this one worth grabbing. She's also a potential 2020 Olympian so perhaps some type of storybook ending in her late-30s could spark serious interest in her cards? (If it happens, I'll be showing you this link next year.)
Grab a box right here: Leaf Pop Century boxes (all years)

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APPROPRIATE COLOR ...
The Card: Justin Thomas 2016 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions Royal Red RC parallel (BGS 9)
The Price: $9
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I missed the boat getting an autographed card from this star who has school ties that fit my collection before they got pricey, but I do eye some of his cards from time to time that don't include ink. There hasn't been a ton -- he's got roughly 50 cards and they're all in this release -- and all three of his autos and all five of his mem cards are in there, too. And that's it. I grabbed this slab since it looked pretty solid for a BGS 9 (I'm fine with nines) and I figured there might not be a ton of other graded cards for this former Crimson Tide guy out there on the cheap. This is the only copy of this card graded, but he does have more than 100 total cards slabbed by BGS. More than 90 of those are between just two autographed cards.
Grab a box right here: Goodwin Champions boxes (all years)

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