Buzz Buys: Hollywood ink, cool memorabilia cards, a WWE newcomer's auto, past parody and Ric Flair's robe

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 this year 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.

--

NOT A FIRST ... BUT SHE'S FINALLY ARRIVED 
The Card: Lacey Evans 2018 Topps WWE NXT Autographs
The Price: $5
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This former U.S. Marine is a newcomer to the main roster in WWE after making her debut in the No. 1 spot in this week's Royal Rumble match, but she's appeared on NXT cards since 2017 and had her first autographs back in that year, too. (The First NXT Card logo used here? Simple mistake.) I picked this one up partly because of the price (this card has sold for up to $20 ... even more for parallels) but also because of her anticipated arrival. Debut WWE ink can sell well -- I clicked and bought thinking it was her first -- but ultimately I added this one for a simple reason ... I didn't yet have any of her autos. One bonus here besides the price? This release is the home of her first on-card autos -- the previous ones have been stickers.
Grab a box right here: 2018 Topps WWE NXT wrestling cards

Keep reading for five more interesting items ...

ANOTHER ONE FOR THE TARANTINO STASH
The Card: Bruce Dern 2018 Leaf Pop Century Walk of Fame Blue Prismatic Autograph (/25)
The Price: $7
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This veteran actor has exactly 170 credits on his IMDb bio since he arrived in the 1960s -- a list that includes Oscar nominations for Nebraska and Coming Home and a place in The 'Burbs. I added this one since he's been in a few Quentin Tarantino films, including Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight, which is a niche where I pick off stuff here and there. I hadn't recalled seeing one of his autographed cards before, though he's got more than 80 made since 2010 -- and they're all autographs mostly from Leaf Trading Cards. This set is home to more than 40 different autos for him (so maybe that's why I missed them before). Nearly all of them are rarer than this particular parallel I grabbed. 
Grab a box right here: Leaf Pop Century boxes (all years)

--

PARODY FROM THE PAST
The Card: Michael Buysner 2007 Upper Deck Sweet Spot
The Price: $1
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Remember me? This was one of a few odd baseball cards out there from Upper Deck around the time after Michael Eisner's Tornante Company bought Topps. The companies traded a few cardboard jabs here and there -- if you think the Photoshop work on Derek Jeter's 2007 Topps card qualifies as that (he was an UD spokesman then) -- but this one still stands out as an odd one. It can be found even cheaper than what I paid, despite once being pricey, but I grabbed it since I never found one back then. (Can't say I was ever going to pay much.) I'm a bit glad odd things like this have toned down a bit as it still seems odd that this was in a pack of official MLB cards.
Grab a box right here: MLB boxes (all years)

--

IMPRESSIVE SWATCH
The Card: Tyler Eifert 2016 Panini Father's Day Game-Dated NFL Memorabilia Cracked Ice (/25)
The Price: $5.25
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I'm not a secret fan of the former Notre Dame star or anything, this one is just a unique memorabilia card for a relatively modest price. This parallel features a swatch of a card used during the date noted on the card and it's cooler because it's got a piece of the Salute to Service ribbon found on the footballs used during November games across the NFL. Why did I pick it up? It's as simple as that.
Grab a pack right here: Panini Father's Day promo packs

--

TWICE AS NICE, SUPER-LOW PRICE
The Card: Randall Cunningham 2011 Timeless Treasures Changing Stripes Materials (/249)
The Price: $3
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I've mentioned my past collecting of Randall Cunningham here and there at times, but it was mostly from the years before we chased hits. In fact, I probably own just a literal handful of hits for my top player from the past as I landed his autograph sometime in the early 1990s and was good with that. (And my NFL tastes had changed once memorabilia cards arrived en masse.) This is a card I actually own more than once because it's from the two teams where he had his best years, the Eagles and Vikings, and it's got a unique design feel beyond the double-swatch status. There aren't a ton of memorabilia sets out there with multiple teams for a player on the same card. It's a simple way to make a unique card.
Grab a box right here: NFL boxes (all years)

--

SRIBE-USED MEMORABILIA
The Card: Stephen King 2017 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions Memorabilia
The Price: $2.25
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: The master of horror stories (and movies) has been a pricier autograph for years and that didn't change when he signed cards for this release two years ago. I never bothered chasing ink because of that, but the price was right for this one of a guy who has sold more than 350 million books and had more than a few tales hit the big screen through the years. I'm not sure how many other card appearances we might see from this famous Boston Red Sox fan but I'll keep an eye on stuff from this one.
Grab a box right here: Goodwin Champions boxes (all years)

--

A PIECE OF THE MAN ...
The Card: Ric Flair WWE 2K19 Event-used Robe Plaque (Fanatics)
The Price: $27.50
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: OK, this isn't a card, but it was a recent pick-up that was impressive enough I figured I'd add it here. This is one of the bonus items in the WWE 2K19 Woooo! Edition video game package that included an exclusive Funko Pop! Ric Flair figure, a replica WWE Hall of Fame ring and this 5-by-7 thick lucite plaque with a piece of an iconic "Nature Boy" robe pulled together by Fanatics. There are purple and pink versions out there with and without sequins and other colors on the swatches and they're all in relative demand on eBay. The most-basic ones typically go for around a little less than this price (think blaster box), while more-deluxe ones like his one have sold for as much as $60. These pieces aren't unlimited -- and he's never had a robe memorabilia card, either -- and ultimately gamers might just sell off their extras to pay for their buy or for their next gaming addition. This impressed me enough -- more than I thought it would -- so I might pick up the other one (different photo) or duplicates if the price is right. Over time, this could be a nice item in demand in the future without there being a plentiful supply. (My money says most people probably bought the far-cheaper version of the game.)
Grab a box right here: WWE boxes (all years)

--

Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

>> Click here to buy cards on BlowoutCards.com