Buzz Buys: Shotzi Blackheart art, Nick Chubb ink, Harry Caray, Ali gear, Wade Boggs, Big Bang, a lost/stolen gem & more

Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less 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.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... and this time around there's a bit of everything.

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ONE OF A KIND ...
The Piece: Shotzi Blackheart 2021 Topps WWE Undisputed Rob Schamberger original painting (plus an artist-signed copy of her card)
The Price: Less than a box of Undisputed
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This was a surprise find for me that I purchased straight from the artist's store. I got it in hand before I even had opened a box of the final Topps Undisputed release that just recently arrived and it's my second original that's part of a theme for me. A couple of years ago I landed his Sasha Banks painting from his first year of making cards within the Topps release (10 cards per year for 2019, 2020 and 2021) but I missed out on the 2020 piece I would have wanted. This batch wasn't really on my mind until I saw a tweet -- these popped up on his site and a few were gone the same day but there are some notables still up for grabs like Big E and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin in their glorious 11-by-15 form. There won't be any prints of these -- just the cards, artist autos (/10) and new wrestler autos (/10) in packs -- so I'm on my way for a rainbow of collecting 'em all for the star simply now known as Shotzi. The image comes from a studio shot a little earlier in her WWE career (at right) but it still captures plenty of the energy from this star who has had a relatively consistent look (and the same name) since her time in the independent scene.
Grab a box right here: 2021 Topps WWE Undisputed

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

LOST/STOLEN CARDBOARD ... HELP BUZZ OUT!
The Card: John Johnson 1979-80 Topps in-person autograph 
The Price: Priceless to me ... if I can get it back. 
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This pick-up last fall went into my first attempt at a Beckett Authentication Services slab back in November but the box never arrived. So call this one a missing-persons alert of sorts for my card which wasn't alone and went lost, missing or stolen in USPS custody either around the Columbus, Ohio, area or somewhere closer to Dallas. (I have no idea as the post office's tracking never updated.) Beyond his Rookie Card, this is my favorite of his cards and I have paid up big for high-grade copies of this card -- finding a signed one out there was a shock to me and I gladly paid well for it. I thought this card of a player with some school ties for me would look really good in a slab ... but I'll likely never know. All I have is a snapshot of this card and its missing brethren who were in my box. 
Grab a box right here: No boxes for this one ... but NBA boxes are here

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BARGAIN BUY
The Card: Nick Chubb 2018 Panini Playoff Autographs
The Price: $50
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This guy had a number of huge games this year and is one of the elite RBs in the game today if you ask me. I picked up this rookie-year auto at a fraction of what his typical 2018 autos cost and it's perhaps cleaner than what you might think at a glance here as a lot of of those spots are part of the weathered design. I have dabbled with his RCs some here and there -- wrong school for me to dive in heavily -- but I always liked this release. When it popped up at a bargain price, I couldn't pass it up.
Grab a box right here: 2018 Panini Playoff NFL

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GOOD GRAB, BAD TIMING
The Card: Toni Storm 2021 Topps WWE Transcendent Collection Autographs (/25)
The Price: About $85 shipped
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This 26-year-old's auto is one of two that are on my radar from Topps' final version of its annual high-roller brand for WWE. Even Storm's basic autos like this were topping the $100 plateau back when they arrived but I waited for them to settle down before chasing one down. I went more for the autograph quality here and the price -- I do prefer the color parallels this year as the photos themselves can be dark -- but the feel of these heavy deluxe framed cards is impressive. My bad timing part? She shockingly recently asked for -- and got -- her WWE release and I received this in-hand the day after that happened . The good news? She owns her ring name so "Toni Storm" will be back as soon a she chooses to be and can be.
Grab a box right here: 2021 Topps WWE Transcendent Collection (when available) 

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MORE MONGO
The Card: Steve McMichael 2020 Panini Mosaic Scripts Orange autograph 
The Price: $16
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This former Chicago Bears star revealed last April that he's battling ALS -- Lou Gehrig's disease -- and that got me looking at the autograph cards out there for him, which really aren't all that plentiful in general. Between football and pro wresting sets, he appears on about 80 signed cards from the past and I went with the most-common sight -- one in a Bears uni. Some of his sticker autos don't always look consistent, so I'd be picky when selecting his auto cards  but being a star with a Super Bowl ring and crossover appeal with wrestling should translate into stronger future interest than one might think.
Grab a box right here: 2020 Panini Mosaic

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BLAST FROM THE PAST
The Card: Randall Cunningham 2008 Playoff National Treasures All Pros Material MVP (/25)
The Price: $30
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This 1990s star was one of the first I collected in football in the years before chasing hits and rarities became the norm. Do I have his auto? A few times, but nothing crazy. Do I have his Rookie Card? Yep -- more than 100 copies. Hits? Not that many ... so when rarer ones with some color at a low price in low volume I might bite if I see them. I liked the look of this one for sure.
Grab a box right here: National Treasures boxes (all years)

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PAYING THE BILLS
The Card: Haray Caray autographed 1976 check 
The Price: $50 via Harry Caray's Restaurant
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This past insurance payment was one of a couple checks I grabbed last year. Why? The legendary broadcaster's autograph is pricey -- especially if you grab it authenticated or slabbed -- but not as expensive if you know where to look. My last one of these essentially pinpointed its signing to a West Coast road trip in a particular season from the past while this one looked to be a simple paying-the-bills situation ... complete with his policy number from 46 years ago.
Grab a box right here: No boxes for this one ... but MLB boxes are here

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MY ALI FINALE
The Card: Muhammad Ali 2011 Leaf Ali The Greatest Event-Worn Memorabilia Swatch (/60)
The Price: $16.50
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is the last of my Ali memorabilia cards I grabbed in the recent past -- before they dried up a bit -- and I still think all of these are safe grabs even at their elevated ($40 and up) prices even now. Why? Licensing and item availability. The more time goes by, the less likely a company will be able to grab memorabilia at realistic prices. Last year's Topps set was cardboard-only, for example, and it was still likely a premium kind of deal to make cards of this global icon. Interest in all-time greats never dies down and I don't think the licensing costs will either.
Grab a box right here: No boxes for this one ... but other sports' boxes are here

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MATH, SCIENCE HISTORY ...
The Card: Howard Wolowitz yellow shirt swatch -- 2012 Cryptozoic The Big Bang Theory Seasons 3-4 Authentic Wardrobe
The Price: $13.75
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This series had a good run on TV and cardboard, but with the big autographs tougher to come by in later releases you have to get creative here if collecting or merely dabbling like I do. One can still find memorabilia cards from the main cast and I've been picking off each character when I can at bargain prices. With this one (or another awaiting a Buzz Buys spot), I think I have them all at least once. Non-sports boxes are generally made in way lower volume than the typical sports stuff -- there's no retail presence most of the time and hobby boxes are almost always serial-numbered -- so autos or specific inserts can dry up rather easily in a lot of instances.
Grab a box right here: Big Bang Theory boxes (when available) 

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BIG BO
The Card: Bo Bichette 2020 Topps Stadium Club jumbo box-topper card -- Rookie Card parallel 
The Price: $25
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: The things that one will do when trying to player-collect. ... That's not a bad thing but I'm also quickly realizing that I'm not dedicated (aka rich) enough to collect this second-generation MLB star. I really wanted card one a lot -- my logic is that the toppers have to be among the rarer finds as they were only one per box with a big checklist -- so much so I probably saw it but it didn't register that the top-left corner here has issues. (And then I still overpaid.) I like it ... and still want to land some slabs for his cards in this release but am playing the waiting game as the volumes on Bichette slabs seem though the (open) roof in a lot of instances. I'll still keep collecting him but I'll slow down for sure unless nobody else grabs my attention in 2022.
Grab a box right here: 2020 Topps Stadium Club

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FIVE OF A KIND
The Cards: Roger Maris 2021 Topps Turn Back The Clock five-pack
The Price: Bundle price from Topps
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This was just my second lot-buy for this ongoing brand with this one following a successful debut where I landed a rare parallel in my first order. Maris is a legend from the past who I buy somewhat often and I grabbed these first with those parallels on my mind (didn't happen this time) and second because I like the photo. I'm not sure I have ever seen it on a card before other than maybe one other card in recent years -- and I liked how this one looked a little better.
Grab a box right here: No boxes for this one ... but MLB boxes are here

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HALL OF FAME ADDITION
The Card: Wade Boggs autographed 1983 Topps Rookie Card (BAS authenticated/slabbed)
The Price: $56
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I'm not sure I have ever pulled a Wade Boggs auto, but when I spotted this Rookie Card with ink for a relatively modest price I bit. Sure, it's not perfect -- most aren't from those years and the centering here is right there with many of them -- but this card still looked pretty sharp otherwise. Atop that, prices I saw for others in slabs looked loftier. (Stuff like this can push $200 out there with eBay asking prices.) Boggs only has a Fleer and Donruss RC to go with this ... maybe I can pull off a slabbed and signed rainbow?
Grab a box right here: No boxes for this one ... but MLB boxes are here

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JUNIOR WITH A LITTLE EXTRA
The Card: Ken Griffey Jr. 2021 Topps Project70 by Alex Pardee (/8,371)
The Price: Direct cost via Topps
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This Pardee creation is, I think, my newest grab from this still-running series that I have in-hand. (A newer Pardee also got me to bite but it's not here yet.) Generally speaking, this series has had some highlights for me last year but I did far fewer cards in comparison to Project 2020 and it all winds down next month. Will we get a third release in this style? It wouldn't surprise me at all ... let's just hope it's not all New York and Los Angeles players every day -- or Dock Ellis.
Grab a box right here: No boxes for this one ... but MLB boxes are here

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BIG COLLEGE INK
The Card: John Metchie autographed 16-by-20 photo (Fanatics Authentic)
The Price: About $75
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This current Alabama star didn't have the finish to his season he probably wanted -- he was out for the title game with an injury -- but he's one of several Crimson Tide guys whose autographs can already be found from Fanatics via NIL deals allowed under the new NCAA rules. I had a sale offer buying this though a retail chain site that is populated by Fanatics and liked the photo a ton so I went big. (Standard photos are not a lot cheaper than these jumbos so I went with the larger one -- they're so big they're not the easiest things to photograph, though.) He's headed to the NFL along with the other top receiver on the team, Jameson Williams, who was hurt in the title game -- so there are two more prospects we'll see on cards sooner than later. Metchie had 96 catches for 1,142 yards and eight TDs this season and is still projected to be an earlier pick, though maybe not a first-rounder after his injury.
Grab a box right here: No boxes for this one ... but NFL boxes are here

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LEGENDARY ADDITION
The Card: Frank Robinson 2012 Panini National Treasures (/99)
The Price: $12
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Price-wise, this isn't really a big bargain ... I just like the basic look of this set and I collect Robinson stuff here and there, mostly if he's shown with Cincinnati. These are the base cards in this one and most (if not all) have nickname variations where the nameplate changes. I'll do a lot of his memorabilia cards at $10 and under but this brand got me to grab it for a little more.
Grab a box right here: National Treasures boxes (all years)

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IT'S VIPER!
The Card: Tom Skerritt 2017 Upper Deck Alien Stasis Autographs 
The Price: About $20
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: If you're a little older than me you might know him from roles like this one in Alien but to many slightly younger people he's Viper from Top Gun and always will be. Skerritt turns 89 this year and since there's no Top Gun card set I figured I'd grab one of these since it was a good price. His only autos come from Alien releases and he only has about a dozen different cards out there to chose from -- most cost more than this one did.
Grab a box right here: Alien boxes (when available) are here

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BEFORE THE NFL ...
The Card: Johnny Musso 1972 O-Pee-Chee Canadian Football League 
The Price: $5
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This College Football Hall of Famer did get some time in the NFL (parts of three seasons and mostly startles carries in two of them for the Chicago Bears) but he never got any standard cards except for CFL stuff in-career and then college stuff afterward. I pick these off when I see them if they are cheap as they are the same design as their NFL counterparts and these just feel cool to me. Why? Because I just don't see them all the time -- and he fits my school ties part of my stash.
Grab a box right here: No boxes for this one ... but NFL boxes are here

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A REEVE ROOKIE COVER?
The Card: Starlog magazine March 1979
The Price: $9.99
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Buzz has a slabbing problem -- I see stuff left and right and say "that would look good graded" -- and this magazine from the arrival of the first Superman movie is one of those items and a grading candidate for me. Why? I dunno -- there are a lot of cards and a lot of comics for The Man of Steel -- but the cleanliness of this one grabbed me and the fact that it was so close to the film's debut with Christopher Reeve in the role. When it arrived, it wasn't quite as clean as I had hoped for it to be an obvious, unquestioned grading lock, but it will be on my "maybe" list of candidates for some time and likely makes the cut later. The film arrived in December 1978 and this is from not long thereafter (perhaps on shelves around that time despite its cover date) as it talks about Reeve and the role he was known for. You'll see more graded comics and magazines in my Making The Grade series here every month this year as it's on my mind right now. It's a fun challenge to chase interesting items and see how they grade. Unique pieces -- unlike cards with 20,000 copies on a pop report -- can have a lot more volatility even in lower grades, too.
Grab a box right here: No boxes for this one ... but non-sports boxes are here

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LOW VOLUME, LOW PRICE
The Card: Latrell Sprewell 2019-20 Panini Contenders Legendary Contenders Bronze Autographs (/25)
The Price: About $6
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is a low-volume card of a guy who at one point in the past barely had any certified autos. Now? There are a lot more available and that can lead to bargain-priced low-volume cards like this. Who's buying? Player collectors, fans of teams or perhaps school ties guys like me. I only have maybe a handful of his autos (NBA guys are not that big of a priority for me) and I'm picky, but when they're this cheap I tend to just jump on 'em if I come across them.
Grab a box right here: 2019-20 Panini Contenders boxes

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TWO OF A KIND
The Cards: Luke Skywalker & Princess Leia 2019 Topps Star Wars: Stellar Signatures Stellar Art Reproductions (/100)
The Price: About $32 total (matching serial-number set)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I went on a small kick with these cards after picking up some Transcendent frames as these have a similar high-end feel but without a premium price. Sure, these aren't that cheap, but imagine what a set like these might do with a nice blue-ink auto across them just above that logo. (That's a thought for stars who do private signings if that's your thing.) Even without that, these are nice cards. Another reason to grab? Well, with an art set in each box, these are a given to be out there -- for now -- but only 100 boxes were made. Premium stuff like this could be really tough to find in a few years if only a few collectors opt to grab them up over time -- and it's not likely we'll see people who held onto sealed cases easily breaking them down for bargain-priced sales later.
Grab a box right here: Star Wars Stellar Signatures boxes (all years)

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