Buzz Buys: Tua, Coco Gauff, Jade Cargill, Connor Bedard, new NASCAR, Bo Bichette, MLB legends, celebs, old mags & 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 ...

--

THIS SET IS A CLASSIC
The Card: Tua Tagovailoa 2023 Panini Luminance Gold (/250)
The Price: About $5.50
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This set was among many recent NFL releases on the high-end spectrum when it comes to box price, so, well, I'm not ripping it ... but when this one popped up in an online search I did some scrolling and I quickly realized that this set just might be one of the best photo-editing jobs done in all of modern football card history (view a lot of them here). I scouted listings and opted for this clean parallel of a top guy in the NFL this season and this one arrived so clean that there's a very good shot this will end up slabbed and in a future Making The Grade ... that's how much I like this card. The base set is full of strong images. Strong, strong images.
Grab a box right here: Grab a box by clicking here

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

FEELING BLUE?
The Card: Coco Gauff 2021 Topps Chrome Sapphire Edition -- Rookie Card 
The Price: About $35
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This late-arriving RC (the set arrived this year after it had been planned for the past) is one that has been in demand and I opted to grab a copy partly on a whim but also since the price was cheaper than many others ... thanks to a corner that got bumped at some point with a box or pack that was dropped. It's still probably more than I've paid for any other tennis card but it's not really rough ... just rough enough that it mattered for cost/grading. Parallels and ink from the standard version are also in demand ... hit that link to chase yours in any color or release. I don't need something razor sharp on a sport more off my radar ... but I think it was important enough to grab one. 
Grab a box right here: Grab a box by clicking here

--

GRABBED A PHENOM
The Stickers: Connor Bedard 2023-24 Topps Now NHL stickers (20-pack) (announced as /29,357 ordered)
The Price: $34.99 (Bundle price from Topps)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This young hockey star apparently won't have a basic flagship Rookie Card until a later series arrives out there in the world of Young Guns, but when this popped up as No. 1 in this year's Topps sticker set that's sold online I bit ... since phenoms can be in demand and since these had parallels in the mix. I didn't land a parallel but the bigger pack did offer a few clean examples where one of these might end up in a slab at some point, too.
Grab a box right here: None for this one but Grab an NHL box by clicking here

--

AFFORDABLE INK
The Card: Megan Cavanaugh 2023 Leaf Metal Pop Century Perfectly Cast autos (/30)
The Price: $9.99
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This affordable find was an easy grab once I saw how cheap the autos were for this memorable character in A League Of Their Own -- it's Marla Hooch! -- and after I found a 1/1 Proof of the same card in a promo pack. The sticker autos used for PC Cards can be tough to fit long names but this one is quite clean other than one spot ... so considering that and the volume/price I added it to my collection of cast autos for this landmark movie.
Grab a box right here: Grab a box by clicking here

--

THE YOUNGER BROTHER
The Card: Taulia Tagovailoa 2021 Leaf Memories 1990 Base Autographs Bronze Spectrum (/99)
The Price: $7.75
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This price was right for me to add the younger Tagovailoa's ink to my stash -- after all, he was briefly on my team, too, before he transferred -- and one auto is all I need. I don't think any of his cards from the past show him in crimson, either, so price was the biggest variable here for my collection. 
Grab a box right here: Grab a box by clicking here

--

ALWAYS ADDING BO
The Card: Bo Bichette 2020 Topps Chrome Black -- Rookie Card 
The Price: $13.65
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This brand is one that doesn't cough up a lot with its price but it's still pretty safe -- an encased auto and then a pack with some base or parallels in every box. In this case, I just opted to grab a key RC in my mind as that price was cheaper than when I had last looked. Simple as that.
Grab a box right here: Grab a box by clicking here

--

HER LONE ROOKIE CARD ...
The Card: Jade Cargill 2021 Upper Deck AEW Spectrum -- Rookie Card
The Price: Under $9
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This AEW star who's now in the WWE developmental ranks -- no matches just yet -- only has this one Rookie Card found in packs made in 2021 and that fact is one reason these are selling for a little more than one might expect. Why? Potential, her place in wrestling as it is and, well, there's only one RC. Sure, there are parallels and then inked and memorabilia parallels of this card, too, but she's one of a kind and this is the only one.
Grab a box right here: Grab a box by clicking here

--

SWEET DIE-CAST O' MINE ...
The Die-cast: Erik Jones 2021 Lionel Racing No. 43 Guns N' Roses Chevy 1:24 standard finish (/2,220)
The Price: About $50 after some discounts/rewards
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This car hit the track for the Daytona 500 earlier this year but it took until the winter for the die-cast to arrive ... but I knew I wanted it so it was on my mental want list that whole time. This popped up over on that one big site and I used some rewards atop a sale and landed it for about $25 off the standard price. Oddly, it arrived with the shipping box having a hole punched all the way through it into the car's bottom box panel going into the open space of the plastic base but everything was otherwise fine on this relatively rare piece. (Back when I used to dabble with NASCAR premium pieces in the early 2000s production runs were much, much, much higher.) Oddly, the previous time I grabbed a diecast car there, they didn't bother taping the box shut ... things must be moving quickly in that warehouse.
Grab a box right here: Grab a NASCAR box by clicking here

--

REMEMBER ME?
The Card: 2022 Zerocool Clerks III National Convention promo card
The Price: $4
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This promo card came and went and the calendar changed and changed and changed some more before a set quietly showed up over there on that one site and then came and went with surprising results. There was no info about the box basics and that part is why I bought nothing ... but would have had I known. Meanwhile, all I got -- and just recently -- was this promo. I used to buy pretty much everything View Askew religiously ... but knowing what's in a product is important when it arrives.
Grab a box right here: None for this one ... Grab a non-sports box by clicking here

--

'TIS THE SEASON
The Card: O.J. Howard 2017 Panini Black Friday Happy Holidays Santa Hat Relics
The Price: $1.75
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This isn't a new thing or even that new of a grab -- I just had it waiting in reserve for this time of year after a past pick-up. The swatch is a piece of the hat on his head and since he fits my school ties and that price was right it made its way into my collection.
Grab a box right here: None for this one, but grab an NFL box by clicking here

--

BEFORE BALLERS ... 
The Card: John David Washington 2006 Leaf Rookies & Stars -- Rookie Card (/999)
The Price: About $1
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This piece of trivia passed me by as I wasn't really living in NFL territory when this one came out and the NFL was probably more off my radar at that time vs. MLB or other stuff like non-sports and multi-sport releases with so much more inside like Allen & Ginter (it arrived from Topps in 2006). Who is he? He's the son of actor Denzel Washington and was a practice squad guy for the Rams for parts of two seasons. After some time in lesser football leagues, he arrived on the squad of actors in Ballers as Ricky Jerret for five seasons. Washington had cards in a number of releases -- more than 100 -- with more than a dozen RCs and even some certified autos so there's a lot to choose from, but I grabbed this since it was numbered and dirt cheap ... not sure I need to chase more, but I might.
Grab a box right here: None for this one, but grab an NFL box by clicking here

--

REMEMBER ME?
The Card: Domingo Ayala 2020 Donruss Domingo Ayala Material Signatures
The Price: Under $7
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This character popped up in some past Donruss baseball sets as a bit of an enigma and that's how I'd describe the character, too. A man, a myth, a legend? Not sure. In the past, the cards that were made were some rarer finds or rarer hits so they were pricier, but I finally grabbed this since it's ink has a piece of that iconic generic jersey con not uno, not dos but tres veces.
Grab a box right here: None for this one, but grab a Donruss baseball box by clicking here

--

ICONIC MOMENT 
The Card: Hank Aaron 1977-79 Sportscasters Series 3 Lausanne B
The Price: About $6
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: These oversized educational cards of the past can showcase some big names in affordable instances and in this case it's one of MLB's greatest in a great moment -- after he broke Babe Ruth's home run record and a photo that's similar to his iconic Sports Illustrated cover back in the day, too. I liked this one a lot for the price and it wasn't the only one I grabbed.
Grab a box right here: None for this one, but grab an MLB box by clicking here

--

WAIT, WHAT?
The Item: Michael Bolton & Barry Bonds 1994 Celebrity Photo Agency media slide
The Price: Pocket change in a bulk lot
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Believe it or not, the pop star here has a number of baseball card appearances -- in this same uniform -- but I'll leave that tale for another day. I found this slide in a bulk lot of a lot of celebs on slides like this -- a fun bulk lot to dig through -- and a number were from softball/baseball events like this. But ... none had the home run record-holder on them. I think Bolton's got the better uni for sure.
Grab a box right here: None for this one, but grab an MLB box by clicking here

--

MO' BO ...
The Card: Bo Bichette 2023 Topps Finest Sky Blue Refractor (/300)
The Price: $2
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This year I probably bought less new MLB cardboard than ever in terms of boxes and packs -- a literal all-time low -- but I still did some mild window-shopping and picked off singles here and there. Ultimately, this Finest card/design is super dull and pretty formula for this brand, but it's the right color for a Blue Jays star and it's numbered ... so for the price I bit to add it to the Bo stash. Will I do more in '24? We'll see ... I may continue to dabble with lower-priced or non-traditional stuff from other recent years instead. It just depends on what presents itself and its price.
Grab a box right here: Grab an MLB box by clicking here

--

WAITED AND PAID UP ...
The Card: Corey Seager, Nick Swisher, Dee Gordon, Matt Carpenter, Yoenis Cespedes, Khris Davis, Brandon Belt, Derek Norris & Noah Syndergaard 2016 Topps Heritage 1967 Punch Outs
The Price: Too much ... 
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This box-topper card had been on my radar for years -- literally almost the decade it's been in existence -- and I'd only seen it (and missed it) once in recent years. But when this copy popped up with a bit of a dumb price attached to it I still had to bite -- had to have it since one of those names is my player and it's his card, too. Other cards in the set pop up all the time ... but for some weird reason never this one.
Grab a box right here: Grab an MLB box by clicking here

--

CLEAR CRIMSON I
The Card: Bryce Young 2023 Panini Chronicles Draft Picks Clearly Donruss -- Rookie Card
The Price: $5
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I must have liked the look of this card when I was looking recently but looking back I'm not sure I like that price given how his season has gone. That said, though, I'm a sucker for clear acetate base cards and the next card after this proves it, too.
Grab a box right here: Grab an NFL box by clicking here

--

CLEAR CRIMSON II
The Card: Joe Namath 2023 Panini Chronicles Draft Picks Clearly Donruss
The Price: $2
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is from the same set but showing an Alabama star from close to 60 years ago. I bought them together and if these cards were easier high-grade cards, I'd slab them both together ... but instead they'll just hang out in a box somewhere like this.
Grab a box right here: Grab an NFL box by clicking here

--

A PAIR OF UGLIES
The Cards: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly 2007-08 Breygent Classic Vintage Movie Posters
The Price: Under $2 total
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This pair of cards comes from an interesting past set of non-sports cards where it revisited past films by re-producing past posters (or alternate posters) and then presenting along with them some sketch cards, cut autos and other in-the-realm inclusions to examine memorable movies from the past. This classic Western is one to see -- or at least hear as the soundtrack is strong -- and you can see three iconic actors on there as extra reasons why.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab a non-sports box by clicking here

--

RUTHIAN SIMPLICITY
The Card: Babe Ruth 2023 Topps Tribute
The Price: $1.25
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is another simple 2023 card I grabbed on the cheap just to take a look at the design details in play here. The player is, of course, legendary, but my collecting habits are perhaps moving more and more toward the "Do I need it?" question as a test and territory when it comes to ripping packs and boxes. I don't ... but I didn't mind this look at all ... so I picked it up.
Grab a box right here: Grab an MLB box by clicking here

--

THREE OF A DUSTY KIND ...
The Cards: Nick Swisher 2013 Panini America's Pastime Gold (/25) & two base (/125)
The Price: $15 total ... keep reading as to why 
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is easily one of my favorite sets from the Panini baseball era because of one simple design touch here ... that's dirt from the baseball diamond all over the photos. That's not been done since from what I have seen and I think that touch is cool. Atop that, while the logo on the helmet is removed for licensing reasons, based on its chipped visor you can see a hint of there, I am pretty sure that the helmet on the card is the helmet you can see here. Both of these things are why I like to grab these cards from time to time.
Grab a box right here: Grab an MLB box by clicking here

--

I WHIFFED ON THIS ONE
The Card: Ty Simpson 2022-23 Bowman University Inception
The Price: Less than a postage stamp
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This year's Alabama QB situation seems finally worked itself out, but coming into the year there were at least three and maybe four or five candidates for the job ... all with cardboard thanks to NIL sets. This pick-up was, in one hand, an in-hand look at cards from this football/basketball set, while, on the other hand, it was to grab a card of a player who had some eyes on him. What will this set look like in the future? I'm not sure but based on a lot of the transfers out there in the world and a lot of cardboard for many of them I suspect this could look more like a common just based on odds and demand ... there will be a lot of players on cards without break-out successes to spark demand for their stuff. Then again, maybe next year?
Grab a box right here: Grab a Bowman U box by clicking here

--

WHAT, WHAT? PART II
The Card: Eric Johnson 2001 Leaf Rookies & Stars -- Rookie Card
The Price: $1.75
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I can't tell you a thing about Johnson's NFL career, but apparently it lasted five seasons for the 49ers and Saints with nine TDs in 71 games, but I grabbed this card -- his only RC -- after happening upon some trivia. He's also known as Mr. Jessica Simpson having married the pop star/actress in 2014. (Blame Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift.)
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab an NFL box by clicking here

--

A LIL BOW-WOW
The Card: Hank "Bow-Wow" Arft 1949 Bowman (gray back) -- Rookie Card
The Price: $9.99
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This popped up where I regularly buy stuff and it looked quite clean for a card of its age so I bit -- in part because of that (Grade-able?) and then, of course, that nickname. His five seasons with the St. Louis Browns look pretty unremarkable with only 300 games played in that span and a .253 average to go with 13 homers and 118 RBI. His career was hampered, though, after he was hit in the head by a batted ball before a game in 1952 (his last time in The Show) and he retired from playing completely in 1954. All that came after parts of 10 years in minor-league ball -- and he lost three years in the Navy during World War II -- after having signed at 18 years old. After some basic searches, it appears Arft went into the family business after baseball -- the funeral industry ... as a mortician -- where he was involved for almost 40 years before his death in 2002. That's a lot of unusual twists and turns ... I just thought he had a quirky name with a canine nickname to go with it. How many other MLBers turned morticians might there be in baseball history?
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab an MLB box by clicking here

--

FREE SHIPPING SECURED ...
The Program: 2020 SEC Championship Game program (Alabama vs. Florida)
The Price: $9.99 (or less with discount)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This was just another throw-in over yonder to get some free shipping with an order and, well, I'll do that for an item that fits my overall stash to some degree -- better than some car sticker, pennant or coaster set I guess. But, at the same time, I will admit I wasn't all that pleased with the condition of things here with that bottom left corner being vert rough and then other more issues on two other corners. Maybe I should have gone with the coasters after all.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab a football box by clicking here

--

BLACK FRIDAY BARGAINS ...
The Photos: Rey Fenix & Penta Zero Miedo autographed Republic of Lucha promo photos 
The Price: $5 apiece (even for the dual)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This trio of autographed photos was among several I grabbed as my first Black Friday/November buys of the year. This pair of grapplers seen on AEW and elsewhere own a store in South Pasadena, Calif., that explores everything wresting south of the border and among their merch beyond personal-model replica masks and match-used memorabilia as well as more standard stuff like shirts or signed photos for them and other friends who have made appearances. As part of their big sale, their signed card-stock promo photos (that change regularly making them even more card-like) were all $5 a pop ($10 off) ... even the dual-signed ones. I dig that kind of price, so I grabbed these and more as simple additions to the ink stash.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab an AEW box by clicking here

--

A THROWBACK ...  BUT NOT HIS BEST COVER
The Card: Jose Canseco 2021 Topps X Sports Illustrated (/1,003)
The Price: $1
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This set was one where I don't think I bit often from Topps -- once or twice, maybe -- but this card got consideration for me as he was, without question, my player back then. I didn't bite as this wasn't even his best cover for the magazine in that era ... but at this price elsewhere I did grab a copy of the card.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab an MLB box by clicking here

--

WILL SHE BE BACK, TOO?
The Photo: Sasha Banks autographed 11x14 WWE photo (BAS Witnessed)
The Price: $50
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: There's been chatter that she might be coming back to WWE off of her injury that has sidelined her global tour with a new persona, Mercedes Moné, but that's not why I picked this one up and why you see it here. This is a BAS-witnessed piece from a dealer with a massive inventory and it's the second a relative low-ball offer that they took on an over-sized and strong photo that I liked. I suspect, given the witnessing part and the sheer volume of items that were/are up for grabs, this was from a signing that took place before she left WWE a year ago and, due to that, the items couldn't be sold on the official company site. I was a regular buyer of her stuff when she started arriving in card sets in 2014 and she's been pricey until off the WWE radar ... being back could get interesting if it happens. If you ask me, it should ... perhaps we'll find out as soon as next month.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab a WWE box by clicking here

--

AN ICONIC COVER ...
The Mag: Michael Jordan -- Sports Illustrated Dec. 23, 1991 
The Price: $9.99
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This iconic cover is one that pretty much everybody remembers if they were around that time and, yes, it's quite simple with what's ultimately a holographic sticker attached to the cover ... but it's still cool. This copy is quite clean but might need some light pressing on that bottom edge for some bumps -- or I might just slab it as is to say I have one. My original that went through the mail years ago isn't damaged really, either, but it has a light spot from where the mailing label had been before it (thankfully) fell off quite easily. When I saw this one I figured it was worth it for a cheaper-than-normal price. It's not perfect ... but it's also quite clean.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab an NBA box by clicking here

--

HUGE INK ... LITERALLY
The Photo: Toni Storm autographed 11-by-14 photo (PSA/DNA authenticated)
The Price: About $50
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This oversized photo was part of a pretty decent slasher sale from a major online dealer I pick off stuff from regularly and I bit for one reason -- that autograph is huge as this is a larger image than usually signed. It's from before her Timeless run in AEW so it's not that new, but that ink is impressive ... though the photo itself isn't quite as super-sharp as I had expected it to be. Had it been cleaner this would be an A+ kind of item.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab an AEW box by clicking here

--

A MOVIE NOD ...
The Card: "Blue Boy" by Thomas Gainsborough 1897 Cincinnati Famous Paintings Brown Back 
The Price: $1.75
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I was doing a deep, deep dive in the non-sports realm and I found this card from an 1800s playing card deck that shows off memorable artwork from history back then. What is this to me? Well it's a cardboard tie to some Quentin Tarantino history as a moment in Django Unchained where Django, a freed slave, opts to get himself a rather eccentric looking wardrobe as he returns to a plantation to get vengeance upon those who did him wrong. In that scene, one of the slaves asks if he's really free and then comically follows up with "You mean you wanna dress like that?"  The costume is an Easter egg of sorts to film/TV nods to this painting and some of its meanings -- here's more on its cameos. There's a lot of absurdity in that often-intense movie and the line is as memorably quirky as is the suit ... and when I saw it on a card so old so cheap, well, that's why it's here.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab a non-sports box by clicking here

--

WANTED TO SLAB THIS, BUT ...
The Album: Johnny Be Good (1988) vinyl soundtrack album
The Price: $11
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I have picked up three or four albums on vinyl with grading in mind and this is one of the unsealed retro variety that's really more about who's on the cover than who's among the tracks. This is Uma Thurman's biggest early role (only one before it) and I like the look with her and Robert Downey Jr. both going onto bigger things than this one in the years since. Anthony Michael Hall also has had a ton of roles, too. This would make for a classic slabbed album but since this one is an original it's got the corners (bottom left) and some minor surface bends/dents to show for it ... bad news as that's more than I'd probably like for a graded item. At the same time, the good news is that this album was re-released in recent years in nearly identical form so if that presents itself to me clean I still might grade it -- I think it would make a solid novelty slab.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab a football box by clicking here

--

CLEAN FOR ITS AGE ...
The Card: Lionel Barrymore 1936 Facchino's Cinema Stars
The Price: $1.75
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This popped up in a non-sports search for cards of his grandniece who I collect -- if you're a regular reader you know -- and, while I can't tell you much about his film career (I live in the here and now for movies for the most part) it was clearly notable enough to get a card in this set. His career spanned from the early 1900s into the 1950s with this card falling right in the midst of that. It's a small stamp-sized card and it looked quite good for the price so I grabbed it ... mostly as a sample card and a reminder that there's a boatload of vintage non-sports stuff for you out there if you have an interest or reason to look.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab a non-sports box by clicking here

--

CAN'T PASS ON A VINTAGE SLURPEE
The Item: John Johnson 1973 7-Eleven NBA Slurpee cups
The Price: $10
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This former NBA player is one who pops up here on the regular as he's got school ties for me and this is roughly the third time I have picked off one of these as it's just hard to pass on these collectibles 50 years later. Why? They really shouldn't exist ... it's just flimsy plastic with paint on the front and back -- this panel and then a basic text bio on the other side. Many of them got used and trashed ... or busted over time.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab an NBA box by clicking here

--

A DEBUT?
The Items: Satisfaction (1988) press kit with six photos (appearances from Julia Roberts, Liam Neeson, Justine Bateman, Britta Phillips and others)
The Price: $9.99
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I vaguely remember this movie from filler cable back in the day -- barely -- but that's not why it's here. While this movie is a project that helped Justine Bateman move away from the character of Mallory Keaton on the 1980s TV megahit Family Ties as this was her first film, it's also the credited film debut for Julia Roberts, who you should know well from many projects of the last few decades. I didn't need this, but it's hard to pass up a kit with a few photos for a big-name debut -- clearly there are Rookie Card vibes in the back of my head here -- and these were clean and un-used press photos, too. Oh, and also in the cast? Britta Phillips -- the singing voice of Jem if you remember that popular cartoon series of the past.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab a non-sports box by clicking here

--

AN ICONIC ISSUE ...
The Mag: Pro Wrestling Illustrated, December 1987
The Price: $8.99
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This pick-up from more than a year ago -- it's one of many that had waited to pop up here as I simply grabbed too many at once -- is a favorite of mine from the past as this anniversary issue that revisited so much wrestling history all in one spot much like the mag's annual awards issues. PWI made its debut in 1979 -- that first issue is at the upper left -- and it's still going today well after even WWE stopped publishing in print. I have started to slab some wrestling mags here and there and this one might make the cut at some point, though this clearly isn't a 9.8 contender ... it's just an iconic moment in time revisiting many others that came before it.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab a WWE box by clicking here

--

WHEN ANIME MEETS WRESTING IT MEETS MY COLLECTION
The Card: Nezuko Kamado 2021 Bandai Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Wafer Cards Vol. 4
The Price: $7
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This pick-up is more reflective of an ongoing gag, some self-amusement, for me over on Twitter, not some revelation that this old collector has some new-found anime interest or deep knowledge of that realm. (It's really not my realm at all.) So, what's the deal? Well, indy veteran wrestler Sü Yüng has a rather demonic and creepy persona also known as "The Bloody Undead Bride," recently worked for an indy wrestling promotion focused on pop culture and cosplay in the ring where she took on this anime character, who has become a demon but has her urges held in check to some degree. (Or something like that.) Given The Bride character, the irony of this one stuck with me and every time I've happened upon Nezuko out shopping in the world there's a tweet (and The Bride is a fan of the stuff). So ... now here's a card. These are printed on plastic and are pretty nice ... also something that would make for a unique autograph, too, at some point.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab a non-sports box by clicking here

--

A HIGH-GRADE THROWBACK ... WITH A STORY
The Card: "Pursuit type" by Zoë Mozert -- 1945 Mutoscope Artist Pin-ups
The Price: $9.99
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is one of a group of really high-condition cards I found recently and I grabbed them all with an eye on slabbing as they're so clean I feel like I could have some easy 8-9-10 contenders on my hands. I still do have that thought, but the one place where I was pondering grading them charges waaaaaayyy too much right now for the oversized slabs that are needed for these. (So, I'll play the waiting game on sales or bigger slab options from elsewhere among grading companies.) What was also interesting here is that there's a story with the artist for this particular card, giving it a little more behind it than it being just some World War II-era piece of pop culture. The art here is by Zoë Mozert, a famed model and pin-up artist who often painted herself into her work off of photos she had posed for. This one appears to be her -- I think -- and it turns out she did card pieces like this, other pinups, magazine covers and even film posters for big movies such as Howard Hughes' The Outlaw with her paining Jane Russell for that one. (Learn a little more here.) It looks like I'm not alone in stumbling upon this trivia via these cards and that art devotee offers up even deeper thoughts here as we were both surprised by her story. There are tons of these Mutoscope cards still around from the past and they're not that pricey, either, but elite-grade slabbed copies can do well in comparison to ungraded copies. This back story makes me want to see if there are others with interesting twists.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab a non-sports box by clicking here

--

KINDA LIKE A ROOKIE CARD?
The Photo: Jon Stewart 1993 MTV The Jon Stewart Show debut promotional photo
The Price: $6
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This promo photo from MTV was to announce a new series helmed by comedian Jon Stewart who we should all know now from The Daily Show and various projects in the years since on TV and in film. He had a couple other hosting gigs before this for Short Attention Span Theater on Comedy Central and You Wrote It, You Watch It on MTV, but this one feels like the launching pad for him and that made this promo photo feel interesting for the cheap price. The show lasted just two seasons and had some twists and turns with some controversy, but The Daily Show arrived the following year. Stewart interviewed David Letterman on what he knew was his final show and it's a fascinating finale considering everything that was to come for Stewart.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... grab a non-sports box by clicking here

--

AN ENERGETIC FINALE
The Card: Shotzi Blackheart 2022 Panini Immaculate Collection WWE (/65)
The Price: $13
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This set was one where I will probably never pop the lid on a box -- a combination of cost vs. return and then a lot of those boxes no longer exist since this was a popular release -- but I have picked up a some singles here and there for this star I collect. I picked off an auto-mem, a mem card and maybe some others but I think over time it might be the base cards and parallels that could be toughest to find here ... as there's just one per box vs. a selection of everything else throughout the mix. People will sell their hits ... they might not even bother with trying to move base cards.
Grab a box right here: Grab a WWE box by clicking here

--

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

>> Click here to buy cards on BlowoutCards.com