Making the Grade (January): Ja Morant, Toni Storm, Axl Rose, Kobe Bryant, Bo Bichette, Daredevil, Andre The Giant & more

Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.

Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ...

A START FROM THE HARDCOURT
The Card: Ja Morant 2019-20 Donruss Optic #168 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: As I noted last time, I have made an effort to slab some of my better (basic) Rookie Cards for key NBA names in the last couple of years and Morant is among them. Why? Well, I didn't pull all that many to start with, so they still sort of still feel special to me unlike some brands (Chronicles) where I cleaned up and have plenty of the basics. Last time here, you saw my Zion Williamson Optic Rookie Card, so I figured this time I'd drop my Morant ... If I remember correctly I found both of them in the same box.
The Grade: CSG 9.5

Reality Check: It graded well, which is what I was hoping for, and via CSG that's not always the easiest thing to get. Optichome-stock cards of the last couple years seem to always have issues on the backs from what I have seen with chippy edges and sometimes-textured stock that isn't all that smooth and clean. This time? It's clean and I think this mark on the CSG pop report (*they say it's coming very soon) might be a lot smaller than other places.

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

FROM THE BIG SCREEN
The Card: Daredevil Costume Relic 2003 Topps Daredevil
The Reason Bought: Graded Relics aren't the norm and this one looked very, very good here. Why did I look? Out of curiosity -- one of these I bought raw looked very, very good. This one has a piece of that dark-red pleather embedded into a thick-stock card, which is also something that makes it stand out compared to other non-sport Relics out there. Unlike many fans, I didn't loathe this comic-book movie -- Bullseye, Kingpin and Elektra helped -- so this set doesn't carry the stank with me like others' might. I'm not sure I ever saw packs of this one out in the wild unlike X-Men and Lord of The Rings packs that seemed to be everywhere after Topps released them around this time. (They all had hits to varying degrees, too.) Rather than slab my raw copy via one of the few cheaper non-sports graders, I opted to just grab another.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: I didn't check the pop report but it affirmed my buy as there are none higher and only two as its equal. This card probably trumps my need to slab my raw copy, but I have started to dabble a little more again in non-sports via one grader ... see the next card.

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SGC'S NOVEMBER REIGN
The Card: Axl Rose 1991 Brockum RockCards Promos #1 -- "Rookie Card"
The Reason Graded: I picked up a promo pack of these not that long ago but was bummed by the conditions even from a fresh and never-touched pack of cards made to tease this loaded music set from 30 years ago. What's the deal with this? Well, Rose never gave his final approvals to appear in the regular release, so this promo card is all there is for him. The non-sports world really doesn't have Rookie Cards, but this is his first sort-of standard card appearance. His later appearances in Topps sets for Allen & Ginter and Topps Archives on autographed cards are perhaps more "official" but aren't base cards, either. ... So, anyway, after I landed my pack I sought out a couple copies as singles and this one was the best of my three ... so I sent it into SGC as they are the only grader right now slabbing non-sports cards in a cheaper and timely fashion.
The Grade: SGC 8.5

Reality Check: I saw that they had graded this one already so it was the centerpiece of a small non-sports submission I sent in November. They received it on Nov. 15 and it was on its way back to me on Dec. 15. For $30 a card, that's not bad. I was hoping for a nine here but my centering on the back probably nixed that -- it's a little off on the front here, too, but the back is off more. CSG, which is my normal grader, doesn't do non-sports right now ... so I can say that this November sub reigned as a timely alternative. I may do more but finding that sweet spot of cards I like vs. cards that can make the money and then big cards to cover the cost of all subs is a little tougher to line up at their prices vs. others' bulk rates.

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NOTE THE CAP
The Card: Kobe Bryant 2010-11 Panini Contenders Patches Places in History #14
The Reason Graded: I have probably mentioned this between this series or Buzz Buys in the last year or so, but after his death about two years ago I wondered more and more about cards showing him with his other team -- the Charlotte Hornets -- that drafted him and not the only NBA team he ever actually played for. Bryant doesn't have a ton of Hornets cards and this one made the cut for me for a slab earlier in the year despite it being heavy on the foilboard. (I am not that big of a fan of foilboard.) I have since found my stash of another card showing this same image but in a cleaner way ... it'll probably show up here at some point in the future.
The Grade: CSG 9

Reality Check: This one checks in at my preferred minimum which actually isn't all that bad at all since this is basic cardboard and foilbaord with some dark colors involved. This isn't the biggest deal for Bryant cardboard at all, but I did like the trivial appeal.

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A WRESTLING LEGEND
The Card: Bruiser Brody 1982 Wrestling All-Stars Series A #20 -- "Rookie Card"
The Reason Graded: There are definitely collectors out there more familiar with his Texas (and really global) wrestling legend who was arguably ahead of his time with hardcore, full-bore pseudo-controlled insanity that included world-wide enigmatic success and an untimely death as he was stabbed to death in 1988 in the locker room before an event in Puerto Rico. (I was just getting into wrestling a year or two before that time and hadn't found WCCW and other places where he was a star -- I learned about him later.) He doesn't really have a lot of cardboard before this inclusion in a landmark wrestling release, so that makes this a solid card. The short hair and the hot pink don't really suit him at all but it is what it is. He remains popular -- and his story is legendary. This card is pricier than you might think among all of the good names in this set if it's in top condition.
The Grade: CSG 8

Reality Check: This one came back with a strong grade -- that runny ink up top is on most (if not all) copies of this card. I graded some of the notables that I pulled from my set picked up long ago (before it blew up).

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FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY ...
The Card: Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) 1983 Topps History's Greatest Olympians #92
The Reason Bought: Ali has a ton of cardboard from around the world -- both during and after his legendary career -- and this one isn't all that rare but it's a memorable one on the Olympic front. Ali is the top find in this 99-card set and is joined by George Foreman, Jesse Owens, Dan Gable, Bill Bradley, Mike Eruzione, Babe Didrikson, Wyomia Tyus, Oscar Robertson, Floyd Patterson and Jerry West to name a few. This card's price is a little all over the place as the best card. They aren't all that rare as there were rack packs made with a good chunk of the set in there every time ... and they made plenty of those.
The Grade: BGS 7.5

Reality Check: I grabbed this on the cheap (about $12) compared to a lot of the slabs out there knowing it's a little lower than I prefer grade-wise. Ultimately, though, I don't need this one bad enough to pony up and pay more for a better one. The centering is clearly the biggest issue here but it's otherwise clean.

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I KNEW IT LOOKED GOOD
The Card: Tim Duncan 1997-98 Fleer #201 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: This simple retro-style stock is so nice in my view -- it's easily among my favorite designs from that year and one I would love to see tried again simply based on the feel of the stock -- and this copy was one that jumped out at me raw. It's not Duncan's best RC but I knew I needed to slab it as the edges and corners for the matte, gloss-free stock accented with some simple foil were so clean. I actually think I have another copy of this one but this one needed grading no matter what.
The Grade: CSG 9.5

Reality Check: Landing a 9.5 of this one was strong via CSG -- that's the same as a 10 elsewhere -- and I really don't see how it couldn't have been higher other than maybe some very light specking on the top-left corner. A lot of Duncan's RCs had been more on the affordable side in recent years but business has picked up for this Hall of Famer. He's still perhaps a lot more modestly priced than others, though.

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THE ONE I WANTED
The Card: Derek Jeter 2020 Topps Transcendent Collection VIP Party Through the Years #69TS (/100)
The Reason Bought: This card is from a set where Jeter appeared on many past Topps designs that are easily recognizable and visually tied to decades like the 1950s, '60s, '70s and '80s -- eras that that really don't tie to his career at all. This one really doesn't, either, and that's because it's from the 1969 Topps Super set -- a borderless photo on the front and a simple box of info on the back. It always jumped out at me from everything else as it's simply a showcase for a strong portrait of the Hall of Famer. The photo was taken on Sept. 11, 2014, in Yankee Stadium by Sports Illustrated photographer Walter Iooss Jr. Did it appear elsewhere? Well, it was on the cover of a book for starters ... but I only found out about that after I owned the card. I knew it was a really strong photo so it was always on my mental radar -- raw or slabbed.
The Grade: PSA 9

Reality Check: I didn't check the pop report here before grabbing this one -- it doesn't matter on the pop report here for me -- I just like this card. I don't even collect Jeter ... but I have pulled more than my fair share of notables for him over the years.

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THE ONE I WANTED II
The Card: Bo Bichette 2020 Topps on Demand 3D #78 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: This card is perhaps the rare example where I had some buyer's remorse based on the price I paid for one graded vs. the prices that they can be found at now as more copies are out there in slabs. That's OK as I wasn't grabbing to sell -- Bichette is a keeper for me like most additions -- but it's a thought to keep in mind as you grab slabs of young and popular players out there. There are some guys everybody will slab if he's good, so it's better to focus on career sets, parallels or inserts/hits vs. the basics. This one is a rarer release but still one that will be graded often ... just not 20,000 copies often like this card in flagship form.
The Grade: PSA 9

Reality Check: This one is still pretty rare and nines are the most-common mark while also not being the lowest, which is good. I'd argue this is closer to a "normal" pop vs. a lot of iconic flagship cards in, say, the last six or seven years where there are so many 10s from PSA that they shouldn't matter as much as people think.

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IMPRESSIVE THIS SEASON
The Card: Joe Burrow 2020 Donruss #301 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: Burrow had a very strong start this season -- and I still think the Bengals could be players this year on the field as much as they should be on cardboard -- and I grabbed this cheap as lower-priced slabs weren't all that plentiful back when I was looking earlier this year. (I haven't examined pop reports but I bet there were a lot of Burrow cards slabbed in the last year, despite his injury, and many are perhaps not back in owners' hands.) That's where grabbing an SGC copy came into play. I thought this was a good buy and decided to hold onto it despite not really having anything else for him. Why? Donruss NFL has been good to me in the last five or so years.
The Grade: SGC 9

Reality Check: The pop report here is meaty -- it might show how SGC has filled the void with PSA and BGS backed up with countless numbers of cards awaiting their looks -- and that was a bit surprising to me. Many copies check in above this one but I was fine with that (I was in at about $20) as I just wanted a slab for him.

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THE UNFORTUNATE EXAMPLE
The Card: Henry Ruggs III 2020 Panini Legacy #148 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: Not all grabs work out and here's an example of one that went from OK to "done" while it was on its way to me. Ruggs' NFL career is over as you should know as a sports fan ... and really his cardboard is finished, too. I grabbed this since he fit in the school ties part of my stash and I picked up a few graded cards for recent rookies on the cheap ... that'll be the end of that, too.
The Grade: SGC 10

Reality Check: This is the highest-graded copy from SGC ... but it doesn't matter. Demand here will be nil ... even for people like me who collect cards for college standouts more than their pro careers.

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THE LIGHTER SIDE ...
The Card: Jay Johnstone 1967 Topps #213 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: This two-time World Series champ died in 2020 due to COVID and that unfortunate headline inevitably got me looking here as I remembered him from working on The Lighter Side of Sports blooper shows and video tapes as a kid. I didn't even know he was a former player until I found some of his cards years ago (mid-1990s) and got him to sign a couple through-the-mail. He was known for his pranks, which probably led to the TV gig, and you can learn more about him here.
The Grade: PSA 7

Reality Check: I owned his 1968 and 1969 Topps cards for years -- not ever checking on his RC -- with my '69 getting the ink years ago. I grabbed this one since it was very affordable for a slab ($14 or so) and it looks far better than a PSA 7.

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A BIGGER WRESTLING LEGEND
The Card: Andre The Giant 1982 Wrestling All-Stars Series A #1
The Reason Graded: As his name probably might make you think, this card is a true giant in a giant of a set -- and it's also one that can show wear and tear more as it was the top card in this. It almost always has some ink blotches in the areas around his big mass of hair. My copy here isn't special -- I knew that sending it -- but it's one of the biggest cards in the set, so it made the grading cut. If this was a card in top grade, the price tag attached would be huge. Here? It's potentially still decent ... and that's the power of the set, which is basically the first traditional type of wrestling card set produced in the modern era of American wrestling cards. 
The Grade: CSG 6

Reality Check: I was a little surprised by the six -- maybe they were nice to me here -- but it does present pretty well with some clean centering. It's got small spots here and there and the corners certainly aren't razor sharp but it certainly also could look worse. (It's not clean ... but beware that copies out there that look too clean might be fakes ... they exist for this set.)

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A YOUNG WWE STAR
The Card: Toni Storm 2020 Topps Undisputed WWE Gold #73
The Reason Graded: I'm a huge mark for this photograph of a rising WWE star -- one unfortunately in the news this week so she'll likely be rising elsewhere soon -- that I ponied up quite a bit for this rarer parallel copy of this base card. (I've done that more than once.) This was the first from my partial Toni Storm rainbow to get slabbed and it may not be the last as I am also an absolute sucker for slabbing Undisputed cards. Now that it's nearly gone -- the finale arrives soon if it's not in hands already -- I may grade more for rare pulls or names I like. If every card set could use this brand's printing style and stock, the graded card world would be a much happier place. I would be, too.
The Grade: CSG 9.5

Reality Check: I love the parallels here -- the color makes a world of difference -- and I submitted a few key cards and rarer Golds like this from a few years recently. This came back with a solid grade and I did even better on one last month. Be ready for more in the coming months leading to WrestleMania.

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COLLECT 'EM ALL
The Books: The Walking Dead #1 Wizard World Madison sketch cover variant and special issue (Feb. 2015)
The Reason Bought: I picked up this show-issue reprint pairing at different times due to some big sales or other promotions that led to good discounts or free stuff over on the merch section of the convention's website. Total cost here? About $40, maybe less. (It was awhile back so my memory a little hazy but it was definitely on the cheaper side of things.) Why did I do this one? Well, Rob Liefeld did the covers -- I'm very familiar there -- and I liked the idea of being able to compare the two looks here side by side. I think I like the inked and not-colorized sketch version more. You see more details and it's just not as dark. This won't be the last time you see a show slab here ... WW's latest holiday season promo coughed up $25 in free books for every $25 spent on books ... so I have a new slab (different issue) waiting in the wings and a couple-dozen raw copies of several show books, too. (Buzz Buys will show those at some point.)
The Grades: CGC 9.8 (Universal)

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Reality Check: The pop reports here show how these might not be in huge demand despite being a few years old and only originally found in one place. They definitely bulk-slabbed here -- only slabbed books that would check in at a certain grade, chucking the rest. (You don't get 100-percent 9.8s on accident whether it's comics or something else.) Either way, I liked the pairing here and knew that the price was good to help build up some slabs ... there aren't tons of books out there on the cheap as it costs more to slab books compared to grading cards.

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EPIC PHOTO, EPIC FAIL
The Card: Ja Morant 2019-20 Panini Chronicles Luminance Pink #165 -- Rookie Card parallel 
The Reason Graded: This photo is a monster -- the kind of image that makes for legendary cardboard for years even though he missed the dunk -- and this photo is what made me grade. I pulled a single standard copy and then this Pink parallel and it was in my must-grade pile for some time to the point where I totally missed the rough left edge, which has to be why it got the grade it did. What happened? I don't know. How did I miss it? I don't know -- maybe I was blinded by wanting it slabbed. My standard copy had a different spot with a minor issue that nixed it from my sub. I was surprised by my grade here -- a definite bummer -- but I'll survive ... and I still like the card. 
The Grade: CSG 8

Reality Check: I'm sure this will check in at one of the lower copies once there's a pop report* ... such a bummer. I don't see any other issues that make it obvious low-end-material in the grading bin. Chronicles is a volume kind of card where I might be able to find a cleaner slab at a modest price ... so don't be surprised if you see another here sometime in the future.

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A RARE 10 ...
The Card: Pete Gray 2015 Topps Update Pride & Perseverance #PP9 
The Reason Graded: Pete Gray is an MLB legend as, yes, he was a big-leaguer with just one arm. He doesn't have a ton of cards -- and this appears to be his first in a standard release licensed by MLB -- but it's not a Rookie Card as it's an insert. He has stuff in 2011 TRISTAR Obak -- perhaps the most-traditional place for an RC if you go there well after his playing days -- and then appearances in a lot of oddball releases and then on cut autos here and there. He played 77 games in 1945 -- while big-leaguers were off in the military -- and hit .218 while also playing the outfield for the St. Louis Browns a few years before the team moved to Baltimore to become the Orioles. You can learn more about his life and career here. This card always stood out from the pack in a small insert set dedicated to players who overcame health issues to make it to the field. 
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: This was my only copy of this one and I included it in a bulk sub earlier in 2021 since it was a chance to revisit Gray's story and I also thought the card looked pretty good. Seems that it did as it's one of only a handful of 10s I have received from CSG. (Their 9.5s are 10s using the PSA scale and the same as the BGS scale, which has levels above "mint.")

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AN IMPRESSIVE CARD
The Card: Dusty Baker 1976 Topps #28
The Reason Bought: Baker's appearance in the World Series leading the Astros against one of his former teams didn't work out how he wanted I didn't pick this up because of all that, but it does make this card as old as I am a little more interesting. I grabbed this because it was dirt cheap (less than it cost to grade) and it looks so clean and crisp. 
The Grade: CSG 8.5

Reality Check: What might have gotten it this grade? Well that big blotch on his right sleeve is the likely candidate. I really don't see any other dramatic flaws. Is it otherwise perfect? It's got to be close ... just a really nice card. His RC is from several years before this so it's nothing all that special raw, but this kind of vintage clean should cost more than even what I paid ... a card like this is hard to find from many sets from this era.

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A FAVORITE CARD
The Card: Barry Sanders 1994 Action Packed Gold Signatures (parallel) #30
The Reason Graded: This card is a perfect example of 1990s simplicity, which isn't always that easily found as card companies' designers were abusing the Photoshop pretty hard back then in many, many sets. This is a simple parallel made for some notables in this one where their autograph was added in gold foil atop a tightly cropped action shot. This is easily one of my favorite relatively worthless (money-wise) sets from the past and I totally slabbed this with visions of a higher grade. But even here I still like this one. 
The Grade: CSG 9

Reality Check: Action Packed cards were printed, foil-stamped, cut and then glued shut before packaging so landing perfect cards isn't always an easy thing. A lot of things can go wrong here -- I have some other cards in lower-grade slabs to prove it -- but I wouldn't mind grading more cards from this one. (Maybe you had to be there but I still like them.)

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A SIMPLE GRAB
The Card: Jerry Jeudy 2020 Panini Phoenix Fire Burst #105 -- Rookie Card parallel 
The Reason Bought: Like the Ruggs card above, I picked off this one relatively cheap since it's football season and this one fits my school ties part of my collection. There's been a ton of talent to be drafted in recent years from the Alabama Crimson Tide but I can't chase it all -- there are others more solely focused and deep-pocketed compared to me -- but I will dabble here and there on the lower-end with good names, especially in the years after they are the hot new rookie. 
The Grade: CSG 9

Reality Check: There's not a ton to say on this one until there's a pop report (coming soon*) but this one does come from the Fanatics factory set, which was all a parallel to the standard stuff. I didn't open a single pack of the standard cards but I did get one of these sets on my own after a meaty discount. Would I grade others? Maybe, but it's not totally one of my favorite designs ... but the checklist is loaded.

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