Making the Grade (March): J-Rod, LeBron James, Bryce Young, WWE icons & newcomers, Bo Bichette, Pat McAfee & 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 ...

BAD IN BLACK!
The Card: Julio Rodriguez 2022 Topps Allen & Ginter X
The Reason Graded: I ripped a pair of these boxes and haven't even sniffed at the regular stuff -- a first for me in its run since 2006 when I used to clear everything I saw on every shelf -- but instead I opted to grade a couple of key pulls from this and other postseason releases with notable newcomers in play. Why this one? It just looked perfect even vs. others I pulled -- and since I only pulled one and have really no plans at this moment to even dabble with regular Ginter I put it into my bulk sub.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: CSG may have a flub in its system as this didn't even show in the pop report (perhaps it was tagged as a regular card) but I'll present it here* with what I know ... and that's that I know at least this one exists. He's the face of 2023 Topps, so he's on the minds of a few fans right now -- and that's why he's batting lead-off despite this pop report anomaly.

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

RARE REPLACEMENT?
The Card: LeBron James 2018-19 Panini Contenders Optic Hall of Fame Contenders Blue Cracked Ice
The Reason Graded: If you're a regular reader, then you may remember this card from elsewhere ... I got it as a replacement for a pair of chrome-stock Zion Williamson cards that arrived with surface cuts out of packs. Is it better? Probably ... but it's not Zion and not a RC ... it's just a parallel of a likely rarer insert from a higher-priced brand which might have a smaller run or cap on overall volume made. It looked good, so it went in the bulk pile and you get it here this time since he's now the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
The Grade: CSG 9.5

Reality Check: Top of two graded works for me. I didn't see anything wrong with it so I was a little surprised at where it checked in ... but still a slabbing with no regrets from me.

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CALL ME CURIOUS ...
The Card: Bo Bichette 2020 Topps Update Boxloader Patches -- rookie-year insert
The Reason Graded: These are weird ... and I like weird from time to time when it comes to grading. This literally is a stitched patch with a white back of just threads so I was immensely curious as to how they'd handle grading on something like this. Plus, these really are impressive to look at in-hand and I collect Bichette to a degree.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: Not quite a Perfect 10 ... but I'll take it. Will anybody grade another? That's the real question ...

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SCHOOL TIES ...
The Card: Tua Tagovailoa 2020 Donruss -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I think I grabbed this early in the season or even in the pre-season as he's a ride or die for me -- I'll buy as long as I like it and can afford it or think it's a good deal. This was both as it was priced at less than a blaster box and is what is now a 10 grade.
The Grade: CSG 9.5 (now 10)

Reality Check: The volume here is impressive and it's a little weird with the 10s popping almost as much as other marks. But I'm still good with that for the price.

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A FAVORITE SET & CARD ...
The Card: Rhea Ripley 2020 Topps WWE NXT Roster -- rookie-year insert card
The Reason Graded: This is from a release that I have ripped a ton of -- I'm sure I have almost a dozen copies of this card raw -- but this one looked clean and that's why it made it into a bulk sub with another newcomer here. (They are inserts but I really wish the Roster set was the main focus with parallels and everything else ... they're just better than the base set of highlights cards.)
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: I was impressed with my mark here but not as much once I saw the pop report. Centering is typically the main issue with corners sometimes being problems. (That top left is not damage ... it's part of the photo.) She's got a title match at WrestleMania once again and I suspect things will be looking good going forward here ... though I have been collecting her since the beginning.

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FELT LIKE A STEAL
The Card: Bo Bichette 2020 Topps Finest Refractor -- Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Bought: I grabbed this for about $15, which is a price I liked considering this one is a parallel of his RC and a card that still looks decent despite a crop that's probably a little tight or awkward. (Gotta keep some bat in there.) Either way, I'm not sure if I even have his basic card raw -- so at this price it was a no-brainer.
The Grade: PSA 9

Reality Check: The population here is a lot lower than some of his 2020 cards -- much, much lower -- and the pop numbers here aren't as 10-heavy as others so I'm comfortable on all fronts.

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A BUMMER ... BUT I NOW SEE WHY
The Card: Bryce Young 2022 Wild Card Matte SP Exclusive X-Plode White/Green (/3)
The Reason Graded: This rare card is simple and clean on nice matte stock with a photo that doesn't really showcase what isn't there so I bit since it wasn't that expensive. I didn't see any issues so I popped it into a bulk sub since he's got school ties for me and he figures to be among the first players drafted -- if not the first -- this year.
The Grade: CSG 8

Reality Check: This result was a huge bummer but I finally figured out what it must have been that was wrong ... and I don't know how I missed it. The player image has some thick spot gloss -- almost embossed it's so thick -- and there was a big spot where it had been dented or rubbed against its case. I suspect that kind of flaw drops things down here near immediately. I'll admit I could have missed that as surface is something I usually check ... but not always. It was a bummer but a different card I sent in for him was better than I expected so the shock of this one wore off quickly.

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SOME SLICK SILVER
The Card: Jadon Sancho 2018-19 Topps Chrome UEFA Champions League Refractor -- Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Graded: This one has been all over the place price-wise since its arrival a few years ago ... but it's still somewhat pricey and in some demand -- but mostly in elite grades. I knew this might not make it -- and it didn't -- but I still thought it was cool enough of a find to pop it into a slab. (I barely do soccer but have dabbled at times ... this before these Chrome sets truly got nutty in price.)
The Grade: CSG 9

Reality Check: The other copy checked in way lower here, so I don't hate mine that much. I do wonder if I gave that surface a once-over with a cloth over fingerprints -- I might not have -- because I see a couple spots here in the image that make me wonder if it's on the card or the case. Oh well ... the next time I crack and re-sub something will be the first time I crack and re-sub something.

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THROWBACK APPEAL
The Card: The New Mutants No. 15
The Reason Bought: With grading return times so long in recent months/years, I have dabbled with picking up slabs here and there already graded when on the cheap or when they are from a series that I liked or dabbled with back when I was a regular buyer of new comics. This is an example of that, though it's from a series that was winding down just as I was getting going. I grabbed this as it was affordable and I threw it in with some other items I was grabbing. I also went retro back then and have a lot of these early issues for this X-Men-related title.
The Grade: CGC 9.4 (Universal)

Reality Check: I'll definitely dip down on grades even lower than this on older books -- this is from 1984 -- and I think too many collectors stick to 9.8 or 9.6 too often as stuff from this era and even in this lower mark still looks really good. The tough part about buying slabs outright vs. subs? Comics slabs can only go so low as the cost to grade them is higher than it is for cards.

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TESTING THOSE WATERS
The Card: Pikachu V 2020 Pokemon Vivid Voltage
The Reason Bought: No, I'm not dabbling with Pokemon (or even really gaming beyond an occasional sports/wrestling subject) this one was a $10-ish pick-up to see what the CGC card slabs look and feel like in-person as that's where most (but not all) non-sports subjects are handled via that company. I'll admit I was skeptical of the style here that emulates comics slabs more than CSG but I didn't dislike it like I had worried about. My only Pokemon cards are from Happy Meals others bought and an errant unopened box that a big-box chain sent to me by mistake so this will likely stand alone unless I want to grade my Pikachu I have stashed somewhere.
The Grade: CGC 9

Reality Check: The feel of the case is good, the standard looks legit and, wow, that pop report is legit, too. The volume on high grades is low -- perhaps how it should be -- as well.

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WHAT A RUSH
The Card: Hawk & Animal ... The Road Warriors -- The Wrestler, January 1988
The Reason Bought: My CGC magazines have been in their hands well over a year at this point now but they should be back somewhat soon ... so here's one more pick-up from elsewhere to have a magazine presence this time. I'm a big fan of a lot of the "Apter Mags" from back then but only with certain stars and cleaner designs that showcased the photos well or at least minimized the distractions that happened back then. This one? It's super clean and showcases one of the best and most-iconic teams of the era ... so it was an easy grab at under $30.
The Grade: CGC 9.0 (Universal)

Reality Check: It's the only copy graded and there isn't really a ton of incentive to grade these as the paper is very pulpy and perhaps prone to discoloration like newsprint. (While you don't see that in a slab, it does affect the grade if it's not good.) I also used this as another example to study on what lower conditions might look like ... I have a lot of stuff I'd want to grade on the mags front but a year wait ain't working for me so my tarmac is backed up. (Faster returns cost a lot more ... but I may on a few select things that are worth the cost and/or I want slabbed as a priority.)

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ROCKING THE INDY CARDS
The Card: Rok-C (aka Roxanne Perez) 2019 Sabotage Wrestling -- pre-rookie cards
The Reason Graded: She's know known as Roxanne Perez in NXT where she's the women's champ at age 21. Her Rookie Cards popped up in 2022 Panini America WWE releases but not in every set ... so if you're keeping tabs on all that stuff, yes, they are out there. But this? It's actually not her first indy card -- she actually has one (maybe two) before this but they're obscure and I've not seen the set pop up at all on eBay the last couple years. (She's in there with two other big names I certainly want.) But when I spotted these on the cheap I knew I had to grab them ... and I knew I'd want them in slabs, too, once I saw them in-hand.
The Grade: CSG 9 & CSG 8.5

Reality Check: The soft stock here makes for some rough edges on the backs, which are as colorful as the fronts here but since that's not the smooth side the cardboard's fibers give a little more ... so there are spots that will lead to lower grades. I'd be surprised if any 10s could even exist here ... maybe not even any 9.5s.

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A FAIL ON A FAVORITE
The Book: The New Mutants Annual No. 2 (1986) -- first U.S. appearance of Psylocke
The Reason Graded: I picked this one up long, long ago -- I think it was a 1991 trip to Splash Page in Billings, Mont. -- and I've had it stashed all this time as it was a book done by my favorite artist back then, Alan Davis, with a cameo from my favorite character. The book doesn't seem to be as easy to find as others from years around there (some before, especially years after) and this one is the debut of a character that evolved and become very iconic from this starting point.
The Grade: CGC 8.5 (Universal)

Reality Check: This one is a fail for me -- especially since I had it pressed -- but there were too many spots on the back spine to save things here and it was among my first submissions. (So I paid a little bit extra to learn what can't be fixed.) No biggie as I just wanted it slabbed since it's a favorite and not one I own in bulk. In higher grades, this is a pricey book.

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ONE OF MANY BO BUYS ...
The Card: Bo Bichette 2020 Bowman -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I love the photo on this card -- a perfect shot before a perfect swing -- and when I saw it, what is now a 10 on their scale for less than $15 (quite awhile back) I bit. I have so many Bichette slabs in my stash I could pop up nothing but him here one month and probably have a few left over.
The Grade: CSG 9.5 (now 10)

Reality Check: Most check in here so that's a reason this one was cheaper but I'd still rather have one of only a couple hundred copies for a slab vs. the same card in other slabs where the volume may be massive. I like this card so much I've bought other versions and wouldn't rule out more if the price is right.

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PULLED THIS JUNIOR ...
The Card: Ken Griffey Jr. 1989 Bowman -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: Iconic 1980s and 1990s stars like this guy are prime grading fodder and, well, most of my stash from back then reflects their age or an era where wax paper was how stuff was "protected" in packs until we shredded them. For grading that's challenging atop issues like bad stock or crooked cuts. This one? It stood out from the group as isn't from a pack that was opened back in 1989 but rather from a box I found around a decade ago on the cheap (back when you could do that) and ripped. I landed a pair of this RC with the other copy having more typical 1989 centering that wasn't as grading friendly. This card? Well, it looked like a big winner to me with the only problem spot a small gray speck on the cardboard on his leg above the "y" in his signature. Not ideal but not something I considered to be too dangerous for grading.
The Grade: CSG 9

Reality Check: I'm not sure how much that spot may have hurt, but a nine here has only been topped by less than 10 percent of all cards submitted ... so a nine ain't bad at all.

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A THROWBACK ...
The Card: Nick Swisher 2002 Upper Deck Prospect Premieres
The Reason Bought: I grabbed this since it was cheap and he's my player -- and this first-year card is definitely not one seen as much as others for him. I own a few -- but nowhere as many as his Bowman Draft cards, for example -- and that has to be in part because these were hits only found a couple times per box. I think I found this for less than the price of almost all packs these days -- like $7 -- and was fine with that since grading fees are way higher than that and grading memorabilia cards can be riskier business in terms of the end result.
The Grade: BGS 9

Reality Check: The volume here was perhaps high at first reaction but maybe not considering that he was a high-profile guy for Oakland at the time this arrived. The case is scuffed -- a sign it's probably graded early on -- and it was interesting to see only three topping it. I'd want one of those for sure if it presented itself.

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COOPERSTOWN CALLING SOON?
The Card: Todd Helton 1993 Topps Traded -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I picked this up the morning of the Hall of Fame results thinking he might be the only one to get in and because this is actually his only Rookie Card from the only year of Topps Traded sets in that era that I never opened. (Why? I want to say they didn't hit retail channels or were pricey from the start compared to previous years.) He didn't get in but that's OK ... I think he will at some point.
The Grade: CSG 8.5

Reality Check: I didn't need to pony up for a higher grade here -- they're pricey as higher marks aren't as easy here. The stock is typically clean here but centering can be trouble along with print spots ... though I think some of that funk is on every card here as the photo itself seems grainier -- like it was off a dirty negative or the image was re-used from somewhere else.

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LET'S GET REAL ... AND GET GRADED
The Card: The Real World Premieres (Julie Gentry, Becky Blasband, Heather Gardner, Eric Nies, Kevin Powell) 2011 Topps American Pie Foil parallel
The Reason Graded: I've had a number of simple non-sports cards on my grading radar for a lot of different reasons but only recently I discovered that CSG had loosened up its grading ranks some to grade some cards from sets under "multi-sport" and this set is one that had a wide array of names on the checklist. I don't know officially what might or might not be able to make its way into these slabs but since I use them the most -- more than anyone else -- I subbed this in a bulk since others from the set had been graded. (BenchWarmer cards also are apparently game as stars with WWE ties have been graded so I went there, too, and I plan to do more.) Why this one? To me, this MTV series was the true birth of reality TV and this is one of very few cards to highlight it though many names from through the years have shown up on cards of their own. To a degree, you had to be there (this was 1992) but everybody knows the genre now.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: I picked the parallel version here as my copy was a little cleaner than my base -- the stock here is super thin and damage prone even by opening up the pack with too much pressure -- but the result was exactly what I was hoping for. A unique card in high grade might have more demand than you might think -- and there are some obviously huge cards in this catch-everything set from not that long ago. Only problem these days is finding packs ... they got ripped.

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TWICE AS NICE
The Cards: Elayna Black (aka Cora Jade) 2021 AAW Alive Series 1 -- pre-rookie card (announced as /300 made)
The Reason Graded: Indy wrestling sets have been on my mind recently -- the stuff is obscure and not always easy to find so I have to strike when I do see them -- and this pair of cards for a top women's star in WWE's NXT ranks is a perfect example. This card is her only pre-WWE creation (and it cheats a bit as the back mentions she was headed to WWE) and every copy I have owned I have had slabbed (I'm up to three ... my other graded a nine.)
The Grade: CSG 9.5 & CSG 9

Reality Check: The stock here is kind of a brittle/soft style with backs seeming a little fibery but fronts pretty clean save for some corner spots with all that dark ink. Most check in at these grades with nothing higher. The population has doubled since the last time I graded one and it popped up here. I think she's a top talent so I'm watching and you'll see more Cora Jade slabs here in the future.

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EVEN MORE INDY
The Card: Avery Taylor (aka Jacy Jayne) 2019 Ignite Wrestling
The Reason Graded: I picked this one up awhile back since it was her first card (as far as I can tell) and at that point she was part of a high-profile NXT team with one NXT A-lister and a second high-profile indy name of the past. Jacy Jayne wasn't really on my radar at all but since it was a first card for somebody in WWE I grabbed one -- and I should have grabbed more as, well, now she's perhaps the No. 1 name out of a former group who should be getting a lot more attention and high-profile storylines. She's delivered and improving, too.
The Grade: CSG 9

Reality Check: I actually only had this slabbed since everything looked absolutely razor sharp. The centering being a smidge off two directions is probably what dropped this one down to a nine. That was a bummer but this card is still a strong specimen even as a nine.

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TROUBLE IN TURN 2
The Card: Dale Earnhardt 1996 Upper Deck Road To The Cup SP (1995 set style)
The Reason Graded: This card was a somewhat-rarer late addition to the 1996 release in the style of the company's 1995 set -- a way to get Earnhardt "into" that set per se -- and I pulled this one from my lone box long, long ago. It was super clean and I thought it would be a contender ... and it was ... until ... trouble in Turn 2.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: Yes, it says "10" there, but the bottom right corner got clipped dramatically when it was put into the sleeve and there's also some issues on the back of the card, too. It's clearly some damage somehow from after it was graded -- and it wasn't there when I sent it in. It happens ... and this was a bummer that I should have had them fix but I didn't bother looking into that process. Why? It's not a super-pricey card. Technically it's a 10 ... but it's not this time. It was just a bit of a filler slab for me -- something so I had some NASCAR here. (I'm more of a Junior fan, but The Intimidator is how I got into NASCAR to start with for a few years.)

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CLASSY CHROME
The Card: Mike Trout 2017 Topps Heritage Chrome Purple Hot Box Refractors (botched label*)
The Reason Graded: I pulled a Hot Box or two back in the day -- I ripped a lot of Heritage that year -- and this was one of the one-per-pack Purple Refractors in one of those boxes. With Heritage and key names being in demand, I threw this into an early bulk sub back in the green-label days. (Small errors like this -- the parallel name got dropped from the info -- happened. Not the end of the world.)
The Grade: CSG 9.5 (now 10)

Reality Check: The error on this one has it as a pop-two Refactor with no other Purples listed ... so mine might be alone* and I'm noting it that way here.

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A VIPER'S ROOKIE CARD
The Card: Randy Orton 2002 Fleer WWE Royal Rumble -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: This set is loaded with RCs for three top WWE stars on the men's side -- John Cena, Batista and Orton -- and there are others on the women's side, too, who are also on first-year cards who I'll mention here in the future. The three big guys make these boxes pricey if they can even be found as high-grade everything here is not easy with this embossed set having stock/edge/gloss/chipping issues pretty much all the time. I have had three or four copies of everything here on the tarmac to be slabbed but know that even nines will be a challenge. I want to send them all ... yet I know that it won't be the best way to go here. But with this one I now have one of everybody who's key here in a slab.
The Grade: CSG 9

Reality Check: This was a nice surprise but it was my cleanest one. Surprisingly it's also the highest graded copy ... for now.

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SURPRISED BY THE SURFACE
The Card: Rhea Ripley 2022 Panini Select WWE Red Signatures (/99)
The Reason Graded: This one was a huge bummer but I knew immediately why it got the mark it did ... once I flipped it over. There's a fingernail dent/line on the back that I missed. I landed this and immediately put it in my to-grade stack without giving it a hard glance on the back once I had it in-hand. The front looked -- and is -- perfect and well-centered unlike a lot of stuff in this one and with the striking symmetrical pose here the card is still strong ... as long as you don't look at that grade number.
The Grade: CSG 8.5

Reality Check: This is kind of why I don't slab a lot of autographed or memorabilia cards that I like -- I don't want to have the risk of something coming back too low where it will bug me. It bugs me but it's such a simple but good card ... I may hunt more.

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ONE MORE "ROOKIE CARD"
The Card: Rhea Ripley 2020 Topps WWE Women's Division Roster -- rookie-year insert
The Reason Bought: I did a case of this release but it was pretty underwhelming to the point where not many subsequent buys happened ... meanwhile the brand is one I used to clear shelves of at retail. This one? No retail release and boxes were just one pack with two hits and a mess of inserts and then base thanks to COVID delays. This is a Rookie Card per se ... but it's not the base set in this release.
The Grade: CSG 9

Reality Check: I think I grabbed this on the cheap instead of bothering to grade since the stock is a little hard/chippy vs. other years of thin-stock Topps WWE releases. The left-right centering here should be obvious with those bars, too, so my raw copies may not have gotten my attention for grading if that was obviously off.

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A THROWBACK IN A NEW PLACE
The Card: Cody Bellinger 2017 Topps Heritage High Number Chrome (/999)
The Reason Graded: Like other Chrome here, this one was kind of a big deal back in the day so I slabbed it ... but recently he's not been the kind of slugging star he was back in 2017 that made this card and others like it big, big deals. Now, though, with him on a new team a card limited to 999 copies might have some extra demand. Maybe.
The Grade: CSG 9.5 (now 10)

Reality Check: This was in one of my earlier bulk subs and I sat on it as, well, Bellinger just wasn't playing well. Only one other copy has been graded and both checked in at a top mark.

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VIA PANINI MEXICO
The Card: Taya Valkyrie 2019 Panini Lucha Libre AAA -- international "Rookie Card"?
The Reason Graded: Not that long ago I sent a handful of cards from this Panini Mexico card set in for grading -- mostly names I know from AEW or NXT -- and she's the last of them (for now). She's worked for a number of companies and I think this was her first card (she does have earlier stickers from Lucha Libre AAA Panini releases) a couple years before her WWE debut as Franky Monet. She's been in the game since 2010 but a lot of the bigger promotions didn't have card sets when she was there. This one is an in-pack foreign release but from a major manufacturer ... so is it a Rookie Card? I'm leaning toward yes but this one is kind of in the gray area for those that care about such things.
The Grade: CSG 9.5 (now 10)

Reality Check: Most copies of this one check in at the top mark ... and it makes me think I need to go dig out my others from this and ponder slabs for the better names with American ties.

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EVEN MORE INDY ...
The Card: Sü Yüng 2022 History of The Wrestling Revolver Vol. 1
The Reason Graded: Another favorite of mine, this indy veteran has a number of years in the game but this was among her first cards save for one other indy set that had an announced print run of under 100 copies ... stuff I have only seen a picture of, let alone found in-person ... and then some gaming that's pretty obscure. (I could track those down but don't want to buy sets.) This is a card I own several times over ... but I wanted to chase a 10. I actually have pondered sending all copies of my cards in for her stuff, too, as she just has so few cards.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: I got the top mark for this one after getting a 9.5 last time ... so all is good in Hell now. Pizza rolls for all or something.

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THE MOUTH'S WWE DEBUT
The Card: Pat McAfee 2022 Panini Instant WWE -- wrestling "Rookie Card"
The Reason Graded: The high-energy talker took time to grow on me but this, his first wrestling card of any kind, dropped via Panini Instant after his first main-roster match and I grabbed a small lot with an eye on grading. Not much else going on here other than a first (I can't say Rookie Card full on since not in a pack, despite the logo) but I like the novelty of it.
The Grade: CSG 9.5

Reality Check: It's the highest-graded copy, which is good ... for now. I'll admit I wanted a 10 here as this one was my cleanest from a 10-count lot.

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CHANGE OF SCENERY
The Card: William Contreras 2021 Bowman's Best -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: This young catcher was growing on me last season with the Braves -- translation: he was on my fantasy team -- so I picked up some stuff here and there including this cheap RC, which was substantially less than it would cost to grade one in bulk. As a Brave, I liked that ... now that he's a Milwaukee Brewer? Yikes ... even if he becomes an All-Star not sure it would matter for his cards now.
The Grade: CSG 9.5 (now 10)

Reality Check: I didn't check the pop report here since the price was so good. Top mark with most checking in a couple notches lower.

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