Making the Grade (Nov.): Atlanta Braves Rookie Cards, Vladdy, David Letterman, Bo, Aerosmith, Kobe, Pistol Pete & 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 CAREER YEAR
The Card: Dansby Swanson 2017 Topps Heritage #76B action variation SP -- Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Bought: I'm a sucker for Heritage RCs and multi-player cards from the past, but I've never really chased the SPs that have been immensely popular since around this year where a few key names went solo from their card counterparts and have cards of their own -- both signed and unsigned. I had Swanson stashed on my fantasy league all season (mostly on the bench behind a favorite of mine you see here often) and saw the career year as it was happening. I had been eyeing this card for years now -- I own plenty of the regular ones as well as a couple of the Chrome types (I might slab those) -- and grabbed this awhile back. With the Braves' World Series showing, I figured I'd have him batting lead-off here ... and he won't be alone from the ATL here this month.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: I wasn't really worried about the pop report but I also didn't realize there were so few cards above this one. I will stash this one away with my Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuña Jr. slabs I've picked up or slabbed on my own the last couple years like I suspect many have and will be doing. I probably need to slab some of their pitchers and you might see a Freddie Freeman Heritage card or two here in the future. (I lean toward the new guys more but have had some good Heritage pulls.)

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

STRONG SEASON
The Card: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 2019 Topps (Series 2) #NNO SP -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: I pulled two of these cards that summer but never stockpiled or chased more when prices dipped. I had this card in a grading submission before the season began simply because I liked the photo here and because the card does seem to have a higher profile than other RCs. This card looked pretty much perfect save for the top right corner showing a speck of white so I was curious how it might check in.
The Grade: CSG 9.5

Reality Check: I was a tad surprised by my grade but I liked that -- it seems that everything clean with one corner like that could still get this mark and that's good to know. The cards from this year's flagship and Update seemingly always have issues on the corners with either the stock being chippy or the tight wrappers causing the damage -- it's something I noticed quite a bit when examining a lot of the key cards that are grading candidates. I went with this one, the cleaner of my two, and since it's rarer than other RCs. You'll see others here ... and probably more for Vladdy, too.

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REMEMBER THIS START?
The Card: Brett Favre 1991 Pacific #551 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: OK, we all know Favre's post-career years have had some odd headlines but that's not on the radar as to why I grabbed this Hall of Famer's Rookie Card at all. I always liked Favre's RCs that show him with his first team -- cards that still look so jarring as the "wrong team" -- and Pacific is one that, while plentiful and affordable, I haven't seen as often through the years. Action Packed is probably my favorite and one I want to find in a slab, while Pro Set is also a fav ... but that's a heck of a challenge grading-wise. This one was in a happy middle ground and affordable even as a 9.5. (I don't collect Favre enough to pony up a ton.)
The Grade: BGS 9

Reality Check: I didn't check the pop report on this one to see how rare a 10 was -- that's impressive -- but the volume on 9.5s seems pretty high so I'm glad I didn't pay up for that higher grade. I'll perhaps still upgrade on this one or grab a Stadium Club slab at some point -- that's his best RC but pricey despite being plentiful but the college uni just isn't as interestingly jarring to me as the Falcons' black unis are vs. Green Bay's colors.

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LEGENDARY MEMORABILIA
The Card: Frank Robinson 2001 Leaf Certified Materials Fabric of the Game #12BA SP
The Reason Bought: Robinson is a guy I collect quite a bit but on a casual basis -- in other words, I'll buy if the price is right when I find it. When I saw this short-printed card from a popular set in a slab I didn't mind picking it up for the price of one of those new chromium-stock blasters out there. Did I need it? Probably not, but I'm not even sure I own any other cards from this set, which many collectors from that time love due its subjects and depth that includes huge names like Lou Gehrig, Hank Aaron, Jackie Robinson and Babe Ruth.
The Grade: BGS 9

Reality Check: I didn't bother checking the pop report here -- I knew I wanted it -- but was pleased to see it's a rarer slab and that none are better. A BGS 9 on a mem card from these years isn't bad -- thick-stock cards from then can be messy -- so it hit the spot for me. Simple as that.

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A CAMEO IN COMICS
The Card: The Avengers #239 (January 1984)
The Reason Bought: I own a raw copy of this book that I found probably 15 years ago and still have. That one is grading-worthy and I might slab it, too, but when I stumbled upon this slab modestly priced I decided I'd skip the wait and grab it now ... in part to see how a 9.6 looks and then compare that to my copy. What's the deal here? Well, it should be obvious -- it's a serious cameo issue for TV icon David Letterman and it's not subtle, either. (It's actually not really just a cameo as he's a big part of the story.)
The Grade: CGC 9.6 (Universal)

Reality Check: A lot of comics fans say 9.8 or nothing when it comes to slabs, but to me the older a book gets the more I'd dip down into the 9s as long as things don't look too ratty and it doesn't feel overpriced. This one looks good and I think I'd dip down to 9.4 or even 9.2 range on older books as long as the flaws don't draw too much attention to themselves. (Issues on the back covers count, but I'm not looking there real hard.) You'll be seeing a book here every month and this time it's retro ... I'll have some newer stuff here next time and plenty more in the coming year once my returns pop from CGC.

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A RARER SHADE?
The Card: Bo Bichette 2020 Topps Opening Day Purple Foil #173 -- Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Bought: I ponied up a bit to grab this card since my gut said there probably aren't a lot of these out there compared to other cards for him from the basic sets last year -- slabbed or not. Why? These Purples were included in blister packs along with packs only found at one regional chain, Meijer, after Purples were, for years, the staple of Toys R Us. Simple logic here -- there are only 250 or so stores for that chain vs. more than 4,700 Walmarts and approximately 1,900 Targets so any exclusives would, in theory, apply to a degree to how much was made. Sure, they could make a boatload more but that means more cost to do so and if only so much is made then where would extras go? (And if there were tons of them, we'd see more for sale and more slabbed.) Purples have been an anomaly in the past but for an early year release like Opening Day (after Topps, which had its own Purples) I don't know if there would be a perceived need for a boatload to be made for this release.
The Grade: PSA 9

Reality Check: I remember checking the pop report for the volume on this one before I grabbed it -- the number hasn't changed -- while the Canada-exclusive parallel of this card has been slabbed more than 200 times by PSA and then Target Reds had 68 and Blues had 65. The only thing rarer than this slab for him from this release is the SP image variation graded just 11 times. Out of curiosity, I checked the flagship Purple and that one has been slabbed 34 times ... while the regular RC has been graded more than 20,000 times. And that's only via PSA ...

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NOT THE NORM ...
The Card: Ozzie Albies 2018 Topps Allen & Ginter Mini #355 (from Rip Card) -- SP Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: His Rookie Cards are seriously cheap and great bargain fodder considering he's had a Hall of Fame-caliber pace to start his career. He hit 30 homers and stole 20 bases this year -- career-highs -- and has had 100 runs and 40 doubles in his last three full seasons. Throw in a couple of All-Star nods and a World Series run and his place as a home-grown player on a young title-contending team just reinforces how his stuff is worth the look. He'll be in his sixth season next year at just 25 years old, too. I grabbed this one since it's a mini from a Rip Card -- an SP that can't be super-plentiful in general (at least vs. the standard one) and some of them are possibly still sitting in unopened Rip Cards. I found this on the cheaper side of things -- less than a low-end blaster box -- and less than it would cost to grade one myself.
The Grade: PSA 9

Reality Check: The pop report here is slim and most are 10s but I liked my price. This is a funny mini card, too, as his standard one is the exact same pose -- just not smiling.

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IT'S BASE-KETBALL SEASON, TOO
The Card: Danny Ainge 1982 Topps #125
The Reason Bought: It's not high-grade but that's fine by me as this was a cheap novelty grab. I had Ainge's 1981 Topps Traded Rookie Card in my "get graded" stack for months but never did send it as it's probably going to get this mark or maybe even lower with centering issues. I went with a cheap clean-looking card here for the basketball All-Star, coach and front-office executive who played three years in MLB. He didn't have a lot of cardboard -- Rookie Cards in 1981 Donruss, Fleer and Topps (Traded) -- and then some 1982s and that's about it for big-league stuff. There are a lot of two-sport players out there from the past and they always jump out at me if cheap.
The Grade: PSA 8

Reality Check: This looks quite clean for a PSA 8 -- I think it was just corners that got it there, maybe some of that bottom-right edge -- clean enough I paid about $12 just for kicks. I don't think I have anything else for his MLB cards except that 1981 Topps Traded, so I may send that one in soon to go along with this and others like Bo Jackson, John Elway, Jackie Robinson and others I have in slabs.

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THE ORIGINAL BENCHWARMERS?
The Card: Dorothy Rice ("Fur Goodness Sake") 1945 Mutoscope Artist Pinups #NNO
The Reason Bought: There aren't a ton of sets out there that Buzz hasn't seen at least in passing or know of generally speaking from the sports realm (save for maybe some hockey or older oddballs), but a recent search for slabs and other oddball stuff from a dealer known for really old stuff had me discovering these ... they're basically Benchwarmers cards of the 1940s that are the size of old Exhibit postcards and were sold via vending machines. The model here is Dorothy Rice -- I only know since there was an autographed one on eBay -- and a number of these were photos/art from Earl Moran, whose pin-ups sold millions of calendars in that timeframe with one of his key models being Marilyn Monroe. (I'm sure this is all history to many ... but I learned something looking for some vintage slabs.)
The Grade: PSA 8

Reality Check: This one had a solid price for the grade -- not too high -- and its age. These cards aren't pricey at all raw but the volume of slabs isn't really big (probably since they are oversized). Other than some light corners, I didn't see anything on this that made it look like a PSA 8 at all.

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LIVING ON THE EDGE
The Card: Kyle Petty -- with Aerosmith -- 1994 Action Packed racing #95
The Reason Graded: I'm a sucker for a good pop culture crossover -- a celeb or band -- on a sports card and I've graded quite a few of them to what's becoming a solid little stack of stuff like this. It's not some rare pull or anything -- it's merely a base card that's part of a subset to The King's son in the set. It talks about his fandom and how their paths have crossed.
The Grade: CSG 9.5

Reality Check: Action Packed cards can be challenging with all their embossing and how they are folded and glued shut before being packed out but this one was a pleasant surprise of a grade. It makes this card that cost me $1 a little more interesting -- and it might sell for a little more than that, too, if I were slabbing to sell. (You can't just find fresh, new copies of this one as easily as brand-new stuff.) To me, a cheap card with something different or interesting in a high-grade slab is as nice as some basic RC ... maybe better.

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VISIONS OF A 10 ...
The Card: Kobe Bryant 2000-01 Topps Heritage #7
The Reason Graded: I bought quite a bit of this Heritage set back then -- I really wasn't dabbling in much NBA stuff as I was living in college football territory -- but I actually don't have a lot to show for it now as cards from sports where I've been less focused would get jettisoned in bulk when it was moving time. This card stuck with me in a small stash of star cards and when I pulled them out this card just jumped out at me as flawless. (No, not Panini Flawless ... just perfect.)
The Grade: CSG 9.5

Reality Check: I still don't see what might be holding this card back -- after all, there are 10s and then a perfect 10 atop that from CSG -- but I was happy to see this mark anyway. It's a solid piece and Heritage NBA, while not super-popular in the big picture, does seem to hold up with its allegiance to past sets having their appeal.

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STAYS THE SAME AGE ...
The Card: Pete Maravich 1974-75 Topps #10
The Reason Bought: I found this card on the cheaper side of things for a slab -- especially considering how clean this 6 is -- at $30, which is lower than what other encased counterparts would cost you. That's in part due to the fact that SCD Authentic wasn't around long (a few years in the early 2000s) and its follow-up owner perhaps might not have been as strict with its standards after it was sold off. (Those are slabs with a blue oval with a slightly different name.) This card is one I have always window-shopped but for whatever reason never grabbed -- likely due to high prices on cards that look far worse than this -- and it's definitely alway piqued my attention as the Hall of Famer seriously looks like another legend from the past here with the hair, neck and necklace all the same.
The Grade: SCD 6

Reality Check: The SCDA pop report seems like it's a goner, but their slabs should get a look for possible cracking and subbing elsewhere if you're into that thing at a fraction of costs for other cases. They were a relatively tough grader and crossing over should have decent results if you scrutinize your buys. (I submitted stuff to them perhaps before any other company as they were fast -- seven cards, seven days for $7 apiece -- back then, so I have a few in my stash already.)

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THE KING MANAGED, TOO
The Card: Sadaharu Oh 2005 BBM (Japan) #576
The Reason Graded: This Japanese baseball legend hit 868 home runs un his career and that's forever got him a spot in the global baseball record books -- but he also managed the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks for more than a decade, winning a pair of Japan Series titles. This card isn't all that big of a deal -- it's a bit of a design trainwreck if you ask me -- but I pulled it from a pack myself and I like to mix in some international stuff from time to time. I have a couple of other pulls of note for him but this one was cleaner so it got the grading nod. 
The Grade: CSG 9.5

Reality Check: BBM cards typically check in clean if newly pulled from recent-year releases -- I've gotten BGS 10s from them --  so I wasn't all that surprised by the grade.

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RARE FROM RETAIL
The Card: Dirk Nowitzki 2017-18 Panini Threads Blue Dazzle #58 (/25)
The Reason Graded: I'm not some big Nowitzki fan -- he is among the most under-rated international stars, though, and is sixth on the all-time NBA scoring list -- but this was a rare pull from a retail-only brand that I figured was rare enough it might make a good slab for me here that's not of the Rookie Card from the last couple of years varsity. These foilboard cards do dazzle quite a bit, too, to live up to their name. 
The Grade: CSG 9.5

Reality Check: This one was clean so I figured it would do well -- I probably wouldn't have sent it in with a bulk order if it wasn't -- and it's the kind of card where over time there might be some demand as it's rare and people who are looking may not be able to find one. A top grade makes it a bit stronger candidate over time, too, as I see a lot of other stuff getting slab attention before late-career parallels.

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SHE'S BACK ...
The Card: Peyton Royce 2018 Topps WWE (Series 2) #158 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I picked up this card -- a basic favorite from that set -- for less than it would cost me to sub one with no guarantees of a 9.5. I did that in part just to see how the details looked under a loupe for this one -- the paper stock here is just so thin and you can easily damage cards just by pulling too hard on the wrappers when opening a pack. She's back in wrestling -- now under the name Cassie Lee along with Jessie McKay as The IInspiration. They grabbed the Impact! tag championships in their first match, too, after their WWE run abruptly ended earlier this year. (Not a big thing for card values per se ... it's just good to see them continuing to entertain. These Aussie stars filled one role -- a comedic heel duo -- very well in WWE but appear primed to do even more.) 
The Grade: CSG 9.5

Reality Check: I have either pulled or picked off a few version of her cards -- with and without ink -- along with her IIconics partner and they have both been on my "maybe slab" lists but I have been unsure how they might grade. Corners are always an issue with these sets and this card doesn't really help as it's perfect on that front. I guess I'll just have to grade those autos at some point soon.

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SHE'S CALLED IT A CAREER
The Card: Cat Osterman 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Edition School Colors #SC-37 (/1,500)
The Reason Graded: This well-decorated and accomplished softball legend has called it a career after playing at every level she could since she started with the Texas Longhorns back in 2002. She's got Olympic medals, pro titles and more on the resume and that even includes a number of card appearances. This release marked her first in-pack cards as one of a few college stars from other sports mixed in with baseball standouts -- many far less successful than her at that point -- on base, auto, inserts and some autographed memorabilia cards. I picked up some of each long ago as that's a perfect photo -- it's used a bit more strongly on other cards -- and decided this one needed to be slabbed. 
The Grade: CSG 8.5

Reality Check: The front looks really good here but it's the back corners that are problem spots as the paper is somewhat soft -- not chippy where edges can be an issue but fibers do show. I had figured a CSG 9ish here but a grade like this -- a smidge lower than what I want to see -- was better on an insert like this than on auto-mem cards that I really like but might not appreciate as much if in a slab with a mark perceived as nothing special. This card isn't pricey but with it being somewhat limited and in a release that's a little more obscured over time -- definitely not as easily found all these years later -- some sellers are trying to get $15 or more in the wake of her retirement. I just think it's a nice card and thought it might make a nice slab.

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NEEDED A SLAB
The Card: The Hardy Boyz (Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy) 1999 Comic Images WWF Smackdown Autographs #NNO
The Reason Graded: I pulled this from a pack lot not that long ago and was both surprised and excited as it's a debut-year card and dual-auto card for a duo who have had their ups and downs in their careers but also should ultimately end up as WWE Hall of Famers among other honors. Their high-flying and insane moments all came after this one -- and after their time with Michael Hayes as their mentor hogging up space (but not signing) what is essentially a parallel of their Rookie Card. (It's the same image but in the set with a different background or card back depending on whether it's the basic set or the chromium version -- this is in both packs.)
The Grade: CSG 8

Reality Check: The on-card sigs, dark ink and thin stock lead to corner issues easily -- that's how mine was freshly pulled -- but I knew that an 8.5ish grade was very possible here. Not a big deal as it's a key card no matter what and I wanted it graded to present better than it would in a top-loader.

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SMALL CARD, BIG DEAL
The Card: Austin Riley 2019 Topps Mini #US100 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I picked up this card not that long ago for a seemingly dirt-cheap price -- under $10 -- and that feels better now as he's been a key player in the Braves' World Series run. I always liked this card's tight crop -- most flagship cards are too distant for my taste -- but I never really followed through on any grading after his hot start in 2019 as he cooled dramatically by the end of that first season. He's back, though, and that makes affordable slabs good grabs. He had a career year with a .303 average -- dramatically higher than his first two seasons -- along with 22 homers and 107 RBI. Both those totals were more than he had in his career entering this season ... now consider his postseason showing.
The Grade: PSA 9

Reality Check: I didn't check the pop report here but was happy to see it checking in so low -- that I like. I'm a sucker for mini cards and the flagship version of this has been graded exactly 1,000 times with 496 of those coming in at 10s. I'll take the mini -- even as a PSA 9 -- all day long in comparison.

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