Making the Grade (Oct.): Bo Bichette, iconic comics, Saraya, Don Hutson, Michael Jordan, Tua, Karrion Kross, Pat McAfee, Shotzi, old magazines, NFL rookies & stars ... and even Pink
This entry was posted on September 30, 2022
.Warning: ini_set() has been disabled for security reasons in /home/blowtest/public_html/app/code/community/Fishpig/Wordpress/Addon/PluginShortcodeWidget/Helper/Core.php(1) : eval()'d code on line 268
Warning: ini_set() has been disabled for security reasons in /home/blowtest/public_html/app/code/community/Fishpig/Wordpress/Addon/PluginShortcodeWidget/Helper/Core.php(1) : eval()'d code on line 268
Warning: ini_set() has been disabled for security reasons in /home/blowtest/public_html/app/code/community/Fishpig/Wordpress/Addon/PluginShortcodeWidget/Helper/Core.php(1) : eval()'d code on line 268
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 ... and it's one of the biggest months ever.
A MONSTER MONTH ...
The Card: Bo Bichette 2020 Topps Archives Snapshots Archives Autographs
The Reason Graded: I've been buying up Bo Bichette cards relatively heavily by my standards -- second perhaps only to some top favorites and people with school ties -- but of all my pick-ups only one was an autograph. These were, I believe, via a redemption and that's how I landed mine -- at least in a sealed Topps top-loader -- and I opted to slab it in a recent submission. (Even though I generally don't grade a lot of autos as I don't want to get a dreaded grade on a card I like.)
The Grade: CSG 9
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Reality Check: I'm fine with nines, but this one seemed like a slight bummer as I didn't see anything dramatically wrong with it -- so there must have been a couple of minor issues that dropped it down in tandem. The design here is one that doesn't have a lot of perfectly center-able features ... so maybe part of that was just a judgment call, too.
Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.
A 1990s ICON ...
The Book: Spawn No. 1
The Reason Graded: Back in the day, the game-changing Image books were ones I couldn't land at a local newsstand, so I did the old mail-order route via American Entertainment -- a major seller whose ads were all over insides of books (and maybe some back covers) back in those days. I ordered this one and a couple other early issues (maybe the first five or so) and by the time actually I got them in hand my interest in the title was waning and my focus was elsewhere ... so that's all I have, but I always held them. When I recently went though all of my books from 30 years ago, this one looked very clean and top grades here are relatively valuable but not as hot as some memorable books from the era. Either way, I figured I'd slab the first one for now.
The Grade: CGC 9.8 (Universal)
Grade | 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 9.6 | 9.8 | 9.9 | 10.0 | Total |
Population | 90 | 104 | 256 | 415 | 785 | 1,284 | 2,655 | 5,389 | 10,234 | 69 | 6 | 21,365 |
Reality Check: The value here is likely keyed to the pop report as nearly half of all copies graded check in at this top mark -- the top realistic grade that is as this is one of the titles with a number of books somehow better than that. (They didn't used to exist in any kind of volume ... and really still don't in general.) I was glad to see his one at a 9.8 -- I figured it would be but I didn't have it pressed to get closer to guaranteeing it.
--
A GREEN BAY (AND NFL) LEGEND ...
The Card: Don Hutson 1955 Topps All-American -- short-printed Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: Look up early NFL records and you'll see this Hall of Famer atop everything -- the legend whose marks lasted until Jerry Rice arrived in the 1980s. He held 18 records when he retired and his 99 receiving TDs still rank 11th despite plenty of offensive changes in football since his last game in 1945. (Yes ... 1945.) This is his Rookie Card -- years later -- since it was released in pack form and there's really nothing else comparable from his era and this one pre-dates the first Topps NFL set by a year. It shows him with the Alabama Crimson Tide and I believe I have tracked down all but one Alabama Pro Football Hall of Famer's Rookie Card in a slab. Since this one is pricier, I bought it raw years ago but I recently sent it in to join my slab squad.
The Grade: CSG 5.5
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Population | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
Reality Check: The chart above isn't a typo ... mine is the best-graded via CSG with the rest checking in between 1.5 and 4.5.
--
A SURPRISE RETURN
The Card: Paige 2015 Topps Chrome WWE Atomic Refractors -- Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Graded: Between flagship Topps and its Chrome counterpart, think I opened more Topps WWE in 2015 than in any other year and perhaps more than everything from some years combined. This card is predated by her 2014 NXT inserts in base and Chrome but I was still a fan of the introduction of the RC logo this year (in her case, it would be a RC unlike some others in this set and after) and I have tons of copies -- all top-loaded out of habit when ripping these -- between base and Chrome. Her recent return to the ring in AEW meant this slab was a late addition here -- I've had this one waiting for a spot with other WWE cards (I slab too many in relation to other sports so I spread them out). I pulled this card in one of my most-recent breaks with this version of parallel being a cool one that stands out from the pack that year. In fact, I pulled two of them.
The Grade: CSG 10
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Reality Check: This one checked in at the highest mark so I'm good. Many of her parallels here are pricey cards even when raw.
--
THAT NEAR-PERFECT MAG GOT MAILED ...
The Mag: Michael Jordan -- Sports Illustrated Feb. 14, 2000 (subscription edition)
The Reason Graded: I've moved about four times over the years since this one arrived in my mail and each of those times a number of magazines got jettisoned over the years with either condition problems, covers not of interest or, well, simply space being a reason they got punted. This one only survived since it was Jordan and it arrived in a subscription-renewal wraparound cover that had my address printed there instead of on the address block -- and it was that same wraparound that helped keep it in nearly perfect shape. In fact, this mag wasn't even bagged or boarded when I pulled it out of a magazine box where I had stashed it years ago. I carefully removed the wraparound and gave it a look and ... it looked nearly perfect to me so I sent it in with my first stash of magazines to be graded by CGC last year. (Yes, last year.)
The Grade: CGC 9.6 (Universal)
Grade | 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 9.6 | 9.8 | 9.9 | 10.0 | Total |
Population | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
Reality Check: This one came up just short of the normal top mark -- anything above a 9.8 is essentially impossible -- and that's actually interesting considering it got mailed and I didn't have it pressed. Could it have checked I at the elite mark that no other issue has had I done that? Maybe. I'm not a big Jordan fan -- or really a big SI grader just yet -- but I have a number I would want to slab. This one was just an obvious first one -- condition-wise -- to make the cut.
--
I'M IN THE DARK ... I DON'T SEE THE FLAWS
The Book: Ghost Rider (1990) No. 15
The Reason Graded: This one is among the newsstand copies I have had stashed away from the early 1990s and my pair of these were so clean I almost sent both in since prices on newsstand versions (UPC code) are steep -- way pricier than they probably should be for a book from that heavily made and saved era. What's so special here? It's a glow-in the-dark cover where the flame head shows up in the dark -- a gimmick cover that didn't cost way more than a normal issue, too.
The Grade: CGC 9.4 (Universal)
Grade | 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 9.6 | 9.8 | 9.9 | 10.0 | Total |
Population | 4 | 4 | 9 | 16 | 17 | 43 | 98 | 257 | 1,109 | 3 | 0 | 1,562 |
Reality Check: I was surprised by this as I couldn't find a flaw here that was obvious -- I'm in the dark on this one -- but that's OK. I remember this being among some of my earliest issues I picked up while starting to collect comics and I picked it up at some small mom-and-pop grocery store in Jackson, Wyo., where they had all their comics set on some kid-level bottom shelf instead of a spinner rack where the spines would have been doomed with a simple flippant viewing or spin. Will I grade my other copy? Maybe ... but I think this one was the better of the two.
--
HIS FIRST ...
The Card: Jose Canseco 1983 Fritsch Madison Muskies -- first MiLB card
The Reason Graded: For years, this was a card I could never find -- or at least never without paying way more than I should for it and more than any other Canseco card I owned, which was plenty. (I'm talking the years before and up to when autographs and memorabilia cards were a common thing for everybody.) But then somewhere in the late 1990s I found a dealer with bulk team sets. Then, a few years later, I even found one with uncut sheets and I loaded up like any respectable 1980s player collector would. This one came fresh from one of those team sets -- cards so fresh I didn't even rub my finger on that left edge for those few loose, extra shards to fall off. I simply went from bag to page and then page to semi-rigid for grading here. Why is this card a big deal? It's Canseco's very first card of any kind at the MiLB level -- first first -- and it predates his Rookie Cards by three years. I always liked the photo and how it feels like Oakland but clearly is a long way away, too. (Look how not-green that grass is.)
The Grade: CSG 9.5 (now 10)
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Reality Check: I was pleased to see this one check in at the mark it did -- and there are none around it. It's enough I want to go dig out my other team sets and see if more might be comparable. This one is still a favorite card of mine -- perhaps more than his 1986 Donruss Rated Rookie -- and a secondary reason for this is to come. Keep reading.
--
TWO OF A KIND ... (WHITE RABBIT/RED RABBIT?)
The Cards: Killer Kross (Karrion Kross) 2019 Panini Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide & Red parallel -- Rookie Card?
The Reason Graded: He has a couple of Panini stickers from before these during his time/appearances for this legendary Mexican wrestling promotion, but for cardboard in packs this current WWE star's "Rookie Card" might be this albeit in international fashion. (He also has indy cardboard before his first WWE stuff in 2020.) I picked up a box of these out of curiosity not that long ago -- I never heard about their arrival in real-time from Panini Mexico back in 2019 -- and landed most of the set and then Kross among the few parallels in the box (poke around for a Buzz Break here to see more). This isn't the rarest color of parallel, but it'll do as it's one of the better cards and there are no other kinds of inclusions beyond other parallels to trump it.
The Grades: CSG 9.5 (now 10)
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Base | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 |
-
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Red Pop | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Reality Check: I graded both since I had both -- I didn't do his subset card I also have but I might at some point with both of these checking in at what are now 10s. In fact, I need to go back though all of my cards from that box and see who else has popped up and might be of interest. I have graded others but should do more ... these boxes have dried up for the most part.
--
THE TANK IS BACK!
The Card: Shotzi Blackheart 2020 Topps WWE NXT Roster -- (RC-year insert)
The Reason Graded: This isn't her Rookie Card despite the logo -- it's an insert -- but if it were it would probably be her best one in terms of the clean design and stronger photo for the WWE's Tank Girl. I've graded more than one of these -- it might have even checked in here before with a different copy in a different month -- but this one is the best of the bunch as none have topped it.
The Grade: CSG 10
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 13 |
Reality Check: Yes, that was meant to be ironic, but it's true. In fact, most of these are checking in as 10s ... so now mine doesn't feel as cool. But it is.
-
A NON-LOGO ROOKIE CARD ...
The Card: Pat McAfee 2015 Topps NFL -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: This was my only copy of this one -- at least that I could find -- and I landed it from a factory set so the cut is what it is ... despite that, I still chose to grade it as this NFL punter turned media mogul turned WWE commentator turned ESPN talker. I'm not a big fan but he doesn't have a boatload of cardboard so that's a reason I slabbed it. This didn't get a RC logo as he had some medallion-looking insert the year before and then this one -- they weren't thinking about RCs for veteran punters -- and that's perhaps why I can't find a second one I thought I had. I might have chucked it not realizing it was an RC -- but I'll admit he's grown on me since.
The Grade: CSG 8.5
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
Reality Check: Behold ... one of the worst copies graded! It's not awful, but the centering didn't help and sometimes the factory set boxes don't protect cards if the boxes bounce around. All that dark ink also showcases any edge issues well and this one might have some small spots as well ... but I knew that sending it in.
--
REDISCOVERING DREW
The Card: Sugar (Drew Barrymore) 1995 Fleer Metal Batman Forever Movie Preview
The Reason Graded: A lot of 1990s non-sports sets can be very formulaic and over-produced for mass consumption where people just weren't that hungry as there were no hits to chase ... or even a lot of inserts. Even back in 1995 that was the case with this product which was around for years in pack form until perhaps recently when people started ripping and slabbing about anything cheap to see what might happen. I'll admit I didn't know about some of the stuff made for this bad Batman movie, but the cast was A-list to the degree that a smaller role like Sugar went to a big name and there's cardboard to show for it. The Metal name attached here has had these cards have some elevated asking prices (and perhaps sales) but I found this one as part of a small lot for somewhere around $1 a card and I sent my cleanest one in for grading.
The Grade: SGC 10
Grade | 6.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10P | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Reality Check: I was glad to see this one come back with this mark -- it looked good to me save for some slight centering funk on the back ... but that is apparently on all of them. This one checked in at the best copy by a couple slots, making this feel like an even better card than I thought. You've seen some Barrymore slabs here in the past and will probably see more at some point -- she has a lot of stuff out there people could collect and that's a reason I have picked off a few things here and there. A lot of iconic names are like her and still off the radar a bit since they're not sports sets -- or sometimes not even cataloged with their names, just the characters.
--
SCHOOL TIES
The Card: Jerry Jeudy 2020 Panini Legacy -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I picked this one up sometime over the past year as it was cheap and it fit the school ties part of my collecting habit. I prefer stuff in college colors but with NFL teams noted if possible just to show both worlds ... but if the price is right I'll still pick off any of them. (I'm not big on the design of this set, for example, but it's still here.)
The Grade: SGC 9.5
Grade | 6.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10P | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
Reality Check: It's not the best, it's not the worst ... it's right there in the middle.
--
SCHOOL TIES II
The Card: Ken MacAfee Sr. 1955 Bowman -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: Did I need this? No, but it's another RC for an Alabama guy and it was cheap since it's low-grade ... and that's all I need. He played for three teams in his six-year career, while his son was a Notre Dame star who is in the College Football Hall of Fame. This MacAfee was on an NFL Championship-winning team (1956 Giants), too.
The Grade: PSA 2
Grade | 1 | 1.5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Total |
Population | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 17 | 35 | 59 | 66 | 7 | 0 | 196 |
Reality Check: Vintage gets graded heavily by registry-minded collectors but this one certainly isn't a player there -- and ironically this is close to worst copy in existence even though it doesn't look like a PSA 2. Go figure.
--
HUNTED THIS FOREVER ...
The Mag: Jose Canseco -- Minor League Monthly Price Guide, April 1989
The Reason Graded: For years -- much, much longer than the cards -- this magazine that shouldn't be obscure eluded me ... at least until a member of the publisher's family finally started selling a few copies of a few issues on eBay. I picked up a couple long ago and they had been bagged and double-boarded (front and back) for years now until a recent move. During that move, one corner of these got slightly bumped ... enough that I knew a perfect mark here might not happen but I still thought it was clean enough. What is this? It was a short-lived Beckett-style (but not Beckett) price guide -- right down to emulating the old nameplate type on the front -- that focused only on minor-league cards. It's not all that flashy or much of a read, but the cover using the same photo as his 1983 Madison Muskies card six years later made this one a must-own for me. (I kinda want more, too.)
The Grade: CGC 9.6 (Universal)
Grade | 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 9.6 | 9.8 | 9.9 | 10.0 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Reality Check: This one came up just short of the top mark but I'm OK with that ... either way, it's the only copy graded and it's still a favorite. I might grade my other copy at some point if CGC's magazine backlog clears and returns come back faster. This one was sent to them last year and just came back recently this summer.
--
WON THE BATTLE ...
The Card: Tua Tagovailoa 2020 Panini Absolute Football (retail version) -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I picked this one up cheap as I have ripped a lot of the retail version of this brand and know that the foilboard surface could be a grading challenge ... so I let somebody else take that on. This was a pick-up since he's got school ties for me but I grabbed it before the season started. I'll dabble with the cheap stuff here and there for sure when they present themselves.
The Grade: BGS 9
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | B10 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 37 | 71 | 1 | 0 | 119 |
Reality Check: This one has a lot of copies slabbed -- makes sense given the year and the era -- and that it's a cheap one you can find in blasters. I just wonder how many of those were graded with pricier fees involved -- that might have stung for some submitters. I paid less than a blaster for this one, let alone less than what it could cost to grade. Good for me, not for them.
--
ANOTHER ICON ...
The Mag: Pink -- Blender No. 10 (October 2002)
The Reason Graded: While mags like Sports Illustrated and Playboy were saved for years and get graded heavily, my first few grading submissions for magazines included stuff more toward the pop culture radar and from more-recent years. Why? Stars such as Pink don't have any/many card appearances and I think stuff from more recent times in the print world have far lower print runs than arguably more-iconic stuff from earlier years to start. How many got saved? Also another story, depending on the title. I used to hit book stores on a heavy/regular basis in college years and after and would pick off a lot of mags but a lot didn't get saved over the years unless they were clean or favorites. Blender was a favorite as it took Maxim's short-form story-telling approach and applied it mostly to music.
The Grade: CGC 9.4 (Universal)
Grade | 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 9.6 | 9.8 | 9.9 | 10.0 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Reality Check: I was admittedly a little surprised and bummed by this checking in at a 9.4 as I was a brutal nit-picker for copies I bought back in the day -- a habit established during my comic-buying days -- but this is the only copy slabbed and it might stand up for a while. (You can find Blender and Maxim mags out there on eBay and elsewhere but many are often copies that were mailed or read ... mine always got light flip-throughs just like comics with an effort made to not bend covers. Why? Just how I preferred to read stuff ... carefully.) This won't be the last of stuff like this here ... especially if CGC's magazine return times improve. Do I suspect there's potential for good money to be made in this realm? Um ... maybe? I know there's a lot less of this stuff graded than the staples I mentioned earlier ... just have to be selective on both names, titles and timeframes.
--
IN HER STEEL CITY COLORS
The Card: Carmella 2017 Topps WWE Undisputed Women's Division Yellow parallel (/10)
The Reason Graded: This WWE star has been at it since 2013 -- and on cardboard since 2015 -- with a few runs in high-profile spots and storylines through the years. Could she still be higher-profile? I think so, but that's not why this one made it here. I graded this since it's rare, it's a little earlier in her cardboard run (not a RC but an insert parallel from that year on the main roster) and because I like the grading results most of the time from Undisputed releases with their thicker stock.
The Grade: CSG 9
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Reality Check: This one was a bummer as I didn't see anything that I thought would hurt its grade ... but with only nine others I don't feel bad about slabbing this one, which I actually landed in a BlowoutTV break long ago.
--
NO COLOR NEEDED
The Book: The Walking Dead No. 1 -- Wizard World St. Louis Convention cover -- sketch version (May 2015)
The Reason Bought: I don't know a ton about this hit series -- but I did watch the first season on DVD -- but this is a show-special cover with the interior being a reprint of the first issue. Wizard World did this for a number of comics shows it promoted around the country and this was a discounted-price pick-up from their store before they sold their inventory to a different show. This was somewhere in the $20-$25 range and I picked this up in the last year due to the prices, the grades and the variety of just having some other slabs in my stash. They also made variant covers for single shows -- this is a sketch version and a final version also can be found.
The Grade: CGC 9.8 (Universal)
Grade | 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 9.6 | 9.8 | 9.9 | 10.0 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 186 | 8 | 2 | 198 |
Reality Check: The pop reports on stuff like this are a bit predictable -- they are made to be sold at the show so the best issues can be picked out and slabbed -- but for the price I didn't care.
--
ANOTHER SHOW VARIANT ...
The Book: The Walking Dead No. 1 -- Wizard World Indianapolis Convention cover (Feb. 2015)
The Reason Bought: See above. Really ... this is just a second one of these but with a final cover and a different event. Simple as that ... a slab so affordable it was less than what it would cost me to find the book and slab it myself -- with no guarantees of a 9.8.
The Grade: CGC 9.8 (Universal)
Grade | 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 9.6 | 9.8 | 9.9 | 10.0 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 117 | 0 | 0 | 122 |
Reality Check: Just like the other one, nearly every copy slabbed was at the top realistic mark -- it was interesting to see how this one is about half of the other show's variant cover. I didn't cross-check them all, but perhaps the variants are graded more often for stuff like this and it's not reflective of the show's size?
--
AND NEW (INTERIM) AEW CHAMPION ...
The Card: Toni Storm 2019 Topps WWE Women's Division Copper parallel (/75) (* -- botched label)
The Reason Graded: This international star has cards from Japan a few years before this, her WWE arrival, but those are a lot more obscure and pricier -- though not impossible -- to find. In this case, I graded a standard copy here long ago and got a top mark and I decided that I wanted this parallel to be slabbed, too.
The Grade: CSG 9.5
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1* |
Reality Check: The parallel notation was botched but the grade here is a solid one -- a win for sure as these have skinny stock. I slowed on buying her stuff after her first year in WWE -- she had time off, returned and then was off the radar a bit before making the main roster ... and then surpisingly asked for her release at age 25. She's since re-surfaced in AEW -- WWE's main competitor -- and is their interim champ already after her teammate went down due to injury.
--
CHASING 10s PART I
The Card: Barry Sanders 1990 Fleer All-Pro
The Reason Graded: I opened a case -- yes, a case -- of this one years ago. Why? It was 20 boxes of 36 packs for like $75 ... I just wanted to open it and revisit a set from the era where I opened a lot of cheap NFL packs. This second-year Sanders insert is nothing special by today's standards but this one still stands out as one of the best cards in a simple insert set ... and of that whole case I only held onto the bulk base for a dozen or so stars and then some of the best insert players like this one. I recently found my stash and this card jumped out at me as very clean and very centered ... and that got me thinking "10" here.
The Grade: CSG 9
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 |
Reality Check: I was bummed if not downright mildly mad about this one ... but then I flipped it over to the back and noticed the rough top and bottom edges were actually probably rougher than they should be. (They all are rough to a degree ... it's just a matter of how much of the cardboard fibers have chipped off. The front here is perfectly clean. I almost want to dig all of my copies out again and see if I can top this, though the pop report shows my grade is more common than not.
--
CHASING 10s PART II
The Card: Ronda Rousey 2015 Topps UFC Chronicles Octagon of Honor
The Reason Graded: This insert set comes from a release that was, until recent years, very cheap and delivered a good volume of everything inside with packs that were jumbo sized with base, parallels and inserts every time. The inserts are in the middle so there's a lot of protection and when I was going through all of these I noticed how so many were so clean. This was another scenario where was thinking "10" was very possible ... maybe even something perfect.
The Grade: CSG 9.5
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Reality Check: And I was wrong again, though this is the best of the two copies graded. It's not her most-memorable UFC card or anything like that, but I think I do prefer the portraits here over awkward fight shots more often than not.
--
RENEWED INTEREST
The Card: Matt Olson 2015 Bowman The Farm's Finest Mini Gold Shimmer Refractor Autographs (/50)
The Reason Graded: I landed this in a group break long, long ago and it's been in my stash since then as a rarer pull and a solid little auto for a reliable big-leaguer. It didn't hurt this one had parallel colors that match the team colors here, too. With his move to Atlanta and a solid season in the National League, I figured it was time to slab.
The Grade: CSG 9
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Reality Check: This checked in about right as a couple of the corners are slightly light -- not damaged but just not perfectly sharp squares -- and there's a minor surface spot on the card back. No worries ... I just liked it and thought it would present better in a slab vs. being a smaller card floating around in a top-loader.
--
CHASING THE ODDBALL BO CARDS
The Card: Bo Bichette 2020 Topps 582 Montgomery Club Set 5 Members Vote set -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I ponied up a little bit for this card since it's from his rookie year and it's now a 10 with all that rich blue ink. I didn't over-pay yet it wasn't as cheap as his simpler in-pack stuff, either. I was OK with that as the design here is one that could be a grading challenge.
The Grade: CSG 9.5 (now 10)
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Reality Check: They're all checking in at this grade, though there aren't many. I think it's a little more realistic standard for a card with this kind of design look/approach and a couple of those corners do show a very minor light look but nothing that makes me think it's a cheap 10. In fact, this is under their original scale, which was considered to be tough -- too tough for some -- but I'd rather have that than easier marks.
--
SCHOOL TIES
The Card: Mac Jones 2021 Panini Chronicles Draft Picks Select -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I bought here because, wow, some of my cards in this release came out of packs looking like they had Optichome Chicken Pox ... so I was fine with this mark at a price that was not that much more than it would cost me to grade. I'm fine with the college stuff in this instance -- and I think his Patriots stuff often looks good, too -- so it just comes down to condition and price.
The Grade: CSG 9
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 6 | 18 | 0 | 41 |
Reality Check: I was a little surprised to see so many of these graded -- and so many checking in higher than my copy -- but I guess not all of the boxes made had spotted chrome stock like mine did. Good to know. Chronicles is a fun rip for me with a number of players from my school on the checklists, meaning I could open a box and have plenty for the ol' collection.
--
NOVELTY SLAB
The Card: Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, Don Mattingly & Derek Jeter 2013 Topps Archives 1969 Four-In-One Sticker
The Reason Graded: This one might have been part of my very first bulk sub with CSG early last year and I sent it in with the idea that it might land a top mark for an oddball card with some good names attached. Simple as that.
The Grade: CSG 9.5 (now 10)
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Reality Check: That it did ... and it's one of only two in this grade. Ultimately, a win with a cheap card that might be able to carry a stronger asking price if I were a seller. I'm a long-term holder ... I just like high-grade oddball stuff with good names.
--
NEWLY RETIRED NUMBER
The Card: Dave Stewart 1991 Topps Stadium Club
The Reason Graded: Speaking of oddball, this is it from the first edition of what has become an iconic brand ... in fact, this odd card was the first card in that first set. Does it make it more valuable? Nah ... but the high-gloss approach with some skinny stock and all this dark ink should make anything this grade or higher tough to pull off. In fact, I'd almost challenge people to grade here as I don't think 10s could be possible at all. Oh and why was Stewart (and Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan) in a tuxedo on his card here? It was a special occasion ... or something.
The Grade: CSG 9
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Reality Check: I was both pleased and bummed with this one -- I wanted higher but I dreaded lower -- as this is a card that's fun but not valuable. The printing here also is a challenge to find cleanly done -- all that brown can be sloppy on versions with a little too much of any one ink color flowing. I was surprised to see four copies graded.
--
DIECUT DOMINATOR
The Card: Babe Ruth 2014 Topps 1989 Topps Die-cut Minis
The Reason Graded: This is another odd set that's so odd I liked them and graded this. These cards are smaller than standard size and are like somebody cut the borders off a 1989 Topps card but with players who you wouldn't have found in that set back then. I didn't pull boatloads of these -- or at least a lot of the better names -- but this one did stand out in the pack some with his place in the history of the game. It's not the best photo but I figured I'd see how they'd grade these.
The Grade: CSG 9
Grade | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | P10 | Total |
Population | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Reality Check: The back edges here are in black ink and the centering on both fronts and backs can be a challenge. What dropped me down here? I'm not sure. The front is slightly off left-right but it didn't seem bad to me. It must be on the back ... either way, my slab is the only slab so I'm good.
--
Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.
Warning: ini_set() has been disabled for security reasons in /home/blowtest/public_html/app/code/community/Fishpig/Wordpress/Addon/PluginShortcodeWidget/Helper/Core.php(1) : eval()'d code on line 268
Warning: ini_set() has been disabled for security reasons in /home/blowtest/public_html/app/code/community/Fishpig/Wordpress/Addon/PluginShortcodeWidget/Helper/Core.php(1) : eval()'d code on line 268