Making the Grade (Oct.): Ohtani, Judge, KISS, Clerks, WWE, vintage books, Black Panther, Shotzi, Machete, Maris & 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 MONSTER YEAR ...
The Card: Shohei Ohtani 2018 Topps Heritage High Number -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: Ohtani had a monster season without even pitching -- first 50-50 Club member for starters and just short of the National League Triple Crown -- and his big-time potential had me submitting some of my RCs for him earlier this year. Did people expect this kind of showing, though? Probably not -- I know I didn't -- but I know Heritage RCs are my preference, so this one made the cut. The bottom corners seem to be the most-common issue with these cards, but this one was clean and so it made my sub -- and I will have two more on the way to grading, too, so you'll see more of this card during the off-season or by next spring.
The Grade: CGC 10

Reality Check: The graded volume is high here but perhaps still modest vs. PSA volumes -- I'm good with that -- and this one has only been topped three times. I dig that. This mark isn't that rare but it is one that would be in demand with the two slots below also where many will look.

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

THIS MONTH IN 1975 ...
The Card: KISS in Cadillac, Michigan -- 2009 Press Pass KISS Ikons
The Reason Graded: Back in 1975, KISS was riding its rocket ship as one of the biggest rock bands on the planet at the time and for two days they went back to school in a small town, turned it into the KISS capital of the world and put on a concert before the Homecoming parade and game. Why? One part publicity stunt and one part "thank you" to the the Cadillac High School football team which said it was fueled to victory the previous season by the music from the band. Watch the ESPN piece below to see precisely how things looked.

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The Grade: CGC 10

Reality Check: There are not a ton of cards for this event but there are a few -- when I spotted this on the cheap I knew that I wanted this in a slab for my stash of musical cardboard. Why? Just for fun. (Shocking, I know!) To top that, I landed a strong mark, which makes this novelty slab even better -- and it's also pretty unique if you want to call it a football card.

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HAVING A YEAR, TOO ...
The Card: Aaron Judge 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: For MLB stuff, 2017 and 2018 might have been my most-recent years where I still ripped packs heavily -- maybe more then than ever -- and I've had my share of Judge RCs come and go over the years. This was my only Ginter RC for him -- though I didn't rip much Ginter as the circular frame just didn't jive with my tastes -- and that's why I held it. I slabbed it since he had another monster year ... simple as that.
The Grade: CGC 9

Reality Check: The centering is a smidge off left-right and that's perhaps the leading reason this one checked in at its mark. That's fine by me -- nines are fine -- and Ginter is, historically speaking, one of my favorite brands (but not as much lately). I need to revisit my stash of minis -- those ended up in albums -- and see if he's in there. I've got a 50-50 shot.

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RIGHT COLOR, RIGHT NUMBER
The Card: Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther 2023 Marvel Allure Infinity Stones Mind Stone (/299)
The Reason Graded: I picked off a pair of cards for Boseman in this one as they are relatively cheap, are on chromium stock that should grade well and, most importantly, this is a release that uses actor names across a lot of movies all in one spot and not just characters and scenes. I like that. Another bonus? This card is serial-numbered No. 42/299 -- that number is key to me -- and this cost me just $5. Why does that matter? Well before he donned this suit, Boseman suited up as Jackie Robinson in 42 and I did an interview with him about that and collecting. A 42 just felt right.
The Grade: CGC 10

Reality Check: I didn't really have a grade goal here as the serial-number was novelty enough ... but a 10 is a nice bonus.

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GOING FOR THE GOLD
The Card: Bo Bichette 2022 Topps Gilded Collection (/99)
The Reason Bought: I picked up this Bichette already graded to check it off as I think singles from this high-end brand will get harder and harder to find over time. He had a down year, so prices have dipped to closer where they probably should be -- after all, it's just a basic card with 98 others out there. Will this brand be one that we see every year for a long time? I don't know, but I have both of my base cards for my player in slabs now.
The Grade: PSA 9

Reality Check: The pop is pretty evenly split ... it will be interesting to see if this continues over time.

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LOW-GRADE EXCELLENCE
The Card: Roger Maris 1961 Topps
The Reason Graded: This is perhaps my favorite card of his -- from the summer where Maris hit 61 homers to pass The Babe and set a new MLB record -- and when I spotted this raw on COMC with a modest price I bit knowing that I would slab it and knowing that its grade would not be high. Why? Other than a faint line around his mouth, the image on this copy is very clean with the crease to the right also a big flaw but not one that makes the face look worse. Many of these cards can have issues that affect the face and bad centering if not snow across the whole image. Not this time, just other issues.
The Grade: CGC 2

Reality Check: Mine is low but only five check in this low with the most-common grades being 4.5 and 4.0 (12 apiece). It's crazy there are no CGCs above a seven.

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HAPPY SCRAPPY
The Card: Rental Randal (Jeff Anderson) 2023 Topps Garbage Pail Kids x View Askew Red parallel (/25)
The Reason Graded: If you know the Clerks universe then you know Randal and how he's got something to say about everything all the time. I spotted this relatively rare parallel from this release on the cheap and even with the cost of grading I'm at still way less than what a box cost here -- actually under half. The core characters and a few other favorites from this one have made their way into my hands from this one and are or will be slabbed. I went the singles route as the boxes don't deliver well relative to their start price and cards like this ultimately have me coming out ahead and with more of what I want.
The Grade: CGC 10

Reality Check: A 10 was a nice surprise here as the stock is skinny. Lone copy graded is not as much of s surprise.

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JOE'S BACK ...
The Mag: Joe Namath, Sports Illustrated July 19, 1965 -- first cover (subscription edition)
The Reason Bought: The pops have not changed, so here's a tweaked take on what I said last month for my 8.0 copy. ... I've picked up a few of those graded in the last couple years and even more ungraded -- but they will be -- and when I spotted this higher-grade copy I had to bite and it now lives in my collection with a couple of the lowest-grade samples. Why? I've written about it before but I think this is the 1952 Mantle of SI issues -- an icon. Of the 14 graded, seven check in lower than what's seen on the chart with 4.5 being the floor. Don't let my wonky photo here fool you again (I was having issues with glare and shot this one with a flash in a darker room so it definitely looks off), this is a pretty solid copy other than some spine and outer-edge spots. On vintage stuff like this, it doesn't hurt as much perception-wise. Plus, with magazines feel comes into play for appeal more than readily available and heavily graded cards ... there just aren't that many around so you take it or you leave it.
The Grade: CGC 7.5 (Universal)

Reality Check: Over on the label-free newsstand copy side, there are only 21 graded ... and the best is an 8.5. Most there check in between 5.5 and 8.0, so I feel good about this issue (and last month's) even more considering it was landed on the cheap. I know a lot of people don't want the label -- I'd prefer them without, too -- but with few newsstand copies even topping this one (they got handled less since not mailed) I think this is fine.

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MAMI'S HOME (AGAIN)
The Card: Rhea Ripley 2023 Panini Select WWE Orange Flash parallel
The Reason Graded: This isn't a rare parallel, but it's a retail-only find for a name I collect -- but not as heavily as some others as she's gotten pricey -- and it's from a brand that's easily among my faves during the Panini WWE years. I liked this as it is closer to her present look now with the gear and persona (not always the case with even new releases in packs as stuff changes often in the WWE) and a parallel from the second tier ... a smidge tougher pull of a good name.
The Grade: CGC 9.5

Reality Check: Lone copy slabbed isn't a surprise. I'm all about selectively grading stuff I like over stuff that makes the most sense to be graded with cash in mind. It's not rare, it's not a rookie or anything like that ... it's just The Ripper.

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LEGENDARY BATTLE
The Book: Superman No. 155 (1962)
The Reason Bought: Real-life pro wrestler Antonino Rocca was so popular that, yes, he once took on Superman in this comic book from long ago. Ironically, at this point the acrobatic Italian billed from Argentina had been wrestling for 20 years and was about a decade and a half away from retiring. It's far from his only appearance in pop culture away from the ring where he worked and held titles for the AWA, NWA and what became the WWE today. In the 1970s, he handled broadcasting duties along with Vince McMahon for the company's owner, Vincent J. McMahon.
The Grade: CGC 6.5 (Universal)

Reality Check: When graded, this can be a pricey book but it's findable raw ($10-$30 low-end). I managed to land it for a lot less than comparable slabs thanks to an arguably bad listing title while doing some deep digs online. There are four copies in my grade and more than 20 are lower than it, too, with some as low as an 1.8. The main visuals here are very clean, so I was good with this for the combo of condition and price -- a 6.5 on eBay as I prep this is $240, while a pair of 7.0s have asking prices of $300 and up. Mine cost nowhere near any of those and I don't want it at a high price ... and at the same time it was a book I'd ultimately perhaps only want as a slab. You can find a lot of interesting and cool stuff in the realm of vintage comics but condition is key -- and the farther back you go the harder it can be to find slabbed or slab-worthy stuff.

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THUNDERSTRUCK!
The Card: Thunder Rosa 2021 Spectrum AEW Dark -- Rookie Card parallel (/99)
The Reason Graded: This self-made AEW star worked her way through the indies over the years and ultimately only had cards in packs from a two-year run in Japan for Stardom -- a number of pricey debut cards like many names from this era -- before arriving in this AEW set but not the debut release. This set's higher-end approach didn't really deliver that well for the box price in my mind, so other than one box this has been a singles-only brand for me. This one adds some black ink for the background color for the parallel and has a foil-color switch but is ultimately the same as the base other than numbering. This won't be the last time you see one those cards in this series ... I'm a fan but am selective in what I buy here as AEW cards are typically easy finds ... so waiting can mean lower costs.
The Grade: CGC 9

Reality Check: Lone copy graded ... works for me. All that texture can make it easy to miss a flaw, while the vertical centering seems to always be a problem with this base set and its parallels.

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DIECUT DOMINANCE ... ON A BUDGET
The Card: Tua Tagovailoa 2020 Panini Select Red Die-Cut
The Reason Bought: He's always going to be part of my School Ties part of my collection so what happens in his future in the NFL isn't really going to affect my bargain buying. I liked this brand and its inclusions but ultimately have not chased that much as there's a lot to find and plenty of it ... and plenty of people are slabbing big names. A Red parallel here works for an Alabama guy and it worked for $12, which is not that much more than it would cost to slab one.
The Grade: CSG 9

Reality Check: The spread on grades here is pretty even -- not the easiest to get a top mark -- but just buying is probably safer than subbing unless you look over all those minor details that come with die-cut designs.

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THE RIGHT SHADE
The Card: Tiffany Stratton 2023 Panini Chronicles WWE Luminance Pink parallel (/349)
The Reason Bought: This Tiffy Time get-up happened for an NXT event in Texas -- so, no, it's not a Trish Stratus homage -- but it made for a strong photo on a strong card in a fun set to collect. But, it's not that fun if you like to pull and grade cards. The stock on this subset is light and chippy at times with their dark edges and the parallels were at times inserted upside down. When I saw this one, I knew I'd want a Pink parallel to go with the pink gear ... but, man, those corners and edges can be brutal. I watched, I waited, I looked and looked and looked. Then, I simply bit on this one even though it's about one mark lower than I'd prefer. For now, it's my starter.
The Grade: PSA 8

Reality Check: This eight looks better than its mark, really, and it's cleaner than a lot of them out there raw. What's the deal? Well, it looks like there's a single dot surface dent that likely knocked it down to an eight. The odd release pattern for this one -- retail dropped way before hobby -- had the prices for a lot of stuff high at first but these have dropped back to reality where you can shop singles selectively and find a lot of stuff on the fun side of things price-wise.

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TOP POP ROOKIE
The Card: John Johnson 1971-72 Topps -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I ponied up for this card from the vintage realm simply because it's the highest-graded copy on their pop report ... and it was the first one graded, too, with info saying it was done back in 2004 and apparently before BVG. Johnson, as you know if you're a regular here, has school ties for me and was the first NBA player I ever interviewed. He also was the Iowa Hawkeyes' scoring record-holder in his brief time there long ago and still holds some marks despite playing before the three-pointer arrived and before before being the first first-round pick of the Cavs and winning an NBA title with the SuperSonics.
The Grade: BGS 8.5

Reality Check: The low mark is a 5.0 ... I'm not sure how many of this five I own but it's at least two of these -- maybe three.

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RICKEY LOVE RICKEY
The Card: Rickey Henderson 1984 Fleer
The Reason Graded: I did a deep dive of some key 1980s names over on COMC and this cheap card simply leapt out at me with its centering nailed and basically everything looking crisp and clean on the screen. The bottom left corner revealed itself to have a very light lift so I'm figuring that's what got me ...  I'll admit I had visions of a higher mark here.
The Grade: CGC 9

Reality Check: The reality check? Nothing has graded higher and there's a pretty decent volume slabbed. Almost all check in lower so even a nine isn't easy. This was a win. Stuff from the early 1990s and back can have tough times landing 10s ... it's an overlooked thing if you ask me.

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LITTLE BO, BIG GRADE
The Card: Bo Bichette 2022 Topps Heritage Mini (/100)
The Reason Graded: I'm a sucker for minis and this partial parallel set in Heritage each year is one that is pretty tough to land statistically and yet is still affordable most of the time. I knew this one looked strong when I saw it and grabbed it, knowing it would be a contender and needed to be slabbed.
The Grade: CSG 10 (Pristine)

Reality Check: I dig that result. Not sure I'll be able to do a Bichette Heritage mini run in slabs -- too rare, probably too pricey -- but this works right in there with other H cards I have subbed and grabbed. I'm getting there.

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INTERNATIONAL APPEAL
The Card: Will Ospreay 2022 Bushiroad Rebirth For You NJPW Vol. 2 (Japanese gaming set)
The Reason Graded: I don't have any other cards for this global wrestling star who's now in AEW other than this one -- and I landed a half-dozen of them from a bulk lot of cards that included a bunch of stuff from these Japanese sets that are more like gaming. I opted to send one in as part of a bulk sub not long after I landed them and not long after his arrival.
The Grade: CGC 10

Reality Check: I could have easily slabbed all of my copies here as the printing and cutting for this one is as strong as it gets. It really feels like every card from these could be a 10 contender every time.

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GOT THE THORNS
The Card: Axl Rose (aka Adam Sandler) 1992 Star Pics Saturday Night Live
The Reason Graded: Everything here looked perfectly fine here on the screen -- except there is some scuffing on the top back edge of the card along a white border, so that's what I missed. So while this is a low grade, it's one that presents well. Why does it matter? Well I like it as it's one of few American-made Guns N' Roses cards -- well, technically it is -- and it's also a relative early card for Sandler, too.
The Grade: CGC 6.5

Reality Check: First copy graded sets the low bar ... how did this happen? Well, I snagged it and I subbed it via COMC -- so it all looked fine except I can't see the surface there -- so that's the risk of what can happen. I'll probably send one in at some point from a box I opened in recent years to upgrade from here.

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DEBUT CARDBOARD
The Card: Cameron Diaz ("THEIR Cash") -- 1994 Cardz The Mask
The Reason Graded: I'm not sure if you noticed it -- I hadn't -- but Diaz has ultimately been retired for the last decade with no acting credits on IMDb past 2014 ... but she'll be arriving back on the scene next year with at least one project and maybe more. The first, though? This movie working across from Jim Carrey back in 1994. This set is findable and affordable and it's simple with no gloss and no foil ... and it's just cards with full-bleed scenes from the classic based on a comic book. Rookie Cards? Likely, though I just like to call stuff "early" ... and she has several appearances in this set.
The Grade: CGC 9.5

Reality Check: I've slabbed more than one card here -- two cards with solo images (there are no main character cards) -- and intend to do more as it would be nice to land a 10 or a perfect 10 for an iconic 1990s-2000s name. At the same time, the simplicity of these cards might not make a top mark an easy thing.

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'TIS THE SEASON
The Card: Sü Yüng 2022 History of Wrestling Revolver Vol. 1 (announced /200)
The Reason Bought: Halloween is almost here and that just felt like the right time to get my newest slab for "The Bloody Undead Bride" of indy wrestling into the lineup with another 10. I'm 99.9 percent sure I own the other 10 and the 9.5, too, and they're likely here in the archives for this series. (I'm not quite as organized as I need to be ... even for my slabs.) She has so little cardboard despite a lot of time in the game, including a stint with Impact where she has her other major-release cardboard, but the rest is lower-volume promotionally made stuff -- stuff so rare I don't even have it all.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: Another reason I popped this up here? Well, she's been on the shelf with real-life injuries of a serious variety after this moronic chair throw that landed squarely in her face. That replaced some of her pre-match mouth-sprayed synthetic blood with a lot of the real kind so here's a link to her store ... help a ghoul out and add to the collection.

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AN OLDSCHOOL DEBUT
The Book: Spectacular Spider-Man No. 64 (1982) newsstand edition -- first appearance of Cloak & Dagger
The Reason Graded: I picked up this book probably 30 years ago and it was probably a decade old at that point and it wasn't perfect ... but since it was a first and probably under $2 I did it. (Most people were busy chasing the new X-Men and Image comics ... I had those, too, but I liked tracking down debuts from characters I knew from the first Marvel Universe card set.) I also liked how this cover had a lot going on with three key characters, four others and even a headline blurb (their name) worked into the action.
The Grade: CGC 8.0 (Universal)

Reality Check: I knew this wasn't going to be some monster high-grade copy but it still looked clean enough I figured I'd try out the CGC pressing service and see how it looked afterward ... since it was a newsstand copy. Top elite marks for standard copies are pricey -- sometimes over $1,000 for asking prices on eBay -- while these UPC copies in theory should be even tougher to find in those top marks and perhaps more in demand in lower grades as most typically took a beating in the newsstand wild vs. in comics shops. A CGC 6.5 newsstand copy sold for $60, an 8.5 for $99.50, a 9.4 for $140 (twice) and a 9.8 for more than $400 ... but those are the only sales. Raw prices are a little all over the place but still relatively strong. Either way, I like this one for my total cost -- it presents very well with its biggest flaw (a small spot) coming on the back cover.

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NEVER ENOUGH SHOTZI
The Card: Shotzi Blackheart 2022 Panini Immaculate Collection WWE Modern Marks (/99)
The Reason Graded: The WWE's Tank Girl always gets a spot here and in Buzz Buys as, well, I might be collecting her more than anybody else these days as she's out due to injury and more affordable than in the past. That's probably appropriate as she's got plenty of cards in pretty much every release -- there's no reason she should be too expensive as her ink is attainable. Everything about this card's design is tight and right -- though, of course, it would be more badass if that was an on-card auto ... but I live in the real world. I can't control that.
The Grade: CGC 9.5

Reality Check: The thick stock here should make for better grading most of the time -- though it is not a sure thing -- so I subbed it as I have at least a couple more copies and am always wanting to slab more and more of her stuff. Why? I collect her and I collect slabs. This mark came back right in range for what I'd want to see.

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ALMOST FLAWLESS CARDBOARD
The Card: Kitana Baker 2008 BenchWarmer Signature Series Purple Foil Kiss Card (/25)
The Reason Graded: I pulled this rarity from a past Buzz Break box -- it's a card of a name you might remember from TV commercials 20 years ago that even led to a WrestleMania XIX match (it was cheesy, not like things in today's WWE) along with countless other TV appearances and gigs. So, technically this one falls into my non-sports/WWE slab box.
The Grade: CGC 10

Reality Check: Why did I grade? This card is shockingly clean front and back with all that dark ink and foil bleeding to the edges and despite the handling for the lip print. What might have brought it down from a perfect score? There's a very minor hint of lipstick on the back from when all of these cards got stacked. I was pleased to see this check in so well. Meanwhile, I won't be able to chase more in packs any time soon as I ripped a bunch of these boxes back in the day where a hit was in every one with a cost of $2 a pack ... or less. Now, it's not say to find boxes at all, let along power shop for the best price.

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A YEAR LATER ... THIS STILL BURNS
The Cards: Shotzi Blackheart 2019 Sabotage Wrestling Series 1 -- base card & Defining Moments subset card
The Reason Graded: I bought these about this time last year -- a "YOLO" kind of buy around my birthday for a steep, steep price from the company that originally made them for the indy promotion. They were not cheap and bought raw -- I could have bought a new Prizm box instead for the price -- but I decided to pull the trigger and land these rare and early cards.
The Grade: CGC 5.5 & CGC 6.5

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Reality Check: When I got them? Yep, they did me dirty and I let the cardboard make me mad ... real mad ... and I don't tend to do that. Ultimately, I reminded myself that at least the cards are real and not some reprinted fakes and then I reminded myself that the company was a shirt company and not a collectibles company that should know better. Their website vanished not long after I landed these -- some maybe some Dusty-like hard times happened -- but I haven't seen any since save for one sale on eBay for one card (better shape) and it sold for even more than what I paid. Despite all of the slop here, I opted to grade them just to see how bad the damage was. Why? Indy wrestling cards can be tough finds ... so I'll survive. It's better to have a couple of low-grade filler copies than not at all.

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MACHETE DON'T COLLECT ...
The Card: Rancor Keeper (Danny Trejo) 2022 Topps 206 Star Wars Series 2 Blue Star Field parallel
The Reason Graded: I absolutely don't keep up with all of the various Star Wars series now -- I barely kept up with all the movies -- but what still gets my attention are creative card sets and this old-time tobacco card-style set showcasing Star Wars notables got me for sure. And Machete on one of these mini parallels? No-brainer, though the images used for his cards aren't the greatest.
The Grade: CGC 10

Reality Check: Trejo has other card appearances over the years, but his Star Wars stuff might be the most-mainstream finds. I figured I'd go with a mini since I'm a sucker for minis and I've done a few from this series. You'll see more of him and others from this release in the coming months. I dig 'em.

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THE BIG MOMENT
The Card: The Challenge -- Andre The Giant, Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper -- 1987 Topps WWF
The Reason Bought: This card showcasing the moment that set up the historic WrestleMania III main event is a card that I have pondered slabbing many times over the years and I have many sleeved and ready cards to prove that. I just never found one that I thought would be an ironclad contender for a condition I'd want slab-wise. Despite Hogan's latest disappointing turn for a payday and some attention lately, I still might slab one of these at some point as the moment is as legendary as it gets in WWE lore and every name shown and even the one cut out (Jesse Ventura at left) is also a Hall of Famer.
The Grade: CSG 8.5

Reality Check: These check in as low as CGC 4 so they're definitely not an easy grade and only three have topped even this mark ... so buying an 8.5 straight top wasn't the worst idea here vs. grading one.

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