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 this time it's still a few more past pick-ups than usual as my pre-COVID grading submissions are delayed and still in graders' hands.

GOOD AS GOLD?
The Card: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 2019 Topps Update Gold #US1 (/2,019) -- Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Graded: This one looked razor-sharp when I pulled it -- and that wasn't always the easiest thing with the corners for cards in this release. While I might want to slab a few key RCs in this one, I wouldn't unless I think that the corners could be decent enough to get a 9.5 or better. Why? Because a lot of people are grading stuff here so you can let them take the chance at stuff coming back surprisingly low. Meanwhile, because of those corner issues (tight wrappers or chippy stock) a high-grade card is seemingly just not easy in this one -- and Gold parallels can be problematic at times, too,  though they were cleaner here than other past years.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: This card checked in where I had hoped but I'm definitely not alone as nearly all of the cards graded checked in as 9.5s. While the grade is a win, the pop report is a bit of a bummer. Long-term that might not matter as the demand will be there if he lives up to the expectations.

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

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: NSCC chatter and big pulls -- including this Derek Jeter 1/1 from a blaster box -- lead the way today.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Nothing but big pulls as we head into the weekend.

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Ted Williams called him the "Silent Captain" of the Red Sox and he's a Hall of Famer, too, with 14 seasons in the major leagues, all for Boston.

He's Bobby Doerr and he died Monday at age 99.

Doerr was a nine-time All-Star who hit .288 with 2,042 hits, 223 home runs and 1,247 RBI in 1,865 games for Boston from 1937 to 1951 save for the 1945 season where, like Williams, he was in the military.

“Bobby Doerr was part of an era of baseball giants and still stood out as one himself,” Red Sox owner John Henry said in a statement. “And even with his Hall of Fame achievements at second base, his character and personality outshined it all. He will be missed.”

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Ben Aguirre
Also known as: @Cardboardicons on Twitter

Website: www.cardboardicons.com
Email: cardboardicons@yahoo.com
Location: California
Work away from cards: Law enforcement
Collecting since: 1987

Main focuses: My collecting focus is Rookie Cards of every baseball player with a primary emphasis on Hall of Famers and All-Stars. Additionally I collect memorabilia and autograph cards of Hall of Famers and ocassionally work on iconic insert sets, such as the 2000 Greats of the Game autographs set (which I completed in mid-2015) and Elite Series inserts from 1991-1996.

Favorite players/teams: Roger Clemens & Boston Red Sox

Current collecting projects: In addition to chasing Rookie Cards or early cards of Hall of Famers, I am working on the 1994-1996 Elite Series inserts to add onto the 1991-1993 run that I already completed.

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