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 ...

THERE WERE NO GUARANTEES ... BUT I'LL TAKE IT
The Card: Joe Namath 1973 Topps
The Reason Graded: It's almost Super Bowl time and while I don't really collect any of the names who are going to be in this year's big game, I do collect names who helped make the big game in the past ... and this freshly graded card is a big one in my eyes. It's Namath's final card made by Topps during his career and I found it raw on COMC with is razor-sharp everything -- especially compared to other copies out there -- and decided it was not only grab-worthy, it was also slab-worthy with centering and only one corner with lightness and color immensely minor spotting on the front being the only issues. This one looked very strong for a vintage card so I submitted it for immediate grading directly via COMC, too.
The Grade: CGC 7

Reality Check: I had visions of a higher grade, but the card backs here have dark ink and corners on the backs can be spotty ... and I think that's a reason this one graded lower than I had hoped. But, at the same time, it's a pop-six card with only five CGC 8s grading higher -- and nothing above that. That actually puts this card among the elite for graded copies of this one ... and that's not a bad thing with my total cost here under $30. (The slight spot on the bottom left corner of the card bugged me ... until I realized it's some funk on the surface of the plastic slab, not the card or inside the slab. That's something I hadn't run into with CGC's generally crystal clear and clean slabs.)

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

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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 ...

LEADING OFF WITH THE RECORD-BREAKER
The Card: Aaron Judge 2017 Topps Archives 1960 Rookie Stars
The Reason Graded: He has been an established slugger since his 52 homers as a rookie in 2017, but to a degree he'd fallen off card-wise (and power-wise) the last few years until smacking 39 in 2021 and his Yankees team record (and American League record) 62 homers this year.  I got rid of pretty much all of my RCs in 2017 -- no regrets -- to turn them into stuff I actively wanted (I'm still working rather glacially on some of those Clerks autograph runs) but some of my late-year Judge pulls and some inserts were saved along with my lone autograph. While I haven't yet slabbed my ink -- I probably will here at some point once I figure out what box I put it in -- this insert modeled after the memorable-but-overbearing 1960 Topps design was one that jumped out at me. Why? It was soooo clean.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: I was right and that pop shows me I'm not alone -- but it is surprising given how skinny the stock is here.

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

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys.

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL ICONS
The Card: Paul "Bear" Bryant & Knute Rockne 2010 Panini Century Collection Souvenir Stamps Sports Combos (two stamps dual material) (/100)
The Price: More than I'll admit ... but it's a keeper.
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is just the second time I've grabbed one of these key memorabilia cards with a piece of a fedora worn by Bryant and a jacket from Rockne -- two of the greatest coaches in the history of college football. Rockne has a number of memorabilia cards out there (more than 50) but Bryant only has a literal handful of cards -- and almost all of them were in this release. Why? Hats aren't all that big. As far as I know, all but a 1/1 card or two is in this release ... meanwhile, the prices for the few Bryant fedoras that may exist -- if they ever hit the market again -- won't be card-conducive in the future since they are pricey. The last two Bryant houndstooth fedoras auctioned? Together, they topped $100,000 on the auction block. These are limited to only 100 copies and I hadn't picked up one of these in a long time. Why this time? You never know when more might pop up.
Grab a box right here: 2010 Panini Century Collection (when available)

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down the results here. Like this and want to see more -- or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2016 Topps WWE Series 1 cards (blaster)
Where to buy: Click here for all WWE boxes/packs/lots in stock

Keep reading for a breakdown and gallery of highlights from this one.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down the results here. Like this and want to see more -- or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2016 Topps WWE Series 1 cards (blaster)
Where to buy: Click here for all WWE boxes/packs/lots in stock.

Keep reading for a breakdown and gallery of highlights from this one.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down the results here. Like this and want to see more -- or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2016 Topps WWE Series 1 cards (blaster)
Where to buy: Click here for all WWE boxes/packs/lots in stock.

Keep reading for a breakdown and gallery of highlights from this one.

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What's a Bulk Break? Well, it's basically a Buzz Break -- but with a lot of packs or something that's found in volume but not in box or case form. Like this and want to see more -- or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The lot: 2016 Topps WWE wrestling cards (jumbo pack lot)
Where to buy: Click here for various WWE bulk lots

Keep reading to see what was in this A+ lot ...

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The biggest weekend in professional wrestling is here with WrestleMania 34 set for Sunday in New Orleans and events beginning tonight with the WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony, a NXT Takeover on Saturday and then Raw/Smackdown tapings after that. We'll make today a big day for wrestling collectors right here on The Buzz with #BuzzMania, a series of WWE wax box and wax pack breaks all day long.

How long will we go? Stay tuned ...

The box: 2016 Topps WWE (hobby)
The cost: Click here

What's inside this one? Keep reading ...

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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 five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Big breaks, The National and Preacher.

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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 five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Allen & Ginter Rip Cards, big pulls, NFL photos, The NSCC & more.

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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 five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Allen & Ginter Rip Card finds, strong blasters, more retro NBA breaks, Ghostbusters and the best buy in MLB.

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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 five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Big wrestling pulls, more 1990s NBA box breaks, favorite Panini NBA releases and ... what if the Golden State Warriors lose?

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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 five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Collecting MiLB gamers, big box breaks, X-Men: Apocalypse and WWE.

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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 five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Big pulls in Orlando, Ghostbusters, big retail pulls, impressive Heritage and ... Mike Trout to the Cubs?

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down the results here. Like this and want to see more -- or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2016 Topps WWE wrestling cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 7
Cards in this box: 168
Base set completion: 
99 of 100 (99 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notable names pulled on base cards: Andre The Giant, Roddy Piper, Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, Trish Stratus, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Lita, Edge, Randy Savage, Elizabeth, Paige, Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Tyler Breeze (RC), Becky Lynch (RC), Mandy Rose (RC)

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down the results here. Like this and want to see more -- or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2016 Topps WWE wrestling cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Packs per box: 11 (10 standard packs plus one Relic/Brock Lesnar/Redbox code pack at Walmart)
Cards per pack: 7
Cards in this box: 72
Base set completion: 
43 of 100 (43 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notable names pulled on base cards: Shawn Michaels, Lita, Edge, Randy Savage, Elizabeth, Paige, Mandy Rose (RC)

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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 five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Ginter Woods, political autographs, Game of Thrones, WWE and Devers vs. Moncada.

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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 five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Moncada (and more) for Trout?, Tom Brady's cookbook, WWE breaks, impressive Q and some Supreme pulls.

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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 five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Nothing but breaks in today's edition -- everything from football to soccer to wrestling from the past and present.

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This year's basic Topps wrestling release arrives beginning today and the 2016 Topps WWE set is an interesting one that includes plenty of legends and a healthy selection of the stars seen in the squared circle.

But not all of them.

Some big names aren't found on the base set checklist -- only in the product's lineup of inserts and hits -- but there's still plenty of action and nostalgia.

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When the newest World Wrestling Entertainment trading card set arrives from Topps next week it will include some notable Rookie Cards and some returns of big names in wrestling history we haven't seen on WWE cardboard in years.

How do we know? Topps released the final checklist for 2016 Topps WWE on Friday in advance of its May 4 arrival.

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What: 2016 Topps WWE wrestling cards
Arrives: May 4, 2016
Box basics: Two hits in every 24-pack hobby box

What's buzz-worthy: Next year's flagship WWE release arrives with new talent and new signers making their Topps autograph or regular card debuts -- among them NXT women's champion Bayley, Mandy, Asuka, Apollo Crews, Chad Gable, Dana Brooke and Nia Jax to name a few. Also a first here? NXT mat Relics from TakeOver Brooklyn and a return of "Macho Man" Randy Savage to WWE cardboard.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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