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 ...

KEY CARD, KEY PLAYER
The Card: Lucas Sims & Ozzie Albies 2018 Topps Heritage 100th Anniversary -- RC parallel (announced /25)
The Reason Bought: This parallel card isn't numbered, but they are very rare and if you consider the healthy print run and various pack formats for this popular brand, it's a bit of a needle-in-a-haystack type of card to pull in general let alone for a notable or specific player. I grabbed this since I've met both of them and Albies is a key Braves player ... and this brand is one that I generally buy a lot of (and did a ton in 2018). It's funky but I like 1969 Topps, too.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: Why did I bite? The combo of scarcity and high grade and a price that wasn't that bad (about $80) made this one appealing to me. Also, the fact that the only other one was on eBay for $199.99 and isn't as good on subs as this one. (That price? Too high.) There are three copies of this card in PSA slabs (two 10s, one 9), too. How many might still be sitting in packs? Probably a few ... and that's also another reason I grabbed this to stash it.

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

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Buzz Breaks are always among our most-read features here on The Buzz as many of you are curious about seeing what comes out of a new box of cards -- whether it's some affordable retail box or some pricier box from the many that are out there.

Excluding our monthly #Buzz8in8 marathon days -- those will return in 2020, by the way -- Buzz ripped nearly 300 boxes for Buzz Breaks this year. While we'd love to present all of them here, that's not just going to happen today. (There's just not enough on caffeine for that.)

Instead, here is a sampling of the most interesting breaks of the last year -- some new boxes, some not -- presented in no particular order.

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Buzz Break: 2019-20 Panini Prizm NBA cards (mega box)

Buzz Break: 2018-19 Panini Prizm NBA cards (mega box)

Buzz Break: 2019 Topps Big League baseball cards (hobby)

Buzz Break: 2019 Panini Diamond Kings (FOTL)

Buzz Break: 2019 Topps Tier One baseball cards (hobby)

Buzz Break: 2017 Donruss Optic football cards (SE blaster)

Buzz Break: 2019 Topps Tribute baseball cards (hobby)

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Keep reading for more ... there are nearly 50 breaks in this one.

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Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today's your day then as we launch 8 in 8 -- a series of a eight breaks of wax boxes and wax packs in as many hours today. We'll post one every hour ... this is Hour 6.

The box: 2018 Topps WWE NXT
The cost: Click here (when available) ... click here for other WWE boxes

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

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post 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: 2018 Topps WWE NXT
The cost: Click here (when available) ... click here for other WWE boxes

Packs per box: 10 (a sampling of everything in gallery below)
Cards per pack: 7
Cards in this box: 70
Base set completion: 
26 of 50 (52 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Kairi Sane, Tommasso Ciampa, Adam Cole, Peyton Royce, Triple H, William Regal, Otis Dozovic, Tucker Knight, Aliyah, Paul Ellering, No Way Jose, Andrade "Cien" Almas, Lio Rush

Rookie Cards/First NXT (5) – Shayna Baszler, Taynara Conti, Fabian Aichner, Vanessa Borne, Cezar Bononi

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The biggest weekend in professional wrestling is here with WrestleMania 35 set for Sunday in New Jersey. It's a big week for WWE with its NXT and Hall of Fame events planned, and we'll make today a big day for wrestling collectors right here on The Buzz with #BuzzMania2, a series of WWE wax box and wax pack breaks every hour.

How long will we go? Stay tuned ...

The box: 2018 Topps WWE NXT
The cost: Click here (when available)

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

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals just might be to rip fewer blasters this year 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. Would they capture yours? I'd be interested to know -- sometimes they might, sometimes they won't and that's fine. It's a buyer's market out there with plenty of options and bargains as well as high-end gems to chase.

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

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NOT A FIRST ... BUT SHE'S FINALLY ARRIVED 
The Card: Lacey Evans 2018 Topps WWE NXT Autographs
The Price: $5
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This former U.S. Marine is a newcomer to the main roster in WWE after making her debut in the No. 1 spot in this week's Royal Rumble match, but she's appeared on NXT cards since 2017 and had her first autographs back in that year, too. (The First NXT Card logo used here? Simple mistake.) I picked this one up partly because of the price (this card has sold for up to $20 ... even more for parallels) but also because of her anticipated arrival. Debut WWE ink can sell well -- I clicked and bought thinking it was her first -- but ultimately I added this one for a simple reason ... I didn't yet have any of her autos. One bonus here besides the price? This release is the home of her first on-card autos -- the previous ones have been stickers.
Grab a box right here: 2018 Topps WWE NXT wrestling cards

Keep reading for five more interesting items ...

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What: 2018 Topps WWE NXT wrestling cards
Arrives: Sept. 6
Box basics: Ten autographs per 10-pack box (eight boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The WWE's developmental promotion once again gets its own full-scale, hits-based release with a new crop of stars (and signers) who haven't had cards before, including Adam Cole ... bay-bay!

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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