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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WELCOME TO THE COLLECTION 
The Item: Slash autographed Four (2022) CD cover (PSA/DNA authenticated)
The Price: Less than a jumbo box of flagship cards ...
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is one of my recent additions in the rock autograph realm as, well, that genre can be quite pricey -- too pricey, really -- but the cost was decent here for an autograph of the iconic Guns N' Roses guitarist who's stayed busy with many a project since that band disbanded and then reloaded in recent years. While I'd prefer a signed item showing him -- I have to flip this one over to see an image -- this PSA-slabbed CD cover that was likely among those sold via Newbury Comics back in the day worked for me. It was probably $100 less than it could be at times for a similar slabbed/third-party authenticated item. Meanwhile, it was probably about $50 more than the same thing but without third-party authentication and encapsulation. A signed and authenticated photo can end up around $500 if it looks good (sometimes more, sometimes less) while signed items can soar even higher. Why? Access -- Slash isn't exactly doing signings or conventions -- so the few times he's signed for his own album releases like this in more volume they get gobbled up and become ultimately the entry point (or only addition) for many. Count me right there. I wanted to add Slash to my stash ... but not break the bank.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this ... hit non-sports on BlowoutCards.com

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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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 ... and this time around there's some traditional stuff and some odd stuff.

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CHECK IT OUT ... 
The Item: Pro Football Hall of Famer Deacon Jones autographed 1984 Warner Bros. payroll check
The Price: Less than a blaster box
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I haven't ever really dabbled with signed/canceled checks except for a few school ties names (Roll Tide!) who don't have a lot of stuff and where other items are pricey. One example? Former Yankees broadcaster Mel Allen ... a signed ball can be expensive but a signed check is still pricey but not as bad. In this case, I stumbled upon this check during a curiosity dive online and it seemed unique -- a Warner Bros. studio payroll check (pre-printed signatures on the front) made out to and signed by a Pro Football Hall of Famer on the back. The amount isn't massive, so I figured it was probably a royalty payment for some TV show appearance or movie re-run and he had a few in films and spots as himself on TV through the years. I wish I could figure it out, but IMDb only had an appearance on Super Bloopers and Practical Jokes in 1984 and an appearance on The Fall Guy in 1983 with other past projects also possible. (I didn't do a deep dive on figuring out who owned what for studio/network properties back then ... but it's probably do-able.) What do I know? This is something different compared to a lot of the stuff out there signed by "The Secretary of Defense."
Grab a box right here: None for this ... but NFL boxes are here.

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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 ...

LEGENDARY INK
The Card: Undertaker 2022 Panini Revolution WWE Sunburst Autographs (/99)
The Reason Graded: This cost me less than what two boxes would have when I bought it raw -- and then I submitted it to grade after seeing that some typical problem spots for cards from this brand weren't really issues. (In my view, the back corners and edges can be funky for both years.) Why grab this? Undertaker was not a regular signer for a long time and even when has signed cards in recent years he's been more limited since his signing fees are always high -- seemingly far higher than others -- based on public signing prices. I have his ink on a few items sold direct from WWE in the past, but I hadn't rally bothered with anything for cards and figured this could make for a nice slab -- even with sticker ink -- as the photo is as iconic as it gets for a legendary character in WWE history. This would be a perfect kind of auto card if it had an on-card sig ... and it's still not far off as it is with that photo. It's also a perhaps-overlooked brand in the Panini WWE portfolio.
The Grade: CGC 9

Reality Check: A nine I'm fine with -- so no worries here -- but anything less than that I would have been kind of mad at myself for trying it. Why? Generally, I don't like pricey surprises with grading, so I don't slab as much ink as I should as I own plenty of them raw. I need to do more slabs like this, but a miss on cheaper, oddball cards that are interesting aren't as risky in my book.

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 ...

No. 1 GOES FIRST HERE, TOO ...
The Card: Bryce Young 2021 Onyx Vintage College Football Autographs
The Reason Graded: I collect Alabama guys but on the cheap so when a top talent arrives on NFL cardboard odds are I already found them ... if they had stuff. Generally, I try to have auto of all new big names and in the most-recent years thanks to NIL deals where active players can sign autograph deals that's been easier to do -- for both big names and guys who won't be top picks. In the case of this new Carolina Panthers QB, I pulled this one -- something I also did with Tua Tagovailoa -- so I don't have to chase new stuff after he was taken No. 1 in this year's NFL Draft. (But I will if I somehow find bargains.) This one is nice as it's on-card, has a clean retro design (I like that) and has a design/photo that doesn't showcase the fact that there are a couple small missing logos here that would come with full licensing. Atop that, his autograph on this card -- and the card itself -- is super clean and many of his autos are absolutely not clean in recent years. (In fact, I'd say that his auto is bad way more often than it's good ... and it's not that good visually to start with.) When I saw this one, I knew I needed to slab it for those reasons.
The Grade: CSG 9.5

Reality Check: I was a little worried about the surface here as the retro stock is definitely no-frills -- it doesn't even have a light gloss -- but it checked in with a grade I don't mind. I was happy with this and you'll probably see more of Young here in this series -- or at least Buzz Buys -- more once new NFL stuff starts popping up and the college colors fade away for some. Those colors won't fade away for me -- I like them a lot more than anything Carolina -- and he's always going to be the first Heisman-winning Alabama QB.

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 ... a mix of recent finds and some from throughout last year.

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LEADING OFF WITH A BARGAIN ... 
The Item: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. autographed 2019 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby 8-by-1o photo (Topps Authentics)
The Price: Around $80 (regularly $130)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This autograph is one I've never bothered with on cardboard mostly for how it typically looks (it's not the greatest sig) but also because the stock-pilers have stayed busy grabbing them up as he's one of MLB's better young hitters today and he's not cheap. I landed this with a sale combined with some discount certificates on one of the sites that Fanatics populates and went here since that price was strong and the image isn't bad -- it's from his dominating Derby showing where he didn't win but wowed many. This was cheaper than most if not all autos from where I typically buy most often ... and those were sticker autos. I'll probably go this route for ink of notables (or singles in some instances) vs. ripping to chase 'em with pack prices these days. Pro tip: Just because a box is old doesn't mean the autographs just vanish ... hunt him from 2016 prospect stuff forward and Rookie Cards/ink in 2019 forward.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one but MLB cards are here.

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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 ... and it's one of my biggest groupings ever.

RARER THAN RARE ...
The Book: Batman No. 457 -- second-print newsstand edition
The Reason Graded: This one is why you grade. Why? Well this book is more than obscure ... it's obscure on top of obscure with a pop report that shows that in a couple ways. I had this sitting in a junk box of books -- comics bagged in bulk with others taped shut in between a couple boards -- since the late 1990s with it having absolutely no thought in my mind for that time. When I opened up the bag, though, I remembered its cool cover -- that's why I saved it -- and in the here and now it's an example of how the grading world has changed a lot of stuff. It wasn't popular back in the day and that makes it more valuable (potentially) now. What is it? It's a second printing of a newsstand copy for an issue that had the debut of a key character, Tim Drake as Robin. The regular edition of this book has been graded almost 1,400 times -- actually still a modest number for the era -- but a newsstand copy is something else. And a second-printed newsstand copy? Nobody wanted that. How many could have even been made and how many went unsold or were trashed? There's some mystery there as with a lot of things but the pop report talks.
The Grade: CGC 9.8 (Universal)

Reality Check: Just four copies of the 78 graded have checked in at my mark -- not bad considering I got this in some Sears catalog mystery box with like 25 comics for $10 back in the early 1990s. It wasn't a really impressive buy at all at that time -- a lot of stuff that just wasn't appealing or was later printings and I'm betting some of them were pitched or given away. Nobody wanted that then. But now? The numbers game and speculation has people on eBay sellers challenging the market. A 9.6 -- with twice as many copies as this one in existence -- has an eBay asking price of ... well just see it for yourself. It's not alone, either, as a 8.5 checks in with an asking of $3,800, an 8.0 checks in at $3,500 and a 6.5 is $1,499. Other versions (first print direct and newsstand) are cheaper along with direct second prints as they've all got far higher pop reports. People like the easier versions a lot -- eBay highs as much as $255 but not for this one -- and who knows where the other three 9.8s might even be? What might mine command? I'm not sure ... but I know this is pretty solid potential for something that was pocket change from years ago. Again, this is why you grade.

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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BATTING LEAD-OFF ... THE PITCHER
The Card: Tatum O'Neal (as Amanda Whurlitzer) 2013 Panini Golden Age Exhibit Box-topper
The Price: $14
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is a modern take on the old Exhibit postcards and this one is one of a few cards in a huge set that stands out to me. Why? It's one that shows an actor in character as she was the ace of The Bad News Bears. The key here? This is a box-topper set that had 40 cards in it ... so that's a lot of boxes to open to complete a set -- just one per box -- and the collation could be quite repetitive in my experience as I ripped a ton of these over the years. While a lot of sets from even a decade ago have dried up in wax form and gotten perhaps too steep for the typical return, these are still very affordable and include some good stuff. The only drawback? A wide array of inclusions may not be for everybody and now all these years later some of the good autograph redemption cards (only a few) can't be redeemed for that ink. (Points now as they are long-expired.) There are a lot of on-card autos in this release that have no equal -- including autos from her and other Bears.
Grab a box right here: 2013 Panini Golden Age

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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 ...

MY FIRST NEW-LABEL SLAB ...
The Card: Derrick Henry 2016 Panini Origins Rookie Autographs #112
The Reason Graded: My latest submission of stuff from CSG is already back -- in times far faster than what's posted on their site -- and this card of Tennessee Titans star (and former Alabama Crimson Tide standout as well as Heisman Trophy winner) Derrick Henry was my choice for my first fast sub under their new format. Why? I thought it looked quite flawless with a solid on-card sig with literally nothing obviously wrong with the card. With this being perhaps my best NFL auto for him I opted to slab it since thick-stock cards like this have tended to grade cleanly for me.
The Grade: CSG 9.5 (10 auto)

Reality Check: I was a little surprised this didn't check in higher as the only couple of white spots on the card appeared to be to be part of the design's specs and splats but ... I'll live with it. This one might also be reflective of CSG's tough standards, which don't appear to have gotten easier at all with their new slabs and slightly tweaked scale at its top. (Cards previously in a CSG Gem Mint 9.5 are now Gem Mint 10s.) All in all, I'm good with this card and their new scale and look -- straight-on scans don't do these slabs justice. While I liked the previous style (and own plenty) this one is tight and right ... just like their time for return, price and structure that lets you see the front and backs of the cards as they were in-house. There won't be tampering/fake slabs when you can look up the card online -- a big plus over other slabs if you ask me.

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 ... and this time around it's deep -- but also one of the pricier overall roundups I've done. 

BATTING LEAD-OFF ...
The Card: Roger Maris 2005 Playoff Absolute Memorabilia Tools of the Trade Reverse Blue Single Materials (/50)
The Price: $30
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Most of my pick-ups for this series are more personal collection buys meaning a lot of them might not have a ton of mainstream appeal to all of you but I'll let a legend bat lead-off here once again with a simple piece of cardboard. This brand was one that had a ton of highlights in it for game-used memorabilia fans when it arrived at the end of the Donruss/Playoff years and it delivered a ton for roughly $40 a pack back then if I remember correctly. This one was the home of legendary memorabilia cards from Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and many more and I have pulled or picked up many of them though the years. One player I pick up regularly if the price is right is Maris and this one fits that bill. It's not a perfectly designed card (His legs ... what's up there?) but the brand has so many variations and so many cards.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... but newer MLB boxes are here.

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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: 2020-21 Panini Mosaic NBA cards (hanger box)
First Buzz preview: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one ...

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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: 2021-22 NBA Hoops basketball cards (blaster box)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of images in this one.

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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 ... and this time around it's a super-sized edition with buys from last year as well as some from recent weeks.

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THE RAMS & PRIME TIME
The Card: Joe Namath & Sam Bradford 2011 Panini Certified Fabric of the Game Combos Prime (/25)
The Price: $27.75
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is one of only a few Joe Namath memorabilia cards from his career-capping 1977 season with the Los Angeles Rams -- and it's on the rarer side of things as a prime patch card along with another notable past QB for the team who people had tapped for Super Bowl stardom. I figured I'd have this one lead off this time as the Rams are in the Super Bowl on Sunday and, to me, this is a Super Bowl-caliber card on the cheaper side of things. It's a part of my school ties part of my stash ... Namath Rams jersey cards are always worth the look in my book.
Grab a box right here: 2011 Panini Certified NFL

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It's not a card that will make you rich, it's not one that will change your life -- but it's one that is a bit of a finale while also being a first.

It's a Rookie Card -- and it finishes up a tale that started, for me, months ago when I documented the cardboard enigma that is Chris Boucher, a center for the Toronto Raptors who has had quite a journey to an everyday spot in the league and and an odd one when it comes to cardboard.

His first season? Not one card -- but that made sense as he played just one minute in one game, though there are players who have done less and had more cardboard. His second season? Nope, not at least until the season was over.

Keep reading for the details of this oddity.

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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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FLOWN IN THE FINAL FRONTIER?
The Card: 2018 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions Museum Collection Aviation Jumbo Relics (5-by-7) Space Shuttle Columbia Mission STS-75 MLI Blanket
The Price: About $85
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This over-sized piece is one of a number of space-related memorabilia cards that you can find (as redemptions) in this past Goodwin release, and I opted for this one since it's got a lot going on with its swatch and because it's noted as being used for Mission STS-75 that went to space in the spring of 1996. What exactly an MLI blanket is I didn't know when I grabbed it, but apparently "Multi-layer Insulation" blankets help protect various pieces of equipment from heat and light while in space. I liked how this piece has a rivet hole on one side and some Velcro on another along with some striping to help make it a little more interesting than just a big plain white swatch of material. A lone drawback here is that it's not easy to store at 5-by-7 and about a half of an inch thick but it's a cool card. (I wrapped it in a sealed magazine bag and then boxed it away.) Did I need it? Probably not, but it's pretty interesting and I will have more oddities like this coming in the future. If it grabs your attention, there are a number of standard-size cards with varying pieces inside them to suit more budgets easier than this card. Other blanket swatches look like tin foil and you can find other pieces in cards, too. I may need to get one of those.
Grab a box right here: Goodwin Champions (all years)

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The question above says it all and I need to know what others think on this Wednesday afternoon.

Why? Well, one player inside this set has a unique career and has had a dominating season so far, too. And, his enigmatic journey is one that has just as odd of a cardboard résumé ... one that sparks said question.

This is the 2018-19 Panini Instant NBA Finals box set -- a relatively plentiful release with 49,286 sets ordered in the wake of the Toronto Raptors' first championship. A number of those sets are found in this colorful team-adorned box -- it's a cheap set, too, by the way, when you can find it -- while other copies that were ordered directly on the Instant site arrived without the packaging but every card in a sealed top-loader as you can see here.

I grabbed the set back in the day and recently landed one still in the box -- I have no intent to open it because it's the super-rare instance where I wanted one sealed since even the box shows the player I collect.

So what's the deal? Keep reading.

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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 ...

A BIG BLASTER PULL
The Card: Shohei Ohtani 2018 Topps #700B hand on helmet SSP photo variation
The Reason Graded: Not that long ago, I pulled this card from a Series 2 blaster box and decided that it needed a slab since these SSPs appear to be relatively rare -- and I was even more surprised to see how they didn't grade all that well on the pop report. Meanwhile, mine looked very clean ... so I had to do it.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: Only one card graded better than mine and four others have equaled it while eight cards have checked in at a BGS 9 or lower -- that seems pretty low for a modern card, though the skinny stock here clearly could have issues after these cards hit packaging. I'll admit that this was a pull while Ronald Acuña Jr. hunting in Series 2, but this feels like a win on top of a win with it grading so well after being pulled from a discounted box. Here's hoping his third season is as strong or better than his first two, which are remarkably similar from the batting side.

Keep reading for more of this month's 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: NBA chatter, MLB breaks, Tanking for Tua, an eBay oddity, Acuña Holiday heat and ... is Lamar Jackson still a sleeper?

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Board Man may be headed elsewhere, but the Toronto Raptors' NBA championship clearly was a slam dunk with some basketball collectors up north -- and probably elsewhere, too.

One way we know?

The print run on the Panini Instant team championship card set.

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What: 2019 Panini NBA Champions Toronto Raptors Collection Box Set
Arrives: July 12
Box basics: 30 cards per set (20 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: The new NBA champs are getting their own commemorative box set with some members of the team getting their very first basketball cards in this release.

Keep reading for more info about what's to come.

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