Fleer
Making the Grade (Feb.): Grabbing Rookie Cards, NFL slabs, Mickey Mantle, Trish Stratus & slabbed mem-card challenges
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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 ... it's a mix of some new, some old and some football since that season is winding down fast.
NOW'S THE TIME TO BUY ...
The Card: Gleyber Torres 2018 Topps Heritage High Number #603 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I grabbed this one some time ago because it was on the cheaper side of things and a key Rookie Card in a key release. I own a bunch of these raw but landed this for literally less than it likely would have cost me to grade one (at least if I wanted to get it back in hand this year). The cost? Just $10. So, why do I have this one batting lead-off? A reminder that now is the time to be buying up younger baseball guys ... not when there's hype from spring training (even if that might be delayed).
The Grade: BGS 9Grade 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 B10 Total Population 0 0 0 0 0 1 17 18 80 3 0 119 Reality Check: I'm fine with nines and I didn't check the pop report when grabbing this one, which checks in under the most-commonly landed grade. No biggie ... I'm sure the 9.5s that don't always look obviously better cost a lot more than what I paid. There are no sub-grades here, but it seems pretty obvious that the centering is slightly off on this copy but everything else looks pretty good.
Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.
Auction Buzz: Some final-day scorchers happening at Goldin
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Update: The two Michael Jordan Rookie Cards sold for $738,000 ... each.
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The action is picking up and the clock is winding down over at Goldin Auctions with some sales records set to be broken tonight and other auction-block scorchers ending tomorrow.
This one is a bit of déjà vu and a broken record about broken records, but this PSA 10 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan Rookie Card you see here is going to set a new mark for the card as it's presently at $300,000 after 15 bids and then will go even higher with the buyer's premium. It's a card that has surged to new highs seemingly weekly as it's an iconic chase item for deep-pocketed new and returning collectors. It set a record (that was then topped) via Goldin in just December when one sold for $215,000. The crazy part? There is a second PSA 10 copy of the same card also up for grabs and doing the same thing ... in this same auction with both ending tonight. (And there are a number of lesser-grade ones, too.)
These cards aren't even the biggest Jordan item up for grabs right now as the Runnemede, N.J.-based auction house has a number of other big-ticket memorabilia pieces and interesting items in its current auction. Don't believe Buzz? Hit that link and look at the first page of huge items ... Jordan leads off with a biggie. If that's not enough, sort 'em by price ... now pick up your jaw.
Keep reading for a deeper look at a few more items presently up for grabs.
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (Jan. 19)
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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: Waiting on 2021 Topps, MLB breaks, dealing with today's market, WWE & NBA breaks and more in today's edition.
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (Jan. 14)
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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: Collectors react to the James Harden trade, Kobe Bryant cards, Sapphire and NFL rips, a big WWE retail pull and ... hey, Houdini, remember this one?
Buzz Buys: Hall of Famer Relics, Coming to America, Star Wars, Mike Trout's selfie, old NFL, American Pickers, WWE & more
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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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TAKE A SEAT ...
The Card: Babe Ruth 2017 Leaf Babe Ruth Immortal Collection Yankee Stadium Seat Red Spectrum (/20)
The Price: About $14
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Yes, I know this is not a bat card -- that's a piece of a Yankee Stadium seat embedded into it -- but I picked this one up since it's on the rarer side of things and also on the affordable side. Beyond that, this also showcases one of a few Ruth photos that always get me to stop and look at a card when I come across it. It's as simple as that, though I do also like oddball memorabilia cards. Chasing Ruth bats will cost more, though Leaf's estate-authorized sets have made them a little more affordable in recent years thanks to a good number of low-volume cards made among a few products.
Grab a box right here: Other Babe Ruth releasesKeep reading for more interesting items ...
Making the Grade (November): Young MLB stars, a few Hall of Famers, Big Bang Theory, Trish Stratus & an early Dale Jr. card
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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 ...
FEELING SUPER
The Card: Nick Swisher 2015 Bowman Chrome Superfractor #129 (1/1)
The Reason Bought: I picked this one up off of a collector friend who grabbed it for me, making this just my second Superfractor for my retired favorite player and my third Super overall (I once pulled one from a Heritage blaster) in years of collecting. There's not a whole lot of grading drama to be had on either the grade or the pop report, but I figured I'd lead things off with the rarest card of the bunch for this edition.
The Grade: BGS 9.5Grade 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 B10 Total Population 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 Reality Check: This is the only one that exists and it had been on the market for literally years online -- I got it for about $3 more than an offer I made for it when it first arrived and was declined. I've never been all that enamored enough to chase any of them, but this one I'm comfortable with since it was not much more than a basic Bowman box typically goes for at suggested retail price even after landing a top grade.
Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.
Buzz Buys: Big NFL gains, WWE legends, Naomi Osaka, vintage silver, J.J. Watt's rookie ink & Vontae Mack no matter what
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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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OFF-SEASON GRAB
The Card: Calvin Ridley 2018 Donruss Optic Aqua (/299) -- Rookie Card parallel
The Price: $2.25
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This card is a perfect example of an off-season pick-up that can show you some volatility and gains when in-season. The price above is a "then" price. The asking price now where I grabbed it? Basically add a zero and then a few bucks. Now, I'm not sure it'll sell for that much right now, but that's the kind of stuff that can easily happen when a player has a hot start to a season and is among the league leaders. Ridley had at least 109 yards in all but one game (that one a big fat zero) and he's a go-to for his struggling team right now. His auto isn't much to look at so I don't grab them as often, but I don't mind his RCs and memorabilia cards when I can land them cheaply.
Grab a box right here: 2018 Donruss Optic football cardsKeep reading for more interesting items ...
Buzz Buys: Young NFL stars' ink -- and paint -- along with some cheap RCs, Project 2020, Lea Thompson's comic & more
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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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GIVE 'EM A HAND ...
The Piece: Calvin Ridley 2018 Panini Instant Instant Impressions autographed hand print (/10)
The Price: $60 (shipped)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I picked this one up earlier this year when Panini had a half-price sale on Panini Instant stuff and I think it was a gem of a find considering he's had some strong showings for the Falcons. (Beyond that he fits one of my collecting niches.) What is this? It's a huge card -- not a card, really but it does have a full back so it's a card that's a couple feet tall -- with his handprint and autograph worked into the mix. The signature is slightly more full than many of his cards (believe it or not) but the uniqueness of the whole package drew me in ... especially at half price.
Grab a box right here: No boxes of these ... but you can find NFL boxes here.Keep reading for more interesting items ...
Buzz Break: 2002 Fleer WWE Absolute Divas (blaster box)
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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: 2002 Fleer WWE Absolute Divas (blaster box)
Where to buy: You'll have to hunt for these ... new WWE boxes are here
Keep reading for a full breakdown of what was in this one as well as a gallery of highlights.
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (June 1)
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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: Big pulls, Project 2020, Dennis Rodman, 2020 Bowman and more in today's edition.
Buzz Buys: Tua Tagovailoa, Project 2020, Star Wars toys, Silent Bob's mom, The Last Dance, Starrcast & plenty more
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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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THE CORRECT COLOR OF PRIZM
The Card: Tua Tagovailoa 2020 Panini Prizm Draft Picks Red Prizms
The Price: $20
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I didn't pull anything for this guy in a number of retail Prizm boxes and packs so far this year, so I opted just to grab the parallel I wanted the most -- the one with the right color for his team on this card that should have been found in one of my mega boxes but wasn't. I had an eye on slabbing this one but it has a surface issue that nixed that idea ... so we'll see what happens from here on out. Once new cardboard starts flowing, I'm sure there will be more options out there. Maybe I'll grab and slab one of these ... or maybe something else.
Grab a box right here: 2020 Panini Prizm Draft PicksKeep reading for more interesting items ...
The Last Dance: 12 ways to collect Michael Jordan & the Bulls
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With the COVID-19 pandemic erasing pretty much everything in the sports world right now, ESPN's decision to launch The Last Dance early is a jolt of nostalgia that's fueling plenty of extra demand for some already legendary basketball cards from the past.
The eagerly awaited 10-part documentary arrives Sunday night at 9 p.m. Eastern and it tells the story of the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls and their final championship run -- their third title in three years and sixth of that decade. It obviously keys upon the NBA's greatest player of all time and its biggest name on cardboard, Michael Jordan. But he's far from alone as the series will present original and new footage from that season as well as interviews from the players -- both on the court and beyond -- back then. We'll also hear from others from around the league who were on the court or covering the team as it commanded attention, won it all and then was forced to go their separate ways.
For Jordan, that meant a second retirement and return with the Washington Wizards three years later -- we probably won't hear a word about that (call it a hunch) -- but we'll be hearing plenty from many involved every Sunday night (two installments per evening) from here until May 17. If you're a new collector wanting to jump on the Jordan bandwagon it's not going to be easy -- you're about 35 years and 13,000 cards too late -- and the asking prices for many a Jordan gem are though the roof more now than ever. However, if you're a fan who missed some of the historic action back then there are still plenty of ways to dabble in cardboard from The Last Dance as it's ultimately a tale that's not just about Jordan.
Keep reading for 12 ways to explore the cardboard for The Last Dance ... both for Jordan and others who we'll see often every Sunday night.
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (April 18)
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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: Anticipation for The Last Dance (Sunday, 9 p.m. Eastern on ESPN) grows with an all-NBA edition showcasing Michael Jordan gems, pondering MJ bargains, news for Panini redemption cards and even some shockingly mockable MJs, too.
Buzz Buys: Pat Mahomes ink, giving Panini Instant a hand, Rookie Cards, Hammerin' Hank, Jennifer Connelly, Tom Green, Chappy Sinclair, Draft Day memorabilia & plenty more
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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 a mix of everything -- mostly on the affordable side.
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WHO I'D BE WATCHING
The Card: Bo Bichette 2019 Bowman Sterling (PSA 9)
The Price: Under $11
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: If baseball were happening right now, there are a few young players I'd be watching and Bichette is one of them. In just 46 games as a 21-year-old rookie last year, this second-generation MLB player hit .311 with 11 homers, 21 RBI and 18 doubles -- numbers that would have projected out to 39 homers, 74 RBI and 63 doubles over 162 games. While I wouldn't reasonably expect that this year, he was dominating at times in 2019 and he's one of several homegrown Blue Jays rookies from the last couple years (Bichette's RCs are this year) who could be around for a while and generate some success both on the field and on cardboard. When they're this cheap, I'm grabbing them -- most of the time, they are not. With its high-end format, Sterling makes me think this basic card might be less plentiful than a lot of the prospect brands from last year, too, but ultimately I picked it up since it's clean and has a solid photo.
Grab a box right here: 2019 Bowman SterlingKeep reading for more interesting items ...
Fast Five: Kobe Bryant basketball cards you should start with
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This one is a quick idea for a new department here on The Buzz ... Fast Five -- a quick list under a simple topic that might offer a basic starting point for a themed collection. It's a basic list of five items that could be fun for a starting collector or a new way to add to a stash that might already seemingly include everything when it comes to cardboard. For some of you, it's probably common sense. For others of you out there, it's something to think about.
This time? Five Kobe Bryant cardboard basics to own.
A ROOKIE CARD
It's clear that a lot of people who aren't seven-day-a-week collectors have been picking up Kobe Bryant basketball cards since his death in late-January, and the easy starting point for someone -- regardless of budget -- is a Rookie Card. His best Rookie Cards are from major manufacturers and most of them show him in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform or at least use Lakers logos. He has a ton of draft picks and early cards, too, but his 16 Rookie Cards all from the 1996-97 season are the ones to consider first. Here's a rundown of the brands -- Bowman's Best, Collector's Choice, E-X 2000, Fleer, Fleer Metal, Flair Showcase, Fleer Ultra, NBA Hoops, SP, Topps, Topps Chrome, Topps Finest, Upper Deck, UD3 and Z-Force. They're all in demand but they have always been relatively findable and vary in price. Topps Chrome, Topps Finest, Bowman's Best and SP are arguably the better ones, so they'll cost more, while Collector's Choice and Hoops will be on the cheaper side. There are parallel versions for the Chrome and Finest cards, too, and there are also fakes for some of the basic cards here to be weary of. I'd grab one that's been graded by BGS, PSA or SGC only. My Favorite? Probably Finest (above) as I was actually able to find one in a pack long, long ago ... I also once had a Chrome ... but traded it. (Story for another day.)Keep reading for four more basic cards to consider for Kobe Bryant.
Making the Grade (Feb.): Kobe Bryant, Eddie Vedder, Rookie Cards, The Four Horsemen, Meghan Markle, Superman & more
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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 ...
The Card: Kobe Bryant 1996-97 Upper Deck #58 Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I actually bought this card more than a year ago and thought I had it waiting in my stash of cards to present here at some point but, after doing some searching, realized that I never took a photo of this iconic 1990s card and it had been waiting for its time to appear. Unfortunately, we know why this NBA legend has been on the minds of many sports fans out there this week so here we are. I picked up this Rookie Card back then since it was a decent grade for a decent price -- just $9 -- and I didn't ever pull one way back when. It doesn't have any obvious flaws on the front, so it looks much better than its grade, too. (Sub-grades on the back of this slab are all 9 or higher except for an 8.5 on corners and one corner shows why.) The shocking news of this week has created a frenzy of interest for Bryant's RCs and autographs -- and a card in this same grade (not an elite grade, really) sold for $200. Mine will remain in my stash.
The Grade: BGS 9Grade 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 B10 Total Population 1 9 11 28 92 306 922 1,058 585 8 0 3,029 Reality Check: The pop report on this card is a lot stiffer than I had expected with this being the most-common grade and fewer than 600 checking in higher. I had expected there to be more but I suspect the pop reports on this card could change a lot in the coming months -- and it will be interesting to see if any ever reach BGS Black status. Bryant has a number of RCs -- more than 20 -- and this one is unique in that it doesn't show him in his Lakers uniform. The debate as to whether Bryant's cards will hold values in comparison to what people are paying right now is an interesting one over on the Blowout Forums where there are a number of discussions. I think this is a scenario that may defy common collecting logic -- I'd think that anything is possible in this case and there are a lot of buyers right now who will pick up cards and stash them away forever, leaving a smaller volume of stuff available for everyday collectors to grab on eBay and other market hot spots. Finding unopened boxes won't be an option for a lot of his Rookie Cards that people want to track down, either.
Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.
World loses an icon as Kobe Bryant dies in helicopter crash
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A sports legend and a pop culture icon is gone.
One of the NBA's greatest players, former Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, died in a helicopter crash that killed eight other people on Sunday morning in Calabasas, Calif. He was just 41.
A five-time NBA champion nicknamed "Black Mamba," Bryant was an 18-time All-Star during a 20-year career that began when he was drafted 13th in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft as a 17-year-old. He ranks fourth on the NBA's career scoring list with 33,643 points, a mark that was passed just yesterday by Lakers star LeBron James. Both of Bryant's uniform numbers -- Nos. 8 and 24 -- were retired by the Lakers and he remains the franchise's leader in points, three-pointers, steals and free throws made.
“Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames,” Bryant tweeted last night. “Much respect my brother.”
The National Basketball Players Association offered its condolences on Sunday as tributes poured in from around the world.
"We are stunned and devastated by the news of the sudden passing of Kobe Bryant," read the NBPA statement. "Words cannot express his impact on our Players, the NBA and the game of basketball. This is a monumental loss for the entire basketball community and our hearts are quite simply broken. We send love and prayers out to his wife, Vanessa, and the entire family."
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (Jan. 5)
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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: Many burning questions posed by forum members -- from missing old companies, to the Patriots dynasty, Tom Brady's future and allegedly fake NBA cardboard -- as well as some big pulls.
Making the Grade (January): Acuña, Apollo, The Fiend, vintage, Eddie Vedder, Tool Time, Tiger, Drax, Dream Team, XFL & more
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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 ... a super-sized edition with 20 cards to open 2020.
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SO CLOSE TO PERFECTION ...
The Card: Ronald Acuña Jr. 2018 Topps Chrome #193 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: This one looked very clean to my eye and I figured getting some of my past Acuña pulls slabbed was a good move considering his almost-40/40 showing last year. Some of his cards are heavily graded to the point where they can be had for not much more than a typical cost to slab if not in top grades. Meanwhile, others aren't as plentiful and some can typically grade very well. I went with this one since it's not as heavily graded and it does tend to grade well. Plus, I just liked the photo here compared to others -- and those I already own slabbed.
The Grade: BGS 10Grade 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 B10 Total Population 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 45 367 95 14 522 Reality Check: This one surprised me a bit -- just one half-subgrade away from a BGS Black. Only 14 cards have gotten the perfect mark and this one is among an also-small population. Most cards here check in at 9.5s -- a solid mark and a perfect card to bat lead-off for this first MTG of the year. I expect big things from Acuña this year and I'll be slabbing him often.
Keep reading for more.
Making the Grade (December): Rare Shohei Ohtani, Star Wars, Pete Alonso, Tim Duncan, vintage, several WWE stars & more
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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 9.5Grade 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 B10 Total Population 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 5 5 1 0 14 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.
Making the Grade (November): Dak Prescott, Luka Doncic, Magic Johnson & John Cena rookies, Robert Mueller, the first perfect Keith Comstock, Meghan Markle's MLB card & more
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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 ...
The Card: Dak Prescott 2016 Donruss #362 Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: It takes a pretty good deal for one of my buys to lead off here instead of one of my newly submitted grades, but this one was just that. This is one of those cards that is relatively available if you want to chase one down and slab it for some fun or profit. My cost? About $22, which might seem high generally speaking but isn't for its grade -- this was about half the price of the other cards in the same grade where I was looking at the time. They are even higher now.
The Grade: BGS 10Grade 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 B10 Total Population 0 0 0 2 1 1 8 30 305 26 0 373 Reality Check: This one is just a half-grade away from a perfect BGS Black slab and the percentage of cards to get this mark is pretty low vs. the overall total. That's what surprised me here more and prompted the pick-up. It's a relatively heavily graded card, too, which you'd think would have resulted in more 10s. (Paper stock can be more pesky than Optic stuff when it comes to grading, though.)
Keep reading for more of this month's big selection of pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.
First Buzz: 2019 Super Break One-time Baseball Inserts
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What: 2019 Super Break One-time Baseball Inserts Edition
Arrives: Nov. 20
Box basics: At least one slabbed insert card per box (four boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)What's buzz-worthy: Super Break's newest arrival will include "the top baseball inserts from the early 1990s to 2019" inside every box.
Keep reading for more info and a selection of images.
Buzz Buys: Nick Chubb RCs, Stranger Things ink, AEW's Elite, Juan Soto slabs, Sasha Banks, Pat Neshek ink & plenty more
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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 ... and this time around there's a little bit of everything.
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BUZZ IS FINE WITH NINES
The Card: Nick Chubb 2018 Donruss Optic Blue Prizm (/149) Rookie Card parallel (BGS 9)
The Price: $14
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This guy was the top RB in the NFL in Week 4 with a monster game (and this one was purchased before that) but I'm thinking that he's among the better buys for last year's rookies right now because of where he's playing and the potential. If the Browns win big or at least improve impressively and have some moments, the 2018 RCs of Baker Mayfield and Chubb will arguably be the cards looked at first -- and Mayfield is already expensive so this guy might have more potential of the two. The basic versions of his cards are pretty easy finds, even when graded, so parallels are the way to go first in my mind. I grabbed this one since it was a tad cheaper than other versions but perhaps lower than it might be if it had been graded subgrades. (I'm fine with this type of BGS card as long as there's no obvious flaw showing to make you wonder.)
Grab a box right here: 2018 Donruss Optic NFL (a few formats)Keep reading for five more interesting items ...
Buzz Buys: Bear Bryant ink, Muhammad Ali's moment, a GLOW auto, The Bambino, Steve Austin, Stranger Things & more
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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 ... and this time around there's a little bit of everything.
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A BEGINNER BEAR ...
The Slab: Paul "Bear" Bryant -- nickname autograph cut (BAS-certified)
The Price: $90
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I'll be the first to say that this is perhaps not my ideal autograph situation, but when it comes to Alabama football, Bryant is about as big as it gets -- still above Nick Saban for now -- and landing an authenticated signed photo or slabbed cut of the legend known as "Bear" will typically cost at least $275 and often more. Bryant was one of the autographs that had been on my want list for years but because of the price I'd never really considered it because the quality of autos that can be iffy even for $275. So, when this one presented itself earlier in the year, I opted for a beginner 'graph -- something in a slab and enough to say I have one. I grabbed it and held onto it for here until football season arrived so here we are. Bryant won six national championships in his legendary career and when Saban wins another that will set a new NCAA record. Even then, Saban will still be coaching in Bryant-Denny Stadium on Paul W. Bryant Drive down the road from the Paul W. Bryant Museum -- all named after the coach who died in 1983 less than a month after he notched his record 323rd career win. Bryant's autographs aren't super-tough finds -- they're just pricey. He's had a handful of cut autographs in football releases in recent years but I've never gotten in on the chase there -- also pricey.
Grab a box right here: No boxes on this one ... but college football boxes are hereKeep reading for five more interesting items ...
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (Aug. 9)
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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: Pondering the Billy Ripken 1989 Fleer variations, showing off Nolan Ryan cards, a huge pull from a mispriced oldschool wrestling box, Panini National packs and more in today's edition.