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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ICONIC ARRIVAL
The Cards: Caitlin Clark 2024 Panini Instant WNBA (All-Rookie Team) -- Rookie Card (/26,980)
The Price: Whatever a 10-pack cost was from Panini
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: There's no doubt that Clark owned the WNBA in her rookie year and for most of this year her only pro cardboard came via Instant ... but I passed. Why? I figured I'd wait and see what popped up that I liked in packs -- and then when I opened one of her college career boxes I found interesting stuff but not cards all that slab-worthy with the details for cutting and printing. (Too messy for the risk to me.) As an easy slabbing decision, I grabbed a 10-pack of this card within hours of its arrival online. Why? It's clean and simple -- iconic -- and I knew that I'd want one or two of these in a slab with a high mark. How does that happen? Well, you have to have a few to pick from -- to eliminate obvious flaws like centering or corners -- and in this case three of my 10 might get sent in. The rest were too off-centered for my taste. There were plenty of these made so there's no rush, but it'll happen at some point in 2025.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this ... but WNBA cards are here.

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This one is 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 perhaps something to ponder.

This time? Five cool cards simply because of their classic photos.

ALL THAT CASH THERE
The Card: Babe Ruth 2020 Topps Series 2 #562 SSP variation
Why does this Fast Five topic pop into my head on a slow Tuesday afternoon? Well, the record-setting Anthony Fauci Topps Now card over the weekend had one element of the things that can add to demand and value of a card -- a unique photo. (Fauci's card is perhaps more the moment than the actual photo frame, but here we go.) This Ruth card is one of many photo variants in basic Topps sets in recent years -- that's where you can find a lot of cool and unique images -- but this card is a fascinating one. Why? Think about all of the cash paid for all those signed baseballs today ... it should be a reminder that The Sultan of Swat's auto isn't necessarily rare -- there's just immense demand.
Check out MLB boxes here

Keep reading for four more making up the list this time.

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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 here

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