Buzz Buys: Young NFL stars' ink -- and paint -- along with some cheap RCs, Project 2020, Lea Thompson's comic & more

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 ...

BACK IT UP
The Card: Kyle Schwarber & Carl Edwards Jr. 2016 Topps Heritage Gum Damage Back parallel RC (PSA 10)
The Price: Less than a blaster
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This card isn't a standard RC, it's a rarer parallel that has a light layer of white ink added across the back to make it look like the dust from a pack of gum is still on the card. In some cases, these were tough to notice but I have thought that the couple of times they did this (2015, 2016) it was among the smartest things I've seen on cardboard in years. Schwarber had the best season of his career last year so I was looking in general for some cheap slabs and this one, a bit more than others, still was cheap enough to grab.
Grab a box right here: 2016 Topps Heritage MLB boxes

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TOO SOON?
The Card: Baker Mayfield 2018 Donruss Rookie Card
The Price: $3
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is one of those common-sense pickups of the recent past that you'd think I already have but there's one reason why my volume of 2018 Donruss packs opened was ridiculously low -- that jagged middle stripe up top in the card frame really, really bugged me. Bad Really bad. So much so I don't think I ripped into any boxes beyond whatever I picked up Week 1. (I made up for it with Optic.) Mayfield had a rough second season so that's one reason this one was grabbed this low (that was low at the time) late last year and had it stashed to show up here at some point. This one also looked clean enough to slab but I may just grab one already encased if that mood strikes and the card presents itself. Why? I'm betting there will be people bailing this year unless things go better. (We'll see.)
Grab a box right here: 2018 Donruss NFL boxes

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FULL-SIG PREMIUM?
The Card: Sara Jean Underwood 2008 BenchWarmer Signature Series Red-back SP Autographs 
The Price: About $5*
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This card caught my attention because it's a full-name auto for this BenchWarmer A-lister and I hadn't seen any of those and hadn't pulled any in the times I have found her ink in packs (three or four). This is a vertical variation auto from a brand I opened a lot of -- they used to be cheap boxes -- and this one also looked super-sharp if I wanted to grade it. (Maybe.) Another reason I picked this up? That recent $25 off eBay coupon* for its anniversary -- I decided to grab something I wouldn't typically have bought otherwise. One thing to watch for ... there are some hand-numbered versions of this card out there (later editions?) that have autos that don't look right at all -- clearly different handwriting or something going on. Meanwhile, this is an early auto card for her -- she has a modest amount of 2007 cards came before this ... and the middle name went away as she signed more and more. 
Grab a box right here: No boxes of these ... but you can find Benchwarmer boxes here.

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NOT AS COMPLICATED
The Card: Derek Jeter 2020 Topps Project 2020 -- Artist: Ermsy (/24,908 made)
The Price: Direct from Topps (regular price)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This artist's cards might be among the most-consistent of all Project 2020 creators but this one is a little tame for him, too, and that made it a little more comfortable to me. I balked at his first card -- the now-iconic and pricey one -- of Mike Trout since it was too complicated but this one was a no-brainer. (And I don't even collect Jeter.) I also appreciate the P2020 cards that try to emulate the original even ever so slightly instead of just punting and doing whatever they want -- this one uses the same pose as the original 1993 Topps card. I figured if I was going to chase one card per artist this one would be a decent example to have for Ermsy. (It won't be my last.)
Grab a box right here: No boxes of these ... but you can find MLB boxes here.

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HOW 'BOUT THAT?
The Set: 2001 Minor Miracles Vancouver Canadians team set
The Price: Around $8
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I've known about these cards for years but never really got around to finding them until recently via a MiLB super-dealer. Why? Well, two of the names you see should be familiar ones but the top card? Well,  I was surprised to do a Baseball Reference search and discover that Buzz went to high school with a past Oakland A's minor-leaguer (three seasons ... 5-7 record with a 5.95 ERA 76 Ks in 92 innings = two baseball cards). He never made it past advanced-A ball but that got him baseball cards in a pair of team sets. My collection of kids in my chemistry class on cardboard is complete. (You'll see the other one at some point here as a callback to this one, especially if the Post Office delays get truly stupid ... they are pretty bad as it is right now.)
Grab a box right here: No boxes of these ... but you can find MLB boxes here.

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IT STARTED WITH A TWEET ...
The Comic: Howard The Duck No. 9 Lea Thompson variant edition cover
The Price: Around $20
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I recently found out about this one when either the artist or Thompson tweeted it -- a throwback to recent years when this issue happened. What is it? It's a variant cover for when "Lea Thompson" became a character for a couple issues of this comic book. The irony here is that Thompson was the lead actor in the 1986 movie who wasn't in a duck suit -- but that is not this. Find Howard The Duck if you don't know about the movie ... it's a classic that bombed back in the day. It's a big-screen adaptation of a character that's been around since 1973 -- and I think it could do far better now vs. back then if it were to happen again.
Grab a box right here: No boxes of these ... but you can find Marvel non-sports boxes here.

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LIFE AFTER TUA
The Card: Mac Jones 2017 Upper Deck USA Football USA U19 Future Swatch Premium (/22)
The Price: $13.75
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This guy is the heir apparent for Alabama as the senior thrower on a team with seven QBs right now that's also living in a post-Tagovailoa world. He appears on just six cards from this prep All-Star release and only a 1/1 auto-mem card is rarer than this card. Everything else is un-numbered and I think I have all of them except for the 1/1 with this addition. Why grab it? Well, they were all pretty cheap (this likely being the highest cost) and they fit my collection. I figured I'd grab it no matter what happens this year.
Grab a box right here: No boxes of these ... but you can find NFL boxes here.

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UNIQUE GINTER
The Card: Eric LeGrand 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter Type A Relics 
The Price: $1.38
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This year's edition of Allen & Ginter arrived today with a bunch of unique cardboard and this is an example of that from the past. In 2010 LeGrand was a Rutgers football player and he was paralyzed during an on-field play. The Tampa Bay Bucs signed him to a ceremonial contract -- he has NFL cards, too -- but Ginter went that extra mile with autographs and memorabilia cards in 2017. This is his only memorabilia card and this particular one got my attention with a piece of a logo. Could it be a Bucs logo on a sleeve or something? Maybe ... for the price I figured "Why not?" and grabbed it. It's different with a story to tell.
Grab a box right here: 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter boxes

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COMING SOON TO THE MAIN WWE ROSTER?
The Card: Chelsea Green 2019 Topps WWE Women's Division Autographs (/199)
The Price: $15.99
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: She's been on wrestling TV for a few companies for a few years now, but none of those stops resulted in in-pack wrestling cards before this one arrived. So, since it's a first auto, I figured I'd grab one. She's had a few funny moments in the past -- "The Hot Mess" a memorable twist after a failed wrestling wedding -- but that example is in the past. What's next? Who knows ... but for cards this was a starting point.
Grab a box right here: See all WWE boxes here.

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ALSO A CONSISTENT ONE
The Card: Mike Trout 2020 Topps Project 2020 -- Artist: Sophia Chang (/14,821 made)
The Price: Direct from Topps (in two-card combo)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Chang's Project 2020 cards are also among the most-consistent creations in the brand -- perhaps tops in that regard -- and I've grabbed a few. This one has a little different approach compared to some others she has done with more of a full-bleed feel and it was an instant-grab for me. It didn't hurt there was a shot at a Trout auto to chase here, too, but not in the cards for me. My last shot at some Trout should arrive in the mail soon. (The last of my orders I've been waiting on -- I've slowed down on P2020 cards quite a bit.) I will always keep an eye on her cards when they pop up, though, so there could be other buys ... but this is her only take on Trout.
Grab a box right here: No boxes of these ... but you can find MLB boxes here.

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BALANCED AND AFFORDABLE
The Card: A.J. McCarron 2014 Panini National Treasures Rookie NFL Gear Materials Signatures Triple (/10)
The Price: $9.50
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This pick-up was mostly due to the price and scarcity -- I have a ton of the various cards for him from this release but most are versions without ink -- but I also think it's a pretty balanced card overall. When I started picking off stuff from NFL players with my school ties a little more often, NT was the brand I did so with the most often so it still gets me from time to time, too. Why? It's got a simple approach that all feels relatively familiar from year to year. I've slowed picking up this veteran back-up (or do I say clipboard holder) but have gone on cheap auto-mem benders from time to time. This is probably from one of those runs ... it's actually kind of fun collecting cheap players. I think everybody should have one on their list for whatever reason.
Grab a box right here: National Treasures boxes (all types, all years)

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TWICE AS NICE
The Card: Calvin Ridley 2019 Donruss Elite Elite Coverage Materials 
The Price: $2
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This guy can be found on a lot of affordable cards from the last few years but I liked the feel of this second-year mem card due to its horizontal design that includes two swatches for just $2. Again, like the card before this one, cheap players with school ties are often easy pick-ups for me ... just for the heck of it. Ridley has some upside, too, and his Week 1 results show it. (People will chase his autographed RCs long before cards like this if he builds upon that the rest of this year.)
Grab a box right here: 2019 Donruss Elite NFL boxes

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VINTAGE VARIETY
The Card: 1965 Fleer Gomer Pyle USMC -- card No. 5
The Price: Under $1
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: There's a lot of old cardboard out there one may not know about without some random keyword searches, especially in the non-sports realm. This card is for a relatively popular TV show from the past and actor Jim Nabors (aka Gomer Pyle) also fits into my school ties segment of my collection -- he did a lot in his 60-year career before he died in 2017. I typically try to find an auto for notables in my stash, but non-sports isn't as high on my radar -- it's a casual thing to add stuff over time -- but I grabbed this since it was pocket change and it has a photo that definitely defines the character he made famous.
Grab a box right here: No boxes of these ... but you can find non-sports boxes here.

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RARE & CHEAP
The Card: Kenyan Drake 2016 Limited Rookie Phenoms Jersey Spotlight Ruby (/10)
The Price: $5.25
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This guy kind of blew up a little bit once he left Miami, making rarer cards like this one a little more pricey than they might have been otherwise. (I likely picked it up before the trade last year but have had it sitting in my waiting list on when to use it here.) It's not the flashiest four-color patch card in my Drake stash, but his stuff can be found on the cheap side and that works for me. The only drawback here might be that top-left corner that's got some missing color but this one isn't going anywhere so I wasn't that worried about it.
Grab a box right here: 2016 Limited NFL boxes

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HOW 'BOUT THEM PROMO CARDS?
The Card: Emmitt Smith 1994 Classic Pro Line Live Promo & National Convention Promo
The Price: About $2.50 total
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: These Smith cards are not anything special at a glance but they are far rarer than the normal version of this Hall of Famer's stuff from Pro Line that year. These are a dealer promos and a show promo from what is a strong era of football cards if you ask me. (I'm a sucker for Pro Line autos from the 1990s and they were one per box this year ... and so pretty much anything here has a shot at my attention.) This release sold so well in the little town where I lived at the time I might have found one box ... maybe ... and the only name I remember for ink off the top of my head for this year was Tommy Vardell. I think that's who I pulled. (Meanwhile a number of notables were in there -- Troy Aikman, Drew Bledsoe, Tim Brown, John Elway, Brett Favre, Marshal Faulk, Ronnie Lott, Joe Montana Derrick Thomas, Steve Young and, of course, Smith.) Promo cards from this era aren't dramatically rare but they might be tougher finds than other cards. Perhaps the toughest find right now? Unopened boxes as only 150,000 were made. They aren't super expensive (around $50) but when they pop up they go fast.
Grab a box right here: No boxes of these ... but you can find NFL boxes here.

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Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

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