Auction Buzz is a monthly look at some of the variety found out there on the auction block via for Dallas-based Heritage Auctions ... check 'em out.

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A MONSTER HITS THE AUCTION BLOCK
The Item: Honus Wagner 1909 T206 Sweet Caporal back -- "The Garagiola Wagner" (SGC Authentic)
The Price: $1,625,000 after 35 bids (ends Feb. 28)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I’ll spare you the historic lore of this card -- hit the link for Heritage’s full recap of this one’s place in history -- but you should know that this one is already over halfway to its estimated $3M sale price in the wake of some modern cards making big headlines with big prices last year. Sure, this one is a low-grade copy -- but it’s real -- and this particular card was once owned by former MLB player. It was "the prized possession of baseball icon Joe Garagiola, whose nine seasons of Major League play was followed by decades of elite achievement as a broadcaster.” How did he get it? "Garagiola's son informed us that his dad's 1954 Giants uniform was part of the package he traded for this holiest of hobby grails,” Heritage said.

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Here's this month's roundup of items that have recently caught my eye as a buyer ...

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THE GANG'S ALL HERE ... 
The Item: Andy Pafko United Press Associations 8-by-10 photo (stamped on back) sourced from Pafko's estate. In it, he’s greeted by his Brooklyn Dodgers teammates after his 12th-inning homer against the New York Giants on April 18, 1952.
The Price: $29 shipped
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I found this from a seller of all kinds of stuff from Pafko's estate that hadn't seen the light of day in a long, long time. The former Cubs-Dodgers-Braves standout and four-time All-Star either clearly amassed a lot of stuff over the years -- or he had somebody who would do it for him during and after his career. Why do I say that? The volume of original items like this was truly impressive -- and I've picked off a few pieces to show here in the coming months. This photo stood out not only as a key moment in a big game as you can see above -- an extra-inning homer that was his second of the day against a New York rival -- but also because also seen here are Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson, Hall of Famer Pee Wee Reese, Hall of Famer Duke Snider and Hall of Famer Gil Hodges among others. (That's all of the team's HOFers that year save for Roy Campanella -- and it's a team that went all the way to Game 7 of the World Series where they lost to the Yankees.) It's got some typical but still light wear of old press photos, but it is otherwise bright and crisp for 74 years old. I really think this could command a lot more than $29, too.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this ... but MLB cards are here.

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There are a lot of things one can collect that aren't cards -- sometimes they can even come in packs or repackaged memorabilia boxes and sometimes they don't. Buzz has been exploring the world a little bit in different directions but with many of them still being paper items -- stacking paper but not in that ol' green (money) kind of way. Here's a look at a few items that entered my collection in recent months that can all fall under this department, which will be found here roughly once a month. 

TODAY'S THE GREATEST
The Item: The Smashing Pumpkins concert poster -- Melbourne, Australia, April 22 & 27, 2023 (announced /175)
What It Cost Me: $35
What's It Worth: Original cost $35 ... recent eBay sold $45 ... recent eBay asking $115
The Buzz: If you know and like the song and video for "Today," then this 18-by-24 piece from illustrator Pat Fox might appeal to you like this did for me. It's a nod to the 1993 video that arguably launched this band into the mainstream and this retro take for a more-recent show just seemed different and cool from the genre in my eyes. I've recently started dabbling around in this realm -- but only on the relative cheap -- after finding a seller/collector with a vast stock with nearly everything so fresh that the prints have never even been rolled ... so damage is almost non-existent. I've picked off a few dozen prints in recent months and you'll see concert posters like this pop up here regularly and perhaps elsewhere from time to time as unique buys come my way. Why? I'm hooked, amazing stuff can be found cheaply and I'm just collecting something a little different while they are also, in essence, bigger cards but made in far-lower volumes. The only drawback? Storage -- top-loaders for stuff like this doesn't come cheap -- but I'll adapt.
Find Cards At: Non-sports boxes at BlowoutCards.com

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Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading ... so here's this month's grading diary.

TOOK ME LONG ENOUGH ...
The Mag: Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce -- Mad No 36 (April 2024)
The Reason Graded: With the Grammys set for tonight (Feb. 1), I figured now would be the time to drop one here for the Swifties -- a magazine that I picked off long, long ago with absolute intent to grade but never got around to it until late last year. This duo sold a lot of magazines in the last couple of years but this one was one of few to present itself in a way that would fit in my collection of slabs -- it's one part sports (he's in uniform) and one part comics/satire, a category where I have a few slabs. These were popular -- so much so there was at least a second printing with a green logo -- but actually finding the long-running but off-and-on-title would be a challenge at arrival. Book stores/newsstands? Probably not. Comics shops? Maybe ... but probably not a big priority for many of them. The original Mad ran from 1952 to 2018 before DC Comics took over after a couple months off that year and it's largely been new covers wrapping mostly favorite reprinted stories from the past with occasional new content.
The Grade: CGC 9.6 (Universal)

Reality Check: These mags are super thin and the cover paper is, too. How skinny? The spines of new copies have texture all the way down from the folding -- I suspect they will be the huge problem spots if you find these un-graded with an eye for slabbing. Mine has that -- as do some 9.8s I looked at before slabbing -- so mine probably had one other small issue to kick it down a notch. That was a bummer -- and my latest mags submission didn't have a single 9.8 in it, which was odd -- but I was grading this no matter what as a time capsule kind of slab from the last few years.

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

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Many people collect autographs -- but not in the same ways -- and not all autographs are made alike. Some are mass-produced, some are in packs. Some are personalized, some are not. Some have all kinds of documentation and many, many more have none at all ... here's a look at a few that have entered my collection in recent months as part of what will now be an ongoing series here. 

CERTIFIED INK
The Item: John Cena autographed The Last Time Is Now retirement tour 11-by-14 -- created and only initially sold by WWE
What It Cost Me: $24 via an autograph mystery buy
What's It Worth: He signed a lot of similar prints last year, typically selling for $75-100 and up over on eBay
The Buzz: The year-long retirement tour of WWE's top active star meant plenty of city-specific merch at many of his stops and then other general stuff like this signed print that was sold at other events. This one isn't tied to any one city -- many are and with some having announced editions of 1,000 copies -- and this one didn't have a specific volume signed that I have seen anywhere but I was more than pleased when I landed this one in a mystery box recently at a sliver of its typical eBay pricing. These photos were not sold unsigned and were released by WWE, making this a certified auto via them. Some eBay sellers have gotten these third-party authenticated (and that brings safety in the eyes of some buyers willing to pay more) while this is just like most of those that were signed. Cena's autographs are in high demand -- and perhaps higher demand now with life away from the ring to amp up more with him perhaps signing less WWE stuff -- but he's also been a signing machine for a long time. Watch this video from years ago. I have had his auto a few times on cards and other items from back in the day, so the stuff like this would not have been on my radar or in my collection if it wasn't for a mystery buy. I'll take it.
Find Ink: WWE boxes at BlowoutCards.com

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Auction Buzz is a monthly look at some of the variety found out there on the auction block via for Dallas-based Heritage Auctions ... check 'em out.

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MODERN-DAY TREASURE OR A SUPER-FLASHY FLIP?
The Item: Shohei Ohtani & Aaron Judge 2025 Topps Chrome Update Dual Gold Logoman MVP Relic (/4)
The Price: $75,000 after 23 bids (ends Jan. 30)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This monster card came out of a pack in recent months -- well, at least its redemption did -- and it's already on the auction block for a cash-in. What is it? It's a card with the gold-threaded MLB logo patch off of game-used jerseys from the reigning MVPs from each league in 2024 as worn last year -- if you look closely at both images on the card you can see them, too. (Enhanced to make sure they stand out more? Not necessarily ... but they sure do pop on those tiny images.) Cards like these -- signed and unsigned as singles and immensely rare finds -- are some of the biggest pulls in the heavily produced brand with long odds. The back of the card has built-in windows for you to see the MLB Authentication stickers for these patches pulled from their jerseys (click to view and go look them up for yourself). Should these be a hold or moved immediately? I bet your answers are all over the place -- but the longer one waits, the more the chances other cards like this might be done over time, giving them more competition if they are all up for grabs at the same time. Ohtani and Judge are two of the game's biggest names of the here and now and figure to be later. How big among the all-timers? We'll find out when they are done ... but they are as safe as it gets right now, too.

Keep reading for more interesting pieces up for grabs right now.

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What's Buzzing: Talking 2026 Topps, Nolan Arenado, Mike Tomlin, bad centering, new NFL match-ups and more.

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1 -- Talking 2026 Topps

2 -- Nolan Arenado finally on the move

3 -- Talking Heritage High Number

4 -- Mike Tomlin's surprise exit

5 -- This week's NFL games are on their minds

6 -- Good question 

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

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Here's this month's roundup of items that have recently caught my eye as a buyer ...

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BROADWAY JOE
The Item: Joe Namath autographed 16-by-20 Sports Illustrated "Broadway Joe" cover photo (BAS witnessed)
The Price: $249
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I don't normally include the actual price when I make a bigger buy, but in this case a sale price was too strong for a piece so nice ... so I am. Why? A typical price for an item like this is substantially higher than what I paid (around $400-600) and peak asking prices are sometimes even nuttier than the normal range. This was my big Black Friday buy and I landed it via Mill Creek Sports (this is their scan as I struggled to photograph mine thanks to size/glare on my top-loader) and one reason why I grabbed it (beyond the price) was that I liked this horizontal version of the photo and its autograph placement infinitely more than the vertical version. Atop that, it's also a piece where I had a chance to land one for just $150 long ago at The National but I didn't as I didn't have a way to safely get it home. This is the iconic photo that led to the nickname for the eventual Super Bowl winner and icon who helped change the game forever. He turns 83 this year, too, and I don't think demand will lessen over time.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this ... but NFL cards are here.

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What's Buzzing: WWE chatter, new MLB pulls, soccer cards, collecting regrets, non-sports cards and ... "is set collecting still a thing?"

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1 -- Several WWE call-ups seem eminent 

2 -- Vintage: "Is set collecting still a thing?"

3 -- Inside two MLB boxes

4 -- Non-sports cards

5 -- All your soccer card chatter

6 -- "No ragrets"

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading ... so here's this month's grading diary.

MJ's MOMENT
The Card: Michael Jordan 2008 Goudey Hit Parade of Champions
The Reason Graded: This moment turns 35 this year and this insert card is one that ... came out of a box of baseball cards. It's a throwback to a 1951 set with stars from a little bit of everywhere in this Goudey version. These cards are smaller -- allowing for them to bounce around inside the wrappers -- but the only even close to deterring issue for grading with this copy was an irregular spot in the card stock itself ... but you can't even see it in this image. This finally made it into a grading submission of mine last year because it's an iconic moment for one of biggest names in sports history. The moment? This was Jordan's first championship.
The Grade: CGC 9

Reality Check: Behold! The worst of the four graded. Doesn't matter to me ... I just like the card and nines are fine.

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

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What's Buzzing: PSA parent company to buy Beckett, NFL Draft chatter, MLB, vintage, John Cena's final match and more.

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1 -- Reactions: PSA parent company to buy Beckett ... and more reactions

2 -- NFL Draft chatter ... And everything else football 

3 -- Talking vintage

4 -- New MLB breaks are piling up

5 -- Philip Rivers return reactions

6 -- Still talking WWE and John Cena's finale

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

Auction Buzz is a monthly look at some of the variety found out there on the auction block via for Dallas-based Heritage Auctions ... check 'em out.

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THE BIGGEST BATMAN
The Item: 1966 Topps Batman (Black Bat) No. 1 The Batman (PSA 9)
The Price: $90,000 after 61 bids (ends Dec. 11)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Are non-sports "rookie cards" a thing? They are to many and this one fits the bill as this first card in the first set for the iconic character -- and it's already delivering big on the auction block where it will end this week. "Norman Saunders' bold brushwork captures the Caped Crusader in motion, surrounded by bursts of color that defined the campy, kinetic energy of 1960s pop culture," reads the Heritage listing. "This stunner is one of the highest-graded examples known, with none higher on the PSA population report ... it embodies the unmatched quality and care behind this legendary collection. Simply put, this is the Batman rookie every serious collector dreams of owning."

Keep reading for more interesting pieces up for grabs right now.

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Here's this month's roundup of items that have recently caught my eye as a buyer ...

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TWO OF BLACKHEARTS
The Card: Shotzi Blackheart 2025 Panini Instant MLW Autographs Water parallel (/10)
The Price: $39.99 each via Panini
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This former WWE star is taking over a prominent spot in indy wrestling with appearances downright everywhere these days but with only a handful of card appearances to show for it (at least for now). Panini's newer foray into cardboard for Major League Wrestling has so far spawned a trio of base cards with parallels and some with autographed versions. I've been lucky enough to be plugged in and online to land ink for a couple of those drop days and in this case landed a pair of these autos where only eight others exist. Generally speaking, I'm not that big of a fan of the elemental parallels used in Instant these days, but they are an upgrade over the previous year's parallels that merely colored in one of the stripes in a design similar to this instead of the border as it is here. Either way, this one I'm a fan of as she's arguably my top collecting target these days as WWE stuff has gotten too pricey to comfortably dabble/rip boxes and have fun with the typical returns. In this case, the only angst is battling bots -- cards like these vanish in seconds and end up on eBay with prices three (or more) times higher. At least when I plunk down the money for these I know what I'm getting. (For those curious, the auto stickers here are older when she was signing in higher volumes for WWE releases -- her auto is back to an every-letter sig now.)
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this ... but wrestling cards are here.

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Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading ... so here's this month's grading diary.

MY EARLY INK FOR A BREAK-OUT STAR
The Card: Pete Crow-Armstrong 2018 Panini Elite Extra Edition 18U National Team Signatures Red (from 2019 USA Baseball Stars & Stripes rack sets)(/100)
The Reason Graded: I landed this ink for the Chicago Cubs star in a rack set -- that's a set and then some bonus cards in pack form direct from USA Baseball back in the day -- and he was one of a number of good names I found there for a low price. They all sat with my stuff for a few years before his breakout 2024 season got this one put into a grading order. Why? So I could get some ink in a slab and cross him off my list of key names needed. Crow-Armstrong joined the 30-30 Club this season, won his first Gold Glove and was an All-Star, too. The cool part? I added his ink from a two-auto set for just $9.99. (Other colors of this card are in standard EEE boxes ... the Reds are only in the sets I bought.)
The Grade: CGC 9.5 (10 auto)

Reality Check: The stock on these is the standard Donruss cardboard that can't decide if its chippy or soft -- it's generally pretty clean but a bottom corner could be soft here on the card backs where there's some color to make fuzz really obvious. This one was cleaner than other grading-worthy names but I'll likely slab others I found over time as more than a few here are in MLB now. He was the highest-profile name who needed to be graded now.

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

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What's Buzzing: Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami likely on way to MLB, altered cards, Drake Maye, case hits, Clayton Kershaw and more.

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1 -- Munetaka Murakami is on their minds

2 -- Talking altered cards ... big cards

3 -- Collecting one color of Drake Maye cards

4 -- The question of all questions

5 -- Some real talk on "case hit"

6 -- Talking Clayton Kershaw's cardboard 

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Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading ... so here's this month's grading diary.

MY LONE AUTO ...
The Card: Aaron Judge 2015 Bowman Inception Prospect Autographs Gold (/50)
The Reason Graded: Back when I could open a lot of boxes, I'd actually also do some group breaks as well -- as long as they were sure things where an affordable spot would guarantee a hit or had a volume of actual hits inside (auto or mem cards) the case that was high enough to make the odds close to that. This is my lone Aaron Judge auto left from back in those days. I landed it in a spot somewhere around just $60 -- and I actually got two other Yankees autos in the break to make my cost for this particular card even lower. I only ever pulled one other Judge auto and I think I let it go in a trade long, long ago so this last one standing for me was always a candidate for grading -- and it finally made the cut with his monster year.
The Grade: CGC 8.5 (10 auto)

Reality Check: The thick stock here made this one feel like a safe pick and it is -- the front is perfect -- but the back corners also count and some light fuzzing there is likely what dropped this one down. Otherwise, it definitely presents as a crisp card and a perfect card on the front. I was aiming for a nine, so this mark was a slight bummer -- but it's still a big card. Mine is the only Gold graded by CGC and among the 12 graded in all colors nothing checks in higher than a nine.

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

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What's Buzzing: The NBA's gambling scandal, the World Series, showing off Shohei Ohtani cards, Topps NBA, NFL Week 8, authentic vintage cards and could there be an MLB lockout in 2027?

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1 -- The World Series is here: Blue Jays vs. Dodgers

2 -- An NBA gambling problem?

3 -- "Should more vintage cards be graded just as Authentic?"

4 -- Showing off Shohei Ohtani cards ... Could there be an MLB lockout in 2027?

5 -- Topps NBA arrives

6 -- NFL Week 8

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

Here's this month's roundup of items that have recently caught my eye as a buyer ...

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MY BEAR NECESSITY
The Item: Paul "Bear" Bryant autographed & dated/inscribed (Oct. 18, 1976) 8-by-10 photo (BAS authenticated)
The Price: $219 ... high for me but it's the perfect item for me
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This was a jaw-dropper of a find for me during a random search of Mill Creek Sports' superstore for autographed stuff earlier this year and I've saved it for football season, specifically this month, to present it and tell its story. It's personalized and that makes it perfect for me this time ... and to top that, the signed date -- the legendary Alabama Crimson Tide football coach and football icon who won 323 games dated everything signed like this -- might as well be on Buzz's actual birthday. (It's close ... close enough.) The odds of this existing or one being signed on my actual birthday? Well, I'm sure there were a number of things to sign on this Monday and I'm also very sure he wasn't sitting down to sign requests on a gameday when I kicked things off in the world. So, this is perhaps as close as it can get. The quality and condition of the photo are perfect and the ink is perfectly legible, too. Now, is his autograph really rare? Not particularly, but he died in January 1983 well before sit-down and paid signing sessions were en vogue for sports legends and he's still in high, historic demand despite Nick Saban equaling him and/or re-writing the Alabama record book in more recent years. It's the perfect item at a perfect price and it will always be mine.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this ... but football cards are here.

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Auction Buzz is a monthly look at some of the variety found out there on the auction block ... check 'em out.

It's going to be a busy end of the year for Dallas-based Heritage Auctions with a number of regularly scheduled events as well as some showcase auctions with high-profile stuff all on the calendar. This time, we look at a few things from a few active sales this month.

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ANOTHER BIG JORDAN
The Item: Michael Jordan Oct. 26, 1984 (NBA Debut) Chicago Bulls season-ticket stub (PSA 4)
The Price: $65,000 after 25 bids (ends Sept. 27)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Last month, a Michael Jordan (and Kobe Bryant) card sale via auction re-wrote some hobby history and, while we're confident this one won't fetch $12.9 million, this one is in some rare air. It has already hit its estimated price from the auction house and while its grade is low there are only three higher. "The most important athletic debut of the post-war era?" asked Heritage in its listing. "A strong argument could be made. Perhaps only Wayne Gretzky could challenge Michael Jordan in balloting seeking to identify the most dominant figure of his respective major sport, but once you step outside the sports arena and into the wider popular culture, M.J. leaves The Great One in his dust. He remains one of the most recognizable humans on the planet two decades after his retirement from the NBA." Jordan scored a modest 16 points in a 109-93 win over the Washington Bullets on this night and only 14 of these have been grade overall.

Keep reading for more interesting pieces up for grabs right now.

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Here's this month's roundup of items that have recently caught my eye as a buyer ...

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GOING FOR THE GOLD
The Card: Shotzi Blackheart 2022 Panini Select WWE Gold Wave Prizm (/10)
The Price: Around the price of a blaster box at arrival
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This brand is my favorite of the Panini years for WWE, and in the case of this star who I collect I have seemed to found her rarities on the affordable side at times with this release. This is a perfect example of that with it being one of the rarest parallels in there but it cost me not much more than the price of a retail box. It was arguably underpriced, so I grabbed it quickly when I spotted it. Will I grade it? It's a possibility, though this release's centering issues can create some surprises (that aren't totally surprises) as I found out with a different parallel of this card. Poke around in Making The Grade last month for an example.
Grab a box right here: WWE cards are here.

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Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading ... so here's this month's grading diary.

TOP-GRADE VARIATION
The Card: C.J. Stroud 2021-22 Bowman University Chrome Prospects -- image variation
The Reason Graded: If you poke around in the archives for the Buzz Breaks of this release, you'll likely find a break where I missed this one and just simply called it a Refractor despite it being an image variation (all are Refractors on these). It should have been obvious based on the practice photo vs. game action, but I only spotted it well after the fact -- months, if not years, later -- when going through my old boxes. When I stopped to look, this card looked absolutely flawless and since it's somewhat rarer than the others it's also still a bit pricier for a standard card. (It's no monster but it's definitely better than a few types of Refractors.) Since it was so clean and the NFL season is upon us, I put this one into a bulk submission.
The Grade: CGC 10 (Pristine)

Reality Check: This card checked in at exactly where I thought it would. Fun find and a win -- and it wasn't even tucked away in a box penny sleeved. The divide between mine and the other copies graded is also an interesting one -- perhaps there's a common flaw on copies due to position on the sheet or from machinery? No idea ...

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

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What's Buzzing: Modern vs. vintage, talking Aaron Judge, fake cards, Big Dumper, little details and more in this Sunday edition.

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1 -- A modern vs. vintage question 

2 -- Talking the Yankees ... and talking Aaron Judge

3 -- All about the details?

4 -- Watch out for allegedly fake cards

5 -- Still talking Big Dumper

6 -- All your NFL chatter as the season nears

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

Auction Buzz is a monthly look at some of the variety found out there on the auction block ... check 'em out.

It's going to be a busy second half of the year for Dallas-based Heritage Auctions with a number of regularly scheduled events as well as some showcase auctions with high-profile stuff all on the calendar. This time, we look at a few things from a few active sales this month.

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AS BIG AS IT GETS
The Item: Michael Jordan & Kobe Bryant 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs (1/1) -- PSA 6
The Price: $4,150,000 after 32 bids (ends Aug. 23)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This one has plenty of time remaining but as you can tell it's already one of the biggest monsters to ever hit the auction block -- and that's with the grade that, well, would be a bummer on any other card from the modern era. But, with game-used NBA logos from two of the game's all-time greats and their ink? Well, it's all about the card, not that dinged corner. "Do you hear that rumbling? It's the sound of the standing world record price for a basketball card getting ready to fall," Heritage said in its listing. "For five years, the 2009-10 National Treasures Steph Curry logoman autograph card has enjoyed the view from the top of the heap, the $5.9 million private sale to an investment fund in July 2021 demonstrating the virtually unlimited elasticity of the market's upper edge. ... We're proud and privileged here at Heritage for the opportunity to take the title back for the auction world," Heritage continued, "providing the manner of competition and high drama that private transactions lack, and which serves as a far more fitting tribute to the iconic subjects this remarkable trading card celebrates." ... This one is estimated by Heritage to top the $6-million mark when it's sold.

Keep reading for more interesting pieces up for grabs right now.

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Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading ... so here's this month's grading diary.

NINES ARE FINE
The Card: Aaron Judge 2017 Topps Archives -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: The unique 1960 Topps design always stands out to me. Why? Because one of my first clean vintage cards as a kid was a Gus Bell form the set, which I got since I knew he was a big-leaguer's dad. (Yay, trivia!) So that's perhaps one reason I held this Judge RC instead of letting it go. (Plus, I didn't rip as much of this brand ... so it was the only copy I pulled.) Judge's dominating 2025 season should make you stop and wonder about slabbing any RCs or early/rare stuff you have now ... just because. He and Shohei Ohtani are all-timers playing right in front of our faces now and are as safe as it gets when it comes to grab and slab or buy and hold -- even with plenty of their cards being graded.
The Grade: CGC 9

Reality Check: I knew this wouldn't be a 10 contender with the finicky stock here and the centering being a smidge off by my typical standards for a slab, but, like I said, it was my only copy. Most check in at this grade, so the nine makes sense, too, and the volume below it also shows this card isn't the easiest to grade.

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

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Auction Buzz is a monthly look at some of the variety found out there on the auction block ... check 'em out.

It's going to be a busy second half of the year for Dallas-based Heritage Auctions with a number of regularly scheduled events as well as some showcase auctions with high-profile stuff all on the calendar. This time, we look at a few things from a few active sales this month.

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DARK KNIGHT IN DEMAND
The Item: Batman tin robot with original English box (Nomura Toys, 1966)
The Price: $5,250 after 29 bids (ends July 11)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This vintage Japanese toy is a foot-tall prime piece of pop culture with an obvious 1960s feel yet with some aspirations of something more for the future -- it's a battery operated tin toy and it's complete with its Adam West-styled box and fabric cape. This one is "an iconic fusion of superhero flair and vintage tin toy charm" per Heritage and it's one of two known styles -- this one has the serious face and one with the switch button in red. Heritage calls this "a standout from the golden age of Batman collectibles, blending Japanese craftsmanship with Gotham nostalgia."

Keep reading for more interesting pieces up for grabs right now.

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