Making the Grade (April): WWE Hall of Famers, Captain comics, The Rock's rookie, Bo, The Boss, MLB rookies, MiLB & more

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 STRATUSFYING TEST?
The Tape: Trish Stratus 100% Stratusfaction Guaranteed (WWE, 2003)
The Reason Graded: There's a lot of talk about "alternative assets" in recent years and to a part of that audience trading cards are included. For those of us who work, live and breathe in the cardboard realm and have for a long time, it's perhaps more common sense and cards aren't necessarily an "alternative" or even an "asset." (It's a hobby for me.) But, grading of other items -- everyday stuff like magazines, video games, movies and toys -- that were used and in some ways shouldn't exist in their original form now might feel more that way. (They do to me.) I write about what I like, but this is a scenario where I dipped into a different realm of grading -- basically just to go through the process and see if I like it and then say that I did it once -- and I chose something that ties back into my collection as a whole. (That's wrestling.) Sealed VHS, video games and the like clearly have their audiences and demand is there for some things. There are some interesting sale prices out there for VHS -- everything from blockbusters from the late-1970s and early 1980s up to the oddball/culty stuff of the early 2000s before DVDs won the battle and stuff that you'd think wasn't even on VHS. Why is it a thing? Well, most stuff got used ... not saved, sealed and left untouched. (Sounds like baseball cards way back in the day, right?) With some steep discounts around the holidays here for grading fees, I grabbed this tape unopened and submitted it. VHS grading isn't cheap so doing them in serious bulk like cards ain't happening, which limits the volume available (for now) and the markets some, but this tape is one I felt comfortable with as a test. Why?The front cover is well-designed with a WWE icon and Hall of Famer front and center and having that visual appeal to start is one of the keys to demand if the grade doesn't work out.
The Grade: Beckett VHS 8.0 (Seal: A)

Reality Check: There's no posted pop report -- so this is a guess* -- and there's also not a posted grading scale yet, either, but I'll say this result bummed me out a bit. There were no substantial damage here other than a couple very minor things on one back edge of the box (where the ink was dark) so I had visions of a higher grade. But, it is what it is. My sub-grades came back 8.0 on corners, 7.5 on edges, 8.5 on flaps and 8.5 on gloss ... so the obvious flaw I knew about hurt the most. But, if we're talking about a 10-point scale, well, this piece, to me, doesn't feel closer to average or lesser. (I've seen some mangled VHS and DVD covers that were thrown around bargain bins where corners demolished surfaces ... those are lesser.) But, like I said, there's no posted scale to know what kinds of defects affect things here or there and no real cautions of what to look for. So, I did this as a test ... no regrets. Will I do it again? Probably not at present costs (I was in and out in a month, though) or without a scale to educate myself ... but, if I were to find a sealed clean and impressive copy of a couple of favorites from the past then maybe. Also, I'd be more inclined to do a different but related direction -- I think sealed DVDs and Blu-ray could actually be more popular as slabbed entities as it's way easier to find them sealed and they can have the same kind of appeal with modern packaging/designs. Plus they are smaller and lighter, too, making them easier to store and display. All in all, I like this piece and came up a bit short of what I thought it would grade at ... but it was still moderately Stratusfying.

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

MY BIG NAME FOR 2023 ...
The Card: Michael Harris II 2022 Topps Now -- pre-rookie card (/2,531)
The Reason Graded: While Harris is a key RC -- the key rookie if you ask me -- in 2023 Topps releases as the reigning National League Rookie of the Year, back when he was tearing it up in Atlanta last year with very few past prospect cards I opted to focus on newer online releases he had such as Topps Now. (Same for Braves rookie Spencer Strider, who had a bit more stuff.) This was his first card for Topps Now (though he did have a cameo on a team card before this), so I bit on a small lot from Topps with an eye on grading. I'm a sucker for the Braves' Red jerseys, too, so I really liked this when it showed up.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: This is the ideal result ... though I was a little surprised to see nobody else has graded any yet. Perhaps they're all in on the Rookie Cards everybody will have instead of this one that is relatively rare in the big scheme of things. I may grade my other copies.

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A MOUNT RUSHMORE OF ROCK
The Cards: The Rock 1998 WWF Superstars -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: Back in the day I often made sure to rip into a box of most past releases for wrestling -- in some years there are not that many, so it wasn't that hard (back when they could be found) -- and this foursome is a result of a box break and then an album buy that included a set somebody had built. This is the set that includes Rock's RC -- the first standard in-pack wrestling card -- as well as a second one that's from more of a champions subset that has a better photo. I had four of each and rather than try to cherry pick my best -- I tried -- at the last minute I opted to just send all and see what happened. Why? I wasn't sure how they would grade as the stock here is high-gloss and a bit rough/fibery on both the surfaces as well as the cut edges ... and I figured one that looked perhaps not as strong might help the chances of another right beside it.
The Grades: CSG 9.5 (3) & CSG 10

Reality Check: This one surprised me a lot -- and the pop report here shows why. (The asterisk is because a couple of copies of this card are under "Superstarz" so I combined them ... its formal set name is "1998 Comic Images WWF Superstarz.") My four are the best CSG copies. Works for me and it's a sign that semi-rough cuts aren't as much of an issue as long as chunks of the cards aren't missing. (This is common on older stuff and O-Pee-Chee cards. These are not quite that rough but also not as crisp and clean as most modern cards.)

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LOOKED PERFECT ...
The Card: Joey Votto 2005 Grandstand Sarasota Reds
The Reason Graded: This isn't a pre-rookie scenario for cards -- his RC is in 2002 Bowman Draft and he has RC logo cards (that aren't RCs) in 2008 -- but I am a big fan of team set-issued MiLB cards of top names and potential Hall of Famers. He's both. Beyond that, this card was an absolute no-brainer 10 candidate and I had visions of "Perfect 10" in play here.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: I wasn't wrong and it's a beaut ... I don't even have his Rookie Card (and should) but this card is so nice I'm fine with that for now. (His RC is pricey in a slab. I literally bought just one pack of 2002 Bowman Draft that year .. I got the red-hot Dontrelle Willis RC and stopped.)

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DOUBLE TROUBLE
The Card: Cora Jade & Roxanne Perez 2022 Panini Instant WWE (/233)
The Reason Graded: Talk about a whirlwind year for these two NXT newcomers. Both made their cardboard debuts in 2022 Panini releases -- Jade with more cards than Perez but plenty of RCs between them -- with only a very small indy card presence before that to compete for attention. This Instant card captured their win and then the following week Jade turned against Perez and a week later she dumped her title in a garbage can -- a la Madusa Miceli when she jumped ship from WWE to WCW in the 1990s. Less than a month later, there were new tag champs and these two were opponents. At the time of this one's release, I think it was Perez's first card -- a reason why I bit on a batch -- and I knew I'd grade one. Why? It's rare and an early card for both and they figure to have good WWE runs barring injuries. (Both have had some injury issues this year, though.)
The Grade: CSG 9.5

Reality Check: I was aiming for a 10 here, of course, but a 9.5 is fine as Instant stock just isn't as smooth and crisp as other sets out there. There's an outside chance I'll grade more here if they both rise up the ranks as it's a good card for a "moment" that was gone as quickly as it happened.

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A SNOOKI ROOKIE?
The Card: Jersey Shore Premieres 2011 Topps American Pie
The Reason Graded: This set is loaded with pop culture nods -- and it's not that easy to find now -- with some big-name cards but, unfortunately, the stock here is super-skinny and stuff is easily damaged. I bought several -- several -- boxes of this historic catch-all chasing hits and other inclusions since it was super-affordable back then ... but I jettisoned all but the biggest names and then some newer pop culture draws. Both of those things mean I don't have a lot of genuinely slab-worthy options left but this one was goofy enough for me to bite. Why? A Snooki rookie per se ... can't pass on that for the ol' WWE stash. Remember, she had a match at WrestleMania ... but the one card that talks about that match didn't show her.
The Grade: CSG 9

Reality Check: This one didn't show up in pop report so I guessed here* but I'll assume I'm the only one thinking about this card. A nine was fine here as, well, like I said my pickings were slim ... this was likely my only copy. This one has a foilboard parallel and then a rarer second parallel limited to 76 copies and that's it.

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HIS FIRST WWE COVER ...
The Mag: John Cena -- WWE Raw Magazine, April 2003 (first WWE magazine cover)
The Reason Bought: I have a more-minty copy of this one waiting for the CGC magazine logjam to perhaps end soon (I'm hopeful) but while that one sits I grabbed this. Why? The price was good and the significance is there. Cena is a household name for wrestling and arguably for TV, too, and this is the first time he appeared on a cover of any WWE magazine and it is also likely his first solo cover of any type of magazine, too. (The only thing I saw was an earlier mag with a small inset photo.) Cena has a number of magazine covers from the past -- in his early years WWE published two titles of its own -- between other wrestling publications and other genres such as fitness and then entertainment (and throw in comics, too with Peacemaker). This one just feels key to me.
The Grade: CGC 7.5 (Universal)

Reality Check: Finding these mags isn't actually all that hard -- but finding complete or clean ones can be. There are posters that were torn out, merch catalogs that were also jettisoned with order forms to complete and then there's the fact that these are high-gloss, lightweight paper covers with staples ... so tears, scuffs, rips and bends are a thing more often than not. (And then there's all that black ink with this photo.) I'd also suspect that the general "collecting" mindset that led people to buy extras to never touch them and then bag/board wasn't as prevalent in wrestling vs. say comics or other sports. On the flip side, circulation numbers on stuff from this timeframe was probably healthy as WWE sold a lot of Divas covers in that era of Maxim/Stuff/FHM, etc., and subscriptions also were a thing based on the volume of eBay issues with labels, too. How many survived in elite condition? This is the worst of two slabbed copies ... and while its number is low I think it still looks pretty good.

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IT'S ALWAYS TUA TIME ...
The Card: Tua Tagovailoa 2020 Panini Prizm Draft Picks -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: This arrival was one I was looking forward to quite heavily and based on that pop report for a simple base card from a draft picks set I was not alone. Simple as that.
The Grade: PSA 9

Reality Check: This was a cheap pick-up, so I wasn't worried about the pop report on it at all. I was a little surprised to see the nines and 10s so close to each other volume-wise. Normally it's a 10-centric kind of show on chromium-stock stuff.

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A NEW HALL OF FAMER
The Card: Stacy Keibler 2022 Fleer WWE Royal Rumble -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I picked up this card awhile back instead of grading one as, well, this popular set is loaded with RCs but is not the friendliest when it comes to grading. The stock is funky with rough corners/edges, chipping and so on, while it's also got a lot of dark ink -- front and back -- that can showcase flaws easily. I have had a handful of these in my "maybe" stack to grade as I think a couple of women's RCs here are overlooked -- her and Torrie Wilson -- while the money cards here are RCs of John Cena, Batista, Randy Orton and Brock Lesnar. (Both Wilson and Kiebler have oddball cards and gaming cards from before this but their first year of standard in-pack cards is 2002 ... so all base cards from Fleer that year would be game.) This one looked very, very solid for a nine, so I opted just to buy it after checking the pop report.
The Grade: CSG 9

Reality Check: The stats* here include a surprise that I just noticed checking on eBay ... there's a 9.5 out there (as I type this) that doesn't show on the pop report stats. (I pondered grabbing it, but mine looks cleaner on the corners so I didn't.) The only other one checked in far lower so I think that might be a sign that some copies of these won't grade well. I hadn't initially penciled this one in for MTG this month but with her now in the WWE Hall of Fame (as of Friday night) she was a late addition.

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BO MEETS BO
The Cards: Bo Bichette 2020 Topps Gold Stars (Walmart factory set parallel) -- Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Bought: I picked up one of these retail set chase cards instead of subbing the one I found in a box (the entire set was a parallel in some randomly seeded boxes at Walmarts) as the card back of my copy had a lot of errant black ink on it. Because of that, I just waited it out and pounced on one ... and then I later saw another at a lower price and grabbed it, too. Only recently while doing some spring cleaning of my files for this series did I actually realize I had two. (I'd do more if the price is right, though.)
The Grade: PSA 9

Reality Check: Prices here are probably lower now, too, as a lot of the graded 2020 stuff has high volumes -- go check the base version of this RC for a crazy number -- and that comes with the territory on stuff that can be graded by many. I collect him but I also think he's got serious potential on cards if he ends up somewhere else. His numbers are solid and his stuff is plentiful ... and that means he can be collected by many. That's not a bad thing.

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AND I WANDER ...
The Card: Wander Franco 2019 Bowman Chrome Prospects
The Reason Graded: With the 2021 Bowman's Best error and ensuing Rookie Card "controversy" -- it ain't controversial in my book as it's a definition that's cut and dry in baseball (and most sports) -- I opted to slab something I had on hand back in the day instead of something new. It looked good enough and the printing of just a couple years ago was a bit crisper than some of what we saw last year.
The Grade: CSG 9.5

Reality Check: Most cards check in at 10 or a notch below this one ... either way, I'm good with this result. It was my only copy, so I wasn't picking and choosing an ideal copy to submit.

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DOUBLE TROUBLE
The Card: Jaylen Waddle 2021 Panini Absolute Football Introductions Red (/75)
The Reason Graded: If you're a regular reader of Buzz Buys every month, then you've seen this card before and heard my take. It's a simple rookie-year insert parallel with a color befitting a Crimson Tide star. I dig it and it's relatively rare so I slabbed it.
The Grade: CSG 9.5

Reality Check: The front of this one is crispy and tight -- I needed to do a better job dusting off my slab for pics -- but I'll admit I wasn't happy with a 9.5 here ... but then I flipped it over and saw the back corners. They matter, too, and there was some immensely slight tweaking on a couple of them. All in all, I still dig this one.

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OH CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN
The Comic: Captain America No. 305 (1985)
The Reason Bought: Back when Buzz was a dabbler on the regular in the comics realm, I had my biggest focus generally one series, one character and one artist and then I worked my way backwards here and there to find previous stuff that hit one of those marks. This one (and the next one) was one of those in that it had an appearance of Captain Britain facing off with Captain America on this cover -- an odd hero vs. hero situation -- but I liked it and could cross it off. I still have a copy or two all these years later but since I was grabbing this five or six years after it was made whatever I could find was what I got condition-wise. When I spotted some slabs without breaking the bank, this was a no-brainer.
The Grade: CGC 9.8 (Universal)

Reality Check: Stuff from this timeframe isn't super-rare -- and the stuff after it really isn't rare -- but the cleanliness of the materials and printing/cutting in 1991 were definitely better than 1985 so, at least in my mind, a 9.8 here is impressive. (Take this with a grain of salt as I am a card guy dabbling in/revisiting this realm.) The overall volume is low compared to a lot of comics slabs -- especially from years after this -- but most are checking in at this mark. Either way, I dig it. Nuff said.

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... AND EVEN MORE CAPTAIN
The Card: Captain America No. 306 (1985)
The Reason Bought: This was the second part of the crossover with Captain Britain teaming up with Captain America this time around. The overall composition of the cover is different than the first -- that first one might check in real close to the "flawless" category to me ,while this cover has more of a 1970s comics adventure vibe in its feel. I found both of these for around $40 -- good price in my mind -- from the same dealer and couldn't leave one of them behind.
The Grade: CGC 9.8 (Universal)

Reality Check: While the total pop is the same, this one is a lot harder to get in a top grade -- compare those numbers -- and I suspect sone of that might be all that dark ink, though the other one had plenty to go around, too. All in all, these are simple books from a simpler era of comics and I like them. There's a lot that can be found before the 1990s explosion in celebrity artist times and pop culture -- stuff that truly re-defined the times -- but books like this can be tougher finds than one might think in better grades as they're pushing 40 years old.

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SLABBING THE MICK
The Card: Mickey Mantle 1994 Upper Deck The American Epic GM (promo set)
The Reason Bought: The Ken Burns documentary Baseball was one that educated many about all eras of the game and it spawned a set just like this that also told the history of the game. The main set was 80 cards and found via a few distribution channels, while this card comes from a simpler nine-card set that had a better photo for Mantle and that's why I grabbed this one. (The regular set has more of a posed vertical shot while another small Little Debbie's food-issue set has a batting photo.) This one is by far the best and this one looked razor sharp, too, so I had to slab it.
The Grade: CSG 9.5

Reality Check: It's the best of just two graded -- probably since it's a little obscure and the stock isn't all that friendly -- but I like it and there are others from these that I'd totally grade, too. As long as you land a higher mark like this, it's got potential.

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MINOR LEAGUE BO
The Card: Bo Bichette 2018 Topps Heritage Minor League
The Reason Bought: I really want to do a run of a player's Heritage cards in slabs, but in some cases I just do the waiting game figuring others can do it for me ... or I can't find clean enough copies to justify grading the cheaper card in a lesser mark that would come back. In this case, Bichette has three years of MiLB Heritage before his big-league run and a lot of inserts and hits within there, too, so this slab project is slow-going ... so with that in mind I just grabbed this one on the affordable side and already slabbed.
The Grade: CSG 9

Reality Check: Even with only a handful graded, you can see how there will be challenges here ... one 10 and the rest checking in with this one at nine. If I were to do a run, I'd want them all nines or higher and there's always a chance stuff might check in lower if you do subs yourself. This might not be impressive but in my mind it was the safe way to go.

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EVEN MO' BO ...
The Card: Bo Derek ("Good advice from Daddy!") -- 1981 Fleer Here's Bo
The Reason Bought: This one was total filler even when I bought it ($7) quite a long time ago, but I wanted to make sure I had a variety of eras and also some non-sports in play here from time to time. This set, if you have opened any packs, is quite rough in terms of its printing quality -- everything else Fleer was a mess back in 1981. I think this one wowed me as it looks a lot better than a lot of sevens and a lot better than stuff you might find out of fresh packs. (I opened one a few years ago ... quite forgettable.) More about that set can be seen at that link ... I just don't want to write about it again.
The Grade: PSA 7

Reality Check: I was really surprised to see only two cards slabbed here -- I didn't check when I bought it -- but sets and boxes can be found quite easily if you want to chase higher grades. Interestingly, there have been 550 cards graded from this set and 404 have been 10s (but none here). Clearly somebody is patient enough to pick through them for clean copies before submitting.

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AN ERROR SLAB?
The Card: Doug Jones 1988 Score -- Rookie Card (card does not appear to be Glossy version)
The Reason Bought: When this former record-breaker died in late 2021 the first thing I wondered was "What's his Rookie Card?" and I didn't even know. Why? Well, he's a relief pitcher (off my radar) and all of his RCs (Topps, Donruss, Fleer, Score) are in 1988 ... when relief pitchers not named Eckersley would have been really off my radar. When I spotted this and it said Glossy I bit as those cards are pretty rare in my experience -- I only had them for my PC player back then and not many compared to everything else from the era ... even Topps Tiffany.
The Grade: PSA 9

Reality Check: When I got this one in hand, though, well ... I'm pretty sure it's not glossy at all. Those pop stats are above, while only seven total copies have even been slabbed for the regular card -- four 10s, two nines and a seven.

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HER LONE WWE CARD
The Card: Savannah 2009 Topps WWE Slam Attax -- Rookie Card (Yes, it's gaming ... but it's her only in-pack WWE card.)
The Reason Bought: Angela Fong is her real name and you can find her on a ton of BenchWarmer cards -- I've collected more than a few -- but for about six years this former CFL cheerleader was a professional wrestler who actually had a pretty prominent run while in WWE's developmental promotion, Florida Championship Wrestling (NXT before NXT). As a wrestler, she was known as Miss Angela (or just Angela) and she was the FCW women's champ (the "Queen of FCW") going up against names or teaming with names you probably know pretty well from cards -- Natalya, A.J. Lee, Naomi, Rosa Mendes, Serena Deeb, Alicia Fox and Maria Kanellis -- but when she was called up to the main roster she became an interviewer/ring announcer known as Savannah and she also handled a couple of WrestleMania XXVI matches. For cards, though, she had one FCW card given away at events and then this WWE gaming card ... and that's it. After WWE, she also worked for Lucha Underground where she was in promos or matches alongside even more names people know from cards -- Ricochet, Swerve Strickland, Raisha Saeed, Killer Kross, Pentagon, Io Shirai, Mayu Iwatani and Kairi Sane. All that ... and just two wrestling cards.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: I have collected her BenchWarmer cards here and there and when I noticed CSG was finally grading on that front I added this one into a bulk sub with some others on that front. It graded just fine and it's a fun set design-wise even if it's gaming. You'll see more of her name here in Buzz Buys and other departments as I have picked up a few things on the affordable side of things that tie into those name-drops above. (Let this one be a reminder that collecting inexpensive items can be fun.)

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FEELING X-FRACTORY
The Card: Nick Swisher 2002 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks X-Fractor (/150) -- Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Bought: This is easily my least-favorite of my favorite player's first Chrome MLB cards but it's one of just three parallels -- Refractor (/300) and Gold Refractor (/50) are the others -- so if they pop up cheaper I'll bite. Why? Because just 500 total Chrome parallel cards and no autos for a Rookie Card is looking a lot rarer these days. (This is from before the RC logo and set splits existed.) The game has changed so much since then ...
The Grade: PSA 9

Reality Check: The pop report here is interesting -- BGS has one graded for the card -- another way the game has changed. Are all of the others out there raw? Maybe. The Gold pop reports are fun ... 50 made but 22 slabbed by BGS and eight by PSA. (How many of those are re-submitted?) Where are the rest? Tucked away in collections from the past ... will they ever surface? Dunno. The lower volume of stuff made in the past vs. the higher volume of people looking at cards now is going to make things interesting in the future if the collecting masses grow.

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YEP ... IT'S FILLER
The Card: Bo Bichette 2020 Topps 52-Card Baseball -- "Rookie Card"
The Reason Bought: I really liked this card when I opened a set of these back in the day -- as simple as it gets -- but when I flipped over the cards I didn't like the torn stock around the corners as the stock compressed and gave away when they were cut. I did a second set here, hoping for better results and it was still an issue. I grabbed this slab for next t0 nothing (like $5) since it's clearly filler and I didn't think anything above an eight would be possible. But ...
The Grade: PSA 6

Reality Check: I didn't check the pop report here ... and those stats are surprising. Perhaps there I got stuff from a bad batch? Maybe somebody who bought a lot complained and they got a run of their cards re-made? The 12 copies checking in at 9-10 absolutely shocked me. Almost as shocking were the eBay asking prices for 10s. I like this card ... but not that much.

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BEFORE THE INJURY
The Card: Josh Bell & Tyler Glasnow, 2017 Topps Heritage Chrome Refractors (/568) -- Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Graded: I ripped a ton of Heritage in 2017 but most of my Refractors weren't that great ... but since I have a thing for multi-player cards (or, more specifically I just don't hate them as much as others might) and the look of 1968 Topps, this one made the cut. Why? A pair of decent young names -- at least back when I subbed it. Bell has bounced around and Glasnow has had some success but injuries and some controversy, too, but I think this is a solid card from a popular brand with some OK potential ... but not as much as when I sent it in.
The Grade: CSG 9.5 (Now 10)

Reality Check: Still the only one slabbed ... LOL.

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TOO CHEAP TO PASS UP BACK THEN
The Card: Bobby Dalbec 2021 Topps -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I think I found this for like $7 long ago and I grabbed it since, well, it's a Rookie Card for a big-market guy who hit 25 homers in his first full season ... not bad. He followed up with only 12 last year and the batting average became officially bad at .212 down from .240 ... that's why this one sat in my files but here we are with a spring cleaning reveal. Maybe a change of scenery will revitalize his career? This year will be a pivotal one ... though I'm not that worried about it for $7. (It costs more to grade a card these days.)
The Grade: CSG 9

Reality Check: The pop report stats here are staggering ... there must have been some bulk-rippers sending everything thinking they'd be able to insta-flip it all even though it's a heavily produced and somewhat-mundane flagship Rookie Card.

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IT'S MONÉ TIME
The Card: Sasha Banks 2021 Topps WWE Living Set
The Reason Graded: The Living Set was fun while it lasted with the quirky 1985 Topps WWF frame revived once again for an art showcase that gave it a definite retro feel. I passed on more names than I bit on, but Banks was likely a no-brainer almost no matter what for me at that time ... unless the art was brutal. In this case, it was strong compared to other pieces so I grabbed a small bundle and submitted what I thought was my best copy.
The Grade: CSG 9

Reality Check: Behold! The worst copy graded ... the vertical centering probably what got me here as it's a little more off than normal -- but it's definitely off some on all cards. (Comparing the top spacing to the sides is the best way to look here ... if all three are equal then it's probably fine. This one was likely my best of the group but not good enough.)

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FORGOT I HAD ONE ...
The Cards: Bo Bichette 2020 Topps Stadium Club -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: Apologies for the wonky card photos ... these were taken at different times -- and I didn't realize I already had one -- with the angles to avoid reflections. This card is prototype Stadium Club with the photo being a very non-traditional choice. I'm not the biggest fan of this card with its focus definitely not solely on the player but it's a strong photo and cards need that from time to time. (There's plenty of formulaic stuff out there so if non-traditional doesn't work for you try other sets.) This one also seems to be very, very popular with rarer parallels and inked/jumbo versions selling well ... and even better when slabbed.
The Grades: CSG 8.5 & CSG 9.5

Reality Check: I'm sure my 8.5 was an earlier pick-up and then the newer slab being an affordable rebound. Overall, the volume here is pretty good as Stadium Club's high gloss and softer or in some years brittle stock (I can't remember exactly which on this one) can be un-friendly at times if you're grading.

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FEELING FROSTY
The Card: Lady Frost 2021 GCW Collective Remix Vol. 1 (announced as /210)
The Reason Bought: Frost hasn't yet hit the biggest stages for pro wrestling in the U.S. on a regular basis, though she has been there, done that ... and that starting point is an interesting one. Her very first match ever was on that biggest stage as "Jamie Frost" lost to Asuka in a squash match on WWE Raw in 2018. (No, really. See it all here.) How in the world does that happen? Click here. Since then, she's had nearly 80 matches pretty much everywhere and it's all gotten a lot cooler. I suspect she could be in WWE at some point.
The Grade: CSG 8.5

Reality Check: I grabbed this when it popped up despite the lower-ish grade as it's one of only five or six cards she has. This indy set is one of the rarer ones while an Impact card (/300) and Impact autograph (/100) are more of the standard fare but still rare.

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WENT FOR THE GOLD
The Card: Simone Biles 2016 Topps U.S. Olympic Team Gold parallel
The Reason Graded: For a time, all versions of this card were kind of a big deal dollars-wise even if there wasn't an autograph or foil for a parallel attached. Part of that was her historic showing in a popular Olympic sport and I'll guess that was also due to some celebrity stockpiling where cost didn't matter all that much as a buyer. After all, if you bought a wax box here you were likely to end up with a few of some type as it wasn't a huge set. Her place in history remains strong, though, and like many Olympians she doesn't have a boatload of cards to go around so the in-pack official stuff gets attention, especially when slabbed.
The Grade: CSG 9

Reality Check: Rather then submit a handful of base cards for this one, I went for the parallel only -- Gold just felt like the right color -- though landing a nine wasn't that surprising to me as the stock is skinny and the gloss can be iffy at times or may not always be aging well here. (I can't explain it well ... some of the cards can just look weird.) I still like this one, though, and have a few Olympic slabs in my stash.

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STRONG FINISH
The Card: John Cena 2021 Topps WWE Slam Attax Chrome Refractor -- "ultra rare"
The Reason Graded: This card was one of the oddities in the Slam Attax regular set -- and one of the rarer finds as well -- with it showcasing Cena as an nWo member from just a snippet of his "theatrical" Firefly Fun House match against Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 36. Cena was never a bad guy in his WWE career of course, except Wyatt flipped plenty of things on their head in this one as some commentary on the future Hall of Famer... it's just an oddity that needs to be seen. It's one part retrospective, one part twisted reality, one part what-if, one part match and a whole lot of surreal. The Fun House's characters got plenty of play in Topps' UK-made Slam Attax gaming and then this ... but pretty much nothing in American sets that I remember.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: When I landed this card as a Refractor, I knew it needed slabbed. These Slam Attax Chrome cards were only done once and they were done well. I ripped a few boxes and really want to dabble more even after having pulled good ink and a monster like this one. The printing and cutting here is as clean as it gets.

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