Making the Grade (Oct.): MLB perfection, college standouts, pre-WWE Shotzi, vintage, Bo Bichette and ... a slabbed CD?

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

A HIGH-GRADE DOMINATOR
The Card: Paul Skenes 2025 Topps Heritage
The Reason Bought: I'll fully admit I'm a sucker for high-grade Heritage Rookie Cards and, while this isn't an RC, this one captured my attention just like one as I've ripped my fair share of Heritage this year and, well, not much of the cards that matter that I pulled could have checked in at a perfect grade. All that perfection, the clean photo and the color scheme here got me to bite.
The Grade: CGC 10 (Pristine)

Reality Check: I didn't check the pop report before grabbing it, so it was an extra bonus to see that it's the lone card in the top slot with a decent number of cards below it -- and that goes as low as a CGC 7. That reinforces that Heritage isn't the easiest grade. That makes this one even more of a win in my book.

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

THEIR LETHAL WEAPON?
The Card: Ryan Williams 2024 Bowman Chrome University
The Reason Bought: The Nick Saban era is definitely over, but there are still highlight-makers in the Crimson Tide ranks and this guy has been one since Game 1 last season. He was just 17 years old when in his first game he caught two passes for 139 yards and two TDs to start things off. He added six more scores in the air and two more on land back then and had two scores through his first two games this year. Thanks to NIL deals, he's had cardboard through all of it and I liked the look of this portrait on a simple and modern design. It was an easy pick-up for a good price.
The Grade: CGC 10

Reality Check: Only one copy has checked in higher and three have checked in a full grade lower -- that shows how, like Heritage, the Chrome stuff can be clean ... but it can also be rougher at times.

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THE ENTIRE POP REPORT (FOR NOW)
The Cards: Shotzi Blackheart 2013 Creepy KOFY Movie Time
The Reason Graded: My story about discovering this card not that long ago was a heavily read piece -- see it here -- as it was a surprise to me and probably others. My stockpiling of this really early card of this veteran pro wrestler -- it actually pre-dates her in-ring career -- isn't rational, but I'm fine with that as I'm a fan. The card is from seven years before her first WWE stuff and was when she was among the cast members for a late-night watch-along TV show focused on oldschool B-movie horror flicks. Based on the consistent centering of my cards -- everything always slightly off-centered -- I knew grading would not be easy, but I have subbed a couple small lots of this one.
The Grades: CGC 7.5-8.5

Reality Check: This is all of the cards on the CGC pop report for now ... and beyond the centering the back edges are quite chippy here, so an 8.5 is probably where it'll top out. I will, however, still absolutely grade more of these either later this year or next year ... so expect a follow-up to these as well as a fun story I have cooking at some point soon. Why? I'm a collector ... and all that new hobby-only and pricey (box-wise) WWE cardboard in 2025 ain't my style, so I am buying more singles and slabbing more stuff, too. My goal here was a nine ... but with this card it doesn't matter what I get. It's just one I really like because of its unusual early story for a wrestler I collect perhaps more heavily than any other at this point.

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PARALLEL POWER
The Card: Tua Tagovailoa 2020 Donruss Canvas -- Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Bought: I liked the tweaks on these Canvas parallels vs. the base cards the first time I saw them -- the photos are slightly different and then the surfaces have been rolled to create a textured feel -- and this rookie is among my prime targets in 2020 releases due to some school ties and legendary performances there. I wanted this one, spotted it and grabbed it ... simple as that.
The Grade: CGC 10

Reality Check: Most copies check in at this grade with only one higher and some lower. That, to me, says Donruss is on the cleaner side for production (most of the time).

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DAZZLER OF THE PAST
The Card: Ken Griffey Jr. 1995 Topps Stadium Club Ring Leaders Members Only parallel
The Reason Graded: Almost 20 years ago when I lived in Florida, I hit up a couple of KB Toys outlet stores and found dozens offactory sets for these Member's Only releases made by Topps over several years sitting on the shelves. They weren't anything truly special -- just an extra foil stamp on a Stadium Club card -- but they were made for those who paid for a special membership so they weren't as easily found and the sets also included stamped versions of some insert sets like this. (That's the circular logo here below the eagle.) Somehow, the leftovers ended up there -- not super cheap (between $20-40 from what I remember) -- so I picked off a few years (some were in two series) a couple times apiece if they had a key player I collected, good lineups or interesting extras. I know I picked off stuff from 1993 to 1995 and this one looked clean enough to grade. Since it was Griffey, I did it.
The Grade: CGC 9

Reality Check: Why grade? It's a good name, a unique set from the past and the likely rarer (or at least more obscure) parallel. I had hoped for something higher here as I didn't see any obvious flaws, but this is still among the top-graded copies. It's a funky design but it's one I didn't mind back then -- much of the Club stuff was simple, full-bleed photography showcases, while these were severely unique oddities in comparison.

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GRADING ALL MY RIPLEY INK
The Card: Rhea Ripley 2020 Topps WWE NXT Roster Autographs -- RC-year auto
The Reason Graded: I've ripped a boatload of these boxes in the past (back when they were cheap) and even a few cases (yep, because they were that cheap) as well. These days? Not so much with this first-year Ripley auto being a big find along with a solid crop of names who are among the top WWE ranks and doing well there or elsewhere. I pulled this Ripley in my #Buzzmania8 marathon this year and knew I'd be slabbing it as it was a clean copy.
The Grade: CGC 9.5 (auto 10)

Reality Check: I've slabbed six copies of this card across three versions and all three of my base have checked in at this slot along with a Blue at a 9.5, too. Given the on-card autos, sharp-tipped pens and skinny stock, anything here or higher is special ... no matter who it is.

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🎶 HEY SISTAS, SOUL SISTAS ...
The Disc: Lady Marmalade by Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Pink & Mya CD single (Holland import) from Moulin Rouge (2001)
The Reason Graded: Buzz lets MTV Classic roll pretty much all day long in the background while Buzzing during the day and this one came about on an eBay curiosity search after the music video rolled. The Grammy-winning All-Star track was a showcase piece of early 2000s pop stars for a soundtrack to a hit film led by Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. This was a CD single and an import and I spotted it on the affordable side ... and it seemed clean enough for a potential grading experiment (my first) via AMG. When it arrived in-hand it was spotless save for a barcode and "import" sticker across the bottom front covering Mya and Pink's names, which didn't look good ... but both stickers peeled right off cleanly despite being on there more than 20 years.
The Grade: AMG 10 (Mint Sealed)

Reality Check: The AMG process was clean and timely -- about a month for a flat rate that depends on how you want your item encased. I went with the standard case for a sealed disc over an opened display (keeping this closer to card-like and in its original state vs. some wall item) and I landed a top mark. (*Pop report not posted that I could find ... no worries.) That'll work. I'd like to grade more but I actually don't own that much complete stuff for either vinyl or CDs at this point. (I saved the CD slipcase papers, jettisoned the plastics long ago.) There are some iconic albums on CD or maybe even vintage vinyl (unsealed) that I might ponder for this from time to time as the covers are art piece and they'd make for cool slabs ... but it's not my core of collecting. All my stuff got used and is stored away now. Like vinyl, it seems like CDs are now relics of the past so slabbing sealed copies of big-name albums or oddballs like this might be worth consideration.

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TRANSCENDENT BARGAIN
The Card: Bo Bichette 2020 Bowman Transcendent Collection -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I found this rookie at a good price already graded and it was an easy addition -- I think I might even own it twice now, but I was fine with that for the price. That combined with his strong comeback 2025 season and a perhaps new team in 2025 ... there's potential in his stuff. (I'm a collector, though, not a flipper.)
The Grade: PSA 9

Reality Check: Most check in at this mark and the metal frames combined with the slick acetate-type surface can be showcases for light scuffs or scratches ... so top marks here are not a given.

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SO NICE I BOUGHT IT ... THRICE?
The Cards: Bo Bichette 2020 Bowman Chrome -- Rookie Cards
The Reason Bought: Bichette's RCs are from a high-submission timeframe, so there's a lot available ... and with his down time last year I picked off a lot of everything (so much so I could easily just do a month of him here and have been saying that for some time). This card is one where I'll pick 'em off if cheap as I like the clean batting photo.
The Grades: PSA 9, CSG 9.5 (now 10)

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Reality Check: Lots to compare there ... look at the 10 volumes vs. the totals. I'll leave it at that.

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IT'S TIFFY TIME
The Card: Tiffany Stratton 2023 Panini Chronicles WWE Luminance Red parallel (/199)
The Reason Graded: This photo of Stratton from an NXT title defense really is a perfect photo for a Stadium Club-style part of the Chronicles set -- one that was all about creative or unique photos. The gear was a nod to the Great American Bash event being in Texas and you can see highlights and the exact entrance moment here. The Pink parallel was on my radar immediately when seeing this card but the corners always have some kind of funk with either the stock or packaging, so I opted to grab this Red parallel instead.
The Grade: CGC 9

Reality Check: If I remember correctly, this card looks perfect save for a surface dot on it so a nine was perhaps a bit of a bummer. The corners here are remarkably cleaner than all Pinks I have seen but I'll keep watching this card's versions. They're not pricey ... it's just a good card for a top young WWE name.

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MY SECOND OF FOUR
The Book: X-Men No. 1 (1991) -- Colossus/Rogue/Gambit/Psylocke version (direct edition)
The Reason Graded: My latest chapter in this monthly grading saga is the only one of my fearsome foursome that I submitted that was not a newsstand copy for this iconic issue. For whatever reason, I only found a couple copies of each type for this variant and all of my newsstand copies are a tad too mis-wrapped in my mind to land a top mark. They weren't crooked, just tight on the left side vs. where the price is a little more close to the spine than even this one is ... so this was my copy that made the cut. Why? I only wanted to have top-grade copies as these are iconic but readily available issues.
The Grade: CGC 9.8 (Universal)

Reality Check: I was glad to see a top mark here -- I didn't think it was a given -- but since it's my only non-newsstand copy there's still a chance I might do one of my newsstand copies in a submission at some point later. As you can see on the numbers even 9.8s aren't rare ... but I bet the newsstand 9.8s might be.

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OMG ... IT'S KITTY FORMAN!
The Card: Debra Jo Rupp 2022 Marvel Studios WandaVision One Lifetime or Another Film Cel Autographs Achievements (/25)
The Reason Graded:  Well before this cardboard -- which might be among her first cards as she may only have Marvel stuff -- Rupp was Eric Forman's mom on That '70s Show. When I saw this I knew I needed it as that show is one where I'd love to see some card sets, unlike this series ... I couldn't make it through the first season.
The Grade: CGC 9 (10 auto)

Reality Check: With memorabilia cards (technically it is one with an embedded film strip, though they may all be the same), they are handled more, so there are definitely more chances for stuff to go wrong with condition. Given the volume made and the uniqueness here, I graded it no matter what ... a nine is fine for me here.

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ALL RISE!
The Card: Aaron Judge 2013 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks & Prospects
The Reason Graded: MVP or not the MVP ... we'll find out very soon. At the same time, there's no doubting after this crazy season that he's among a small number of all-time greats taking the field before our eyes today. With this big campaign, I have slipped some of my earlier pulls (prospect debuts and RCs) into bulk subs ... just because. Most of these cards can be heavily graded, so it's really only about landing the top mark ... so if you really want it I'd say just grab them already slabbed if you don't care about the price. Subbing can be hit and miss with some sets.
The Grade: CGC 9

Reality Check: I'm fine with nines but figured this might check in higher. The stats and volume here are interesting so I suspect there might be some common flaws that consistently knock these down.

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IT'S TAYLOR SWIFT'S BEER-SELLING, PODCASTING, (FORMER) SUPER BOWL-WINNING (FUTURE) BROTHER-IN-LAW!
The Card: Jason Kelce 2017 Panini Unparalleled Orange (/49) -- Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Graded: I picked this up long, long ago -- likely after having written this in 2018 -- and worked it into a grading order recently after seeing how pricey these parallels have become. Why? Well, he's now s part of the Swiftysphere, of course, and it's his only RC and it's got only 14 parallels (including printing plates) so there aren't a lot of options. Yes, it's a RC from late in his career but it is what it is and it wasn't an accident ... the brand's checklist purposely showcased players who hadn't appeared on cards before even if they were deep into their careers.
The Grade: CGC 8

Reality Check: The front of this card is perfectly clean ... but the back corners are all where fibers frayed while cutting and handling, so that's why I didn't check in higher. I'll survive ... I paid $9.99 plus a grading fee here, while here's what actual eBay sales look like for all colors. The asking prices are fun, too. Across all colors, CGC has graded 10 of these cards, there is only one 9.5 (nothing higher) with most checking in at nine and still some lower like mine.

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RETRO ON THE FARM
The Card: Bo Bichette 2018 Topps Heritage Minor League 1969 Transogram Collector Cards
The Reason Bought: This one admittedly is not a favorite of the MiLB Bichette cards in existence for me, but I finally bit and grabbed one slabbed when I spotted with a price that was OK ... though it still may have been too high. Why? The yellow is jarring and the basics are non-traditional for sure as the original cards they emulate were cut out of the packaging for figures for said player back in the day.
The Grade: PSA 9

Reality Check: That grading volume is low for a couple reasons -- it's MiLB so there's just not as much demand and ... it's ugly.

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ALL DAY, EVERY DAY ...
The Card: John Johnson 1971-72 Topps -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I'm confident you'll see more of this one if you search in the archives as Johnson was a player with school ties for me and the first NBA player I ever interviewed. I still pick off stuff for him a few times a year and this one looked pretty solid for its mark and price.
The Grade: PSA 6

Reality Check: He's a former first-round pick -- actually the first traditional draft pick in Cavs history -- as well as an All-Star (albeit barely) and a key player on an NBA championship team ... and yet that pop volume is light even for PSA. Why? Vintage basketball isn't vintage baseball in many ways. This card remains a favorite of mine for sure.

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A BLACKHEART BUMMER ... BUT I STILL LIKE IT
The Card: Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon 2021 Topps WWE Women's Division Dual Autographs (/25)
The Reason Graded: This card is rare and it's one I haven't seen pop up often, so I sprung for one raw at a price that was high for what I normally spend but not for key cards of a few names I collect ... The front isn't perfect but it's clean and it's the kind of rarer card I'd totally want in a slab no matter what. Blackheart is all over my buys and slabbing posts here monthly, while Moon was briefly her tag team partner in NXT where they were just the second team to hold the women's tag titles and reigned for a couple months in 2021 before Blackheart was called up to the Smackdown roster. This card (with two even rarer parallels) is their only pairing with a Slam Attax gaming card the only other option out there.
The Grade: CGC 8 (10 auto)

Reality Check: I knew this one would be a grading challenge with skinny cardboard stock and black ink all over the place to showcase flaws easily ... and it was the back corners here that knocked me down. (I'll survive ... I'm a collector.)

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TOOK A SHOT ... AND MISSED
The Card: Charlize Theron as Æon Flux (poster card) 2005 Æon Flux Promos (lenticular)
The Reason Graded: This A-lister doesn't have an immense amount of cardboard out there despite a number of notable roles, but this appears to be among the earlier ones and it's from an MTV-spawned project that oddly has a decent amount of cards like this. I chose this one of a few options since it's on plastic stock with a three-dimensional feel to it with the lenticular treatment. I figured there was grading potential.
The Grade: CGC 8

Reality Check: I still don't see any obvious flaws that would knock it down -- so it's likely something with the surface -- but it's an oddball card of a big name so I'm OK having made the attempt.

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BABY BO
The Cards: Bo Bichette 2016 Bowman Draft Prospects
The Reason Bought: Bo, Bo, Bo ... how many is that this month? I picked off these first Bowman cards for about $10 total and that's a win given the pop volumes here (these are counted as 10s in the stats below after the CGC scale change). Why are they low? Chromes and parallels will always have more demand.
The Grade: CSG 9.5 (now 10)

Reality Check: See above ... this was a comfortable pair to pick off and I still might do more at some point.

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MY MEMORABILIA ... IN BLUE
The Card: Shotzi Blackheart 2024 Panini Prizm WWE Sensational Signatures Blue Prizms (/49)
The Reason Graded: If you poke around in the archives, you'll find lotza Shotzi and this piece is among them that basically says why this one is here. The no-click recap? I own the gear she's wearing on this card and you can see it -- with an inscription noting its history -- at the link. This one will always be among some favorites thanks to that, so it was an easy addition to a grading submission.
The Grade: CGC 10

Reality Check: Lone copy graded and nearly perfect. Works for me. It's not as strong as my perfect Red (also at the link) but it's cool to me. Believe it or not, I've tracked down a few items where they are seen on cards and have slabbed them in at least three sports ... it might be easier to do than ever with game-dated memorabilia. This one? The item came straight from her.

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IT'S ALWAYS TUA TIME HERE ...
The Card: Tua Tagovailoa 2020 Score -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: A lot of newer collectors weren't around for the good ol' days where some NFL releases included college photos for notable newcomers thanks to timing of releases and the NFLPA Rookie Premiere not yet existing (it arrived in 1995). Score is a throwback where it often has used NCAA photos and in the case of this year Panini updated some of them in Chronicles with NFL photos on Optichrome stock. I'm not sure if I ever previously added any parallels slabbed, but the price was right to pick one up.
The Grade: CSG 9.5 (now 10)

Reality Check: Like other cards here this time, the spread here for grading is interesting ... that spread between nine and 10 shows a top mark isn't easy and the perfect score really isn't, either.

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BEFORE THE YANKEES
The Card: Derek Jeter 1992 Classic Four Sport -- pre-rookie card
The Reason Graded: This one pre-dates his 1993 MLB Rookie Cards from Topps and some other companies no longer in the MLB game and I pulled this from some fresh packs not that long ago and tucked it away not long after. Why? Just because. I lived those early Classic years as a collector and that company truly helped spark a lot of the autograph-fueled cardboard of today. I subbed this one in a bulk lot thinking it had legit Perfect 10 potential.
The Grade: CGC 9.5

Reality Check: I was a tad surprised here as, well, I don't see anything wrong ... so it might be a combo of something subtle on the cardboard stock surface or edges on the back where sometimes small things might stand out. (They didn't to me.) Either way, an early card of a Hall of Famer in a uniform you don't see that often, Kalamazoo Central High School in Kalamazoo, Mich. That beats Yankees pinstripes to me ... at least this time.

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