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 ...

The Card: Ronald Acuña Jr. 2018 Topps Chrome Update #HMT25 Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: I only opened a couple of mega boxes for this brand but did land this guy -- and, man, do I wish this card had used the bat-down photo. (What could have been?) I recently revisited a few of my boxes holding the finds of my buys last year and this one struck me as a clean example worth a slab, especially with him having had an elite season coming up just short of being the youngest member of the elite 40-40 Club.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: Turns out I was right, though this is a card that's heavily graded with a growing pop report since I submitted this one. There was a 10 grade right after mine in the serial-numbering line and there have been plenty of 9.5s graded since -- and even the 10s aren't all that rare for this one. There's plenty here to feed the demand for a guy who should be on collector radars for years. You'll see more of Acuña here.

Keep reading for more of this month's new slabs for Buzz.

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Between everyday Buzz Breaks and the near-monthly Buzz 12 in 12 marathons, Buzz busted a lot of packs in 2018.

How many? Well, Buzz is almost afraid to count -- though it was seemingly news to me that the 12 in 12 marathons actually started early last year. (That's even more proof there's been a lot of wax to get these hands ... it's all a blur.)

It was a year of memorable pulls for me at times with some icons' autographs found in my packs. It also was fun one ripping into really old packs, too, with some cheap thrills there.

Breaks are among the most-popular items seen here nearly every day and Buzz knows that. So look for plenty of breaks in 2019 -- but, before that time comes, keep reading for links to not one, not 18, but 25 memorable breaks from 2018.

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Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today's your day then as we launch 12 in 12 -- a series of a dozen breaks of wax boxes and wax packs in a dozen hours. We'll post one every hour all day long ... this is Hour 4.

The pack: 1961 Nu-Card college football stars 
The cost: Will vary ... when found -- get new football boxes here

What's inside this one? Keep reading ...

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