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 MONSTER YEAR ...
The Card: Shohei Ohtani 2018 Topps Heritage High Number -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: Ohtani had a monster season without even pitching -- first 50-50 Club member for starters and just short of the National League Triple Crown -- and his big-time potential had me submitting some of my RCs for him earlier this year. Did people expect this kind of showing, though? Probably not -- I know I didn't -- but I know Heritage RCs are my preference, so this one made the cut. The bottom corners seem to be the most-common issue with these cards, but this one was clean and so it made my sub -- and I will have two more on the way to grading, too, so you'll see more of this card during the off-season or by next spring.
The Grade: CGC 10

Reality Check: The graded volume is high here but perhaps still modest vs. PSA volumes -- I'm good with that -- and this one has only been topped three times. I dig that. This mark isn't that rare but it is one that would be in demand with the two slots below also where many will look.

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

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The biggest weekend in pro wrestling is here with WrestleMania 39 set for this Saturday and Sunday from Los Angeles. We'll make today a big one for wrestling collectors right here on The Buzz with #BuzzMania6, a marathon of WWE wax box/pack breaks all day long.

This 10th break of the day takes us back to the brand that carried the Topps WWE revival in 2005, evolved some before a break and then popped back up with some of the best modern-retro meshed cardboard of the company's run. This one is smack dab in in the midst of that with a throwback to 1987 seen a few ways. 

The Brand: 2017 Topps Heritage WWE (hobby box)

Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (when available)

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

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The biggest weekend in pro wrestling is here with WrestleMania 39 set for this Saturday and Sunday from Los Angeles. We'll make today a big one for wrestling collectors right here on The Buzz with #BuzzMania6, a marathon of WWE wax box/pack breaks all day long.

This is our sixth break for today ... a showdown between five releases from the past -- it's a lineup that includes an oddball, an import with some key inclusions and one an NWA throwback, though a lot of that history features stars that are firmly part of WWE lore now. 

Battle of The Brands: 1985 Topps Cyndi Lauper (six packs) vs. 1987 Topps WWF (three packs) vs. 1997 Panini WWF Superstars stickers (one pack) vs. 1989 Wonderama NWA (bonus pack) vs. 1990 Classic WWF Series II (blister pack)

Where to buy: Will take some looking ... hit BlowoutCards.com for newer (and better) WWE stuff

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

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... 

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END OF AN ERA
The Item: Sasha Banks autographed 11-by-14 photo (BAS Witnessed)
The Price: $60
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: She's back in the ring but not in WWE -- and she's known as Mercedes Moné now -- and those are reasons why it looks like an industry mega-dealer that did a witnessed signing is moving these at a bit lower than they might normally be over on WWE Shop. (Since she's not with WWE, they can't be sold there now.) I have her auto on a number of cards and she's typically a pricier sig, but I couldn't pass on this striking kind of photo with its size and big, bold sig. I suspect she'll be back at some point and she'll still be high-profile elsewhere, though, and all that starts later this month with her first match in New Japan Pro Wrestling. If her other past ink dips more, I'll be looking.
Grab a box right here: Click here for WWE boxes

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ...

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EPIC AUTO, EPIC BARGAIN
The Card: Joe Namath 2014 Topps Five Star Autograph
The Price: Under $70
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This was one of my last eBay Bucks pick-ups last year -- I got it for substantially less than that bargain price -- and it's a perfect card with its auto, colors, thick stock that's not over-foiled and a retro photo that isn't perhaps perfect but works very well in conjunction with the ink. Did I need it? For this price I absolutely did ... though I have a few autos for the Hall of Famer. This is right up there as one of the nicest sigs I have and this should be an SP auto, too, though it's not numbered. I think Five Star ink is always worth a look, especially for NFL since we don't see it now. Meanwhile, Namath's place as a football icon is bigger than his place in the record book stats-wise these days, but he's a giant in pop culture of that time ... and is easily undervalued right now in a lot of instances.
Grab a box right here: Topps Five Star boxes (all sports and years)

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The biggest weekend in professional wrestling is nearly here with WrestleMania 35 set for April 7 in New Jersey. While it's a big week for WWE with its NXT and Hall of Fame events planned leading up to that one, we'll make next Tuesday a big day for wrestling collectors right here on The Buzz with #BuzzMania2, a series of WWE wax box and wax pack breaks every hour.

Here's a pack that didn't make the cut for that one ... call it a teaser for a marathon that will focus mostly on newer releases.

The pack: 1987 Topps WWF wax pack 
The cost: Will vary when found (Click here for newer WWE cards)

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

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down the results here. Like this and want to see more -- or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2017 Leaf Buyback Wrestling autograph cards
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 1
Cards per pack: 11
Base set completion: 
N/A

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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 past wax boxes and wax packs in a dozen hours. We'll post one every hour on the hour all day long today ... and this is Hour 8.

The pack: 1987 Topps WWF wax pack
The cost now: $1.50
The cost then: 40 cents

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

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