Home
Blog
2003-04 Upper Deck

2003-04 Upper Deck

Making the Grade (Aug.): Iconic comics, NFL newcomers, Drew, WWE stars, rookie LeBron, Joe Montana's RC & plenty 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 ...
THIS IS WHY YOU GRADE ...
The Book: The Amazing Spider-Man #361 -- first full appearance of Carnage (Marvel cards here)
The Reason Graded: As you probably read in a past piece where I previously graded my other newsstand copy of this iconic issue, I have a stash of early 1990s books that are all quite clean as I was picking off stuff from a bookstore without rack damage. I was more of an art fan/collector than a reader -- it was all about art and condition -- and this cover-price pickup came at a time where cards were starting to get too expensive to me in 1992 so I dabbled. I have had this stashed all this time and while the pop report here is heavy for sure ... how many of them can be newsstand 9.8s? I suspect it's a definite minority of that 5,000-some books.
The Grade: CGC 9.8 (Universal)

Grade 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0 9.2 9.4 9.6 9.8 9.9 10.0 Total
Population 191 264 443 768 1,277 2,003 4,186 8,056 5,262 3 0 22,732
Reality Check: When I graded my other copy of this its pop was at 20,179 and there have been big gains at 9.4, 9.6 and 9.8. The eBay asking prices on this one for newsstand include $6,999 (not getting hit), $2,500 for a pair, just under $2,200, $2,000 and a bunch down to $750. Not that helpful. Actual eBay sales? Highs around $1,200 down to around $600 ... so definitely still a little all over the place. Recent sales are also still in that range for this key issue. No matter the timing or the price paid ... this is an example of why you grade good stuff. All it cost me $1.25 and grading fees.
Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.
Continue reading →

This entry was posted in Baseball, Basketball, Comics, Football, Movies, Non-sports, Pro Wrestling, Making the Grade, Music, TV and tagged 2015 Topps WWE Undisputed, Bayley, Becky Lynch, BGS, Dansby Swanson, LeBron James, Marvel Comics, NFL, NXT, Paige, Panini America, PSA, Sasha Banks, 1981 Topps, 2012 Topps, 2015 Topps Stadium Club, 2016 Topps Update, 2016 Topps WWE Road to WrestleMania, 2017 Topps, Bo Bichette, CGC, Charlotte Flair, Drew Barrymore, George Brett, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jim Lee, Joe Montana, Liv Morgan, Rogue, SGC, Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man, X-men, Keston Hiura, Lorde, Venom, 2018 Topps WWE Undisputed, Alex Avila, Calvin Ridley, Gambit, Tua Tagovailoa, 2018 Score, 2018 Topps WWE Series 2, National Geographic, 2018 Bowman's Best, Ronald Acuña Jr., 2020 Topps, Joe Burrow, 2020 Panini Prizm, Alan Davis, 2020 Panini Playbook, CSG, The Uncanny X-Men, Elayna Black, Cora Jade, Carnage, NXT 2.0, The Amazing Spider-Man 361, Topps WWE, 2003-04 Upper Deck, The Uncanny X-Men 213, Gertie, 1982 Nabisco E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, The Amazing Spider-Man 375, Tony Curtis, 1958 Dutch Gum Serie T, 2021 AAW Alive Series 1, 2020 Topps Now MLB Network Top 100 Players, 2016 Topps Update First Pitch, The Four Horsewomen of NXT on July 31, 2022 by BlowoutBuzz.

SEARCH BUZZ'S ARCHIVES

WHAT'S BUZZING ...

What's new? See all of our First Buzz previews by clicking above.

Making The Grade: What Buzz slabbed or grabbed each month is here.

Collecting Game-used: Buzz photo-matches and talks about memorabilia every month.

Buzz Buys: Buzz shows off new pick-ups and tells us why he likes them.

Book it, Buzz: Collect autographs on a budget? Check out this monthly series about autographed books.

MiLB Madness: A monthly look at oddities found in minor-league baseball card sets.

Buzz's Fantastic Four A new series looking at four interesting or must-own cards each time.

Ticket Stud or Ticket Dud? Collecting tickets on the cheap in this regular series.

NEW RELEASES

Baseball (all dates subject to change)
Oct. 1 - 2025 Panini Three & Two
Oct. 1 - 2025 TRISTAR H.T. Gr. Slam
Oct. 8 - 2025 Bowman Chrome Mega
Oct. 22 - 2025 Topps Diamond Icons
Oct. 22 - 2025 Topps Holiday
Oct. 23 - 2025 Pulse Series 2 Retail
Oct. 24 - 2025 Leaf Lumber
Oct. 30 - 2025 Onyx Vintage Extended
Oct. 31 - 2025 Leaf A Bronx Legacy
Oct. TBD - 2025 Leaf Vivid
Oct. TBD - 2025 Pulse All Star
Oct. TBD - 2025 Pulse DSE
Oct. TBD - 2025 Pulse Foundry
Oct. TBD - 2024 Pulse Lumin HSE
Oct. TBD - 2025 Pulse Stratos HHS
Oct. TBD - 2024 Wild Card 5 Card SD
Oct. TBD - 2024 Wild Card Splat

Basketball
Oct. 16 - 2025 Donruss WNBA
Oct. TBD - 2024-25 Prizm Black

Football
Oct. 1 - 2025 Leaf Vivid
Oct. 8 - 2025 Panini Black
Oct. 9 - 2024 Panini Flawless
Oct. 10 - 2025 Panini Certified
Oct. 10 - 2025 Donruss Hobby Tin
Oct. 10 - 2025 TRISTAR H.T. Minis PSE
Oct. 15 - 2025 Panini Impeccable
Oct. 16 - 2024 Panini Eminence
Oct. 17 - 2025 TRISTAR H.T. Jerseys 2
Oct. 22 - 2025 Panini Absolute
Oct. 23 - 2025 Pulse Retail 2
Oct. 24 - 2025 Panini Mosaic
Oct. 29 - 2025 Panini Phoenix
Oct. 31 - 2025 Panini Prizm Draft
Oct. TBD - 2025 Pulse Foundry HSE
Oct. TBD - 2025 Pulse Meridian HSE
Oct. TBD - 2025 Pulse Stratos HSE
Oct. TBD - 2024 TruMystery Chips
Oct. TBD - 2025 Wild Card Comix R&L
Oct. TBD - 2025 Wild Card Metallix PD

Hockey
Oct. 8 - 2024-25 Ultimate Collection
Oct. 15 - 2025-26 UD Series 1
Oct. 29 - 2024-25 UD Premier
Oct. TBD - 2024-25 Engrained Icons

Other/Multi-sports
Oct. 1 - 2025 Topps Triumphant Tennis
Oct. 3 - 2025 Leaf Metal Halloween
Oct. 3 - 2025 Panini Absolute K League
Oct. 3 - 2025 Panini Turn Four Racing
Oct. 3 - 2025 Wild Card Haunted Hits
Oct. 6 - 2025 Futera World Unique 21
Oct. 10 - 2025 Leaf History Book SE 2
Oct. 15 - 2025 S.B. Supercharged 2
Oct. 17 - 2024-25 Panini Noir Soccer
Oct. 17 - 2025 Topps UFC Knockout
Oct. 22 - 2025 Panini Impeccable LIV
Oct. 24 - 2025 Panini Prizm NASCAR
Oct. 29 - 2025 Panini Combat Anth.
Oct. TBD - 2025 AEW SP Game Used

Non-sports
Oct. 1 - Topps Chrome Spongebob
Oct. 9 - Keepsake Invincible S1P
Oct. 10 - Topps Chrome Dune
Oct. 15 - Historic Autos 15th
Oct. 15 - Historic Autos WWII
Oct. 15 - Topps Disney Wonder
Oct. 17 - Pieces of Past Royalty
Oct. 30 - Decision Color Cut SE
Oct. TBD - Keepsake Bob Marley
Oct. TBD - Pieces of Past Asia

Gaming
Oct. 10 - Pokemon ME Build & Battle
Oct. 10 - Pokemon Mega Latias EX
Oct. 10 - Pokemon S&R EX PC
Oct. 10 - Yugioh CD: Fallen & Virtuous
Oct. 24 - Pokemon Trainer's Tool Kit
Oct. 24 - Pokemon Gengar/Diancie
Oct. TBD - Pokemon S&V Pri. Ev. PFC

Click here for future dates.

MORE BUZZ-WORTHY ...

Where do you start with collecting Shohei Ohtani RCs? Click above.
--

See more breaks with #Buzz8in8.

Follow Buzz on X (Twitter) for a lot more collecting chatter.

New NFL: See new gridiron gems now.

eBay Buzz: A series where we spotlight interesting items up for grabs.

Like non-sports cards? We've got news & breaks there, too. (Click above.)

See the newest UFC stuff here.

Click above for new hoops items.

PAST BUZZ

Meta

2003-04 Upper Deck

Making the Grade (Aug.): Iconic comics, NFL newcomers, Drew, WWE stars, rookie LeBron, Joe Montana's RC & plenty more

Customer Service

My Account

Tools & Resources

Company Info

Grade	7.0	7.5	8.0	8.5	9.0	9.2	9.4	9.6	9.8	9.9	10.0	Total
Population	191	264	443	768	1,277	2,003	4,186	8,056	5,262	3	0	22,732