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

TOP-GRADE VARIATION
The Card: C.J. Stroud 2021-22 Bowman University Chrome Prospects -- image variation
The Reason Graded: If you poke around in the archives for the Buzz Breaks of this release, you'll likely find a break where I missed this one and just simply called it a Refractor despite it being an image variation (all are Refractors on these). It should have been obvious based on the practice photo vs. game action, but I only spotted it well after the fact -- months, if not years, later -- when going through my old boxes. When I stopped to look, this card looked absolutely flawless and since it's somewhat rarer than the others it's also still a bit pricier for a standard card. (It's no monster but it's definitely better than a few types of Refractors.) Since it was so clean and the NFL season is upon us, I put this one into a bulk submission.
The Grade: CGC 10 (Pristine)

Reality Check: This card checked in at exactly where I thought it would. Fun find and a win -- and it wasn't even tucked away in a box penny sleeved. The divide between mine and the other copies graded is also an interesting one -- perhaps there's a common flaw on copies due to position on the sheet or from machinery? No idea ...

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

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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: 2018 Topps Home Run Challenge Silver #HRCAJ Aaron Judge (/59)
The Reason Graded: Aaron Judge recently returned from injury for the first time since April and that prompted me to lead things off with this rare card I recently got slabbed. I only have this card because I managed to predict one of his homers not long after he returned from injury last year after missing more than a month and a half. Injuries have mounted for his popular slugger the last two years, but I figured this card, given its scarcity, was one worth a slab.
The Grade: BGS 10

Reality Check: The pop report is a little iffy on this one -- there could be others not slabbed* -- since the checklist isn't complete on their site for this set this is merely a guess. (Pop report and checklists typically sync up.) I have gotten very few 10s in the last few years, but I thought this would be a contender and it was. Other Judge cards from this set -- there are at least three before this one -- are a lot rarer. Meanwhile, this appears to be the only Judge (of any color) from this set that's been slabbed.

Keep reading for the rest of this month's new grades and additions.

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A run of Topps Heritage near master sets -- in this case every single card in the product -- for the first decade of the popular brand as well as a pair of autograph proof sheets featuring cards that were never produced have hit the auction block via Robert Edward Auctions. 

The run begins with the first Heritage set from 2001 -- a product among a few celebrating the company's 50th anniversary that year, and one that offered us a re-do of the iconic 1952 Topps set but with today's stars and nods to the past -- and runs to 2011 when Heritage hit the memorable wood-bordered 1962 Topps design.

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Jimmy Grant
Also known as: Jim2Cat5 on Blowout
Email: jmgrant025@gmail.com
Location: Tennessee
Work away from cards: Systems Engineer
Collecting since: 1995

Main focuses: Topps Heritage master sets and Topps Heritage Chrome sets

Favorite players/teams: Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Kris Bryant, Carlos Correa

Current collecting projects: 1 -- Completing 2016 Topps Heritage master set -- only errors and color swaps remain.
2 -- Finding errors and variations from 2008-2011 Topps Heritage. 3 -- Grading my collection.

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