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 ...

SNIKT!
The Book: Wolverine No. 50 (newsstand edition)
The Reason Graded: Back in 1992, Little Buzz was probably nearing the end of his comic book days -- or maybe a little after this one arrived -- but with some connections to a local book store I was able to get comics before they hit those spinner racks that resulted in books getting broken spines like they were Batman up against Bane. (Or something.) And with that era being one of mass-produced stuff that was still very creative on both the art front as well as the printing/gimmick front, I and many others were buying ... in quantity. This issue is one exploring Wolverine's origins and it's got a cardboard cover with his claws the source of the big die-cut gashes here revealing the first page of what's in the file (issue). I bought maybe a half-dozen of them as it was cool -- a few at the local comics shop and a few more at the book store -- and that's the key here. These newsstand versions -- same except for the UPC in the corner and not a marvel direct logo (that started in 1981) filling the box -- figure to be much, much rarer in a high grade.
The Grade: CGC 9.8 (Universal)

Reality Check: This one was a win but I expected it as my copies here are razor sharp. How many of those graded might be newsstand copies? It's a mystery right now but asking prices on eBay as I prep this file are as high as $500 for a newsstand copy while a direct has a max asking of $299. Actual sales for 9.8s in recent weeks? About $320 for newsstand and $85 for direct. I'll take that ... I'm in for just $2.50 (though I may have gotten a discount) and my grading fees. Most "serious" collectors bought at comics shops in the boom years, seeing newsstand is inferior with those barcodes ... now those barcodes are gold as long as you're in an elite grade.

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

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If you pulled a Mystery Redemption in a pack of 2017 Topps Finest baseball cards, you might be the owner of a new Cody Bellinger autograph.

The reigning National League Rookie of the Year was one of three players revealed as being part of the redemption program from that brand on Monday.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Aaron Judge, Aaron Judge, Aaron Judge and a number of other topics from around the world that don't include Aaron Judge ... yet.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Big pulls from throughout the collecting galaxy as we enter the weekend.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post 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 Topps Finest baseball cards
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 12
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 60
Base set completion: 
43 of 100 (43 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Kris Bryant, Carlos Correa, Buster Posey, Bryce Harper, Mookie Betts, Miguel Cabrera, Kyle Schwarber, Ichiro Suzuki, Josh Donaldson, Giancarlo Stanton, Max Scherzer, Manny Machado, Mike Trout

Rookie Cards (7) – Tyler Austin, Yoan Moncada, Seth Lugo, Robert Gsellman, Yulieski Gurriel, Ryon Healy, Reynaldo Lopez

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Big breaks from around the card world, The National and more.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Nothing but breaks today as we inch closer to the weekend.

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What: 2017 Topps Finest baseball cards
Arrives: June 7
Box basics: One auto per mini box with two minis per master (eight master boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here to view

What's buzz-worthy: Finest returns to a full hobby release for its 25th edition with some new looks back -- at the NBA edition of the brand, for example -- and new Wave Autographs in the ink rainbow and more.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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