Black Lotus
Buzz Buys: Rhea Ripley, Hank Aaron, Roddy Piper, Weird Science, Bernie Sanders' mittens & a non-cataloged RC error?
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 ... and this time around I play catch-up on some old names and school ties guys along with some new grabs.
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THE DEMOLISHER
The Card: Rhea Ripley 2020 Topps Chrome WWE Gold Refractor Autograph (/50)
The Price: About the price of a box
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This young WWE star from Australia is a strong seller in last year's releases and this is one auto I had to grab as Gold Chrome is a favorite color of mine -- at least in combination of appeal and price. They are rarer but not too rare to be way too expensive and this one was a bit underpriced compared to other copies. I sprung a bit more than I might have for this one -- but that's what happens when there's just not as much wax out there for me to buy. The cool part was that I landed a sweet surprise bonus with this one ... I'll show it off next time. Ripley appears to have arrived on the main roster during the last WWE pay-per-view and lasted about halfway through the Royal Rumble match ... finishing second. That indicates she should be primed for an interesting debut run and she has a persona that makes her feel like a six-foot-tall demolisher, though her look was still evolving at the time this card was made. Unlike some young stars, she actually has a number of autographed cards in 2020 releases and I'm pretty close to having locked down at least one from each of them ... and that's pretty strong for me as I just don't have the budget or patience to chase full rainbows. In other words, I'm sold.
Grab a box right here: 2020 Topps Chrome WWE wrestling cardsKeep reading for more interesting items ...
Buzz Buys: Original WWE card artwork, Santa Claus' signature, NFL standouts, a Heisman contender, 1990 Pro Set homage, Black Lotus, The Fly, The Rock, Katy Perry's autograph & more
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 ... and this time around there are some really unique pieces and some normal stuff found over recent months.
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BETTER THAN A BOX.
The Piece: Sasha Banks 2019 Topps WWE Undisputed original art by Rob Schamberger
The Price: Same as a box of this year's Undisputed cards
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: For the last two years, Topps' Undisputed sets have included a subset showcasing the work of WWE artist Rob Schamberger whose pieces also have been found on countless prints, shirts and more as well as in WWE Canvas 2 Canvas video shorts. How popular is his work? Well, wrestler-signed prints have their own section over at WWE Auction and he also had original card-sized works in last year's Transcendent boxes -- and this year's Undisputed set has his autographs as one of its chases. One card from last year's set that got my attention upon arrival was the Banks, which I even submitted for grading and I hadn't really thought about that one until just recently with this year's new set. What popped up? Well, he launched his new website, Schamberger Labs, where collectors can find prints, original pieces and more and that's where I found this original. For months now, I had been eyeing an original watercolor/ink piece to showcase here (story perhaps to come later ... if I do grab that one) but with the new site announcement one recent morning I checked things out and was shocked to see this original. (His photo is above since it's too large for me to photograph well.) I hadn't really imagined any art from this set ever being available but I grabbed it with little hesitation. I figured these pieces might be locked away in Topps' or WWE's possession given the card presence, but, no, the Banks and a handful of other pieces were up for grabs. (Some are still there.) These 11-by-15 pieces aren't overwhelmingly large to manage -- mine is in a photo top-loader for now -- and there's a strong chance I'll display it at some point, though I never really display any of my buys. (Well, beyond showing them off here.) This was one of my favorite finds of the year ... and it's been a good year (of shopping at home).
Grab a box right here: 2020 Topps WWE UndisputedKeep reading for more interesting items ...
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