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 mix of new slabs and some recent pick-ups.

BIG RETAIL PULL NOW VS. THEN
The Card: Christian McCaffrey 2017 Crown Royale Platinum #88 (/49) -- Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Graded: With the NFL season (perhaps) finally coming, I'll let this guy kick things off since it's a rarer card and one that I figured would grade well but did have some fears about with one of the back corners showing some funk. I pulled this one from a mega box (or whatever it was called for this one) while sitting in a snowy Walmart parking lot back in the day only to be bummed that my autograph guaranteed in the box wasn't there ... it was Panini Rewards points. I was more hung up on that than appreciating this card back then, but he's been a playmaker in the league -- so much so I actually got rid of my Donruss and Optic RCs of him without getting them graded. Instead I decided to slab this one.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: It graded better than I had expected -- I was thinking probably a 9 but optimistically a 9.5 -- and I consider this one a win. It's razor-sharp and clean except for that one corner and on the back it may not hurt as much. Either way, I'm good with this one. Only 12 total cards of McCaffrey from this release have been graded and this is the only for this parallel. There have been nine copies of his standard RC graded and only four cards overall equal this one with nothing higher.

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

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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 ... and this time around there's some new stuff and some throwbacks as I await some new arrivals.

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IN THE HOUSE (BUT NOT IN THE STRIKE ZONE)
The Card: Dr. Anthony Fauci 2020 Topps Now (/51,512)
The Price: $6 (direct from Topps)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This card was a fun surprise after his awful first pitch to start the season on Opening Day last month and it set an all-time record for Topps Now with more than 51,000 copies sold. That's more than double the previous record for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s MLB debut last year. Why? The novelty of it and the market has been strong for this card as many non-collectors apparently want one. That price has made me glad I did a handful. I may or may not slab one as I had planned as these didn't come in as razor-sharp/perfectly clean as other Topps Now cards I've done. (And also because grading prices are getting steeper.) The real question for people out there ... did anybody get a parallel? Those are new for Now this year.
Grab a box right here: None for this ... get 2020 MLB boxes here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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What: 2020 Leaf Ultimate Wrestling cards
Arrives: Aug. 7
Box basics: Six autograph cards per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf offers up the closest thing to an AEW wrestling set -- and plenty of past and present stars from the WWE and around the world -- in a release that's got "an assortment of stars not possible in any other wrestling release."

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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: 2009 Topps WWE wrestling cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com when available; Click here for other WWE boxes

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 7
Cards in this box: 165
Base set completion: 
90 of 90 (100 percent)
Duplicates: 19

Notables on base cards: Triple H, Steve Austin, John Cena, CM Punk, Tommy Dreamer, Chris Jericho, Shawn Michaels, John Morrison, Matt Hardy, Natalya, Cody Rhodes, Jim Ross, Edge, Layla, Randy Orton, Michelle McCool, Alicia Fox, Maryse, Rey Mysterio, Gail Kim, Hornswoggle, Festus, Batista, Santino Marella, Santina Marella, Beth Phoenix, Mickie James, Tiffany, Jerry Lawler, Undertaker, Nikki Bella, Brie Bella

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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: 2007 Topps Heritage WWE III Ringside Edition (Walmart only)
The cost: Will vary when found -- click here for new WWE boxes

Packs per box: 11 (10 packs plus one 1951 Ringside bonus pack)
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 52
Base set completion: 
42 of 90 (47 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards: Cody Rhodes, John Cena, Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, Undertaker, Edge, Jeff Hardy, Santino Marella, Shelton Benjamin, Batista, Bobby Lashley, John Morrison, Tommy Dreamer, Bruiser Brody, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Brian Pillman, Kelly Kelly, Melina, Michelle McCool, Mickie James

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Have you seen the latest cool or interesting items on eBay? If not, you just might see some of those here every week as we're launching a weekly version of our eBay Buzz pieces that pop up from time to time. We’ll spotlight some items that have a story or just wow us with how much interest it might have — and we’re not just talking baseball cards, either.

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DEFINITELY DIRTY DEFINITIVE
The Item: Mike Trout 2019 Topps Definitive Collection autographed game-used patch booklet (/5)
The Price: $5,000 Buy-It-Now (or best offer)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Look close at that patch and you'll see some game-used dirt that only makes this impressive piece from a high-end brand even cooler. What's coolest about this? It's a gem that's not a 1/1 card -- there are four more like it out there in boxes of Definitive, which is a good thing. (Even better? Today is a 13 percent eBay Bucks day if you use the app ... get on it!)
Similar Pieces: More 2019 Topps Definitive Collection autos on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for Definitive Collection boxes and cases 

Keep reading for four more interesting items in this week's roundup ...

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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 wax boxes and wax packs in a dozen hours. We'll post one every hour all day long ... this is Hour 11.

The box: 2008 Topps Heritage WWE IV (retail)
The cost: Click here (when available)

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

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The biggest weekend in professional wrestling is here with WrestleMania 34 set for Sunday in New Orleans and events beginning tonight with the WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony, a NXT Takeover on Saturday and then Raw/Smackdown tapings after that. We'll make today a big day for wrestling collectors right here on The Buzz with #BuzzMania, a series of WWE wax box and wax pack breaks all day long.

How long will we go? Stay tuned ...

The box: 2012 Topps Heritage WWE (hobby)
The cost: Will vary -- here when available

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

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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: 2013 Topps WWE Dog Tags Signature Series
Where to buy: Poke around online.

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 1 plus one dog tag
Cards in this box: 24
Base set completion: 
23 of 30 (77 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, John Cena, Randy Orton, Undertaker, C.M. Punk, Dolph Ziggler.

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