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 ...

BETTER THAN LAST TIME ...
The Card: Ja Morant 2019-20 Panini Chronicles Luminance #165 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: Somewhere in a past item in this series there's a Pink parallel of this cool card buried in a post as it was one of only a few bummers I've had with a low mark -- one that was too low for my taste as I had apparently missed a rough edge. This time? Well, this was the one I didn't send in back then and that's because I thought it had an edge spot that I thought might nix a top grade ... but I was wrong again. With this card having an iconic photo -- one that makes it easily his best RC to me (I'm merely a casual NBA ripper) -- I threw it in a bulk sub to see how I'd do. It's an absolutely epic photo ... even though it was a missed dunk.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: This is a card with a pretty big volume graded -- and a good chunk of those checking in lower than mine. All in all, it's a win that takes away the sting from last time.

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

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Today is National Puppy Day and for card collectors there are countless options if they want their collections to go to the dogs.

From one brand alone there are Pawtographs, Relics and plenty of inserts -- and that's just one of them as all kinds of things have made their way into packs in the last 20 years (and unusual non-sports sets were the norm in tobacco packs of the 1800s and later years).

That brand? It's Topps' Allen & Ginter, which has included canine cardboard since its debut in 2006 when it included cards and paw-print Pawtographs from Ch. Felicity's Diamond Jim, an English Springer Spaniel who won Best in Show honors at the 2007 Westminster Dog Show. In 2010 the brand included cards and Relics for Rory, who was "America's Most-talented Dog" -- a three-time disc dog world champion who dazzled with his skills. (The memorabilia is a piece of a used frisbee.)

But a simpler option for collectors? That came in 2012.

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There have been bobbleheads, meetings with Hank Aaron, a news conference to address Internet death rumors, an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and plenty of other attention for a bichon frise mix, but there's about to be a new chapter in the life of Hank, the dog taken in by the Milwaukee Brewers.

He's getting an official Major League Baseball card.

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