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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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: 2018-19 Donruss Optic basketball cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 7
Cards per pack: 4
Cards in this box: 28
Base set completion: 17 of 150 (11 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards: LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, Victor Oladipo, Blake Griffin, Tony Parker, Chris Paul

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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 Donruss Optic Red & Yellow #153 Baker Mayfield (RC parallel)
The Reason Graded: I found this one in a Mega Box and it was by far the best highlight of the bunch there so that's why you see it here. Mayfield has shown himself to be a spark plug among a good rookie crop since back when I pulled it, so that's another reason. A third? This brand is one that I like more than others. The color scheme of this card, a retail-exclusive, also looked good, so I figured I'd slab it up and see how it looked when it came back. These were very pricey when they first started arriving on eBay but I'm sure they have settled down by now -- still an impressive card to me either way and I'll be tucking this one away in my stash alongside my Bowman Chrome Tom Brady RC for the simple long-term appreciation. (Mine, not financial.)
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: At the point I submitted this one, there was at most one graded and I'm still surprised that there are so few slabbed. I also was surprised with the grade figuring I'd check in at a likely BGS 9 but I'll take it. I think high-grade copies of retail-only parallels found in certain formats could be tougher future finds than people might think.

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

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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 boxes: 2017-18 Panini Threads NBA cards
Where to buy: Click here

Keep reading for a full breakdown of two boxes.

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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: 2018-19 Donruss Optic basketball cards (Mega Box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 10 (eight standard, two Hyper Pink)
Cards per pack: 4 per standard, 5 per Hyper Pink
Cards in this box: 42
Base set completion: 18 of 150 (12 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards: LeBron James, Tony Parker, Jayson Tatum, Chris Paul, Bradley Beal, Serge Ibaka, Paul Millsap, Jarrett Allen, Julius Randle, Will Barton, Otto Porter Jr., Malcolm Brogdon, Og Anunoby, Willie Cauley-Stein, Elfrid Payton, Kyle Korver, Nikola Vucevic, Tobias Harris

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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: 2017-18 Donruss Optic basketball cards (Mega Box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (a few formats)

Packs per box: 10
Cards per pack: 4
Cards in this box: 40
Base set completion: 10 of 200 (5 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards – Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Zach Randolph, Harrison Barnes, Rudy Gay, Danilo Gallinari, Malcolm Delaney, Jonathan Simmons, Justin Jackson (RR), Jarrett Allen (RR)

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What:

What's buzz-worthy: Impeccable takes to the hardwood once again with "the return of the super-rare and highly sought-after 1/2 troy ounce gold and one-ounce silver bar cards" among its inclusions -- and every autograph is an on-card signature.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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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: 2018-19 NBA Hoops Holiday Edition (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (several formats)

Packs per box: 11
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 88
Base set completion: 71 of 280 (25 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Joel Embiid, Jimmy Butler, Lonzo Ball, Paul George, Dirk Nowitzki, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Carmelo Anthony, Tim Hardaway Jr, Tony Parker, Derrick Rose

Rookie Cards (8) – Josh Okogie, Zaire Smith, Robert Williams III, Jacob Evans III, Keita Bates-Diop, Landry Shamet, Mikal Bridges, Kevin Knox

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We're just days away from the hobby arrival of 2018-19 Panini Prizm basketball cards -- one of the hobby's hottest brands for NBA fans in recent years -- and the latest gems from Panini America are starting to trickle onto eBay where they'll be sure to spark some interest this season.

How's that happening already? That's thanks to First Off The Line boxes that are beginning to arrive now in advance of Prizm's arrival next week. Meanwhile, the retail edition is on the way very soon, too, with its Silver parallel presence being one people will watch after last season.

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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: 2018-19 NBA Hoops basketball cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (several formats)

Packs per box: 11
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 88
Base set completion: 71 of 280 (25 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Russell Westbrook, Ben Simmons, Stephen Curry, Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler, Lonzo Ball, Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins, Buddy Hield, Kyle Kuzma, Lauri Markkanen, Karl-Anthony Towns, Chris Paul

Rookie Cards (8) – Lonnie Walker IV, Trae Young, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jacob Evans III, Josh Okogie, Robert Williams III, Zhaire Smith, Mortiz Wagner

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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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THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL STAR
The Item: Andrew Luck 2018 Panini Gold Standard Good as Gold patch auto (/5)
The Price: 99 cents (no bids) with six-plus days remaining
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Remember when this guy was the hottest thing in the NFL? Injuries have derailed those Canton plans but he gets the spotlight tonight across from Tom Brady and the New England Patriots -- and that got me thinking about the autographs from a guy who once was a top dog in the hobby. Since his arrival in 2012, Luck has had more than 6,600 different football cards and he's closing in on 1,800 different certified autos. The lull in interest is probably behind us but there are still likely some bargains to be found -- and they could start with 99-cent auctions like this one.
Similar Pieces: Other Andrew Luck autos on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for NFL boxes

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

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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: Collectors remember Cryptozoic's George Nadeau, Heritage High Number breaks, big pulls and other highlights from the collecting world.

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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: Results from a few breaks around the collecting world.

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What:

What's buzz-worthy: What Panini calls "the industry standard for high-end trading cards" returns to the hardwood for another season with every autograph on-card and impressive patches as well as diamond cards also in the mix.

Keep reading for more info and a full gallery of images released so far.

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What: 2017-18 Panini Impeccable basketball cards
Arrives: Sept. 19
Box basics: Five autographs per nine-card box (three boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: This high-end brand returns to the court with "a wide array of signatures and surprises" with new inclusions that include cards printed on metal and metal inlay cards.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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What: 2017-18 Panini Vanguard basketball cards
Arrives: Sept. 5
Box basics: Four autographs per five-card box (six boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Panini offers up "the new Vanguard of the hobby" with this one that includes nearly nothing but ink in every high-end box.

Keep reading for more info and a full gallery of images released so far.

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What: 2017-18 Panini Opulence basketball cards
Arrives: Aug. 3
Box basics: Seven autograph or memorabilia cards per 10-card box (three boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Panini calls this newcomer "a luxury basketball trading card set" and it will include on-card autographs of rookies, veterans, retired legends and Hall of Famers among a hits-heavy high-end mix.

Keep reading for more info and a full gallery of images released so far.

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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 boxes: 2017-18 Panini Threads NBA cards
Where to buy: Initially only at Target ($19.99 apiece)

Keep reading for a full breakdown of two boxes.

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Memorabilia cards have captured the attention of many collectors in many brands through the years, but there's one type of card that NBA collectors often look to first.

It's the Logoman, that single logo patch that appears on just once every jersey, that Jerry West homage that's been around for decades but only made it into cardboard more recently.

Sometimes these cards can capture thousands of dollars in eBay auctions and other times they can fetch new-car money for the 1/1 autographed versions of top rookies and other NBA icons.

This year's National Treasures set recently arrived from Panini America with a total of 231 different Logoman cards -- and there's one that BlowoutCards.com has its sights set on.

Keep reading for more on these elite basketball cards.

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What: 2017-18 Panini Noir basketball cards
Arrives: July 25
Box basics: Seven autographs or memorabilia cards per 10-card box (four boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Noir returns to the court with nothing but on-card autographs, plenty of memorabilia cards and other slick creations in this high-end release.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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What:

What's buzz-worthy: The beefy stock and colorful rainbow of Panini Spectra is back on the hardwood for another season with some twists to the formula.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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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: 2017-18 Donruss Optic basketball cards (mega box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (a few formats)

Packs per box: 10
Cards per pack: 4
Cards in this box: 40
Base set completion: 10 of 200 (5 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards – Russell Westbrook, DeMarcus Cousins, Delon Wright, Andre Iguoadala, Marcus Morris, Tyler Ulis, Trevor Booker, Julius Randle, Frank Jackson (RR), Sindarius Thornwell (RR)

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What:

What's buzz-worthy: National Treasures hits the court once again with a wide array of autographs and memorabilia cards from the NBA's best of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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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: 2017-18 Panini Prestige NBA cards (hanger box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 1
Cards per pack: 60
Base set completion: 46 of 200 (23 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notable players on base cards – LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Gordon Hayward, Dirk Nowitzki, Vince Carter, Carmelo Anthony, Kawhi Leonard, Devin Booker, John Wall

Rookie Cards (12) – Jayson Tatum, Wayne Selden Jr., Tony Bradley, Jonathan Isaac, Milos Teodosic, Tyler Lydon, Sterling Brown, Jarrett Allen, Furkan Korkmaz, Justin Jackson, Thomas Bryant, T.J. Leaf

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This year's Panini NBA Player of the Day program tips off tomorrow with bonus packs and other bonuses ready for collectors who pick up cards at participating hobby shops.

In its fourth year, the program will include more than 50,000 prizes and autographed cards with its biggest draw a chance to have an NBA player visit the winner and a hobby shop next year. The program runs through April 15.

“The Player of the Day promotion helps hobby shops sell more trading cards while rewarding collectors who purchase Panini products,” said Jason Howarth, VP of marketing for Panini America. “We are thrilled to support hobby shops selling our NBA trading cards by expanding this proven promotion to even more hobby shops. Over the past two years, we’ve given collectors the chance to meet NBA stars, future stars and legends.”

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