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 ...

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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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A LITTLE EXTRA
The Item: Johnny Damon 2018 Topps Five Star patch auto (/25)
The Price: $179.95 Buy-It-Now (or best offer)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This brand is loaded with impressive cardboard and some crazy patches but this one comes with a little extra included -- as you can see that's a PSA/DNA authentication sticker for the jersey where this patch came from. That notes that this jersey was signed with a game-used 2011 inscription -- something you'll know from just this swatch but not any of the other 24 that exist. A simple and fun item. There are some nice cards coming out of these boxes -- check out the link below -- and get your box at the link below that.
Similar Pieces: Other 2018 Topps Five Star autos on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for 2018 Topps Five Star boxes

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

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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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BIG DEMAND FOR UNSIGNED EARLY RARITIES?
The Item: Drew Brees 2000 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity parallel XRC (/30) BGS 8.5
The Price: $4,960 Buy-It-Now (or best offer)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: The NFL's new all-time passing yards leader is here and his key first autos have some insane asking prices (see link below) but there are a few other cards that can be surprising out there, too. Why? They're low-volume and the wax is nowhere to be found now -- and there's that Tom Brady guy not helping in 2000 -- but this one is even more complicated. It's a card that was issued via redemption and this one is an interesting card as it's from the year before Brees' Rookie Cards -- and it's a foilboard parallel (hence that scan) limited to only 30 copies. That asking price seems lofty but only four of the 30 have been slabbed by BGS and only one has graded higher (a BGS 9). You won't find one graded higher and you may not find one at all otherwise ... so, is it worth the big price tag? Maybe if you're a diehard Brees fan who hasn't found one yet or if you think there's big potential in other rarities from this era that could appreciate big in the future. (Remember, there's no back stock of volume boxes walking through that door for new cars to be found unlike the being-revisited boxes of the 1980s and 1990s that can still be found easily. And, again, this one is a redemption.) Buzz actually owns one of the three other cards so seeing this one out there at that price was a shocker -- I'm definitely going to keep my eyes on this one.
Similar Pieces: Other Drew Brees 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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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.

NOT A ROOKIE CARD ... BUT, WHOA, IS IT SELLING LIKE ONE
The Item: 2012 Topps Heritage #207 Mike Trout 
The Price: They're all pretty impressive -- both past and present
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Mike Trout doesn't have a Heritage Rookie Card but this one arrived a year later and it's selling like one both raw and graded. PSA 10 copies of this card have topped $300 while four-card raw lots have sold for as much as $250 recently. It's not short-printed but this collector never pulled one back then -- oddly -- when I pulled a few copies of pretty much everything else. You know what else is rare these days? Affordable 2012 Heritage hobby boxes and even retail boxes despite the rookie crop not being a strong one at all. (See the link below for a Hot Tip shot at some hobby packs to get in on this chase.) This card will be one to watch -- it's all over the place right now but selling way better than it should be -- as Heritage is the basic set for many of us retro-minded collectors to chase on an annual basis. The high-grade copies of this one aren't that easy -- centering and chipping can be an issue with this set -- so that's definitely driving some of the demand for this one but he's also a top player in MLB and this card does have a ton of natural appeal. Supply and demand has taken over here -- with a dash of crazy sauce, too -- but it tastes pretty good if you own a few of these. 
Similar Pieces: Other Mike Trout stuff on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for 2012 Topps Value boxes with two H packs in each one

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

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The annual All-Star snub hot takes are blazing after the MLB All-Star teams were announced on Sunday night and there's one guy who's having a break-out year and didn't make the cut.

But, don't worry, he's used to that on cardboard, too. His name? Max Muncy.

The 27-year-old Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder has hit 20 homers in 67 games so far this season, which is his third in the bigs. He's an unlikely slugger as he had five homers for his career entering this year. Last summer? He was in Oklahoma City all season after being released by the Oakland A's -- and even that time as a Dodger down in the Bible Belt didn't appear to be a given at one point.

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Here's a look at the top five players on this week's Baseball America Top MLB Prospects Hot Sheet and their seasons so far. It's a little something to help those who might want to dabble with prospecting -- some basics on their baseball cards alongside a highlight line from those more scouting-minded. We may not do this every week, but we'll check in on BA's top crop from time to time for the remainder of the season.

1. Jo Adell, OF, Angels — High-A Inland Empire 66ers
Season so far: Hitting .318 with 14 doubles, 14 homers, 47 RBI and 11 SBs in 50 games
Baseball America’s highlight line: “At just 19 years old, Adell is quickly emerging as one of the top five-tool prospects in the minor leagues. He earned a promotion to the California League roughly a month ago and has taken the circuit by storm.”
CARDBOARD BASICS
Approximate card total (so far): 400
First Chrome auto: 2017 Bowman Draft
One auto to consider: 2016 Leaf Metal
Buzz’s card take: He’s heavily hyped and was very pricey when his first Chrome ink arrived. A season like this won’t change that. Bargain-hunting could be tough here — but he’ll also likely keep appearing on prospect checklists.

Keep reading for the rest of the top five ...

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Have you seen the latest crazy 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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ONE SWEET BAMBINO
The Item: 2001 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Signatures Babe Ruth 1/1
The Price: $95,000 Buy-It-Now (or best offer)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: You can definitely find a signed Ruth baseball for less but this is the only card from this release where a ball signed back in the day was unstitched and placed into a card. You can mark down standard Sweet Spot autos as some of the simplest yet creative cards from the last 20 years and this card is still among the sweeter ones ever made, if not the sweetest of them all.
Similar Pieces: Other Babe Ruth autos
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for MLB boxes

Keep reading for 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 1.

The box: 2012 Panini Cooperstown baseball cards (hobby)
The cost: Click here (when available)

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

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Do you have a single card or item in your collection that stands out from the rest?

It's often not easy to pick one when looking at a collection that you spent plenty of time (and likely money) building. Is picking just one favorite a challenge that you could take on? Tweet @blowoutbuzz on Twitter (or send an email at the address below) for more info on how you can have your favorite card or item highlighted here on The Buzz. We want to see what makes you tick.

Here is our latest collector to take this challenge. Check it out ...

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Name: Ben Aguirre
Find him at: @cardboardicons on Twitter and Instagram
Location: California
Collects: Clayton Kershaw, Roger Clemens and rookie/tobacco cards of Hall of Famers

The favorite: 2006 Bowman Draft Chrome Prospects Refractor Autograph Clayton Kershaw /500 (BGS 9.5/10)

Why this matters to me: When it comes to collecting players in the modern hobby, there is usually one card that is considered the most desirable and it’s usually the player’s first Bowman Chrome autograph. And if you don’t time it right, the card of your player may cost you more than you’d want to spend.

But that's not his story ... keep reading.

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What's the priciest piece of Los Angeles Dodgers memorabilia ever sold?

Well, according to Goldin Auctions, it's this 1963 road jersey used by Sandy Koufax, which sold for $429,625 on Saturday night in the latest event from the Runnemede, N.J.-based company.

"The rarity of Koufax game-worn memorabilia combined with its impeccable authenticity and the fact that it was from perhaps his greatest season when he captured the Cy Young, NL MVP Award and the World Series MVP makes it truly special," said Ken Goldin, the founder of Goldin Auctions, in a prepared statement. "This event also proved a vibrant market for Michael Jordan, Mike Trout, LeBron James and Tom Brady memorabilia with lots from all of them surpassing expectations."

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Call it a bit of déjà vu -- but just with a different product.

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

The reigning National League Rookie of the Year was one of two players revealed as being part of the redemption program from that brand on Tuesday. On Monday, Topps revealed its players in Topps Finest.

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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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Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today's your day then as we launch 12 in 12 -- a series of a dozen breaks of past wax boxes and wax packs in a dozen hours. We'll post one every hour on the hour all day long today ... this is Hour 6.

The box: 2016 Fanatics Authentic Under Wraps Series 1 autographed baseballs
The cost: BlowoutCards.com

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

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It's been more than a month since the Houston Astros won the World Series but the action is still relatively intense over on MLB Auctions.

Or at least some of the bidding and instant-purchase prices look that way.

Dugout lineup cards for Games 5-7 are up for auction at the moment via the site and end in three days. Game 7 leads the way at $911 after 18 bids, while Game 5 is $810 after 14 bids and Game 6 sits at $520 after just two.

Those have nothing on some of the other game-used items, though.

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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: The World Series ends tonight, Five Star arrives, big questions, big pulls & big steals.

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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: World Series chatter, huge pulls, Giannis discussions and an altered high-dollar Aaron Rodgers Rookie Card.

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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: Avoiding ugly autographs, World Series chatter and big pulls in this Sunday edition ... check 'em out.

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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: World Series chatter, repeated card photos and big pulls.

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We got a preview of the possibilities of the postseason last week when Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder/utility player Enrique Hernandez smacked three home runs in Game 5 of the NLCS.

His few baseball cards suddenly had a lot more interest and that's something that David Freese, Andruw Jones, David Eckstein and many others can relate to. The postseason and the World Series is where new stars are born, especially on cardboard.

Hernandez played his first MLB game in 2014 -- and was drafted five years before that, ironically by the Houston Astros, who he'll face in the World Series beginning tonight -- and through all that time he'd barely appeared on 100 different baseball cards, got just one Rookie Card and one certified autograph before a rainbow of Topps Now cards arrived last Friday.

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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 waits, big pulls, Valyrian Steel and the starting point for World Series chatter on the boards.

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We're inching closer to the final teams taking the field this year in MLB and, at this point, we have just a single question for collectors after a crazy year of rookie home runs and plenty of other drama.

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[polldaddy poll=9848724]

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Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

>> Click here to buy cards on BlowoutCards.com

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: Cody Bellinger, Bryce Harper's auto, best graded-card scanners, new autographs, big pulls, the National & more.

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One of the hottest rookies in baseball -- the King of the West Coast to counter Aaron Judge's Big Apple dominance -- wrote his way into the record books on Monday night.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger hit two more home runs -- that's 21 in just 51 career games -- and that's the fastest pace in MLB history to start a career and good enough for the National League lead, trailing only Judge for the overall mark.

What makes this feat extra-enticing for collectors? The fact that Bellinger has a relatively minuscule amount of cardboard overall and a small number of certified autographs -- and that means more competition for what he does have as the home runs go flying.

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A new baseball season is nearly here with the first spring training games set to air later this month and that's when we'll see the newest players on their new teams.

And many of them will be wearing new uniforms -- well, at least new caps.

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The Rookie of the Year award winners Now have more cardboard.

Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager and Detroit Tigers pitcher Michael Fulmer picked up the NL ROY and AL ROY honors on Monday night -- and tonight they pick up the Topps Now honors.

Seager is the first player to have a game-used jersey Relic in the line, while Fulmer will be signing autographs for his award-winner card in the program.

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