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: An impressive Heritage case, NFL chatter, PMGs in wrestling, a big NBA story and more.

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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 ...

FROM THE BARGAIN BIN TO ...
The Card: Ken Griffey Jr. 1989 Topps Traded -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: I picked up this at the last minute -- literally at closing time -- at a past National Sports Collectors Convention after some digging through a bargain bin where cards were literally bouncing around inside cases in a plastic tub. For just $5 this card (as a raw copy) was mine after one thing jumped out at me -- its back with all that black ink was perfectly cut and its front was super-close to centered. It's not that I needed this card, really, as I picked up about three or four sets from the 1989 JCPenney Christmas catalog -- just $12.99 apiece -- back in the day, but I found the rough back edges to be an issue when revisiting all my copies with the the stars that survived past purges. This one made it into one of my bulk grading subs earlier this year as it was past time to grade one. Yes, it's got a very slight rough spot on the front left -- some extra fuzz as it's some light cardboard -- but everything else here (especially the back) was too clean to not send it in.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: That's definitely the kind of grade I was going for here, though a lot of them seem to check in at that mark -- about 17 percent of the current population -- which seems high for the era, but, at the same time, these were released as boxed sets and not in packs so they perhaps didn't get handled as much during packaging. Plus, inner cards in the boxes got protected pretty well. I'll take it. This one has always been one of my favorite RCs for this icon ... because I could afford this one and not the other big one that many love. I have them all now, of course (I think), but I'm pretty sure few or even none of my copies from back then would grade like this one did. Not bad for a $5 find and then $10 more to grade it.

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

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They're not the biggest boxes when it comes to their price -- but they're definitely packing a lot more than a Happy Meal.

In fact, with some luck when it comes to the 2022 Topps Chrome McDonald's All-American basketball boxes, you can feast with some of the first cardboard for a number of newly drafted NBA players, some likely future picks and even potential WNBA talent a little further down the line. (They have different draft rules so players can't be picked out of high school.)

A dozen players in this release were NBA Draft picks this year -- seven of those among the Top 20 -- and others who weren't are still active in the college ranks, transferred or are waiting on the draft due to injury. While it appears that only three players on the men's squad that year are not on cards in this release, there's still plenty to be found and a lot of it with big-dollar potential thanks to it being Chrome, and, of course, there being plenty of parallels to chase as well as autographs.

Brandon Miller, for example, was taken by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 2 pick in this year's draft after a dominating season at Alabama and he appears on more than 70 cards in this release with a dozen certified autograph cards. Gameday Autographs in this one are traditional-stock on-card autos signed by players at the prep All-Star event, while the rest of the cards are Chromes and all parallels are numbered to 99 copies or less. Atop ink, there's a 100-card base set (some players are on the checklist more than once) and then photo variations for 10 notables, four insert sets packed with top names and then the ink. A lot of those versions of both base Chrome and autographs are found in both hobby boxes (a sure thing for ink) and then in blasters, too, with the ink flowing a little less easily -- but still in there .

While Bronny James' cardboard debut in the 2023 set to come soon undoubtedly will be a monster, this one is packed with a lot of break-out potential beyond just one headling-making big name. Heck, this one might have been passed over by many when James wasn't in there (he shouldn't have been, but it arrived around this year's event) -- but the roster is there for this marquee event. It's one that has seen legends such as Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant suit up in the past (but without cards in their era) and then cards in limited volumes in the early 2000s for stars such as Kevin Durant, James Harden and Chris Paul. (WNBA stars have been in there, too, but few on cards.) The combination of talent here without a monster price tag at the moment -- plus it being Chrome -- makes this one with relatively fertile potential in both the short-term -- and longer -- without breaking the bank like high-end NBA releases might.

Keep reading for more on who else is in this one as well as a rundown of where they are now.

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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: Julio Rodriguez is still hot, NFL chatter, a winning NBA repack, reeled in a big Trout and continuing talk about big industry headlines.

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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: NFLPA pulls plug on Panini deal, new pulls, comic books, other lawsuits and ... LeBron James with Fanatics?

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What: 2022-23 Panini Flux NBA cards
Arrives: Oct. 18
Box basics: One autographed card per 10-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Flux returns as a standalone release with plenty of color and flash as it celebrates the NBA game with a meaty 250-card base set and more to chase.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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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: That Ja Morant cameo card has others, new pulls, eBay Authentication blunders, lawsuit reactions and more.

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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: New pulls, showing off monster money cards, NFL cards, lawsuit chatter and more in this Friday edition.

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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: New pulls, NFL and MLB chatter, funny NBA cards, lawsuit reactions and collecting Pistol Pete.

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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: More lawsuit reactions, new pulls, more V-Dub cards coming soon and plenty more chatter as we enter the weekend.

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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: Lawsuit reactions, MLB chatter, Pac-12 football, knowing the Rookie Card definition and more.

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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: MLB trade deadline headlines, following up on The National again, young NBA stars, MLB pulls, NFL chatter and a good question.

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What: 2022-23 Panini Spectra basketball cards
Arrives: Aug. 16
Box basics: Four autographs per four-pack box (eight boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Spectra returns for another run on the NBA court with all those hot rookies, legends from the past and an autograph in every pack -- and plenty of color and texture, too.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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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: The National nears, Topps Now, Shohei Ohtani, new pulls and more in today's edition.

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What: 2022-23 Panini Mosaic basketball cards
Arrives: Jan. 25, 2023
Box basics: One autograph per 10-pack hobby box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Mosaic arrives with its familiar high-energy look and format for basketball collectors once again with plenty of flash and color in store with rookies and stars from the past and present all in there.

Keep reading for more info.

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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: Tribute delivers, The National nears, MLB's second half begins, collectors' thoughts and more in today's edition.

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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: These two cards from a blaster, a big Ohtani find in a blaster, The National and more.

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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: The National, WWE pulls, Elly De La Cruz, Heritage heat and more in today's edition.

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What: 2022-23 Panini Contenders Optic NBA cards
Arrives: Sept. 20
Box basics: One autograph per six-card box (20 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Contenders Optic's fifth NBA edition is one that includes an autograph in every box and more for fans to chase in this colorful Optichrome-stock release.

Keep reading for more info and a gallery of images.

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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: Shohei Ohtani, Damian Lillard, a big Ohtani pull, The National and talking clubs in MLB.

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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: Is LeBron James getting a Fanatics deal? That and more in this Friday edition.

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Panini America's newest teammate might be its youngest.

The NBA card-maker revealed on Tuesday that it has signed high school standout and likely 2025 NBA Draft lottery pick Tre Johnson to an "exclusive, multi-year partnership." According to the company, Johnson is the first high school athlete to sign an NIL deal of this type with Panini. The 6-foot-6 Dallas star guard recently transferred to Link Academy in Branson, Mo., for his senior season.

"This is a milestone for Panini America and Tre Johnson will be an excellent partner for our brand," said Jason Howarth, Senior VP of Marketing and Athlete Relations, in a prepared release. "Not only is he one of the best basketball players in the country, but he's an athlete from our backyard and someone we have had our eye on. We are excited to support Tre and help him grow as he continues to progress in his basketball career."

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What: 2022-23 Panini Chronicles basketball cards
Arrives: July 19
Box basics: Two autographs per six-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Panini's multi-brand favorite arrives for another NBA season jam-packed with variety and plenty of new takes for key rookies and top stars all in one spot.

Keep reading for more info and a gallery of images.

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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: V-Dub, The National, new pulls, TacoFractors!, Aaron Judge and "Who will be the biggest hobby bust from the pandemic era?"

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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: NFL players with few Rookie Cards, V-Dub chatter after the NBA Draft, new breaks, The National, TacoFractors and more.

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