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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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: Andrew McCutchen to the Yankees, hobby vs. investing, autograph differences, big pulls and more as we end the month.

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What: 2019 Topps Series 1 baseball cards
Arrives: Jan. 30
Box basics: One autograph or Relic per 24-pack hobby box (12 boxes per case); or one autograph and two Relics per 10-pack jumbo box (six boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The first series of Topps' flagship 2019 set arrives with a new look and a number of new inclusions as well as some new approaches for hits not seen in recent years.

Keep reading for more as well as a full gallery of images.

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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 NATIONAL BONUS FOR LIVING SET BUYERS
The Item: 2018 Topps National Sports Collectors Convention Francisco Lindor Topps Living Set litho signed by artist Mayumi Seto (90/100)
The Price: $94 after 20 bids with several days remaining
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This piece was a bonus item to a few lucky collectors at this year's National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland as the artist was on hand on the Saturday of the show to greet fans. A ticket good for one of the prints was randomly put into the three-card Living Set packs that were available at the show. The set has become a popular weekly release via Topps.com with thousands of copies of each card sold each week and Seto is the creative force fueling some of the demand with her life-like artwork that's being used as part of this 1953 Topps homage. (That year's set used paintings.) Other lithos have asking prices between $345 and $749 among active auctions, while a number of these have already sold. It will be interesting to watch this one -- asking prices on standard cards she signed at the show also have commanded some strong prices. This one is impressive.
Similar Pieces: Check out 2018 Topps Living Set cards on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for baseball boxes

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

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A Babe Ruth game-used New York Yankees cap from the early 1930s is dominating on the auction block via SCP Auctions with its price approaching the quarter-million-dollar mark.

The auction's reserve is not yet met, but there are a couple days remaining before the final gavel. After 10 bids, it stands at $235,795 but is estimated to push as much as $800,000 before the auction is final.

It's not just any cap worn by "The Bambino," either, this is a piece of memorabilia with a little extra Yankees history attached to it.

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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. Trevor Rogers, SP, Marlins — Low-A Greensboro Grasshoppers
Season so far: 1-4 with 5.13 ERA, 65 strikeouts and 20 walks in 54.1 innings (12 starts)
Baseball America’s highlight line: “Rogers has worked six or more innings in his last three starts, culminating with Sunday’s gem, where he struck out a career-best 12 batters and carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning."
CARDBOARD BASICS
Approximate card total (so far): 300
First Chrome auto: 2017 Bowman Draft
One auto to consider: 2016 Leaf Metal Perfect Game
Buzz’s card take: His season numbers look a little LaLooshian but he was the 13th overall pick in last year's draft and he's on the Marlins so they'll take it -- and the potential. The recent games look relatively solid, so if you're sold on the potential of a Marlins pitcher then you might want to bite.

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

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There aren't any pinstripes, but it's the first.

It's the New York Yankees jersey that Miguel Andújar wore for his MLB debut and it's on the market via Steiner Auctions for the next four days where it could command some serious cash.

So far?

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His career stat sheet is a lengthy one, but he flashed some power Wednesday at Yankee Stadium that could lead to some fireworks on cardboard with the most-diehard of New York Yankees fans.

His name? Kyle Higashioka and the only hits the rookie has in MLB right now are home runs. Through the fourth inning of today's game, he's got three longballs in 17 at-bats this season.

The catcher also has more homers in his six games than he does Rookie Cards.

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It might be easy to overlook the New York Yankees pitching staff with all those young sluggers and other big boppers in the Bronx, but there's one arm clearly establishing himself this summer as he's in the midst of a career year and should have dominating season totals by year's end.

It's Luis Severino.

The 24-year-old right-hander is 13-2 with a 1.98 ERA this season -- tops in the American League and nearly the best in MLB right now -- and he's got 138 strikeouts in 118 innings atop that. His next victory will tie his career-high set last season and he's by far the top arm on the team -- Masahiro Tanaka is second with just seven victories this year.

And all this success should bode well for his cardboard, which can still be found with relative ease.

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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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HOW ABOUT THIS OHTANI?
The Item: 2018 Topps Inception Jumbo Patch Autograph Shohei Ohtani 1/1
The Price: $50,000 Buy-It-Now (or best offer)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Inception is a fun memorabilia-laced creation and this card is among the biggest in the product that arrived just yesterday. Ohtani appears on just 10 cards in the product -- three un-numbered versions and the rest rarer than 25 copies -- and this is one of two 1/1s in the release for this super-hot international star. Will that asking price be met? I doubt it, but it's a nice card.
Similar Pieces: Other 2018 Topps Inception singles on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for 2018 Topps Inception boxes

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

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The annual photography showcase that is Stadium Club arrived from Topps this week with a new crop of highlight-reel cards among a meaty set that are gems simply because of the image that appears on them.

It's not about the design, it's not about the player, it's not about the team -- it's about the photography in 2018 Topps Stadium Club.

The Dansby Swanson gem you see above? It was captured by photographer Patrick Duffy for Getty Images on June 9 last season when Swanson scored the winning run against the Mets. He scored off a single by Rio Ruiz and the Braves won 3-2 in the ninth -- and now that moment has a run on cardboard. (Ironically, that was the game where The Freeze dominated this guy and introduced us all to his antics.)

It's not alone when it comes to gems in the 300-card set that includes even more high-quality non-traditional images among some short-prints.

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Question: When's the last time a New York Yankees rookie arrived with barely any baseball cards? (Has it ever happened? Can that really happen these days?)

Answer: This year -- and that rookie is Jonathan Loaisiga.

The 23-year-old made his MLB debut and got his first win on Friday night, going five innings and striking out six. He only walked four and allowed just three hits against Tampa Bay -- and he almost had as many strikeouts as he does baseball cards.

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You ever have one of those items that you need for your collection that could be found somewhat easily but you're either too picky about its quality, too finicky about the price tag attached or have such narrow wants that it might not be too easy of a find after all?

I did, but I finally got over it a little bit while still getting what I wanted.

That item for me? An autograph from "The Voice of The Yankees" and former This Week in Baseball host Mel Allen. After years of casual looking from time to time, months of daily eBay searches with stuff that was either too pricey or not quite good enough for me (and my low price want), I finally found what I was looking for.

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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 3.

The box: Fanatics Authentic Los Angeles Angels game-used baseball mystery box
The cost: $39.95 here

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: Rob Rich
Find him at: @robrich333 or natsfan1 on Blowout Forums
Location: Kentucky
Collects: I collect Rookie Cards of modern stars as well as autographs of Hall of Fame players.

The favorite: PSA/DNA authenticated Babe Ruth Perez-Steele custom cut autograph

Why this matters to me: Neither of my parents are sports fans, but they encouraged reading and first bought me a baseball history book when I first expressed interest in the sport. It was the perfect gift to learn about the game that would become my greatest passion in life. Babe Ruth was clearly a larger-than-life figure, and, even as a kid that was born 100 years after his birth, I felt this sense of awe when learning of his accomplishments. When I moved into collecting, I truly felt a genuine connection when owning an autograph of a player. It's like I have a personal slither of history and greatness. Unless you are an avid autograph collector, it is difficult to articulate just how connected you can feel to an individual that you have never met through something as simple as an autograph. The simplicity behind an autograph is what truly makes it beautiful. A brief moment in time occurred where an athlete writes his name on an item, but a historical event takes place in my eyes. For a fleeting moment, an individual who has reached the pinnacle of athletic achievement has held the item that is now yours, and permanently left a reminder of their greatness for years to come.

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We're about a month into the MLB season and all you have to do to find the surprises for this year is look at the home run leaders list.

Through last night's action, three players have hit 10 home runs and four more are right behind them at nine. One name among those top seven sluggers is a given -- Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout -- but some of the other names might surprise. The leaders? New York Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorious, Seattle Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger and Trout. Just after them? Atlanta Braves shortstop Ozzie Albies, Chicago White Sox DH Matt Davidson and a pair of past All-Stars, Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon and Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado.

Let's take a look at a few of these lesser-known players' cards.

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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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THIS YEAR’S PHENOM -- SHOHEI OHTANI
The Item: A game-used baseball from Shohei Ohtani's MLB debut
The Price: $479.99 Buy-It-Now (or best offer)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This year's biggest deal on baseball cards is also becoming a big deal elsewhere for memorabilia fans -- and some of the newest items out there are ones from the games he's played thanks to the MLB Authentication program. Fans in MLB cities have a built-in advantage when it comes to game-used memorabilia but that hobby has continued to be a fun one to explore on eBay. In cases of notable rookies such as Ohtani or future Hall of Famers, there are plenty of instances where a typical game-used ball is something more. This particular ball is from his MLB debut game on March 29 in Oakland. He didn't use this ball, but it's one of not many out there to be authenticated and make it to market. Helping it is the fact that MLB Authentication notes this being Ohtani's debut game in its listing. Balls Ohtani pitched in his first start commanded much more than this direct from the team, making a ball like this an interesting option. They won't be making more debut gamers -- so once they're gone, they're gone.
Similar Pieces: Check out these other game-used baseball auctions -- it can get crazy
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for boxes with Shohei Ohtani baseball cards

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

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As you may have seen here via The Buzz Twitter account last night, a PSA 9 copy of Mickey Mantle's iconic 1952 Topps baseball card sold for a whopping $2.88 million via Heritage Auctions. 

It set a new record for The Mick but came up short of the record of $3.12 million set by a PSA 5 copy of the famed T206 Honus Wagner tobacco card.

“The 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle is more than just a baseball card, it is pop culture art and the symbol of the card-collecting hobby itself,” said PSA President Joe Orlando. “This new auction record is not only a record for a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle or any post-WWII baseball card, it is now the new standard for any card other than the 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner."

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Update (April 19): After 21 bids, the card stood at $2.88 million as it entered the extended bidding window (30 minute sessions).

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The Mick is about to take on the record books once again.

A PSA 9 copy of Mickey Mantle's iconic 1952 Topps baseball card is on the auction block via Heritage Auctions and its bidding is already in seven figures as we count down the minutes until its close later this week.

Just five other copies of the card have graded this high among more than 1,500 slabbed by PSA and just three have scored higher. It's estimated to sell for more than $3.5 million by the auction house, given recent demand for lower grades, and that would put it atop the list of best-selling baseball cards -- atop even top sales of Honus Wagner's T206 tobacco card.

"This card is a towering symbol of American exceptionalism, from its celebration of our national pastime to the fearless ambition of creator Sy Berger's vision to the exaltation of a culture that could elevate a poor kid from the Oklahoma coal mines to the pinnacle of fame and acclaim," said the auction house's listing. "It is 10 square inches of the American dream, preserved virtually flawlessly for eternity. It is a commodity recognized and coveted by millions, yet available to only a tiny handful of the most-sophisticated collectors."

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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: Opening Day chatter, Giancarlo Stanton's big debut & big baseball pulls.

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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: Nothing but baseball post and breaks highlights in this Opening Day edition.

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What: 2018 TRISTAR Hidden Treasures New York Dynasty autographed baseballs
Arrives: May 16
Box basics: One autographed baseball per box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here 

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's autographed baseball chase brand takes a New York twist for another season as this one's all about the Yankees with stars of the past and present being part of a chase that includes more than just standard signed baseballs.

Keep reading for more and a gallery of what's in this one.

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Fanatics is stockpiling New York Yankees sluggers.

Giancarlo Stanton joined its team of exclusive autograph signers on Wednesday -- a group that includes his teammate Aaron Judge along with a number of other stars in the game today. It's a pact dubbed as "his first-ever exclusive memorabilia deal, allowing the company to become the sole distributor of his highly sought after collection of autographs and collectibles" via Fanatics Authentic, its memorabilia division.

“I’ve been waiting a long time to select the right memorabilia partner, and I’m excited to start this relationship with Fanatics as I get ready for my first season in New York,” Stanton said in a prepared statement. “The Yankees have the world’s best fans, and knowing that Pinstripes faithful located in New York and abroad can have access to the largest assortment of trusted, officially licensed products made me really feel comfortable with the Fanatics team.”

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You don't have to dwell on his 2010 Bowman cards now, baseball fans.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson -- a former Colorado Rockies prospect -- is now a member of the New York Yankees at spring training and he's got the baseball cards to prove it.

Oh and they can be had autographed, too.

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