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 ...

A FIRST FOR ME ...
The Card: Bo Bichette 2022 Topps Chrome Logofractor Edition Blue Refractor (/150)
The Reason Graded: If you're a regular reader, then you know that Bichette is perhaps my leading active player who I collect (casually ... as he's expensive). That means I dabble merely with what I like, what's a bargain and so on. In some cases, I'll grab a striking color of parallel or an appropriate shade from a certain brand that stands out from the rest and this Blue parallel fits right there along with this being a Logofractor parallel. Why did I grab this and then slab it? Well, the price was right (under $10 during the season) and it was one of few centered copies I saw and it was one that avoided a possible pattern gap in the logos that seemed to land on his cards often. When I grabbed this, it also became my first COMC pick-up to go directly to CGC for grading while all in their hands rather than starting out in mine.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: It came back with an ideal mark, which is what I had hoped for, though you never know with surfaces of cards ... that's about the only big risk of buying/subbing stuff there at the moment other than corners, which should be a smidge more obvious on screen -- but not always. My total cost for card and grading here? Under $24 and it only took about a month to get it back. That's a move I've actually done a few times late last year as my goal of sending in some new stuff for slabbing didn't happen on the card side of things before 2023 had ended. There will be plenty more in 2024 -- cards, comics, coins magazines ... and more.

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

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The Buzzworthy is a fast take on five subjects in the news and what might move when it comes to their cardboard. Could some of these hot takes from Buzz be misses? Don't be afraid to tell him on Twitter. 

NEXT MAN UP
Calvin Ridley, WR Atlanta Falcons
With future Hall of Famer Julio Jones saying he's done in Atlanta, that means one of the guys who will be there should get more attention and to me that's Ridley -- even though his stats were already team-highs last year. Ridley had 90 catches for 1,374 yards and nine TDs to Jones' 51 for 771 and three ... but you might not know it from their cardboard. Ridley's RCs are in 2018 releases and he's affordable in a lot of instances, especially in comparison to other rookies from that class. Sure, defenses might focus on him more, too, but his numbers have been impressive after three seasons

Who else is Buzzworthy? Keep reading ... 

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