Tim Allen

Making the Grade (January): Acuña, Apollo, The Fiend, vintage, Eddie Vedder, Tool Time, Tiger, Drax, Dream Team, XFL & more
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 ... a super-sized edition with 20 cards to open 2020.
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SO CLOSE TO PERFECTION ...
The Card: Ronald Acuña Jr. 2018 Topps Chrome #193 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: This one looked very clean to my eye and I figured getting some of my past Acuña pulls slabbed was a good move considering his almost-40/40 showing last year. Some of his cards are heavily graded to the point where they can be had for not much more than a typical cost to slab if not in top grades. Meanwhile, others aren't as plentiful and some can typically grade very well. I went with this one since it's not as heavily graded and it does tend to grade well. Plus, I just liked the photo here compared to others -- and those I already own slabbed.
The Grade: BGS 10

Grade 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 B10 Total
Population 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 45 367 95 14 522
Reality Check: This one surprised me a bit -- just one half-subgrade away from a BGS Black. Only 14 cards have gotten the perfect mark and this one is among an also-small population. Most cards here check in at 9.5s -- a solid mark and a perfect card to bat lead-off for this first MTG of the year. I expect big things from Acuña this year and I'll be slabbing him often.
Keep reading for more.
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This entry was posted in Baseball, Basketball, Football, Movies, Non-sports, Pro Wrestling, Boxing, Errors & Variations, Golf, Making the Grade, Music, TV and tagged Batista, BGS, Billie Kay, Eddie Vedder, Fleer, MLB, NBA, NFL, Panini America, Peyton Royce, PSA, Topps, WWE, 1964 Topps, 1978 Topps, 1979 Topps, 1992 USA Basketball Dream Team, 2001 Topps XFL, 2010 Donruss Elite Extra Edition, 2015 Topps Allen & Ginter, Apollo Creed, Donruss, Juan Gonzalez, Kawhi Leonard, Ozzie Newsome, Pamela Anderson, Pearl Jam, Robin Yount, Rocky, Rod Smart, Shaun Alexander, Skybox, Tiger Woods, Tony LaRussa, Topps Now, USA Basketball, Vince McMahon, XFL, Carl Weathers, 2012-13 NBA Hoops, 2018 Topps Chrome, Baker Mayfield, 2001 Upper Deck, 2018 Donruss Optic, 2018 Topps WWE Then Now Forever, Ronald Acuña Jr., 2019 Topps Now WWE, Tim Allen, Home Improvement, 1991-92 SkyBox, 2002 Fleer WWE Royal Rumble, 1990 Donruss, 2001 Upper Deck VIP Promos, 2018 Pearl Jam The Home Shows, 2000 Topps, "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt, The Fiend, Tim Taylor, Al Borland, 1994 Skybox Home Improvement, Pepperdine baseball, The Dream Team on January 1, 2020 by BlowoutBuzz.
Buzz Break: 2019 Topps Garbage Pail Kids We Hate the '90s (hobby box)
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: 2019 Topps Garbage Pail Kids We Hate the '90s (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (when available)

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 192
Base set completion:  153 of 220 (70 percent)
Duplicates: 0
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This entry was posted in Non-sports, Buzz Break and tagged Family Matters, Kevin Costner, Pulp Fiction, Star Trek, Steve Urkel, Topps, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bart Simpson, Baywatch, Beavis & Butt-head, Bill Clinton, Brad Pitt, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Deep Space Nine, Dennis Rodman, Garbage Pail Kids, George Foreman, GPK, Image Comics, Independence Day, Jurassic Park, Kurt Cobain, Mike Tyson, Nirvana, Reebok Pumps, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sonic The Hedgehog, Spawn, The Big Lebowski, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Legend of Zelda, The Matrix, Titanic, Todd McFarlane, Tom Hanks, Tupac Shakur, Twin Peaks, Will Smith, X-Force, George H.W. Bush, Cable, Edward Scissorhands, Terminator 2, 2019 Topps Garbage Pail Kids We Hate the '90s, Tim Allen, Home Improvement, Roseanne Barr, Dances With Wolves, There's Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, Pretty Woman, Blind Melon, Spice Girls, Dan Quayle, Tickle-Me Elmo, Pogs, Fight Club, Napster, Sleepless in Seattle, Beanie Babies on June 7, 2019 by BlowoutBuzz.
Buzz Break: 2019 Topps Garbage Pail Kids We Hate the '90s (hobby box)
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: 2019 Topps Garbage Pail Kids We Hate the '90s (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 192
Base set completion:  153 of 220 (70 percent)
Duplicates: 0
Continue reading →

This entry was posted in Non-sports, Buzz Break and tagged Family Matters, Kevin Costner, Pulp Fiction, Star Trek, Steve Urkel, Topps, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bart Simpson, Baywatch, Beavis & Butt-head, Bill Clinton, Brad Pitt, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Deep Space Nine, Dennis Rodman, Garbage Pail Kids, George Foreman, GPK, Image Comics, Independence Day, Jurassic Park, Kurt Cobain, Mike Tyson, Nirvana, Reebok Pumps, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sonic The Hedgehog, Spawn, The Big Lebowski, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Legend of Zelda, The Matrix, Titanic, Todd McFarlane, Tom Hanks, Tupac Shakur, Twin Peaks, Will Smith, X-Force, George H.W. Bush, Cable, Edward Scissorhands, Terminator 2, 2019 Topps Garbage Pail Kids We Hate the '90s, Tim Allen, Home Improvement, Roseanne Barr, Dances With Wolves, There's Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, Pretty Woman, Blind Melon, Spice Girls, Dan Quayle, Tickle-Me Elmo, Pogs, Fight Club, Napster, Sleepless in Seattle, Beanie Babies on February 6, 2019 by BlowoutBuzz.

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WHAT'S BUZZING ...

What's new? See all of our First Buzz previews by clicking above.

Making The Grade: What Buzz slabbed or grabbed each month is here.

Collecting Game-used: Buzz photo-matches and talks about memorabilia every month.

Buzz Buys: Buzz shows off new pick-ups and tells us why he likes them.

Book it, Buzz: Collect autographs on a budget? Check out this monthly series about autographed books.

MiLB Madness: A monthly look at oddities found in minor-league baseball card sets.

Buzz's Fantastic Four A new series looking at four interesting or must-own cards each time.

Ticket Stud or Ticket Dud? Collecting tickets on the cheap in this regular series.

NEW RELEASES

Baseball (all dates subject to change)
Jan. 7 - 2025 Topps C. Up. Sapphire
Jan. 14 - 2025 Bowman Draft
Jan. 14 - 2025 Panini Select
Jan. 16 - 2025 Topps Museum Coll.
Jan. 28 - 2025 Bowman Draft SJ

Basketball
Jan. 21 - 2025 One & One WNBA

Football
Jan. 2 - 2026 TRISTAR HT Footballs
Jan. 7 - 2025 Panini Immaculate
Jan. 9 - 2025 Panini Prizm
Jan. 14 - 2025 Donruss Optic
Jan. 23 - 2025 Donruss Optic H2
Jan. 23 - 2025 Panini Prizm NH

Hockey
Jan. 14 - 2025-26 UD Allure

Other/Multi-sports
Jan. 2 - 2024-25 Chrome CL Women
Jan. 9 - 2025 Leaf Electrum Multi-Sport
Jan. 14 - 2025 AEW SP Sig. Edition
Jan. 15 - 2026 Topps Chrome W.Oly.
Jan. 15 - 2025-26 Topps UEFA Club
Jan. 22 - 2025 Topps Chrome F1
Jan. 23 - 2025 Topps UFC S. Club
Jan. 28 - 2025 Panini U. of Texas
Jan. 28 - 2025-26 Noir World Cup
Jan. 30 - 2025 Topps WWE Universe

Non-sports
Jan. 7 - Keepsake Hendrix PE
Jan. 7 - Leaf Red Carpet
Jan. 7 - Topps Pixar Gold
Jan. 7 - Panini Squishmallows
Jan. 21 - Keepsake R.S. Bob Marley
Jan. 23 - Benchwarmer Girls Summer 2
Jan. 28 - H.A. Famous Americans 2
Jan. 30 - Keepsake M. Jackson Bad
Jan. 30 - Pieces of Past Ancient World

Gaming
Jan. 23 - Yu-gi-oh! Burst Protocol
Jan. 23 - Yu-gi-oh! Chronicles S.C.
Jan. 30 - Pokemon Day 2026 Collection
Jan. 30 - Pokemon ME Asc. Heroes

Click here for future dates & TBDs.

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