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 BIG BLASTER PULL
The Card: Shohei Ohtani 2018 Topps #700B hand on helmet SSP photo variation
The Reason Graded: Not that long ago, I pulled this card from a Series 2 blaster box and decided that it needed a slab since these SSPs appear to be relatively rare -- and I was even more surprised to see how they didn't grade all that well on the pop report. Meanwhile, mine looked very clean ... so I had to do it.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: Only one card graded better than mine and four others have equaled it while eight cards have checked in at a BGS 9 or lower -- that seems pretty low for a modern card, though the skinny stock here clearly could have issues after these cards hit packaging. I'll admit that this was a pull while Ronald Acuña Jr. hunting in Series 2, but this feels like a win on top of a win with it grading so well after being pulled from a discounted box. Here's hoping his third season is as strong or better than his first two, which are remarkably similar from the batting side.

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

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Board Man may be headed elsewhere, but the Toronto Raptors' NBA championship clearly was a slam dunk with some basketball collectors up north -- and probably elsewhere, too.

One way we know?

The print run on the Panini Instant team championship card set.

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What: 2019 Panini NBA Champions Toronto Raptors Collection Box Set
Arrives: July 12
Box basics: 30 cards per set (20 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: The new NBA champs are getting their own commemorative box set with some members of the team getting their very first basketball cards in this release.

Keep reading for more info about what's to come.

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