X-Babies

Making the Grade (Jan.): Aaron Judge, J-Rod, early cardboard of WWE stars, old mags, new slabs & more to begin a new year
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 ...
LEADING OFF WITH THE RECORD-BREAKER
The Card: Aaron Judge 2017 Topps Archives 1960 Rookie Stars
The Reason Graded: He has been an established slugger since his 52 homers as a rookie in 2017, but to a degree he'd fallen off card-wise (and power-wise) the last few years until smacking 39 in 2021 and his Yankees team record (and American League record) 62 homers this year. I got rid of pretty much all of my RCs in 2017 -- no regrets -- to turn them into stuff I actively wanted (I'm still working rather glacially on some of those Clerks autograph runs) but some of my late-year Judge pulls and some inserts were saved along with my lone autograph. While I haven't yet slabbed my ink -- I probably will here at some point once I figure out what box I put it in -- this insert modeled after the memorable-but-overbearing 1960 Topps design was one that jumped out at me. Why? It was soooo clean.
The Grade: CSG 10

Grade 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 B10 Total
Population 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 3 21 0 26
Reality Check: I was right and that pop shows me I'm not alone -- but it is surprising given how skinny the stock is here.
Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.
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This entry was posted in Baseball, Basketball, Comics, Football, Pro Wrestling, Soccer, Making the Grade and tagged 1960 Topps, 2016 Topps WWE, Aaron Judge, Alabama Crimson Tide, Bayley, Becky Lynch, BGS, Charlie Sheen, College football, DC Comics, Joe Namath, Marvel, MiLB, MLB, NBA, NFL, NXT, Paige, Panini America, PSA, Roger Staubach, Sasha Banks, Tim Tebow, Topps, Wilt Chamberlain, WWE, 1969 Topps, 1981 Fleer, 1986 Topps, 2015 Topps Chrome WWE, 2016 Topps WWE Road to WrestleMania, 2017 Topps Archives, Batman, Bo Bichette, CGC, Charlotte Flair, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Mandy Rose, Nippon Professional Baseball, Rickey Henderson, Shaun Alexander, Sports Illustrated, UEFA Champions League, Shohei Ohtani, 2017-18 Topps Chrome UEFA Champions League, Tua Tagovailoa, 2018 Topps Archives, 2018 Topps Heritage Minor League, Kylian Mbappe, 2003 Bowman Heritage, 2018 Topps WWE Then Now Forever, Jared Kelley, 582 Montgomery Club, Ricochet, Detective Comics, Julio Rodriguez, 2020 Topps, 2020 Bowman Chrome, 2019-20 Panini Mosaic, 2020 Panini Chronicles Draft Picks, 2020 Panini Mosaic, 2000 Pros & Prospects, 2021 Topps Chrome WWE, Delmon Young, CSG, Su Yung, The Uncanny X-Men, 2021 Bowman's Best, 2022 Panini Prizm WWE, Spencer Strider, Cora Jade, Pro Wrestling Illustrated, Excalibur, 2022 Topps Living Set, 2022 Impact! Wrestling Series 2, The Four Horsewomen of NXT, Saraya, Bishop, Broadway Joe, Jubilee, Excalibur: Mojo Mayhem, X-Babies, hael Jordan, The Four Horsewomen of WWE, 2000 Upper Deck Victory on January 4, 2023 by BlowoutBuzz.

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

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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.

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

NEW RELEASES

Baseball (all dates subject to change)
Oct. 1 - 2025 Panini Three & Two
Oct. 1 - 2025 TRISTAR H.T. Gr. Slam
Oct. 8 - 2025 Bowman Chrome Mega
Oct. 22 - 2025 Topps Diamond Icons
Oct. 22 - 2025 Topps Holiday
Oct. 23 - 2025 Pulse Series 2 Retail
Oct. 24 - 2025 Leaf Lumber
Oct. 30 - 2025 Onyx Vintage Extended
Oct. 31 - 2025 Leaf A Bronx Legacy
Oct. TBD - 2025 Leaf Vivid
Oct. TBD - 2025 Pulse All Star
Oct. TBD - 2025 Pulse DSE
Oct. TBD - 2025 Pulse Foundry
Oct. TBD - 2024 Pulse Lumin HSE
Oct. TBD - 2025 Pulse Stratos HHS
Oct. TBD - 2024 Wild Card 5 Card SD
Oct. TBD - 2024 Wild Card Splat

Basketball
Oct. 16 - 2025 Donruss WNBA
Oct. TBD - 2024-25 Prizm Black

Football
Oct. 1 - 2025 Leaf Vivid
Oct. 8 - 2025 Panini Black
Oct. 9 - 2024 Panini Flawless
Oct. 10 - 2025 Panini Certified
Oct. 10 - 2025 Donruss Hobby Tin
Oct. 10 - 2025 TRISTAR H.T. Minis PSE
Oct. 15 - 2025 Panini Impeccable
Oct. 16 - 2024 Panini Eminence
Oct. 17 - 2025 TRISTAR H.T. Jerseys 2
Oct. 22 - 2025 Panini Absolute
Oct. 23 - 2025 Pulse Retail 2
Oct. 24 - 2025 Panini Mosaic
Oct. 29 - 2025 Panini Phoenix
Oct. 31 - 2025 Panini Prizm Draft
Oct. TBD - 2025 Pulse Foundry HSE
Oct. TBD - 2025 Pulse Meridian HSE
Oct. TBD - 2025 Pulse Stratos HSE
Oct. TBD - 2024 TruMystery Chips
Oct. TBD - 2025 Wild Card Comix R&L
Oct. TBD - 2025 Wild Card Metallix PD

Hockey
Oct. 8 - 2024-25 Ultimate Collection
Oct. 15 - 2025-26 UD Series 1
Oct. 29 - 2024-25 UD Premier
Oct. TBD - 2024-25 Engrained Icons

Other/Multi-sports
Oct. 1 - 2025 Topps Triumphant Tennis
Oct. 3 - 2025 Leaf Metal Halloween
Oct. 3 - 2025 Panini Absolute K League
Oct. 3 - 2025 Panini Turn Four Racing
Oct. 3 - 2025 Wild Card Haunted Hits
Oct. 6 - 2025 Futera World Unique 21
Oct. 10 - 2025 Leaf History Book SE 2
Oct. 15 - 2025 S.B. Supercharged 2
Oct. 17 - 2024-25 Panini Noir Soccer
Oct. 17 - 2025 Topps UFC Knockout
Oct. 22 - 2025 Panini Impeccable LIV
Oct. 24 - 2025 Panini Prizm NASCAR
Oct. 29 - 2025 Panini Combat Anth.
Oct. TBD - 2025 AEW SP Game Used

Non-sports
Oct. 1 - Topps Chrome Spongebob
Oct. 9 - Keepsake Invincible S1P
Oct. 10 - Topps Chrome Dune
Oct. 15 - Historic Autos 15th
Oct. 15 - Historic Autos WWII
Oct. 15 - Topps Disney Wonder
Oct. 17 - Pieces of Past Royalty
Oct. 30 - Decision Color Cut SE
Oct. TBD - Keepsake Bob Marley
Oct. TBD - Pieces of Past Asia

Gaming
Oct. 10 - Pokemon ME Build & Battle
Oct. 10 - Pokemon Mega Latias EX
Oct. 10 - Pokemon S&R EX PC
Oct. 10 - Yugioh CD: Fallen & Virtuous
Oct. 24 - Pokemon Trainer's Tool Kit
Oct. 24 - Pokemon Gengar/Diancie
Oct. TBD - Pokemon S&V Pri. Ev. PFC

Click here for future dates.

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