Landing free autographs can be easy … if you buy the book

Legendary actor Tom Hanks, $19.77. Wrestling icon Ric Flair and his WWE star daughter Charlotte, $19.98.

Those are the prices this collector paid for the latest additions to his autograph collection thanks to the signed books section at one major book chain’s website — a new reminder that one of the easiest ways to land autographs from some big names is to watch the new arrival lists.

It’s a little oldschool — you don’t have to pay for the autograph just the book?!? — and a little risky as you have to buy from the right places using some strategy, but it’s one way that many collectors have landed ink without forking over big bucks or ripping packs to chase a particular name. (Some names, like Hanks for example, don’t even have card appearances.)

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Derek Jeter Retrospective cards coming to 2017 Topps Archives

jeter-1993

It looks like 2017 Topps Archives will be a home for The Captain.

Topps revealed on Thursday its plans for a Retrospective set for former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter that will be found in packs of the throwback brand.

The set will showcase Jeter’s iconic cards from his career — with autographs.

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Decision 2016 trading cards coming soon — but checklist is here now

01LG Inscrip_FRWe’re still a couple weeks away from the arrival of Decision 2016 trading cards — a set for the fans of politics — but there’s one thing that’s arrived to offer some clarity during this tumultuous season.

The final checklist.

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Presidential first pitch cards offer easy collecting niche among plentiful political cardboard

bill-clintonWe’ve seen plenty of politicians in our sports card sets in the last decade or so and even more here and there in various non-sports sets in the past, but one easy way to filter out the interesting cards from the mundane is to pick a niche.

That’s ultimately up to your taste, but one niche that might appeal to more baseball fans on this Presidents Day would be cards that show a Commander in Chief actually on a baseball field throwing out a ceremonial first pitch.

There have been quite a few.

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