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.)

Topps teases four signers for upcoming 2016 Allen & Ginter

Topps‘ annual multi-sport (but still baseball) showcase, Allen & Ginter, doesn’t arrive until July, but that didn’t stop the company from teasing four autograph inclusions coming in the 11th edition of the retro-styled set on Tuesday.

UFC star Ronda Rousey leads long list of athletes in SI Swimsuit Issue — and many can be found on cards

It’s February and that means that we’re set for the Super Bowl and some mass-marketing from SI.com over the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

And in reality the hype for both already has begun.

The last time we saw Ronda Rousey, she was suffering the first loss of her UFC career. Up next she’ll be in the annual issue for the second year in a row. More publicity won’t hurt her already-in-high-demand cardboard. She’s one of a long list of athletes to appear in the issue and part of an even longer list of models who appear on cards and have certified autographs and even memorabilia cards for collectors to chase.

For the traditional models, there actually were SI Swimsuit card sets released each year from 2003 to 2009 from Stellar Collectibles and then a later retrospective set. In those sets, we got autographs, memorabilia cards and even paint cards from photoshoots. Meanwhile, for many of the athletes who have appeared in the issue since, there are autograph appearances in sets like Topps’ Allen & Ginter (and many other sets) where collectors can also sometimes find the models. Kate Upton and Chrissy Teigen have been found there for example, and they sell very well.

Here’s a rundown of a few sports stars who we’ve seen in the issue.

First Buzz: 2016 Upper Deck All-time Greats Master Collection cards

What: 2016 Upper Deck All-time Greats Master Collection trading cards
Arrives: This week
Box basics: 58 cards and one mystery redemption per box

What’s buzz-worthy: Take the biggest names in the sports world (and the Upper Deck stable of signers) and take it all high-end. How high-end? The cost per box to dealers — not the price to the public — is north of $10,000. What does it include? Among the inclusions in each box are an autographed acrylic box-topper, a 25-card autographed base set, a 30-card acetate Master Collection Puzzle set, one Michael Jordan Diamond card, one autographed Masterful Paintings card, one dual auto or dual cut auto card and one mystery redemption.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.