Many people collect autographs -- but not in the same ways -- and not all autographs are made alike. Some are mass-produced, some are in packs. Some are personalized, some are not. Some have all kinds of documentation and many more have none ... here's a look at a few that entered my collection in recent months.

CERTIFIED INK (FROM PACKS)
The Item: Mark Metcalf 2024 Leaf Metal Pop Century Platinum Blue Prismatic Autographs (/10)
What It Cost Me: $17
What's It Worth: More than that in my book ...
The Buzz: That “Worthless & Weak” inscription may or may not resonate with you depending on your age -- I didn’t recognize him on this card at first -- but I found this on a curiosity search during a working marathon with MTV Classic on in the background. Metcalf is an actor perhaps best known for his roles in the 1970s and ‘80s and even ‘90s with Animal House, Hill Street Blues, Seinfeld and Buffy The Vampire Slayer among his credits. (See even more about him here ... it's an interesting feature about acting and typecasting.) But, he also had ongoing appearances in some 1980s videos from the rock band Twisted Sister -- a staple of early MTV -- "I Wanna Rock” and "We’re Not Gonna Take It” and that’s where I know him from. They’re  perfectly absurd little pieces of pop culture, but that’s 1980s music videos for you ... and that whole rant is a callback to a scene in Animal House, too. I was just a kid when those came out, but their over-the-top antics amused me and stuck with me ... and that’s why I thought his was a cool card all these years later.
Find Ink At: Pop Century boxes at BlowoutCards.com

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Here's this month's roundup of items that have recently caught my eye as a buyer ...

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THE GANG'S ALL HERE ... 
The Item: Andy Pafko United Press Associations 8-by-10 photo (stamped on back) sourced from Pafko's estate. In it, he’s greeted by his Brooklyn Dodgers teammates after his 12th-inning homer against the New York Giants on April 18, 1952.
The Price: $29 shipped
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I found this from a seller of all kinds of stuff from Pafko's estate that hadn't seen the light of day in a long, long time. The former Cubs-Dodgers-Braves standout and four-time All-Star either clearly amassed a lot of stuff over the years -- or he had somebody who would do it for him during and after his career. Why do I say that? The volume of original items like this was truly impressive -- and I've picked off a few pieces to show here in the coming months. This photo stood out not only as a key moment in a big game as you can see above -- an extra-inning homer that was his second of the day against a New York rival -- but also because also seen here are Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson, Hall of Famer Pee Wee Reese, Hall of Famer Duke Snider and Hall of Famer Gil Hodges among others. (That's all of the team's HOFers that year save for Roy Campanella -- and it's a team that went all the way to Game 7 of the World Series where they lost to the Yankees.) It's got some typical but still light wear of old press photos, but it is otherwise bright and crisp for 74 years old. I really think this could command a lot more than $29, too.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this ... but MLB cards are here.

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