For years now, autographed books coming direct from the publishers -- or direct from the authors themselves -- have been an affordable way to collect ink from notable names in all realms of pop culture.

It's not a perfect system with stamped autos, fakes and autopens sometimes in the mix -- a problem for publishers to catch as they are not authenticators -- but thanks to dedicated collectors on the Blowout Cards Forum and elsewhere, those problems often get caught and fixed ... or at least become well-known enough to avoid if it's an issue that goes uncorrected.

Getting ink in-person is always best -- book tours still happen, of course -- but landing autographed editions from publishers, online sellers or celebs themselves via their websites or other appearances are common.

Our latest subject and autograph in this ongoing series? A name you probably don't know but the book is a unique one from a series of guides for collectors.

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... 

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FROM 61* TO CARDBOARD ... 
The Card: Roger Maris & Barry Pepper 2021 Leaf Ultimate Sports The Ultimate Duo (/12)
The Price: $25
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This one flew under my radar for sure until I recently spotted it and had to grab it instantly. For those who don't know, actor Berry Pepper played Roger Maris in 61* -- trailer here -- a 2001 Billy Crystal movie made for HBO. It's easily among the best baseball movies out there for accuracy as Crystal is an obsessive Yankees fan who notes it all in behind-the-scenes segments you can see on the DVD. This one pairs a piece of what is likely a Maris bat with a piece of what looks like a leather jacket for Pepper -- not the most-ideal combo of items, but it is what it is. This is the only card pairing the two and it's the easiest version to find -- the rest of the parallels and printing plates have lower numbering here -- all /6 and below ... no wonder this one was off my radar for three years. I simply hadn't seen any of them.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one but Leaf baseball boxes are here

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... and this time around it's perhaps a little heavy on wrestling (but then again so am I) and some pick-ups that have simply piled up waiting for a spot. (Call it some spring cleaning.)

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A MONÉ MYSTERY ... 
The Card: Sasha Banks 2021 Topps Transcendent WWE Green Autograph (/15)
The Price: Way less than most new WWE boxes ...
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: When the final Transcendent set was teased, this card with its striking image (a real photo from one of her laser show entrances) was immediately on my radar from this ultra-pricey release. However, how I was going to actually land one wasn't something I had to worry about upon arrival ... her cards simply were not packed out in the boxes and she wasn't alone. Why? There's some chatter about that, but one WWE insider believed her boxes of cards may have mistakenly left at a venue. Then some popped up on the open market, forcing Topps to go track them down legally and then get the signing done. All that is stuff I don't really care about, but I'm 100-percent confident that this is a legit auto of The Legit Boss and the card is perfectly fine. A number of the other Banks autos from this one have some steep asking prices but I ponied up to land this one not that long ago, knowing it will be a few more years before we might even see Transcendent again. And who knows what the wrestling future for Mercedes Moné might hold -- Mercedes Varnado is no longer in WWE -- or if we'll even see Sasha Banks again.
Grab a box right here: None for this one but ... WWE boxes are here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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