This is a really pleasant thread to read and contemplate. Thanks to the op and everyone who has posted.
My story is similar to many here. I started collecting cards in the 80s and going to shows with my dad. That lead to IP autos and my father's stories about his childhood interaction with the game. He wanted to meet the players and so did I, and the auto itself was in some ways secondary. Getting an auto always has a story behind a story behind a story, and that has captured my imagination ever since. I like contracts and official letters because they have built-in authenticity and are connected to the game itself, but a GPC has something that can't be defined. Somebody desired and requested, and that was me as a kid. I can look at my autos all day and wonder about the situation and parties involved.
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