Before one-of-ones and logomans defined the hobby, there was a simpler dream: pull a real autograph from a wax (or foil) pack . In the early ’90s, Upper Deck turned that idea into a reality. Through its Heroes sets, the company introduced pack-pulled autographs—not redemptions—of Hall of Fame players—seeded into mass-produced products. It wasn’t just a gimmick. It changed how collectors ripped packs, despite the challenging odds of roughly 1 in 150 boxes—or about $12,000 in 2026 dollars Reggie Jackson and the Birth of the Chase It started in 1990 with Reggie Jackson. Upper Deck’s Baseball Heroes insert set featured nine cards celebrating “Mr. October,” but the real prize was hidden in high-series packs: a hand-signed, hand-numbered autograph limited to 2,500 copies. “Find the Reggie” became the hobby’s first true chase. 1990 Upper Deck Baseball Heroes /2500 Reggie Jackson Auto HOF (eBay ask: $1,600) | https://ebay.us/m/voDjbz The estimated odds were brutal, but that didn’t matter.…