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Zack Palladino, @_zacktheripper

Each month, our Collector Spotlight series celebrates a Collectors MD community member who embodies the very best of the hobby and reminds us what a healthier, more intentional collecting experience can look like. For October, we’re proud to spotlight Zack Palladino (@_zacktheripper), a lifelong collector from Atco, New Jersey, Penn State graduate, passionate Philadelphia sports fan, and organizer of the Atco Card Show. Zack embodies a philosophy at the heart of Collectors MD: collect what you love, not what the market, social media, or anyone else tells you to.

For Zack, collecting has always been about personal connections, nostalgia, and the excitement of finding cards that genuinely mean something to him. His collection reflects his personality and interests rather than whatever happens to be trending in the hobby.

As a Philadelphia sports fan, Zack has a particular appreciation for hometown favorites. His personal collection includes Chase Utley and Gavin Floyd prospect parallels, Allen Iverson cards, and an assortment of iconic SkyBox E-X releases. He’s especially fond of the latter, describing the series as one of the most iconic sets ever produced.

His interests extend well beyond Philadelphia. Zack is also a huge fan of Peyton Manning, LeBron James, and Tiger Woods, with a collection that reflects his appreciation for iconic athletes across generations. Among his prized possessions are a PSA 10 Peyton Manning Topps Gallery of Heroes, a Rare Edition 8.5 Topps Chrome LeBron James Refractor, a PSA 9 Shohei Ohtani Gold Refractor, and a PSA 9 Mike Trout Cognac Diamond Anniversary rookie, alongside other favorites spanning football, basketball, baseball, and beyond.

From Philadelphia sports legends to some of the most recognizable names in sports history, there’s no single player, sport, or price point connecting these cards. What connects them is Zack’s genuine appreciation for each one, regardless of what the market or anyone else considers desirable.

One of the most distinctive parts of his collection is his love for Topps Allen & Ginter. From Dave Portnoy and Joey Chestnut autographs to a collection of miniature cards housed in a custom 3D-printed storage box, Zack appreciates the personality, variety, and creativity that make the product unique.

Perhaps the best example is his Allen & Ginter Pete Weber autograph. Earlier this year, Zack mailed approximately a dozen cards to some of his favorite personalities featured in the set, hoping to receive a few signatures in return. After patiently waiting, his first response arrived from the legendary professional bowler.

His excitement was unmistakable. Zack thanked Weber publicly and shared that he’d cherish the card in his personal collection forever.

That experience captures something important about intentional collecting. The significance of a card doesn’t have to be determined by its market value, rarity, or popularity. Sometimes the story behind it, the effort involved, and the personal connection are what make it priceless to the person who owns it.

Zack also shares his passion with his family, including his young nephew, who has also developed a love for collecting. Introducing the next generation to the hobby gives those cards meaning beyond the collection itself. It’s an opportunity to create memories, share experiences, and demonstrate that collecting can be about enjoyment rather than competition.

His commitment to community extends beyond his family. As the organizer of the Atco Card Show in New Jersey, Zack helps bring collectors together to buy, sell, trade, connect, and celebrate their shared interests.

In an increasingly digital hobby dominated by online marketplaces, live breaks, social media, and constant conversations about value, local shows offer something different. They create opportunities for genuine conversations, new friendships, and the simple enjoyment of being around people who appreciate collecting as much as you do.

Zack’s approach is a reminder that intentional collecting doesn’t require following a particular formula. You can collect local sports legends, modern football autographs, vintage-inspired inserts, or an autograph from your favorite professional bowler. Your collection doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else.

What matters is understanding why you collect, making decisions that respect your financial circumstances and personal responsibilities, and ensuring the hobby continues to add something positive to your life.

The modern hobby gives collectors plenty of reasons to question whether they’re keeping up. There’s always another release, another rising star, another record sale, or another collection that seems more impressive. Zack reminds us that none of those things needs to determine what we value.

A meaningful collection isn’t necessarily the most expensive, the largest, or the most popular. It’s one that reflects who you are and what you enjoy.

Zack, thank you for representing the best of what this hobby can be. Your individuality, enthusiasm, dedication to sharing collecting with your family, and commitment to bringing people together through the Atco Card Show are wonderful examples of collecting with intention.

We’re proud to have you as part of the Collectors MD community.

#CollectorsMD
Collect With Intention. Not Compulsion.

—
Follow Us On Social: @collectorsmd
Join Our Support Group
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Read More Collector Spotlights

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This Collector Spotlight is sponsored by All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% off your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

https://collectorsmd.com/collector-spotlight-october-2026/

Presented By All Touch Case

Each month, our Collector Spotlight series celebrates a Collectors MD community member who embodies the very best of the hobby and reminds us what a healthier, more intentional collecting experience can look like. For September, we’re proud to spotlight Rob Y. (@yom_collects), a lifelong Mariners fan, baseball collector, and intentional investor whose approach shows how patience and discipline can help build a meaningful collection within your means.

Born in Florida, Rob moved with his family to the Seattle suburbs at age five and lived there until he was thirteen – years that helped shape his lifelong love of the Mariners. Although he has spent most of his life in Massachusetts, the distance has never changed where his baseball heart belongs. The Mariners remain his team, and collecting has given him a way to carry that connection with him.

He started collecting as a young boy. Today, he shares that love with his two young sons, introducing another generation to the players, cards, and stories that have meant so much to him. A childhood interest has become something they can enjoy together.

That connection gives Rob’s collection its direction. He loves collecting current Mariners stars, franchise legends, and prospects who could shape the team’s future. His personal collection has included a Ken Griffey Jr. Flair Showcase, a Colt Emerson 1st Bowman Superfractor 1/1, Lazaro Montes and Colt Emerson autographs, and Julio Rodríguez autographs and short prints.

His appreciation for baseball also extends beyond Seattle. Bobby Witt Jr., Shohei Ohtani, Jackson Chourio, and other stars have had a place in his collection over the years. There is room for both loyalty to his team and admiration for the game.

What makes Rob’s approach especially meaningful, though, is how he has built that collection. Rob buys singles. He rarely rips packs or boxes. He identifies the cards he wants, considers the price, and makes deliberate decisions about where his money goes. He has developed a keen eye for raw cards, buying copies he believes have grading potential and finding considerable success and excitement through that process.

He has also become skilled at buying low, selling high, and using trades and sales across Instagram and Facebook groups to work toward the next card. Rather than continually adding new money, he has built an impressive collection by putting the value already within it to work.

A sale can fund another purchase. A trade can move him closer to a card he has wanted for years. Something he is ready to let go of can help make room for something that matters more.

That approach takes patience. It means being willing to wait, pass on a price that doesn’t make sense, or accept that a particular card may be out of reach for now. It also means understanding that owning a beautiful collection does not require buying everything that catches your attention.

For Rob, intentional collecting and intentional investing can exist together. His interest in value helps support a collection grounded in personal meaning. The financial decisions serve the hobby he wants to enjoy.

There is an important distinction here: buying singles, grading cards, or selling for a profit does not automatically make someone an intentional investor. Prices can fall. Grading outcomes can disappoint. Fees can reduce a margin that looked promising. Calling a purchase an “investment” does not make it affordable.

What matters is the discipline around those decisions: knowing what you can spend, understanding the costs, keeping expectations realistic, and being willing to walk away. Rob’s success is his own; the principle others can learn from it is to build at a pace that respects their financial limits, mental and emotional bandwidth, and the relationships and responsibilities in their lives.

The modern hobby gives collectors plenty of reasons to feel behind. There is always another release, another rising prospect, another record sale, or another collection that seems bigger and better than yours. It can become easy to let that noise decide what you should want. Rob’s collection offers a reminder to come back to your own interests.

A Griffey card can matter because of a childhood spent rooting for Seattle. A Mariners prospect can represent excitement about the seasons ahead. A card shared with your kids can become part of a memory that has little to do with its eventual resale value.

You get to decide what belongs in your collection. You also get to decide what fits your budget, what you are comfortable selling, and when you have enough.

That is central to Collectors MD’s message: a meaningful collection should have a place in your life that you can sustain. Its growth should leave room for your responsibilities, your relationships, and your peace of mind.

Rob, thank you for showing what that can look like. Your patience, eye for opportunity, and connection to the game remind us that an impressive collection can be built thoughtfully over time. And sharing that experience with your sons gives those cards a meaning that reaches beyond the display case.

We’re proud to have you as part of the Collectors MD community.

#CollectorsMD
Collect With Intention. Not Compulsion.

—
Follow Us On Social: @collectorsmd
Join Our Support Group
Join Us On Mantel
Read More Collector Spotlights

Support The CMD Foundation

This Collector Spotlight is sponsored by All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% off your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

https://collectorsmd.com/collector-spotlight-september-2026/

Presented By All Touch Case

Each month, our Collector Spotlight series celebrates a Collectors MD community member who embodies the very best of the hobby and reminds us what a healthier, more intentional collecting experience can look like. For August, we’re proud to spotlight Sergio Pizzolante (@instapizzo), one of the most active, thoughtful, and genuinely supportive members of the Collectors MD community.

Born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, Sergio carries an enormous amount of pride in his Venezuelan roots. That connection has remained a constant throughout a career that has taken him across media, entertainment, sports, and business. He began his career with HBO Latin America before eventually becoming General Manager of Sony Pictures’ operations across Latin America and Brazil and later leading E! Entertainment Television in the region.

Today, Sergio works across the worlds of media, entertainment, music, and sports, with relationships spanning major brands, artists, and athletes. His work has brought him particularly close to the Latin American sports community, including relationships with prominent Venezuelan athletes and involvement in projects surrounding the Venezuelan national baseball team.

But what makes Sergio deserving of this spotlight has far less to do with who he knows or what he has accomplished professionally. It’s how he shows up for other people.

Since joining our community, Sergio has become one of the most consistent voices. He participates in our peer support meetings, is extremely active in our group chats, listens when other members are struggling, offers thoughtful feedback and perspective, and makes a genuine effort to help people feel heard.

Sergio once described empathy as his “number one superpower”, explaining that he tries to move through life asking what another person may be going through and how he can add value to their life. That philosophy is something our community gets to see from him regularly.

He has also become an important part of Collectors MD beyond the community itself. Sergio serves on our Advisory Board and has generously leveraged his experience, relationships, and understanding of the media and sports landscapes to help introduce us to new people and potential partners. From the beginning, he made it clear that he wanted to help grow both Collectors MD and the responsible side of the hobby, even telling us to “consider me a soldier” in the effort.

And Sergio genuinely loves collecting. His collection stretches well beyond traditional sports cards into memorabilia, signed jerseys, match-used pieces, Star Wars helmets, and items connected to some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment. His memorabilia collection includes signed jerseys from Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Antoine Griezmann, the current Real Madrid team, and the current Manchester City team, along with a signed Pop! from Cristo Fernández, who played Dani Rojas in Ted Lasso and Zorro in one of the television series Sergio helped produce.

Yet some of Sergio’s favorite experiences in the hobby are much simpler. He loves collecting with his kids. He has talked about going to his LCS, looking through inexpensive cards together, opening an accessible box, trading at shows, scanning cards to learn what they pulled, and simply enjoying the experience. For Sergio, that sense of discovery and connection is part of what makes collecting worth protecting. He has consistently advocated for celebrating the beauty of the hobby while also acknowledging its risks.

That perspective also reflects something central to Collectors MD: intentional collecting does not mean giving up the hobby you love.

It means understanding your relationship with it. Setting boundaries. Staying within your means. Recognizing when something is pulling you in the wrong direction. And remembering why you started collecting in the first place.

Sergio has been refreshingly open about that journey himself. Rather than pretending that responsible collecting is always easy, he has spoken candidly about wanting to maintain the joy collecting brings him while becoming more intentional about budgeting, purchasing, and the behaviors surrounding it.

That combination of passion, self-awareness, empathy, and willingness to support others is exactly what this community is about.

Sergio, thank you for everything you bring to Collectors MD. Thank you for listening. Thank you for opening doors. Thank you for believing in what we’re building. And most importantly, thank you for consistently showing up for the people around you.

We’re incredibly fortunate to have you as part of this community.

#CollectorsMD
Collect With Intention. Not Compulsion.

—
Follow Us On Social: @collectorsmd
Join Our Support Group
Join Us On Mantel
Read More Collector Spotlights

Support The CMD Foundation

This Collector Spotlight is sponsored by All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% off your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

https://collectorsmd.com/collector-spotlight-august-2026/

Presented By All Touch Case

This month, we’re proud to feature one of the most recognizable faces in the Collectors MD community: Jared Allen.

Since joining Collectors MD in February, Jared has become one of the cornerstones of our community. He’s attended nearly every weekly peer support and Unboxed meeting, regularly contributes to our group chats, has authored multiple Daily Reflections, encourages others through difficult moments, and always makes time to welcome new members.

While Jared would probably tell you he’s simply showing up, the truth is he’s become an important part of what makes this community so special.

Like many of us, Jared’s relationship with collecting has been complicated. He describes it as bittersweet. The desire to collect has never come from greed or a desire to own everything. Instead, it has always come from a genuine desire to better understand himself and connect with the people around him. But somewhere along the way, that pursuit often became overshadowed by disappointment, obsession, and isolation.

Growing up without many financial resources, collecting looked very different. Every card, every item, every addition to his collection required patience and intention because there simply wasn’t another option. Looking back, Jared realizes those limitations often protected him from the kinds of behaviors that became much easier once disposable income entered the picture as an adult.

Over the years, collecting became less about any one hobby and more about chasing the next identity. Like many people with addictive personalities, Jared found himself cycling through one obsession after another. The excitement wasn’t necessarily found in using the item or enjoying the hobby itself. More often, it came from researching, planning, hunting, and finally purchasing whatever had captured his attention at that particular moment.

Eventually, those once-exciting purchases faded into the background. The objects remained, but the meaning often didn’t. That realization changed the way he approaches collecting today.

Rather than chasing every new interest, Jared has intentionally shifted his focus toward collections that strengthen relationships instead of replacing them. Star Trek has become something he enjoys with his own family. NASCAR has become a way to connect more deeply with his wife’s family. And as a lifelong Orlando Magic fan, collecting basketball cards allows him to stay connected to the team he has always loved. The collections themselves matter, but the relationships and memories surrounding them matter even more.

Perhaps most importantly, Jared doesn’t pretend the struggle has disappeared. He openly acknowledges that he can still become emotionally consumed by the things he collects. The difference today is that he no longer faces those challenges alone.

Through Collectors MD, Jared has surrounded himself with people who understand exactly what that experience feels like. He leans on the community for accountability, perspective, and support whenever collecting begins pulling him away from the life he wants to build.

It’s a philosophy that’s reflected beautifully in the Daily Reflections Jared has written for Collectors MD over the past several months. In Collecting Cards, Collecting Moments, he reminds us that our collections ultimately become reflections of the lives we’ve lived – that the real value often lies in the memories attached to the objects rather than the objects themselves.

In What’s In The Box?, he explores forgiveness through one of the hobby’s most familiar metaphors, reminding us that sometimes the only way to understand what we’ve been carrying is to finally give ourselves permission to let it go.

Both reflections share a common thread: intentionality. Not perfection. Not abstinence. Intentionality.

That same mindset is exactly how Jared approaches collecting today. He understands that being an intentional collector doesn’t mean never wanting another card, another die-cast, another VHS tape, or another piece for the collection. It means recognizing that collecting should enrich your life – not consume it. It means celebrating progress over possession and understanding that you don’t need to own everything to fully enjoy the things you love.

Jared’s impact on Collectors MD extends far beyond his own collecting journey. He reminds us that recovery isn’t about having all the answers – it’s about continuing to show up, staying accountable, and helping others along the way.

Communities are built by people who consistently show up for others. Jared has done exactly that, and the Collectors MD community is stronger because of it.

#CollectorsMD
Collect With Intention. Not Compulsion.

This Collector Spotlight is sponsored by All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% off your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

http://collectorsmd.com/collector-spotlight-july-2026/

Presented By All Touch Case

Since launching our Collector Spotlight series, a handful of our community members have asked me the same question: “When are you going to do a Collector Spotlight on your own collection?”

I’ve honestly been putting this one off. I’ve never wanted Collectors MD to be about me. But after enough people asked, I figured it was time to share a little more about my own collecting journey – and why this organization means so much to me.

Like so many collectors, my story began in childhood. Whether it was trading cards, sneakers, jerseys, signed memorabilia, or anything connected to the teams and athletes I admired growing up, collecting quickly became much more than a hobby. It became a way to preserve memories, celebrate milestones, and stay connected to the sports, people, and moments that shaped my life.

Over time, however, what started as passion gradually became accumulation – and eventually, obsession. At one point, I owned more than 550 pairs of sneakers, thousands of trading cards, hundreds of hats, jerseys, luxury watches, signed memorabilia, and countless other collectibles spread throughout my home. From the outside, it probably looked like the dream collection many hobbyists aspire to build.

But eventually, it became overwhelming. Instead of appreciating what I already owned, I found myself constantly thinking about what was next. There was always another release, another grail, another auction, another box to open, another card to chase. As my collection grew, it became increasingly difficult to enjoy the individual pieces because they were buried beneath the sheer volume of everything else.

That realization ultimately became one of the driving forces behind Collectors MD. Today, I still consider myself an active collector, but my philosophy has changed dramatically. Rather than asking myself, “What should I buy next?” I now ask, “What deserves a place in my collection?”

My collection today is significantly smaller, but far more intentional. Every piece has earned its place because it tells a story. My signed Eli Manning jersey takes me back to a core memory – watching one of the greatest upsets in Super Bowl history with my father during my high school years. My Derek Jeter autograph captures my lifelong love for the Yankees and one of the athletes I admired most growing up. My Jalen Brunson cards reflects the resurgence of Knicks basketball and, after decades of waiting, finally bringing a championship back to New York. My sneaker collection represents different chapters of my life. Other pieces simply remind me of people I’ve met, places I’ve been, or moments I’ll never forget.

Ironically, many of the items I value most aren’t by any means the most expensive. Their value comes from the memories they represent. That’s what intentional collecting means to me today – not collecting more, but collecting with purpose.

It’s also important to recognize that intentional collecting looks different for everyone. For some collectors, a room filled wall-to-wall with thousands of cards or hundreds of sneakers is exactly what brings them joy. If someone has the financial means, the available space, the time, and the emotional bandwidth to maintain a large collection while keeping it a positive part of their life, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Intentional collecting isn’t about owning less. It’s about owning in a way that aligns with your life, your priorities, and your well-being. For me, that meant significantly downsizing until every piece left in my collection truly felt meaningful. For someone else, it may mean continuing to build an expansive collection they genuinely enjoy. Neither approach is inherently right or wrong.

What matters is that your collection serves you – not the other way around. At Collectors MD, we often say there is no universal definition of a “healthy collection”. Some collectors are perfectly content owning twenty cards. Others find meaningful fulfillment in owning twenty thousand cards. The goal isn’t to fit into someone else’s definition of collecting. The goal is to build a collection that enhances your life instead of consuming it.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout my own journey, it’s that the most meaningful collections aren’t always measured by size or market value. They’re measured by the stories they tell, the memories they preserve, and the joy they continue to bring long after the excitement of acquiring them has faded.

Sometimes the greatest collection isn’t the one with the most pieces. It’s the one where every piece still means something.

Below is a glimpse into a few of the pieces that continue to mean the most to me.

#CollectorsMD
Collect With Intention. Not Compulsion.

This Collector Spotlight is sponsored by All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% off your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

https://collectorsmd.com/collector-spotlight-june-2026/