It seems like everyone is talking about autographs lately. As you’ve probably already heard, the FBI recently held a sting into the sports autograph market and filed formal charges against over 20 people for forgery, fraud and a number of other illegal activities.

To many, that news is enough to leave them watching from the sidelines when it comes to starting a collection, but, in my opinion there is no better time to start collecting than now! Prices of good autographs have steadily risen just about every year over the past ten years, and it seems like there is no end in sight.

Buzz Aldrin's flight suit left    right

The best thing about autograph collecting is that you can buy pieces in any price range – from a few dollars to thousands of dollars. And many collectors simply write to celebrities and get free autographs! Believe it or not, many celebrities still send free autographed photos to their fans who write and ask. Not all of the autographs sent are genuine, but there are lists available of celebrities known to send out real signatures.

Another nice thing about autographs is that they come in many forms. Many people collect signed index cards, many collect signed photos. For more exotic collectors, there are letters, contracts, baseballs clothing and musical instruments autographed by famous people.

Jimmy Stewart’s “Harvey”
drawings used to be free.

Celebrity signed baseballs have become very popular. And no, I’m not talking about sports personalities. Collectors have gotten presidents, movie stars, politicians and other celebs to sign on the “sweet spot” for their collections. Although the practice hadn’t become too popular until recent years, occasionally a ball signed by a vintage movie star or entertainer can be found. A baseball signed by Joe DiMaggio and then-wife Marilyn Monroe was considered a bargain when it sold at auction several months ago for over $10,000. Presidential-signed balls are popular, too. Gerald Ford signed balls for free for a number of years to collectors who mailed them to him. He has recently stopped signing them. A baseball signed by Ford brings $200 to $300 today. A set of baseballs signed by Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, George Bush and Bill Clinton brought nearly $6,000 at auction recently. A ball signed by moonwalker Neil Armstrong can go for as much as $1,200!

Handwritten letters by famous people are the Holy Grail for autograph collectors. There is something about having a letter written entirely in the hand of a celebrity that attracts collectors. And, there’s a big difference in price for a handwritten and signed letter versus one that is typewritten and signed. For instance, a typed letter signed by Richard Nixon while in office ranges in price from $900 to $2,000 while a handwritten one can bring $10,000 or more. Why? Because presidents rarely sit down and hand-write their correspondence; when they do, collectors are willing to pay a premium for those pieces.

Contract signed by
Marilyn Monroe

Costumes and clothing worn by celebrities are highly collectible and when a celebrity adds their signature to a piece, it adds to the collectability in most cases. The jumpsuit I’m wearing in the photos on the opposite page was worn by the second man to walk on the moon, Buzz Aldrin. It was a flight-training suit and is a very desirable piece since Aldrin is one of the most important aviators of all time. What makes this flight suit unique is that he has inscribed and signed it “Buzz Aldrin- Apollo XI-July 20th 1969.” That inscription greatly adds to the jumpsuit’s value, especially since Aldrin is hesitant to sign anything other than flat items and books.

Handwritten letters are popular left    right

Among of my favorite pieces are the fantastic sketches of Harvey the Rabbit drawn and signed by Jimmy Stewart. For years collectors wrote to Stewart and asked him to draw his beloved Harvey for them. Being the great guy he was, he almost always obliged. Those free Harvey drawings can bring $500 today! I was able to track down a handwritten letter by Stewart in which he actually mentions drawing Harvey. Combine this with an original sketch, and the ensemble commands a tremendous premium.

Contracts signed by celebrities are another area of high interest to collectors. Many collectors stick with contracts because of their built-in authenticity. They are legal documents and it is rare to find one signed by anyone other than the celebrity themselves. Contracts can range from $10 to $50,000 depending on whom they are signed by and what they are for. Marilyn Monroe’s first major film contract is worth over $25,000. Film contracts for more contemporary celebrities range in price from $100 to as much as several thousand dollars as was the case with Marlon Brando’s “Godfather” contract which sold for $5,000.

Autographs can be
displayed as art

One thing I like about autographs is that they can be displayed like works of art. Gallery of History, a large autograph dealer brought autographs to the mainstream public by putting autographs into elaborate framed displays which can be hang on walls with great pride. Their presentations involved beautiful frames and mattes and highly informative descriptive plaques, all which enhanced both the visual and intrinsic value of the subject piece. Today, framing autographs has become commonplace and collectors love to display their collections for their friends and business associates. I’m shown here with a handwritten lyric of Johnny Cash’s most famous song “I Walk The Line” which was a gift to Pop Culture Collecting Publisher, Bill Miller. Bill obtained a vintage Sun Extended Play record cover, a 1955 signed portrait of Cash and assembled the pieces in a presentation which is killer!

Celebrity signed
baseballs are fun!

As you can see, there are many opportunities if you’d like to enter the field of autograph collecting. There’s something very special about having a photo, letter or document signed by your favorite celebrity that establishes a connection between the collector and the subject.

Until next time, keep those E-mails and letters coming, and keep collecting!

Courtesy of Pop Culture Collecting Magazine

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