About Collecting Autographs

Theres nothing more satisfying than showing friends and relatives a rich and extensive collection of autographs of your favorite celebrity or historical figure, all with their own unique story to tell. In order to build your own collection, decide which autographs you want.

Fans of old Hollywood can look for autographs from Lucille Ball, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, or Audrey Hepburn while those who prefer new Hollywood may browse for items signed by Lindsay Lohan, Angelina Jolie, Tom Cruise, or Brad Pitt. Sports enthusiasts may search out items signed by Babe Ruth, Joe Montana, or David Beckham while others may seek out autographs from music legends such as Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles.

Explore your autograph options
Autographs can be found on virtually every surface, from highly-valuable footballs, baseball bats, and baseballs to signed menus and sports cards. Even a dry business letter usually ends with a signature. If you can find a signed letter or a postcard that contains historically significant information, so much the better. The most common forms of autographed collectibles include correspondence such as letters and postcards, documents such as checks, business contracts, and official decrees as well as literary manuscripts, TV and film scripts, sheet music, artwork, photographs, books, and magazines.

Research your area of interest
Be sure to read up on your area of interest and talk to other autograph collectors to get the inside scoop and industry buzz on certain items. For example, in talking to those “in the know” you might learn that Tiger Woods doesn’t sign golf balls, so you shouldn’t even bother looking. And if you do happen to find one for sale, you’ll be in a better position to question its authenticity. Educate yourself so you know what’s hot on the market now, what will be hot on the market in the future, and what prices certain items are fetching today.

Take care of your autographs
Whether you’re framing your autographs or storing them, its important that you take the right steps to protect them. Store or display your autographs in a way that gives you control over light, temperature, and humidity. Be aware that certain pests, such as book lice and silverfish, feed on paper products, so it’s best not to store your autographs in open bookshelves. Any damage to the autograph, including, but not limited to, damage from glue, tape, and lamination, will decrease its value.

 

How To Collect Autographs
 
 Difficulty: Cost There are many different ways to collect autographs through the mail, at card shows, or purchasing autographs online or at stores. The most enjoyable, however, is collecting autographs in person. Another dimension is added when you collect in person not only do you get guaranteed authenticity, but memories are formed that could last a lifetime.
 
 Getting an autograph in person

Be polite This cannot be stressed enough. Your chances of landing an autograph are greatly increased when you respect the players. Shouting Hey You over and over is not the way to go. Not only will you likely not get an autograph, it decreases the chances of anyone going near you.
 Respect the ushers. They can be your best friend, or worst enemy. Sometimes the ushers can help you get an autograph, but only if the player agrees first. They wont ask a player for you. They might, however, hand items to a player, to help make sure everyone gets one. Be nice to them, and they will be nice to you.
 Be prepared  know the players. If at all possible, bring a team roster with the players listed on it. Players appreciate it when you know who they are, and will respond more readily to your requests when you know their name. Waiting for an autograph can often take a long time, but just be patient. Once you find a good spot, remain there. Moving will only cause problems bumping into people, banging a knee or moreor worse, missing out completely. More often than not, once you move, a player will head right to where you were and you will try to get back, only to miss out.
 When going to a game, bring the minimum number of items. It will be much easier to move around, and you are at less risk for losing items. Getting through the security lines will also be quicker. They will also be available at most ballparks.
 It is important to get the official ball, as the surface is the best for autographs. Most of the non-official balls will have a slick surface, and signatures can easily smear and will fade over time.

 

 Using the right pen is important. For baseballs, the best pen a blue Paper Mate ballpoint. The ink will not fade and it is not easy to smear.
 Do NOT use Sharpies on baseballs. The ink fades drastically over time, and can often disappear entirely. Sharpies are good for baseball cards, photographs, and magazines. Some baseball cards have very slick surfaces and these should not be used for autographs, as the pen ink will smear.

 

Getting baseball cards signed. This can be difficult, but very rewarding. Baseball cards are fun to get signed, but can be somewhat difficult to handle while trying to get autographs in person at a ballpark. They are best used at autograph sessions, or more controlled settings. One easy way to get cards signed, however, is to make an autograph album for them. To make one, purchase a small photograph album with pages in it. Make sure the pages are blank. Then, buy some photo corners. Take a baseball card and put it on the page. Trace the corners to get the dimensions. Then put the photo corners on the page, and fit the card you want to get signed on the page. This will make it very easy to flip through and find the specific cards you want.
 Get there early. To get autographs at a ballpark, be sure to get there early preferably before batting practice starts. BP usually starts about 2 hours before game time. Batting practice itself is quite fun to see, and you get the added bonus of potentially getting an autograph. Once you arrive at the park and get in, head to the dugout area of your favorite team. The best areas to get autographs are above the dugout or just to the right or left of it. There will often be less people at the visiting teams dugout. Pick a spot and stay there, relax, and, enjoy BP while awaiting your chance. Most times you can come away with one or even several autographs.