Why are purchased/sold autographs so sought after?
 

I gotta think we have a few people in house that are autograph hounds or have a bunch of memorabilia that is autographed. Figured this would be a good place to ask...

why? I'm not asking in a judgmental looking down sort of way. People have their hobbies.

My brother gave me a mini helmet autographed by Jamaal Charles with a COA that sits on my desk which inspired the question. I derive greater value in the fact that my brother thought of me and spent his money to give it to me over the fact Jamaal Charles signed it and someone printed a "yup... he signed it" certificate. He knew Charles was my favorite player at the time and even he assigned additional value to the item because Charles had signed it.

I've never really understood the appeal of ones that are purchased. Like... I think about the time I got Okoye's autograph as a kid and it is a great memory but I was physically there. I then put the card in a plastic hard case and gave it to my buddy. Double great memory.

Jumping online and ordering one, to me, just doesn't have that same effect.

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What is it about autographs that you buy online or at a local shop that makes you want them and spend money on them?

TIA

I dunno.

Slash signed like 50 albums last night and sold them in merch. LEOs were buying them in between their shifts. Big goofy smiles on their faces as they put them in their cars.

If this was a forum full of witches they’d tell you objects hold energy.

I've never bought an autograph, but I can understand the appeal even if it wasn't obtained in person... you still get a piece of that person, just without the memory to go with it

Agree. It's odd what we hold as "value "

I have a Mahomes autographed Speed Helmet.

I was gifted a football with Derrick Thomas and Marcus Allen on it...


That ball to me is priceless, the story behind it is as well...

My wife gave me Mahomes signed helmet from his rookie year for Christmas one year. It's now worth a lot more than what she paid, but I'd never sell it.

I think autographs are cool as a memento of the person, but I'm not really into autographs that were made as a product for profit. Give me a historic letter with the person's signature at the end and I'll see it as more desirable.

I have several autographs, all sports stuff except a signed Tool poster. I never spent crazy money but it’s fun to have it. My favorite is a signed Carl Lewis sports illustrated magazine I got for $20.

I have an autographed mini helmet from every Chiefs Hall of Fame player that was originally drafter by the Chiefs with the exception of Buck Buchanon. It's just a fun little thing I like to collect and makes a good conversation piece in my man cave.

I had an Elvis Grbac signed jersey. I ended up throwing it in the washing machine and the autograph came off....lol /shrug

Where can I get my Pokemon cards signed?

I do have a Lenny signed Pro/College Hall of Fame football...My son is getting that

Wait Okoye actually got you an autograph? Still waiting on mine.

Pretty sure Spongebob is friends with those guys, you might ask him about it :shrug:

For the same reason people buy expensive art, classic cars, etc. It has just enough appeal that it can be used as a tool to store wealth.

If you ever find out lemme know. I wanna spend time with Jesse… asking questions.

I had Chris Jones autograph my ding dong.

He could only fit the Ch

people either like to collect them or think it will be valuable some day.

I'd be curious to know if there's a generational difference to valuing autographs. I feel like younger folks would rather have a selfie than an autograph.

That's because they value their own face more than that of anyone else. If their face isn't in it then it's worthless by default...

Define "younger".

You went in the opposite direction of my initial reaction to your statement. I grew up in a place not near any sports teams, so maybe I was out of touch, but I feel like in my youth autographs were really only for personal use. I wasn't aware of an industry around buying and selling autographs. I only became aware of that perhaps 15 or 20 years ago.

i think it more about "proof" that you met someone famous. i would never pay for an autograph but if there was an opportunity that wouldn't be intrusive i would definitely ask for mahomes.

when i dressed for games i had a big "jacket" that has more autos than i can count.

But for those who intentionally ask for them please leave a player/coach alone unless it arises. its annoying as **** to see people hounding them eating while eating grocery shopping etc.

Just my 4¢

Because they make my man cave look bad ass…

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...9decaef0_z.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...97157795_z.jpg

I like collecting sports memorabilia and autographs, I always have since being a kid.
I have a lot of signed baseballs: some bought, some gifts and many I got in person.

Koufax, Stargell, Salvy, Moustakas (he gave me ball and signed it), Alex Gordon, Nick Lowry (sat by at Dbacks game).

https://i.imgur.com/7v61smN.jpg

They are like the stock market for collectables.

Autos and rookie year signatures are huge speculation pieces to people that are not fans.

Mahomes 1 of 1s were 1000 his rookie year. Now a million.
His normal numbered auto cards can be 6 figures.

My cousin was doing it for a while. But he has been a collector for decades. Got too expensive. He is kicking himself in the butt now. Guess he had some trout 1 of 1 rookies and tiger woods rookies. Sold them before the market exploded.

Here’s a more serious example. I bought this for $1000 back in 2012. It’s currently worth roughly $90,000-$100,000. When I started collecting back in the late 90’s, I never dreamed of a day when my hobby would pay off my mortgage.

https://live.staticflickr.com/4379/3...a375ae4e_c.jpg

Maybe there's a sweet spot in there then. In the early 90s, I had lots of friends who were into collecting player cards and autographs, but it doesn't feel like there's the same market these days.

To the broader question in the OP, though, I don't personally get it much. I mean, it's kind of cool to own something that's autographed, but I wouldn't pay much for it. I think I own one autographed item (hockey stick signed by Gabe Landeskog), and I got it at a charity auction that came with tickets worth more than I paid for the bundle.

I don’t think it’s much of a flex anymore when you can just pay for cameos.

Or publicly post wildly inappropriate DMs.

Lewdog can get Lowry for $39.
While I’m looking at this, Jared Allen for $270? Wtf
Ok. 😂😂😂 who is the asshole CPer going as the Grim Reaper for $15?

I used to collect them. My fervor has cooled down.

But I did send cards to Ace Parker, Johnny Lujack and Charley Trippi. All three signed.

Did you sell it to pay off your mortgage?

Not yet, but the day is coming soon. I want to hand deliver it to Goldin auctions and I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. They keep telling me to send it overnight via FedEx but I’m not going trust a shipping service with something this expensive.

Yeah, I do not blame you one bit, I would hand deliver in person also

I mailed him a card when I was 12 and got it back signed.....Everyone I sent to returned except Nick Lowery.

I have a couple, but have never paid much for them. They're mostly just something that sits around and waits for someone to notice. I have a ball with the '85 signatures on it. I doubt it's even worth anything, but it has a smudge in one that gives it some character. At least you know the players actually held the ball. The sticker signatures being stuck on most of the cards today are just dumb.

I refuse to pay for the current PMII penis scribble. If I was to ever collect something of his it'd have to be one of his older original signatures.

I have no idea, however, I do have some autographed Chiefs items i'd be motivated to part with if someone here is interested.

Football signed by the entire(?) 1991 team. Maybe 92? I dunno, but Mark Vlasic signed it.
Will Shields Jersey
A Chiefs hat signed by some rando players I got in 96 or 97 at River Falls (would have to research)

DM me if interested. Would prefer to keep it local/KC Area.

I've never been a big autograph guy but one time I got Kotlen Wong to sign my hat outside of Wrigley Field. Then I felt like a prick because I completely mogged all the little kids trying to get autographs.

So, interesting post. My answer to that is simple, THESE are OUR HEROES! I have these sigs from our beloved CHIEFS:

Jan Stenerud
Joe Montana
Patrick Mahomes
Derrick Thomas
Christian Okoye
Travis Kelce
Will Shields
Eric Berry
Tyreek Hill
Derrick Johnson
Len Dawson
Priest Holmes
Neil Smith
Eddie Kennison

It fills the man cave with history and life as a CHIEFS fan :thumb:

Ok, I will delve further.

When Patrick Mahomes II was drafted in 2017 I immediately bought his JSA signed mini helmet, I knew he was different. After we bought our home in 2016 I got a kick back check for $400. I was in conversation with a guy on ebay regarding a circa 96, 97 signed mini helmet by Derrick Thomas. In the background was a football life Derrick Thomas - the ebay guy accepted my offer and it is in the man cave to this day. My point is, when you get a chance at owning a piece of CHIEFSTORY, you get it! :thumb: As a long time Chiefs fan, it is incredible to have these pieces of history. I have an incredible Andy Reid SB 54 signed helmet as well as an actual SB54 ticket. To each his own but, own history when it presents itself :thumb:

















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