|
All About Autograph Collecting
Autographs used to be a way of proving you had really met a famous person--the way a signature in a hotel guest book could prove that Abraham Lincoln had actually slept there. Today, however, most autographs that are collected either disappear in a drawer and or the trash, or they end up in collectible stores or online auctions like eBay.
"I remember whenever I got good grades in school, my mom would say, ‘Congratulations, do you want to go to What’s on Second?’ [a local sports collectibles store],” says New England Patriots’ Superbowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady. "I’d always say ‘Let’s go!’ The card market is pretty amazing. When you have something signed by someone you admired as a kid, you feel like you have a little piece of them. It’s just continued to grow, mainly because people seem to have a fixation; they like to buy baseball cards. We’re asked to participate in a lot of card shows, and it isn’t until you get there that you realize how big a deal the card industry really is. Shoot, the whole memorabilia industry is amazing now. To think that Luis Gonzalez’s gum went for as much as it did, that’s amazing to me."
Luis Gonzalez’s gum really did go for a large amount of money on eBay--over $3,000--leading Seattle Mariner’s reliever Jeff Nelson to try and sell bone chips from his elbow on the service soon after. Unfortunately for him, eBay has a rule against selling body parts, so Nelson’s auction was soon cancelled.
An autograph can just as easily be junk as it can be treasure. Brady knows this from experience, having had to tell more than one memorabilia store owner that a football in their possession supposedly signed by him was really a forgery. "When you talk about how big of a business autographs is, and how much money is involved, you can understand why people are trying to cut corners. I know I’m a little apprehensive when I see older guys standing outside waiting for my autograph."
The only way to be sure that your piece of memorabilia is genuine, whether it comes from an actor, athlete, musician, or serial killer (yes, people collect autographs from them as well) is to make contact with the person yourself (well, maybe not the serial killer). This can be difficult with some celebrities, but others are very easy to track down and are more than willing to offer you their signature for your collection. If you’re smart, sane, and prepared to do a little home (and leg) work, you can contact just about any celebrity out there using a service like Contact Any Celebrity at http://www.ContactAnyCelebrity.com to let them know how much you appreciate their work.
In-Person vs. Mailed or Sold
Not everyone seeking an autograph is a real fan. Many people are professionally employed autograph seekers, and some spend hours every day in pursuit of a celebrity moniker, earning up to six figures a year in the process.
An "in-person" autograph seeker heads to places where celebrities are known to hang out--a store or a hot restaurant--and they’ll wait…and wait…and wait. When they finally do spot a celebrity, the most hardcore autograph hunters will go to their car and delve through some of the thousands of headshots they keep on hand--just in case--to find the right ones and try to get the star to sign them for them.
Other times they’ll work in concert with people in other businesses like limo drivers, bell boys, or maitre d’s who will call and let them know when someone famous is inside. But not every celebrity is willing to sign, especially when they know they’re dealing with a professional who is going to make a lot of money off their name. Stars like Tobey Maguire, Cameron Diaz, and Britney Spears have been notoriously unlikely to put a pen to picture, with stars like Sean Penn and Edward Norton making a scene when they say no.
"I can always tell a genuine fan and an eBay junkie," Ewan McGregor reportedly told London’s Daily Star adding that he might not bother signing any more autographs in the future since so many show up on eBay. Some stars like Madonna and Julia Roberts only sign autographs for charity. Yet, others like George Clooney and Angelina Jolie seem to be more than happy to sign a photo when asked.
|
"The best resource." - HARO - Help A Reporter Out Subscribe! | Members | Search | Testimonials
