How I Made $1,000 on Autographs I Collected By Mail
By Nick H.
At one time, I collected autographs by mail. It was fun, and it became something of a game, as well. Using basic knowledge and strategies, I acquired some nice items from celebrities which sold for about $1,000 when I finally turned my attention in other directions.
Although you can purchase autographs, I got my collection with minor expenditures for postage and packaging and books (usually remainders). So, although it wouldn't be accurate to say I got my collection free, it would be accurate to say that I didn't spend much for what others ultimately paid me $1,000 cash for.
Steps to Get Started
So, what did I do?
First, I scoured the place for books on the subject of autograph collecting. There weren't many. George Sullivan had a kid's book on autograph collecting I got from a discount book dealer and that was my main guide for a long time. I also checked hobby magazines and searched Reader's Guide to Periodicals for articles on the hobby. These days, of course, there's tons of material on the internet.
Second, I started acquiring addresses. Some came from Who's Who, some were the result of using common sense by writing to politicians in care of their office address, and others came along in other ways. Firms that the celebrity endorses are a good place to write for their autograph. My membership in the Universal Autograph Collector's Club got me more addresses in their monthly magazine. Occasionally, I purchased lists from dealers in celebrity addresses.
Third, i looked for material to be signed. Photographs are good, widely available it's the least desireable of autographs. Photographs are good, widely available, widely desired. Keep in mind, many celebrities you'll seek signatures from...writers, war heroes...do not have a budget for photos, but searching should bring up photos in magazines or books that you can clip. You can also acquire books and send them to the author, putting together a nice collection. You can buy some in very nice condition from Amazon and eBay. Just check the description closely. At a dollar store, I got two copies of Ronald Reagan's memoirs. I sent one to him with return postage and envelope, he signed it, and eventually I sold it for $80. I bought Richard Nixon's book, "In the Arena" for $1.98 from Hamilton Books, a mailorder dealer in remainders, sent it to Nixon for his signature, and it sold for $120.
A few quick rules.
Be polite. You are asking the celebrity for something that they know is worth money, even if you have no intention of selling the item. If you are rude to them, how inclined do you think they'll be to sign?
Write neatly if writing by hand. Some collectors by mail prefer handwriting letters for the personal touch.
Further personalize your request. Make a connection with the person by complimenting them on a movie they made, especially if there's a certain scene or something you liked, or their song, or their book. It may not have made any difference when I wrote to President Nixon asking him to sign my copy of "In the Arena," but I did mention that when he was at Di An, Vietnam, the day one of the photos included his book was taken of him surrounded by Army cavalrymen, I was one of the GI's stationed there. It couldn't hurt.
Include adequate postage to get your item there, include a self-addressed envelope with postage adequate to get it back. You might let this slide with a Hollywood or Nashville celebrity, but not anyone else who, again, doesn't have a postage allowance to cover this sort of expense. Even with a Hollywood-type celebrity, if I am sending something to sign, I'd include envelope and postage to further assure it's return.
If you are collecting with a mind towards building a valuable collection, perhaps as an inheritance down the road, I would consider how much I want to concentrate on Hollywood celebrities. After all, there are services that provide "signed" photos to fans which the celebrity never sees. It fulfill them even though it isn't what you want....an authenticallty signed item. Aside from that, Hollywood celebrities often have secretaries who sign photos for them and even autopen devices which reproduce the celebrity's signature. Personally, I steered clear of the whole thing unless it was to seek a signature of a retired or semi-retired star with a photo or some item I usually provided for a signature. Jimmy Cagney signed a photo (there'll be hundreds of minor also-rans, but never another Jimmy Cagney, and that affects value as I've written elsewhere.). I also contacted the surviving Three Stooges and got autographs.
Don't ignore the usual...presidents, astronauts, actors, recording artists, sports celebrities... but consider other collecting specialties. I assembled a nice collection of autographs from space scientists who put up the manned and unmanned space missions. They are not often asked for autographs, but they are the ones doing the job. And they're reachable through NASA. All you need is the mailing address of the various space centers. Other specialties abound. Military leaders, Pulitzer Prize winners, independent filmmakers, etc.
Be sure you store your autograph collection properly. Condition of the autograph has great impact on its value.
Follow these tips, start reading what other people have to say about autograph collecting, and get started. It's fun and you can acquire something of value...at little or no cost. Link To Original Post
At one time, I collected autographs by mail. It was fun, and it became something of a game, as well. Using basic knowledge and strategies, I acquired some nice items from celebrities which sold for about $1,000 when I finally turned my attention in other directions.
Although you can purchase autographs, I got my collection with minor expenditures for postage and packaging and books (usually remainders). So, although it wouldn't be accurate to say I got my collection free, it would be accurate to say that I didn't spend much for what others ultimately paid me $1,000 cash for.
Steps to Get Started
So, what did I do?
First, I scoured the place for books on the subject of autograph collecting. There weren't many. George Sullivan had a kid's book on autograph collecting I got from a discount book dealer and that was my main guide for a long time. I also checked hobby magazines and searched Reader's Guide to Periodicals for articles on the hobby. These days, of course, there's tons of material on the internet.
Second, I started acquiring addresses. Some came from Who's Who, some were the result of using common sense by writing to politicians in care of their office address, and others came along in other ways. Firms that the celebrity endorses are a good place to write for their autograph. My membership in the Universal Autograph Collector's Club got me more addresses in their monthly magazine. Occasionally, I purchased lists from dealers in celebrity addresses.
Third, i looked for material to be signed. Photographs are good, widely available it's the least desireable of autographs. Photographs are good, widely available, widely desired. Keep in mind, many celebrities you'll seek signatures from...writers, war heroes...do not have a budget for photos, but searching should bring up photos in magazines or books that you can clip. You can also acquire books and send them to the author, putting together a nice collection. You can buy some in very nice condition from Amazon and eBay. Just check the description closely. At a dollar store, I got two copies of Ronald Reagan's memoirs. I sent one to him with return postage and envelope, he signed it, and eventually I sold it for $80. I bought Richard Nixon's book, "In the Arena" for $1.98 from Hamilton Books, a mailorder dealer in remainders, sent it to Nixon for his signature, and it sold for $120.
A few quick rules.
Be polite. You are asking the celebrity for something that they know is worth money, even if you have no intention of selling the item. If you are rude to them, how inclined do you think they'll be to sign?
Write neatly if writing by hand. Some collectors by mail prefer handwriting letters for the personal touch.
Further personalize your request. Make a connection with the person by complimenting them on a movie they made, especially if there's a certain scene or something you liked, or their song, or their book. It may not have made any difference when I wrote to President Nixon asking him to sign my copy of "In the Arena," but I did mention that when he was at Di An, Vietnam, the day one of the photos included his book was taken of him surrounded by Army cavalrymen, I was one of the GI's stationed there. It couldn't hurt.
Include adequate postage to get your item there, include a self-addressed envelope with postage adequate to get it back. You might let this slide with a Hollywood or Nashville celebrity, but not anyone else who, again, doesn't have a postage allowance to cover this sort of expense. Even with a Hollywood-type celebrity, if I am sending something to sign, I'd include envelope and postage to further assure it's return.
If you are collecting with a mind towards building a valuable collection, perhaps as an inheritance down the road, I would consider how much I want to concentrate on Hollywood celebrities. After all, there are services that provide "signed" photos to fans which the celebrity never sees. It fulfill them even though it isn't what you want....an authenticallty signed item. Aside from that, Hollywood celebrities often have secretaries who sign photos for them and even autopen devices which reproduce the celebrity's signature. Personally, I steered clear of the whole thing unless it was to seek a signature of a retired or semi-retired star with a photo or some item I usually provided for a signature. Jimmy Cagney signed a photo (there'll be hundreds of minor also-rans, but never another Jimmy Cagney, and that affects value as I've written elsewhere.). I also contacted the surviving Three Stooges and got autographs.
Don't ignore the usual...presidents, astronauts, actors, recording artists, sports celebrities... but consider other collecting specialties. I assembled a nice collection of autographs from space scientists who put up the manned and unmanned space missions. They are not often asked for autographs, but they are the ones doing the job. And they're reachable through NASA. All you need is the mailing address of the various space centers. Other specialties abound. Military leaders, Pulitzer Prize winners, independent filmmakers, etc.
Be sure you store your autograph collection properly. Condition of the autograph has great impact on its value.
Follow these tips, start reading what other people have to say about autograph collecting, and get started. It's fun and you can acquire something of value...at little or no cost. Link To Original Post
posted by Lon at 2:58 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home