Political Ink Fetches Little Paper
You’ve got to give him points for persistence.
After once again failing to garner the minimum bid of $1.1 million for an Xbox allegedly autographed by Sarah Palin, its owner put the gaming system right back on the block Sunday night, for the same Grand Theft Autograph price.
By Monday morning, someone had already posted a new query:
“Does it come with controllers?”
Answer: “No.”
Since August, David Morrill, a resident of the town of Vimy in Alberta, Canada, has been hawking the Xbox 360 gaming system he says Palin signed at the Governor’s Picnic in Wasilla on July 24 — just two days before she resigned as Alaska’s chief executive.
But experts say that when it comes to his asking price, Morrill — who can currently be seen on YouTube weeping blood and playing Nirvana’s “Rape Me” on the harp — has a couple of connections loose.
“He’s out of his mind, is basically what he’s done with that price,” says John Reznikoff, owner of University Archives, a presidential and historical memorabilia dealer based in Westport, Conn.
“Let’s put it this way,” he adds. “From a valuation standpoint, it’s very difficult for me to think of anything that would be associated with Sarah Palin that would be worth over $5,000.”
What’s the most valuable Palin autograph Reznikoff can imagine? “I think a letter of hers that would talk about the geographic proximity of Russia — and that would be in the hundreds of dollars, not the thousands.”
“There was never any demand for Sarah Palin,” says Bob Eaton, owner of RR Auction, a New Hampshire-based Internet auction business that specializes in autographs. “Her demand was the same as most other politicians’: minimal. Living politicians, the demand for 90 percent of them is minimal.”
How did Morrill settle upon the $1.1 million figure? “I’d like to say there was a mathematical formula, but it seemed like common sense to me to ask that price,” he says. He reveals that he has had private offers for as high as $10,000, and although he can’t say for sure that the bidder was serious, Morrill says it doesn’t matter: “Of course, I don’t really care about that. I would never let it go for something so small.”
Did he do any research before setting his price? “It’s not really my concern, what autographs have gone for in the past — not my concern at all, actually,” he says. “Because past performance is no prediction of future results.”
Perhaps not, but it can be instructive. “You could assemble a complete autograph collection of all the presidents of the United States for $25,000,” says John Hickey, the sales development manager and “resident generalist” at Dallas’s Heritage Auction Galleries.
The most valuable political autograph, says Reznikoff, is that of Button Gwinnett, an obscure signer of the Declaration of Independence. “If you want to complete a set of signers of the Declaration of Independence, you need him,” Reznikoff says. “And his signature sells for up to half a million dollars.”
Even John Hancock’s John Hancock tops out at about $50,000, Reznikoff adds.
Whose autograph is the most valuable among living pols these days? “I’d have to say it’s a tossup between [Fidel] Castro and [Barack] Obama,” Reznikoff says.
Hickey agrees that the commander in chief is commanding big bucks, recalling that a competitor just took in $850 for a holiday card signed by the president. But he also notes that prices for the president’s autograph have finally begun to soften a touch.
And what of the rest of the cast of characters from the 2008 election? How do they stack up one year on?
Michelle Obama remains very popular, Hickey says, “and I haven’t seen many signed photos of just her. I would suggest that they would be valued at $100-plus — maybe $200.”
Sen. John McCain’s signed photos, which were going for between $100 and $200 during the campaign, now top out at $75, Hickey says.
“A McCain autograph is 20, 30, 40 dollars,” says Reznikoff, “and they’re not selling like hotcakes.”
That’s not surprising, says Eaton. “It is always the case — every four years leading up to the election — the prices rise up until Election Day in November, and they pay high prices, and the losing candidate’s stuff after the election plummets 90 percent,” he says.
And McCain’s still doing better than the average living member of Congress, whose signature is worth about $10.
A signed photo of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton goes for $100 and up — down from more than $200 when she was vying for the Democratic nomination, Hickey says, but still holding value well for a living pol. (A signed photo of her hubby dated during his time in office goes for between $400 and $600.)
And what about all those autographs Sam Wurzelbacher — aka Joe the Plumber — signed? What are they worth today?
“Zero. Nobody cares,” says Reznikoff.
“All the role players, they don’t have sustaining value,” says Hickey.
“He had his Andy Warhol moment, for sure. Sometimes people will put together large framed displays, some slice-of-life thing with all the intrigue. Like the O.J. trial, with Kato Kaelin. But that’s the only place where Kato’s autograph would have some value — to what I would call a completist.”
Morrill says he plans to hold out for seven figures “at least until 2012,” when he is certain Palin will run for president. After that, he says, “regardless of the outcome, my item’s going to be much more valuable than it is now.”
But the experts say that if Palin doesn’t run — or doesn’t win — her autograph is likely to be worth less, not more, with the passage of time.
Which means Morrill might consider adding three more words to his eBay listing: “Or best offer.”
*********************
I am in the process of compiling data from collectors and dealers to determine which celebrities have been the best autograph signers for 2009. There will be a U.S./Canada celebrity list and a UK/Europe/Australia celebrity list. If you would like to participate, please send your list to this email Your Best Celebrity Signers For 2009. Please consider the signer's willingness to sign, their demeanor and how they signed. Celebrities from movies, music, TV, sports, etc. from any country can be included. Please limit your list to 10 celebrities in order of preference.
*********************
Autograph Collectors Daily updates are posted at Twitter. Signup today!
The National Association of Free Clinics is the only national non-profit whose mission is solely focused on the needs of free clinics and the populations they serve
PLEASE DONATE
After once again failing to garner the minimum bid of $1.1 million for an Xbox allegedly autographed by Sarah Palin, its owner put the gaming system right back on the block Sunday night, for the same Grand Theft Autograph price.
By Monday morning, someone had already posted a new query:
“Does it come with controllers?”
Answer: “No.”
Since August, David Morrill, a resident of the town of Vimy in Alberta, Canada, has been hawking the Xbox 360 gaming system he says Palin signed at the Governor’s Picnic in Wasilla on July 24 — just two days before she resigned as Alaska’s chief executive.
But experts say that when it comes to his asking price, Morrill — who can currently be seen on YouTube weeping blood and playing Nirvana’s “Rape Me” on the harp — has a couple of connections loose.
“He’s out of his mind, is basically what he’s done with that price,” says John Reznikoff, owner of University Archives, a presidential and historical memorabilia dealer based in Westport, Conn.
“Let’s put it this way,” he adds. “From a valuation standpoint, it’s very difficult for me to think of anything that would be associated with Sarah Palin that would be worth over $5,000.”
What’s the most valuable Palin autograph Reznikoff can imagine? “I think a letter of hers that would talk about the geographic proximity of Russia — and that would be in the hundreds of dollars, not the thousands.”
“There was never any demand for Sarah Palin,” says Bob Eaton, owner of RR Auction, a New Hampshire-based Internet auction business that specializes in autographs. “Her demand was the same as most other politicians’: minimal. Living politicians, the demand for 90 percent of them is minimal.”
How did Morrill settle upon the $1.1 million figure? “I’d like to say there was a mathematical formula, but it seemed like common sense to me to ask that price,” he says. He reveals that he has had private offers for as high as $10,000, and although he can’t say for sure that the bidder was serious, Morrill says it doesn’t matter: “Of course, I don’t really care about that. I would never let it go for something so small.”
Did he do any research before setting his price? “It’s not really my concern, what autographs have gone for in the past — not my concern at all, actually,” he says. “Because past performance is no prediction of future results.”
Perhaps not, but it can be instructive. “You could assemble a complete autograph collection of all the presidents of the United States for $25,000,” says John Hickey, the sales development manager and “resident generalist” at Dallas’s Heritage Auction Galleries.
The most valuable political autograph, says Reznikoff, is that of Button Gwinnett, an obscure signer of the Declaration of Independence. “If you want to complete a set of signers of the Declaration of Independence, you need him,” Reznikoff says. “And his signature sells for up to half a million dollars.”
Even John Hancock’s John Hancock tops out at about $50,000, Reznikoff adds.
Whose autograph is the most valuable among living pols these days? “I’d have to say it’s a tossup between [Fidel] Castro and [Barack] Obama,” Reznikoff says.
Hickey agrees that the commander in chief is commanding big bucks, recalling that a competitor just took in $850 for a holiday card signed by the president. But he also notes that prices for the president’s autograph have finally begun to soften a touch.
And what of the rest of the cast of characters from the 2008 election? How do they stack up one year on?
Michelle Obama remains very popular, Hickey says, “and I haven’t seen many signed photos of just her. I would suggest that they would be valued at $100-plus — maybe $200.”
Sen. John McCain’s signed photos, which were going for between $100 and $200 during the campaign, now top out at $75, Hickey says.
“A McCain autograph is 20, 30, 40 dollars,” says Reznikoff, “and they’re not selling like hotcakes.”
That’s not surprising, says Eaton. “It is always the case — every four years leading up to the election — the prices rise up until Election Day in November, and they pay high prices, and the losing candidate’s stuff after the election plummets 90 percent,” he says.
And McCain’s still doing better than the average living member of Congress, whose signature is worth about $10.
A signed photo of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton goes for $100 and up — down from more than $200 when she was vying for the Democratic nomination, Hickey says, but still holding value well for a living pol. (A signed photo of her hubby dated during his time in office goes for between $400 and $600.)
And what about all those autographs Sam Wurzelbacher — aka Joe the Plumber — signed? What are they worth today?
“Zero. Nobody cares,” says Reznikoff.
“All the role players, they don’t have sustaining value,” says Hickey.
“He had his Andy Warhol moment, for sure. Sometimes people will put together large framed displays, some slice-of-life thing with all the intrigue. Like the O.J. trial, with Kato Kaelin. But that’s the only place where Kato’s autograph would have some value — to what I would call a completist.”
Morrill says he plans to hold out for seven figures “at least until 2012,” when he is certain Palin will run for president. After that, he says, “regardless of the outcome, my item’s going to be much more valuable than it is now.”
But the experts say that if Palin doesn’t run — or doesn’t win — her autograph is likely to be worth less, not more, with the passage of time.
Which means Morrill might consider adding three more words to his eBay listing: “Or best offer.”
I am in the process of compiling data from collectors and dealers to determine which celebrities have been the best autograph signers for 2009. There will be a U.S./Canada celebrity list and a UK/Europe/Australia celebrity list. If you would like to participate, please send your list to this email Your Best Celebrity Signers For 2009. Please consider the signer's willingness to sign, their demeanor and how they signed. Celebrities from movies, music, TV, sports, etc. from any country can be included. Please limit your list to 10 celebrities in order of preference.
Autograph Collectors Daily updates are posted at Twitter. Signup today!
The National Association of Free Clinics is the only national non-profit whose mission is solely focused on the needs of free clinics and the populations they serve
PLEASE DONATE
posted by Lon at 3:25 PM
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