Your Guide to Buying AutographsWhile 90% of my collection consists of signatures I have acquired in-person or through the mail, I am not opposed to buying autographs as well. Obviously, for a collector of vintage historical autographs, this is basically the only route to take.
Buying autographs from trusted and reputable sources has become much easier since the internet. What hasn't?? That being said, there are still many forgeries in the market. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation industry experts estimate over one-half of autographs for the most popular athletes and celebrities to be forged. Below are sources for autographs that are trusted by industry experts and casual collectors:
eBay Autographs and Sports MemorabiliaYes...eBay! Autographs and sports memorabilia are one of the best selling items on eBay these days. The key to buying eBay autographs is both the reputation of the seller and the item's authenticity. A good feedback score is important, but authentication of the item is critical.Research top sellers in the categories you are interested in. Look for independent authentication from third-party autograph authenticators, or from popular manufacturers of sports memorabilia that provide excellent original authentication with holograms and lifetime guarantees. There are plenty of reputable sources and autograph dealers online, you just need to know who you are dealing with.
Baseball Card ShopsBesides selling baseball cards and other trading cards, baseball card shops can be an excellent source for authentic sports autographs and signed sports memorabilia. I have found them to be particularly great for signed baseball cards that are produced for and pulled from baseball card packs.While I prefer to collect autographed baseballs and signed jerseys, game used and autographed baseball cards from resources such as Topps or Upper Deck are hard to beat when it comes to quality and authenticity. Baseball Card and Sports Memorabilia Autograph ShowsSo you've checked out my page on sports autograph signings and you know how to find upcoming shows in your area, right? If not, now would be a good time to do that. Ok, so there are a couple shows coming up but nobody that particularly interests you? That's alright, because besides the celebrity and athlete appearances these shows provide, there are dozens of autograph and memorabilia dealers there selling items you will be interested in.Return from Buying Autographs to Autograph Collecting
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