How to value and authenticate signed memorabilia

One of the first rules of collecting is that personal connections to the famous add value. 

Nothing is more personal than a signature - mines been with me and unchanged since my formative teenage years. 

But how do you value and authenticate that signed memorabilia? 

These 5 expert guidelines will give you a great start. 

1 - Is that really real? 

First things first: only genuine signed memorabilia has value. 

Signatures can be forged. 

It’s probably easier to pass off a forged signature on an unusual item, like a ball, or guitar, where it might not match usual patterns.

We know that large numbers of autographs are faked. And we know how: stamps, autopens, and staff being the main culprits on correctly aged pieces.

Before you start shopping for autographs or signatures make sure you know what they should look like. 

 

This bible signed by Bobby Charlton is unusual, its authenticity confirmed with a note from the player. 

 

Check how they have changed over time. 

Make sure any item you buy can credibly have been signed by the star in question. Check dates and locations if you can. 

Certified authenticity is a good guarantee. 

If you want to add a certificate to your artefacts you’ll have to pay for it.

Though we certify everything we sell and back it with a money-back guarantee.   

2 - What you can prove matters 

Provenance is the first word collectors should learn. 

And to provenance you should add proof. 

Provenance is the story of an item. Who owned it first, who has owned it or sold it since, and so on. 

And proof is the documentation or imagery that backs up that story. 

Both are vital and you’re doing yourself a big favour as a collector if you get into the habit of properly documenting and storing everything about the items you hold. 

When you come to sell those papers or pictures will add value. 

3 - It’s all in the name 

Two beautiful young women acting together. One's signature is now worth multiples of the others.

Who signed your memorabilia? 

That, I think, is the single biggest determinant of the value of authentic signed merchandise. 

If Marilyn Monroe signed it you can add zeroes to the value of your item. 

If Jane Russell - who at one point had a similar public profile and starred alongside Marylin in Gentleman Prefer Blondes - is the name then it’s more like 10s or hundreds of pounds. 

For those buying to invest, big names are a must - Marilyn, Beatles, JFK - and value is best found in spotting current names who may in future attain that status. 

My usual advice for collectors though is to follow their passion, and that means collecting the stars, musicians or politicians you admire. 

4 - Is it appropriate? 

We love stories. 

Stories are what sell. 

If your autographed item tells a story or adds colour to a story then it’s so much more likely to be more valuable. 

 

If you wanted to buy Lionel Messi's signature there could be no more attractive medium than a Barca shirt.

 

The most obvious example is sports stars.

A Babe Ruth signed photo is great. But I can find several under $100 easily enough. 

Babe Ruth signed shirts may be listed for $50,000 to $100,000. 

A ball signed by Ruth went for around $400,000 in 2012. 

So the an item shines a light on a legend the better. 

5 - Stardom is not a science

I was recently asked to compile a list of collectible stars. 

But how do you rank star memorabilia? 

No two items are the same. 

We’re shopping for the unique. 

 

One day in time. These Frankie Dettori signed badges from the day he won seven races can never be replicated. 

 

There are too many variables to compile spreadsheets of values. 

Valuations should be treated as a good guide, if they are delivered by experts. 

Collectibles have trended up in value over the long-term. But I know as well as anyone that it can be a volatile market. 

A news item, a new film or record release, a biopic, and - we have to acknowledge it - a death can have a massive impact on the collectibility of a star. 

When you add in the widespread use of auction sales, which can rocket or fall flat on a whim, you can see that anyone claiming 100% veracity on valuations is having you on. 

Principles to keep you safe 

I love collectibles. They’ve bought so much to my life. 

It pains me to see scary warnings about forgeries and scams. 

So be assured, the vast majority of this business is done in good faith by people who love what they’re doing. 

Spend a few hours in any collectibles community and you’ll feel your doubts fading away. And you'll probably get some great advice and make new friends. 

But, stick to your principles when looking at value and authenticty:

• Be honest with yourself (and others of course) 
• Standard valuation measures - authenticity, provenance, quality, condition, demand - should be the guiding principles 
• Exceptional pieces and values are by definition rare  
• Be aware and cautious without being paranoid and without missing out (because exceptional pieces do exist)

You can see some wonderful, authenticated signed items here. 

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