Do people really collect rare celebrity autographs?

[DodgerGirl]

My dad was watching Pawn Stars yesterday and what he learned from the show was that some celebrity autographs are very rare and I would like to know if it's true that people really collect rare celebrity autographs? My dad learned from Pawn Stars that if you have anything signed by Paul Newman whether if it's a poster or an autograph on a piece of paper it is really rare. Do some celebrities have unique autographs that make them rare? I also have a copy of the Boomerang movie soundtrack that may be autographed by Eddie Murphy too but I can't figure out if it's rare or not? Is there a huge demand with celebrity autographs especially people who have rare celebrity autographs as well?

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I don't know about all qualifies as rare autographs, but my cousin collected autographed pictures and memorabilia. She had a whole wall full of the b&w photos w/autographs (like you see in restaurants and hotels etc). She also had a lot music stuff autographed like album covers etc. She even had some race cars and sports stuff too.

 

[rwdavis2]

The rare ones are worth money. Just google it.

 

[_19disnA]

I would imagine some people do. However, there are lots of fake items for sale so you have to know what you are buying. That Pawn Star show is funny since they always offer the seller 1/2 of what the item is worth. I liked that show when it first started to see the unusual things people wanted to sell. Now I find the show annoying and the big egos of the main characters has taken over the show.

I think you would make more money selling it on Ebay then giving it away to them. Honestly, the 'value' of such things is mostly related to what someone else is willing to pay for it and if there is any type of public demand. Items from some celebrities seem to be more in demand then others. If you can't find anyone willing to pay what it is supposedly worth, then clearly it is not worth that much.

I think much the same of those TV antique appraisal shows. Unless you can find a buyer, the quoted value by some 'expert' is mostly wishful thinking.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Rare is usually from those celebrities that rarely signed anything and/or very selective about signing (like Michael Jordan). One of my husbands hobbies is autographs. From celebrities and sport figures mostly. When we lived in California, he'd go to many of the Hollywood autograph shows and the ones that went there were generally at all the shows so I don't consider them rare but once in a while there would be someone that's never there and does it once. Growing up he'd go to a lot of sports shows and up until 10 years ago, had every hall of famer on a bat and a ball. He's been doing this fo over 40 years. Autographs also have to be verified. If you get a picture with the person signing and a picture of them signing, that is a major plus. It's the history behind the signature, how was it obtained. So many fakes out there. Years ago Billy Crystal was even taken by fake autographs, I think on a baseball.

 

[Mysterian]

I suppose anything signed by a popular and dead celebrity will fetch high value, if there's even proof it's real. I agree with the Ebay route. I've heard that certificates can always be faked. Some sellers have photos of the person signing the item, usually when mobbed while stepping out of a building.

The Pawn Star guys will typically lowball sellers. I can't remember the item, but I recall an episode where the the grandson was called out for asking a ridiculous price for something obviously valuable.

 

[tvguy]

I suppose anything signed by a popular and dead celebrity will fetch high value, if there's even proof it's real. I agree with the Ebay route. I've heard that certificates can always be faked. Some sellers have photos of the person signing the item, usually when mobbed while stepping out of a building.

The Pawn Star guys will typically lowball sellers. I can't remember the item, but I recall an episode where the the grandson was called out for asking a ridiculous price for something obviously valuable.

I think probably most autographs are over valued even with certification of authenticity.
As for Pawn Stars, well, the show has certainly glamorized the Pawn Industry. The whole industry exists to provide quick cash to people who need it in a hurry. People who can't wait to sell something through traditional channels at it's actual value. The whole idea that a person who isn't desperate for quick cash would sell something at any Pawn Shop is far fetched. So I don't fault them for what they offer. If the person wanted what an item was worth, they wouldn't be selling it at a Pawn Shop.

 

[Mysterian]

I think probably most autographs are over valued even with certification of authenticity.
As for Pawn Stars, well, the show has certainly glamorized the Pawn Industry. The whole industry exists to provide quick cash to people who need it in a hurry. People who can't wait to sell something through traditional channels at it's actual value. The whole idea that a person who isn't desperate for quick cash would sell something at any Pawn Shop is far fetched. So I don't fault them for what they offer. If the person wanted what an item was worth, they wouldn't be selling it at a Pawn Shop.

I disagree. I wouldn't be selling anything to a pawn shop either, but their lowballing can get ridiculous, sometimes even while giving the customer a flimsy rationale. One time, Big Hoss (the grandson) was faced with some vintage Star Wars figures, threw out a lowball, and backed it up with "I can't take the risk of one of my guys messing one of these up". That was his excuse, TV Guy.

Sometimes it's "well, we have to keep the lights on". Forget about the fact that they also have a TV deal with the History Channel. They also sell online, not only through their shop.

Sure they want to buy low and sell high. Lowballing usually open things up to negotiation and result in either customer agreeing to a price cheaper than they're asking, or leave when the pawn clerk doesn't want to go much higher. Even after an expert has been brought it in verify the authenticity/value.

I agree somewhat with your final sentence, but as a History Channel show, they probably have to highlight certain items to serve the purpose of displaying something of a historical nature. Unless the show passes into the ether as a document to Chumlee's antics. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if some elements were scripted.

 

[barkley]

i think some value also relates to what has been signed. i've got an autographed item but the funny thing is the only reason there's any real value to it is b/c the item that was signed is no longer in print, streaming or likely ever will be due to the harvey weinstein scandal (kevin smith's classic 'dogma').

 

[WEDcryoHEAD]

Fun Fact. The autograph of one Walter Elias Disney is considered rare and often commands a a good value. Depending n what is signed the value goes up.

 

[_19disnA]

Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if some elements were scripted.

Always thought that about Pawn Stars and the obnoxious behavior by Chumlee & Big Hoss. They both seem like examples of how to make a living by being as lazy as possible. Do wonder how much History Channel pays them for that show.

History Channel seems to have a lot of money to burn searching for gold/jade or buried treasure...........LOL.

 

[Micca]

I think much the same of those TV antique appraisal shows. Unless you can find a buyer, the quoted value by some 'expert' is mostly wishful thinking.

Appraiser: At auction this item would bring 18-20 thousand dollars.
Me: Cool! I'll let you have it for 10 thousand
Appraiser: Sir we don't buy items, we just assign a value to them
Me: But you said 18-20 thousand, I'm giving this away at 10. You'd be a fool not to take this
off my hands! OK 9 thousand, fork over the money
Appraiser: <takes a moment of self reflection, followed by long, slow walk of shame>

 

[longboard55]

My cousin had a job to verify signatures. He had no experience and made minimum, wage. Most are fake

 

[tvguy]

I disagree. I wouldn't be selling anything to a pawn shop either, but their lowballing can get ridiculous, sometimes even while giving the customer a flimsy rationale. One time, Big Hoss (the grandson) was faced with some vintage Star Wars figures, threw out a lowball, and backed it up with "I can't take the risk of one of my guys messing one of these up". That was his excuse, TV Guy.

Sometimes it's "well, we have to keep the lights on". Forget about the fact that they also have a TV deal with the History Channel. They also sell online, not only through their shop.

Sure they want to buy low and sell high. Lowballing usually open things up to negotiation and result in either customer agreeing to a price cheaper than they're asking, or leave when the pawn clerk doesn't want to go much higher. Even after an expert has been brought it in verify the authenticity/value.

I agree somewhat with your final sentence, but as a History Channel show, they probably have to highlight certain items to serve the purpose of displaying something of a historical nature. Unless the show passes into the ether as a document to Chumlee's antics. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if some elements were scripted.

What about the times when they tell someone what they want for an item is way too low? Or when the expert comes in with a value many times more that what they are asking?

 

[DodgerGirl]

I think the thing with celebrity autographs is that people seem to go after the popular autographs like MVP sports cards or baseball cards and also when a celebrity passes away the autograph goes higher in price. Like when John Madden passed away autographed copies of his video games went for big money and the most rarest one is if you have Madden 2003 on Gameboy Advance autographed it is worth a lot of money if the box the game or even the instruction booklet is autographed. Boy I sure wish I had gotten my copy of Madden 2003 autographed when John Madden was alive. I also collected autographs from race car drivers when I was a racing fan and I think those are the most sought after by sports fans because next to baseball players and football players and basketball players race car drivers autographs are the ones that are the most rare in sports celebrity autographs
Dodger

 

[Mysterian]

What about the times when they tell someone what they want for an item is way too low? Or when the expert comes in with a value many times more that what they are asking?

The "they" being the customer?
Is what you're asking related to the discussion of lowballing?


BTW everyone, interesting to find out that one of the Pawn Stars' autograph experts actually turned out to be a fraud.

 

[tvguy]

The "they" being the customer?
Is what you're asking related to the discussion of lowballing?


BTW everyone, interesting to find out that one of the Pawn Stars' autograph experts actually turned out to be a fraud.

The Pawn Stars, at least in the edited TV version, have been known to tell a person coming in that what they are asking for an item is too low.
Yes, that is related to your comment on lowballing.

 

[Mysterian]

The Pawn Stars, at least in the edited TV version, have been known to tell a person coming in that what they are asking for an item is too low.
Yes, that is related to your comment on lowballing.

How often does that occur vs the lowballing?
Are you secretly Big Hoss, having fooled us all this time?

 

[Squirlz]

I've been around Paul Newman several times due to his involvement with Indy Cars. He does not sign autographs, so that's why it's rare.

 

[tvguy]

How often does that occur vs the lowballing?
Are you secretly Big Hoss, having fooled us all this time?

I have no stats, and no way of knowing whether what we see is accurate or edited that way.
Again, if you want what something is worth, sell it through the places that will pay full value, not a pawn shop.