Tips & FAQ's
An autograph can be a wonderful momento of a public figure that you admire. Autograph collecting is a unique hobby because you do not need to buy the things you collect - you can get them free (or for the price of a stamp). The true value is not measured in monetary terms, but in what it means to you.
How Do I Collect Autographs?
There are several ways to collect autographs:
| In Person | This can be by standing outside a venue (theatre, sport stadium etc) waiting for a celebrity, attending a book signing session, attending a convention or just meeting a celebrity in the street! |
| Purchase | Autographs can be purchased from autograph dealers. There are numerous autographs for sale on auction web sites such as Ebay but be careful. There is a high incidence of autographs being of dubious authenticity and lots of frauds. Remember that a "Certificate of Authenticity" (COA) is easy to create on a computer and then print out. |
| Through The Mail | Write a celebrity a letter requesting an autograph. |
| Lots of celebrities have an e-mail address which you can request an autograph from. Lots of my successess have been by e-mail, such as Tony Curtis and Joe Walsh. |
Where Do I Find An Address?
Simple, look on the internet. There are several web sites that list postal and e-mail adressess (just type the word "autograph" into a search engine).
My favourite web site is "StarArchive" which lists thousands of addressess for film and tv actors, sports stars, politicians, models and others. Its main strength is that collectors report successess, what they received and how long it took. The site also contains scans of signatures so you can autenticate any response you get.
What Do I Write?
What you write is probably the most important factor in obtaining the desired autograph. It should be courteous and short - never more than one page, they are busy people - and neatly hand written or typed.
In the first paragraph, tell the celebrity why you admire him or her. Mention a favourite movie or tv programme, a memorable game he or she played, or some other specific quality. Play to the celebrities ego... but don't go over the top!
In the second paragraph, go for broke and request an autographed photo. Tell the celebrity that you are a collector, not a reseller, and that the photo is for you alone. Ask him or her to inscribe it to you - inscribed photos of living celebrities are of less value on the market, and an inscription request might convince the celebrity it's really for you.
In the third paragraph thank the celebrity for their time and trouble and close politely.
Do I Need To Include Anything?
It is essential that you include a self-addressed stamped envelope (SSAE). Send a 10" x 13" manila envelope to make sure the photograph will fit. A board backed envelope is a good idea to ensure the photograph is not bent in the post.
You might want to send the celebrity something to sign such as your own photograph or CD cover. Don't send anything you are not prepared to see again. There is always the risk that an item sent will be lost, damaged or never returned. I use a web site called the Movie Market to obtain good quality photographs at reasonable prices.
How Long Will I Have To Wait?
How long is a piece of string? It really depends on what the celebrity is doing. If you can catch him or her between projects the response can be quite quick. David Beckham returned 2 signed autographs in 2 days. I have heard other celebrities take 2 years to return an autograph. Some celebrities will not reply at all. But the thrill of finding one of your SASE's in the post makes it all worth while!
What are Pre-Prints?
Sometimes a celebrity will send a photo which has a pre-printed signature on it. See my Pre-Prints page for examples of non-genuine autographs.
HAPPY COLLECTING AND HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!