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Collecting Autographs Yourself

Every sports and entertainment fan has their favorite players, drivers and celebrities. Even though our dreams may have been to be as famous as our favorite stars, there is nothing like being able to meet them in person. For those of us that are lucky enough to do that, there is no better way to remember the occasion than by a photograph or an autograph.

The key to collecting autographs in person is really quite simple. The most important factor is to be polite. Most athletes and stars are willing to sign if you are courteous and polite, which includes key words like “please” and “thank you”. Even though they may be famous, they are very much just like you and desire to be treated the same way that you would like to be treated yourself. Nothing works better than kind words and a big smile.

Autograph Collecting: Questions and Answers

Obtaining autographs from celebrities requires patience and a little luck. As well, purchasing autographs online requires knowledge of the hobby.
Question: I want to start sending requests to celebrities for autographs, what should I include in the letter?

Autograph Collecting: More Questions and Answers

Autograph collecting terminology and common sense are vital for the hobbyist in order to make informed purchase decisions.
Question: What advantages does autograph collecting offer as compared to other collectibles?

Collecting Rare Sports Autographs

Perhaps no other collectible carries the history of the autograph. Dating back generations, it's one of the most personal pieces of sports memorabilia you can find.

No two are exactly alike and the chase for Hall of Fame autographs or some other kind of theme makes creating and building a collection a lot of fun. You can get autographs on any number of items-from trading cards to photos to balls and game-used jerseys.

This article is taken from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica. It's still interesting today.

AUTOGRAPHS. Autograph (Gr. αὐτός, self, γράφειν, to write) is a term applied by common usage either to a document signed by the person from whom it emanates, or to one written entirely by the hand of such person (which, however, is also more technically described as holograph, from ὅλος, entire, γράφειν, to write), or simply to an independent signature.

The existence of autographs must necessarily have been coeval with the invention of letters. Documents in the handwriting of their composers may possibly exist among the early papyri of Egypt and the clay tablets of Babylonia and Assyria, and among the early examples of writing in the East. But the oriental practice of employing professional scribes in writing the body of documents and of using seals for the purpose of "signing" (the "signum" originally meaning the impression of the seal) almost precludes the idea. When we are told (1 Kings xxi. 8) that Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, we are, of course, to understand that the letters were written by the professional scribes and that the impression of the king's seal was the authentication, equivalent to the signature of western nations; and again, when King Darius "signed" the writing and the decree (Dan. vi. 9), he did so with his seal.

Free Sports Autographs - 4 Steps to Successful Sports Autograph Collecting

Collecting sports autographs through the mail is a great hobby. It will provide you with personal satisfaction and lots of fun. My goal in this article is to teach you how to fill your mailbox with autographs of your favorite athletes and make you a very successful collector.

Where To Find Addresses
1. The first step in collecting sports autographs by mail is finding addresses to write to the athletes. I myself have hundreds of autographs and I started by writing to the players team addresses. Most athletes will sign, so there is no sense in writing to their home and taking a chance on turning them off on signing. You can get the team addresses off of the main sports sites such as the mlb.com, nfl.com or nba.com.

The Joy of Autograph Collecting

The joy of autograph collecting reflects its extension as a human connection. One of the most personal of human attachments is a name, and a person's autograph is an extension of this attribute. An autograph is as personal a gift to another person as it gets. Giving an autograph is opening yourself to another person.

Autograph collectors are not as appreciated as they should be. Many documents that we appreciate and treasure for their historic value would otherwise not exist were it not for autograph collectors who have passed it down from one generation to another.

Autograph Collecting for the Fun of It

Autograph collecting can inspire many hours of fun and education. One of the most personal of human attachments is a name, and a person's autograph is an extension of this attribute. An autograph is as personal a gift to another person as it gets. Giving an autograph is opening yourself to another person.

Autograph collectors are not as appreciated as they should be. Many documents that we appreciate and treasure for their historic value would otherwise not exist were it not for autograph collectors who have passed it down from one generation to another.

Autograph Collecting Terminology

Autograph collectors have a distinct uniform language with accompanying abbreviations that describe the form, content, and condition of their autographs. The type of autograph and other associated features such as date and provenance, are important factors that professional use to assess the validity and value of autograph material.

It is helpful for serious collectors of autographed material to be familiar with abbreviation used in the profession. Auction catalogs and brochures distributed by autograph dealers, often use professionally accepted abbreviations to describe their items. Additionally, an abbreviation that is used to describe autographed material can have legal ramifications for a buyer and seller.

Some of the most commonly used abbreviations used to describe an autographed material are listed below.

ABBREVIATIONS

ADS: Autographed document signed.

ALS: Autographed letter signed.

Getting Started Collecting Famous Autographs

The appeal of collecting autographs dates back centuries. The earliest written messages were probably cuneiform clay tablets that were used for communication between long distances. The literature of the ancient Hebrew writers was assembled into the Old Testament. Literature of the classic Greek writers was maintained at the great library at Alexandria. The legendary library at Alexandria was probably the first major institution to preserve and protect autographed material from famous writers on a large scale.

Collectors throughout the centuries have accumulated any form of documents either associated or actually autographed by a famous personality. The autographed material avidly sought be modern collectors often stem from the efforts of prior collectors. As the electronic age evolves with fewer opportunities to collect handwritten material, the autographs from famous people become even more precious and valuable.

Famous Autographs

Autographs of famous people capture the imagination. Their autograph embodies the reality of a famous person who had a significant impact on society. George Washington, for example, is recognized as one of the most famous of American presidents, but viewing his actual famous autograph converts an abstract concept of him as an exceptional human beyond reproach into a real man with traits that are shared among common men.

As we study the autograph of a famous person we can imagine a pen deftly forming the letters of their famous name, a hand braced against the face of a signed document, and the fingers of the famous person gently transferring his letter or document to a folder or another person. In other words, the handwriting process places the famous person on a level that we can recognize and relate.