Courtesy autograph question
ernie11
Posts: 1,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
I have a question about courtesy autographs. I know that in the autograph collecting hobby, in general, if an autograph has been personalized (inscribed from the signer to an individual), it's not usually as desirable a collectible as just a stand-alone autograph. Is this situation the same for courtesy autographs? Some 52 years ago when I was a kid, my mom wrote to newly appointed Treasurer of the United States Dorothy Andrews Elston, asking for her autograph on a new Series 1969 dollar bill, and Ms. Elston sent us a signed bill, and inscribed it to me. I still have it after all these years, along with the form letter from Ms. Elston. By the way, for those who try to keep track of the number of courtesy autographs by series, Ms. Elston apologized for the xeroxed form letter, but explained that she had "almost a thousand bills to send out".
The reason she was probably willing to send me a signed bill is that she was our neighbor down the road where I grew up.
Comments
It’s the same for courtesy autographed currency. Most collectors want just the autograph and shy away from personalized annotations. It’s great to own a personalized autograph, but not if you’re planning on selling it. It’s more of something to hand down to your heirs. I have her autograph on a note.
Thanks for the expertise. I probably will hand it down.
Depends on the buyer but the signature is the important part to me.
I have bought notes that are signed but also have a personal written portion and it does not affect my bid.