Number of authentic autographs that exist
JMS1223
Posts: 1,105 ✭✭✭✭✭
I have always been curious, how many autographs exist of say Barack Obama? How about Steven Spielberg? I know some people due to their jobs sign many more autographs than others. There are also those people who refuse to sign so less autographs exists, such as Steve Jobs. But someone like Neil Armstrong signed a bunch then slowed down significantly. I wonder how many existing authentic autographs probably exists in the world of the typical U.S. President and how many for actors, or writers, athletes, astronauts etc.
I tried Google but couldn’t really find what I wanted. I am looking for an estimated number of autographs signed (on any format) in authentic form that still exist in the world. I also understand over time, especially if the signer died, fewer and fewer examples will exist overtime as existing autographs get lost, destroyed, faded, or ruined in some manner.
I do know, however, that existing William Shakespeare autographs is six. I read about them a while back and how they are all very different from each other and he is considered the single most valuable autograph in the world, worth over $1 million. I know willing signers that are old and still signing probably have a greater number of existing autographs than others, such as say Betty White. Has she signed over a million autographs that are now currently existing in the world?
Comments
I am also very curious about how many signed books they sign when they release “signed editions.” For example, they released a “Signed Deluxe Edition” for Obama’s book A Promised Land. I am very curious how many of those they made.
Not sure but signed editions like that can be in ranges of 250 to 2000, for example. More or less is possible, of course, but those are the sorts of numbers I've seen.
Thanks for that information. So I can assume for that Obama signed book edition around maybe 2000 copies? Very interesting. I would had thought there were much more, like 10,000 but considering the signatures are not very rushed looking the 500-2000 range makes sense.
Private companies like the Easton Press do signed editions of, say, 1500 or maybe as many as 2000. Sometimes less but I've never seen more that I can recall. I am not sure there is an immediate market for many more than that.
Bringing this thread back due to recent Renegades Deluxe Edition book that got released signed by both Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen. They were $500 and at first seemed to be difficult to get. Then they became easier to get a few weeks later and then I heard of a few deals that randomly popped up in select places where they sold them for a deep discount of between $250-$300. Makes me wonder how many of these books were signed. 10,000? The signatures on them look decent and not rushed so I am surprised that they could sign that many and keep a decent looking signature.
Market looks flooded right now but will it dry up?
I almost jumped at Amazon's $320 deal today, but then it sold out.
A total guess, but considering how hot these are/were and how many people ultimately managed to get one, I wouldn't be surprised it they made 5000 - 10000 of them.
But, as you say, the signatures in them look good so either they had lots of time to sign them, or the larger format made it easier to sign - big page, big Sharpie pen, glossy paper.
I just submitted my 2 to be slabbed yesterday..
Was very happy with the quality of my auto's..
Yes I cut them out.. Will be 2 oversize slabs
There's more then we will ever know
I was browsing eBay today and noticed the sudden surge of slabbed Obama signed cuts now up for bid. One dealer alone had about ten of them with them being priced at $1000 each. Bruce Springsteen’s on the other hand are priced at $900 each.
Will be interesting to see if the market dries up and the Renegades signatures and books go back up in price or plummet, or even remain steady. I have an extra Springsteen signature to sell and I need to decide if I should get it slabbed (would cost me a little under $200 after shipping, insurance and fees), and if I should sell it now or hang onto it and sell it later (assuming the market will dry up and prices increase).
Just found this lot for sale on eBay and I am amazed at how many slabbed Jimmy Carter’s this dealer has accumulated. 67 of them! I did the math and it comes to a little over $100 for each one. Too expensive in my opinion. I feel like his signature by itself is worth about $20-$30.
On another note, I saw two signed books (no one I ever heard of) and it was numbered to 2500 signed copies so my thinking is the signed book editions that are not numbered are either 5000 or maybe 10,000 signed units. Still wondering how many Renegades signed books exist.
I find that lot very disturbing. Not because he cut apart 67 books, but because he cut them so small.
A few of them are OK but many/most have been seriously defaced, in my opinion, because they are cropped so closely that it would be tough to do anything else with them.
No way are they worth $100 each!
I do see a couple likely signed in his office, and then the rest are from book signings. There are examples from earlier signings and later ones that show how his book signing signature evolved over the years.
I am pretty sure I posted the very badly trimmed down Obama signature somewhere on this forum. It was trimmed to the point that part of the actual signature was removed on the right and left as well as it being irregularly cut rather than straight. All just to fit inside the smaller size slab. All just to save a buck.
Sadly it brought a decent price, $531.
That Obama is ruined.
$531?! I don't know whether to laugh or cry.