I have just started collecting autograph cards. So far I have been buying random cards of actors that I admire but I am interested in finding out what other members collect.
a) Do you just collect autograph cards that you like?
b) Do you collect to a theme ? e.g. Bond, Star Wars, Walking Dead etc. If so, do you purchase every autograph card?
c) Do you collect a favourite actor?
d) Do you collect by card manufacturer?
e) Do you collect EVERYTHING!

I just collect the autograph cards that i like.

Good questions!!
a) I just collect auto cards I like.
b) Lately (last few years), because of funds, I only collect from a select few tv shows/movies. Mainly Xena (I'll never stop searching for variants...), Orville (but only a few of the actors that I like, not going for a master set-can't afford that), Game of Thrones (only certain actors)etc.
c) Lucy Lawless, I also collect autographed 8x10's and am always on the hunt for certified autos of her, plus anyone from Xena, no matter how little or obscure of a role they played in the show.
d) No, but I tend to shy away from any sticker autos, I really don't like them. And I really don't like Topps.
e) No way, I can't afford that!! LOL!

I also love to collect costume cards and prop cards. After I got all the costume cards from Xena I started a variant search so I've got some awesome variants. I'm always on the lookout though...

I tend to collect celebrities/actors whose work I have enjoyed, so I will look at any product that has certified autograph cards if someone I want is in it.

The only title I got hooked on was Game of Thrones and I think that was only because I caught the first season cards and just kept going. For franchise titles with multiple seasons or related instalments like GoT, Bond, Star Wars, Star Trek etc., autograph collectors who want to feel like they are completing something have to set specific goals, because no one can afford to get every autograph card in a large, repetitive title.

So collectors may decide to stick with one or two products, or maybe a certain card design, or eliminate cards they can't normally find, or just certain signers themselves. For GoT my goal was to have at least one autograph card, in any design, for every signer. I have been able to keep to that and be satisfied, even though I am missing a large percentage of the auto checklist.

One suggestion I would make is don't collect common autograph cards unless you are trying to complete some part of a title, like those particular actors, or think they show promise for a bigger career. While common signers may seem cheap, they're usually just so much filler to a card collection. Quality is better than quantity and mid-range and high tier cards have a better chance of holding value. But it should always be some card that you like. I don't care for the idea of investment as a motive.

Collect what you like.
As for me, I worked heavy on Smallville (down to two cards from having every one) 1 is an oversized card that was limited to 25 the other is an autograph where I have a few 8x10 of the actress and will not pay the price for her autograph card.

Gotham is one I worked heavy on with my son and a friend.

Downton Abbey worked on with my wife.

Umbrella Academy is one I worked on with my daughter.

The sets I have enjoyed working on the most have been when I have been working with a family member on.

I have a few autographs but I don't collect them as something I concentrate on. In the Topps 75th set from 2013 you got 3 autographs in a box and I bought a box of that (cost me about $50) which yielded a Richard Kiel autograph, which I thought was great, and those of two other actors I didn't remember as well but I was happy because I got a base set, a bunch of the refractor parallels, and a few of the other chase cards as well. To me it was a nice sample group of the whole set. At some point I might try to pick up a few more autographs.

Always collect what you like within your budget. We have fun speculating on which cards, especially autographs, that might increase in value over time but seeing that unlikely payoff could be years to a couple of decades from now. Don't chase potential value in the future. Collect what you like now but also keep an open mind. As you gain experience, you will recognize good deals on cards you might not "need" now but they're a side interest and you might be happy later that you jumped on them when you did because they became more scarce over time.

I look at the want lists in the trade section and I see there are a lot of people that did collect almost everything but box prices for popular franchises have skyrocketed so many of us are looking for just the best deal on particular cards now. There are still members who buy cases but even they are becoming more selective about the series they go for.

I was thinking of buying a box of "The Mandlorian" Season 1 but the offer price has gone up from around $100 into the $150-175 range. Meanwhile, I checked recent sales on what people were actually pulling. I have to consider price against what I'm likely to get because of my budget. Had a box remained around $100, I might have jumped on one, but because you don't get even half a base set and you are too likely to get an autograph of the "third stormtrooper from the left" or other character I don't remember at all, I can't justify to myself stretching to $150 to buy a box. It's not simply the calculation of what the autographs ares selling for. It's that I would be paying a lot more for a lot less of what I used to get. If I pull an autograph of a character I recall quickly, even if that card might be considered rather common to others, I would be happy. I'm still willing to buy a box and take a shot at getting a main character autograph, but like the gumball machines of today, you don't get what you used to for a quarter and they don't even have dime machines anymore.

Jess

quote:

Originally posted by Brian T:
I have just started collecting autograph cards. So far I have been buying random cards of actors that I admire but I am interested in finding out what other members collect.
a) Do you just collect autograph cards that you like?
b) Do you collect to a theme ? e.g. Bond, Star Wars, Walking Dead etc. If so, do you purchase every autograph card?
c) Do you collect a favourite actor?
d) Do you collect by card manufacturer?
e) Do you collect EVERYTHING!

I have a small collection of autograph cards, maybe two dozen, and they're mostly actors and actresses I like. Usually I go for the cheapest available card even if it's not the card I really want. For example I have Erica Cerra's Battlestar Galactica card and not her Eureka card because the BSG card was so much cheaper.

This is an excellent topic. I've been lurking here for about a year now and this is my first post.

To me, it's mostly about the autograph itself. How much effort does the star put into his/her sig? I really hate when the card has a fabulous image but the star puts absolutely zero effort into the sig. For example, Daniel Craig's auto is a complete disgrace. Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Garner, just to name a few, all need to work on their sigs. My non-sports collection would be much bigger if more stars had cooler looking sigs.

If the card has a top notch sig with a great image, even better. If it's extremely limited, that's another bonus. When a card comes together and checks all the boxes, I just pounce on it. For example, when I first discovered the 2011 James Bond Mission Logs Pierce Brosnan, I just hit the "Buy it Now". No time to negotiate. I need that card.

Another card that jumps off the page is the 1999 Wild Wild West Salma Hayek. That image plus the signature plus the rarity of the card makes it a must have. I'll pay huge money for this card (especially the PSA 10).

Honorable mentions: 2007 Topps Megan Fox and 2002 Topps Jessica Alba.

Best sigs I've seen so far: Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek, Jackie Chan, Shannon Elizabeth. I've focused on their cards.

Looking forward to hearing what everyone else collects.

Thanks so much.

Welcome to the board, Cardboard Zombie and thanks for your comments. I saw one of the super-rare George Lucas autographs from the Indiana Joes Masterpieces set. It was barely a squiggle.

quote:

Originally posted by Cardboard Zombie:
This is an excellent topic. I've been lurking here for about a year now and this is my first post.

To me, it's mostly about the autograph itself. How much effort does the star put into his/her sig? I really hate when the card has a fabulous image but the star puts absolutely zero effort into the sig. For example, Daniel Craig's auto is a complete disgrace. Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Garner, just to name a few, all need to work on their sigs. My non-sports collection would be much bigger if more stars had cooler looking sigs.

If the card has a top notch sig with a great image, even better. If it's extremely limited, that's another bonus. When a card comes together and checks all the boxes, I just pounce on it. For example, when I first discovered the 2011 James Bond Mission Logs Pierce Brosnan, I just hit the "Buy it Now". No time to negotiate. I need that card.

Another card that jumps off the page is the 1999 Wild Wild West Salma Hayek. That image plus the signature plus the rarity of the card makes it a must have. I'll pay huge money for this card (especially the PSA 10).

Honorable mentions: 2007 Topps Megan Fox and 2002 Topps Jessica Alba.

Best sigs I've seen so far: Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek, Jackie Chan, Shannon Elizabeth. I've focused on their cards.

Looking forward to hearing what everyone else collects.

Thanks so much.

Thanks so much, Catskilleagle.

"It was barely a squiggle."

That's shameful really. Why ruin such a terrific collectible? In many cases, collectors are spending big money, going through pack after pack chasing these great cards. Then you finally score the best cards only to see a joke of an auto. Completely ruins the Box Break/Pack Opening Party.

BTW, Harrison Ford could use some work on his sig. He has many cool looking images, then fails miserably to complete the overall aesthetic by botching the sig.

It's amazing how many collectors spend huge money due to the star, but don't mind the garbage autograph.

I just noticed that it was actually the Indiana Jones Heritage set. I guess it is a little more than a squiggle but also something like the mathematical symbol for just not caring anymore. Here's the card:

quote:

Originally posted by Cardboard Zombie:
Thanks so much, Catskilleagle.

"It was barely a squiggle."

That's shameful really. Why ruin such a terrific collectible? In many cases, collectors are spending big money, going through pack after pack chasing these great cards. Then you finally score the best cards only to see a joke of an auto. Completely ruins the Box Break/Pack Opening Party.

BTW, Harrison Ford could use some work on his sig. He has many cool looking images, then fails miserably to complete the overall aesthetic by botching the sig.

It's amazing how many collectors spend huge money due to the star, but don't mind the garbage autograph.

I collect cards. I'd buy 'em blank as long as I got the card . However the actors are being paid and I really do think they should take more time.

Some celebrities have two signatures; an autograph signature, which can sometimes be little more than a squiggle, and an actual autograph, which is their actual signature. 99% of the time, you'll get their "autograph" signature. Why? Imagine getting George Lucas' actual signature, you know, the one he uses to sign checks? There's too much risk that someone might try forging an "actual" signature for nefarious purposes.

So, I guess you'd say that there's a celebrity's autograph and then their signature. They're not always the same thing.

quote:

Originally posted by Kennywood:
Some celebrities have two signatures; an autograph signature, which can sometimes be little more than a squiggle, and an actual autograph, which is their actual signature. 99% of the time, you'll get their "autograph" signature.

That's what used to be called, and I still call, the "money signature". Not so much that they have two different autographs, as it is that they are being paid for one and not paid for the other.

When a celebrity gives you a free autograph, I really don't think you have a right to complain what it looks like. They don't owe it to you. If in person, you are probably bothering them to some degree. They may be in a rush, there may others asking and waiting. Most will sign garbage to get rid of you, but it is still authentic garbage, even though you may have a hard time getting it certified if it doesn't compare well to other samples.

Thru the mail, all bets are off. It may be a free autograph, but often it's not real with autopens or some assistant mail opener doing the honors. For those celebrities that do it, they seem to have no idea that there is anything wrong with this practice even though they are flooding the market with forgeries.

And then there is the "money signature". Which I believe a celebrity owes you if you are paying them at a personal appearance, or owes the card company when they have paid contracts to sign cards or stickers. They are not rushed, they are not doing you a favor, this is a paid job. They MUST give you their best, consistent, recognized and displayable autograph.

Many do not, especially on certified autograph cards. You can often see it in the downward progression from when they first started to sign cards, over a period of years, to what their signatures look like now. Except for the valid excuse of age and/or bad health, the "money signature" shouldn't be shortening or deteriorating or radically changing from one paid job to the next paid job.

It's not that it can't be illegible either unfortunately. Truth is, some signers don't write well. The "money signature" itself can look bad and there's nothing you can do about that. You can't tell someone to write better.

However it must be consistent. Without consistency and with an unreadable signature, there is no way for anyone to tell what looks real and what doesn't. Two examples, Peter Dinklage has a bad signature, but it is consistent. Ben Affleck has a bad signature, he doesn't sign the same way twice. There is no way to pick out an Affleck fake in my opinion.

BTW, never pass judgement on a fake autograph, even if you are positive. All you can say is that it doesn't compare well to other samples or you wouldn't use it as a display item or you wouldn't buy it. All autograph certification is a matter of someone's opinion, even from a grading service. I have seen free in-person autographs that I wouldn't pay 10 cents for, but they are authentic. With the certified autograph card, card collectors deserve the "money signature". These are just my observations from what I have seen.

quote:

Originally posted by catskilleagle:
I just noticed that it was actually the Indiana Jones Heritage set. I guess it is a little more than a squiggle but also something like the mathematical symbol for just not caring anymore. Here's the card:

quote:

Originally posted by Cardboard Zombie:
Thanks so much, Catskilleagle.

"It was barely a squiggle."

That's shameful really. Why ruin such a terrific collectible? In many cases, collectors are spending big money, going through pack after pack chasing these great cards. Then you finally score the best cards only to see a joke of an auto. Completely ruins the Box Break/Pack Opening Party.

BTW, Harrison Ford could use some work on his sig. He has many cool looking images, then fails miserably to complete the overall aesthetic by botching the sig.

It's amazing how many collectors spend huge money due to the star, but don't mind the garbage autograph.

Wow, Catskilleagle. That's truly an embarrassing sig. Would've been a really neat collectible if he just could've taken a moment. Looks like he put about as much effort into that sig as he put into Phantom Menace.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

quote:

Originally posted by Kennywood:
Some celebrities have two signatures; an autograph signature, which can sometimes be little more than a squiggle, and an actual autograph, which is their actual signature. 99% of the time, you'll get their "autograph" signature.

That's what used to be called, and I still call, the "money signature". Not so much that they have two different autographs, as it is that they are being paid for one and not paid for the other.

And then there is the "money signature". Which I believe a celebrity owes you if you are paying them at a personal appearance, or owes the card company when they have paid contracts to sign cards or stickers. They are not rushed, they are not doing you a favor, this is a paid job. They MUST give you their best, consistent, recognized and displayable autograph.

Many do not, especially on certified autograph cards. You can often see it in the downward progression from when they first started to sign cards, over a period of years, to what their signatures look like now. Except for the valid excuse of age and/or bad health, the "money signature" shouldn't be shortening or deteriorating or radically changing from one paid job to the next paid job.

It's not that it can't be illegible either unfortunately. Truth is, some signers don't write well. The "money signature" itself can look bad and there's nothing you can do about that. You can't tell someone to write better.

However it must be consistent. Without consistency and with an unreadable signature, there is no way for anyone to tell what looks real and what doesn't. Two examples, Peter Dinklage has a bad signature, but it is consistent. Ben Affleck has a bad signature, he doesn't sign the same way twice. There is no way to pick out an Affleck fake in my opinion.

BTW, never pass judgement on a fake autograph, even if you are positive. All you can say is that it doesn't compare well to other samples or you wouldn't use it as a display item or you wouldn't buy it. All autograph certification is a matter of someone's opinion, even from a grading service. I have seen free in-person autographs that I wouldn't pay 10 cents for, but they are authentic. With the certified autograph card, card collectors deserve the "money signature". These are just my observations from what I have seen.

Excellent points, Raven. Thanks. We definitely deserve better "money signatures" when we're buying packs. I wish they followed this rule:
"And then there is the "money signature". Which I believe a celebrity owes you if you are paying them at a personal appearance, or owes the card company when they have paid contracts to sign cards or stickers. They are not rushed, they are not doing you a favor, this is a paid job. They MUST give you their best, consistent, recognized and displayable autograph."
Because so many don't follow this, I only have 5 cards in my celeb auto card collection in one full year of collecting. I will patiently wait for the perfect card with the perfect sig.

quote:

Originally posted by Cardboard Zombie:
Because so many don't follow this, I only have 5 cards in my celeb auto card collection in one full year of collecting. I will patiently wait for the perfect card with the perfect sig.

If there is one card title where upwards of 95% of the signers lay down autographs with perfect penmanship, that would be Twilight Zone. They all came from a time when people took pride in the way they wrote.

Welcome to Card Talk Zombie.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

quote:

Originally posted by Cardboard Zombie:
Because so many don't follow this, I only have 5 cards in my celeb auto card collection in one full year of collecting. I will patiently wait for the perfect card with the perfect sig.

If there is one card title where upwards of 95% of the signers lay down autographs with perfect penmanship, that would be Twilight Zone. They all came from a time when people took pride in the way they wrote.

Welcome to Card Talk Zombie.

Thank you, Raven. I'll definitely check those out. Very much appreciated.

If I cross my eyes and squint, I can almost make out a "G" and an "L" on that George Lucas card.

That Lucas is a cut signature, probably taken from a letter to Topps, as I recall them doing with a Lucas Star Wars autograph.

That's not to say if he was signing stickers or even an actual card that the signature would be any more legible, but at the end of the day, it's almost certainly as good as any other will ever be.

Autograph cards I've collected:
Star Wars
Simpsons
Scooby-Doo
American Horror Story
Six Feet Under
Dexter
Twilight Zone
Game of Thrones
True Blood
Twin Peaks
Actors I like from various sets (lots of Pop Century, Americana, American Pie, Golden Age, etc.)
Comic book artists & writers

I got a lot.

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