I have recently started collecting on card autographs of actors that I admire. I soon realised that big savings could be made if you buy an autograph on a card of a different franchise.

Examples:

Brent Spiner - Star Trek £100  - Outer Limits £35
Bruce Boxleitner - Battlestar Galactica £99 - Heroes £25
David Bradley - Harry Potter £60 - GOT £15
George Takei - Star Trek £85 - Heroes £20
Ming Na Wen - Agents of Shield £90 - Stargate £60

So if you are collecting for pleasure and not for investment, what is most important to you, the autograph or the card?

I collect the actors that I like, regardless of the product they are on. I'll never get out of them what I put into them and don't really care. My kids will probably use them as bookmarks. No worries though!

If I didn't enjoy an actor in particular roles then I probably wouldn't want their autograph. So a franchise specific card is VERY important to me (if my preferred choice is available), even if I am a fan of their work in general.

To use your examples of Brent Spiner... I think he is a great actor, but my appreciation of his talents is obviously down to his portrayal as Data. So a Trek Data card is a must have for me. Outer Limits or Big Bang equivalents just would not scratch that itch.

That said, I recently picked up a TNG Ronny Cox auto - I thought he was really good in his two Trek episodes, but enjoyed him far more as Dick Jones in Robocop. Then again, the card was cheap and there were no other options!

Personally I am generally an autograph card collector -- the card is less important to me -- although I do prefer a nice looking card. There are a lot of autograph centric sets like Pop Century that really are great for autograph collectors.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: webjon,

For me the picture on the card goes a long way, i've got to look at it so it needs to be nice. There are folks i would like and for certain roles but i don't like the photo on the card so i don't get it.

quote:

Originally posted by Brian T:
So if you are collecting for pleasure and not for investment, what is most important to you, the autograph or the card?

To keep it simple without delving into the many factors that should be considered when buying certified autograph cards, I collect primarily for the actor and their entire body of work, so the autograph is most important to me above any one character or specific title. However I have bought autograph cards for all three reasons.

I have to add that while you separate pleasure and investment motives, you can't take card price out of the equation. No matter how much I may want a particular signed card, if its more than my own estimate of value, I will pass.

quote:

Originally posted by wolfie:
For me the picture on the card goes a long way, i've got to look at it so it needs to be nice. There are folks i would like and for certain roles but i don't like the photo on the card so i don't get it.

Great point. A terrible photo can really turn me off a purchase.

quote:

Originally posted by Brian T:
So if you are collecting for pleasure and not for investment, what is most important to you, the autograph or the card?

Never really know about the investment factor. The off card has potential in rarity when comparing say Star Trek over Outer Limits.

As long as there is no major difference in signatures I do tend look for a less produced card as long as we are only discussing on card autographs.

If the cheaper card was an early fuller sig then they sign now I would most likely opt for it as over time those autographs tend to be more sought after.

I bought a Nimoy recently. I just wanted to have one before they became too rare. My only requirements was it had to be a Trek autograph and the typical blue ink. (Not the silver variations)

quote:

Originally posted by mykdude:
If the cheaper card was an early fuller sig then they sign now I would most likely opt for it as over time those autographs tend to be more sought after.

Yes, agree completely. Many signers shorten their autographs over time or just get sloppier, not counting the toll age or illness can take on a once clean signature. A complete, crisp autograph is just more attractive and worth a premium.

Mike, I hate the silver and gold inks. They are supposed to stand out more against the darker backgrounds and be classier than the plain old blue or black signatures. Instead they streak and don't hold an even line and are often too light. Card makers should just throw away those pens and that design, but they already have them signed.

Thank you for your comments, its good to hear what other collectors think about the hobby.
For me the most important is the card image, I must be able to recognise the actor (as previously mentioned, some autographs are no more than squiggles).Then I prefer Portrait over Landscape, Full Bleed over Bordered and finally the Autograph.
I also agree that if I don't like the card I will not buy it. A good example of this is the David McCallum autograph card from Outer Limits.
As I have just started autograph card collecting I am more than happy to purchase the inexpensive versions. Perhaps this will change as my collection increases. 
I am hoping that I may be able to afford some autographs when the new Picard cards are released.

quote:

Originally posted by Brian T:
I also agree that if I don't like the card I will not buy it. A good example of this is the David McCallum autograph card from Outer Limits.

Wow! Really? That is a great card with a very nice and clean signature.

quote:

Originally posted by Brian T: 
I am hoping that I may be able to afford some autographs when the new Picard cards are released.

Except with Umbrella Academy, RA products tend to be a slow burn in value. They jump out high and then settle....often significantly. Over time the value creeps up as product is absorbed. Like real value should. Obviously sigs such as Patrick Stewart are not going to be found in the bargain auction but Picard has plenty of young and first time autograph card talent that will most likely be picked up for a good price.

Thanks for the advice on the RA products, that's good to know. My issue with the David McCallum card is that he has so much prosthetic you can't identify him.

quote:

Originally posted by Brian T:
My issue with the David McCallum card is that he has so much prosthetic you can't identify him.

Yeah I have the same issue with the Star Wars common autograph cards. I would at least like to see the face of the actor that I don't know, not covered in make up or wearing a rubber head.

However with McCallum, I believe the Outer Limits card is his only certified autograph. He might have snuck into an Americana or Pop Century set, but I can't recall it.

So I have that McCallum card too, because I had no other option.