Category: Investment

Market Value Sustainability

There is no doubt that hand signed memorabilia holds substantial value which often increases over time. Unique and one of a kind items such as the memorabilia featured on our site have significantly appreciated in value over the past years. 

Some of our more investment savvy customers are constantly searching for items that fit this category. With the help of our team at Autographia, we are able to curate items that we believe will hold the most value over time for this type of buyer.

For example, photos signed by Jack Nicholson which sold for about $500 three to five years ago, are now valued at over 5x that price. 

With a market that is flooded with cheap forgeries, authentic examples are increasingly more difficult to find. That only has been compounded with the uncertainty of the current pandemic environment.

There is no guarantee that new authentic items with this level of value will appear on the market. This uncertainty has also significantly led to an increase in value.

If you are thinking of taking advantage of this increase in value to make an investment of your own, read below to learn more about how to get started.

 

What to Look For

Age, degree of fame, and, most importantly, uniqueness of the item all play a role in determining which autographs will make the best investment over the short and long term.

Other factors to consider include the quality of the signature, the era the item is from, and story – a unique narrative associated with the item will automatically increase it’s value. 

Other interesting investments to consider are complete collections. For example, the purchase of an entire set of Star Wars signed scripts is likely to translate to a substantially marked-up sale of the same collection over time.

We have seen this happen consistently over the years among collectors of screenplay sets, full band album collections, or signed book series. 

Whether you are investing in the signature of a celebrity who has passed, looking to collect a piece of history, or investing in someone who’s career appears to be on-the-rise, the more unique the marketability, the stronger the long term investment. 

Autographs offer an effective diversification avenue for customers with a substantial investment portfolio. Memorabilia offers a unique, promising, and fun investment opportunity.

 

What to Avoid 

While collecting autographs can definitely be a fun hobby, not every autographed piece that may have meaning to a collector is a good investment.

When purchasing with investment in mind it is important to consider factors that will affect the long-term value of the signed piece. These factors include: 

• Items that are not authenticated, are difficult to authenticate, or are not very rare. 
• Items that are signed by important or iconic figures – but not during important parts of their career. 
• Signatures of niche celebrities who are unlikely to maintain cultural relevance over time. 
• disreputable dealers
  

While all investments come with some risk, the best way to ensure that you are making a smart investment that is likely to increase in value over time, is to consult a qualified professional before making a big purchase.

 

Authentication 

It goes without saying that an autograph that is not authentic, will be worthless in terms of investment or, indeed, sentimental value.

This is why it is absolutely essential to consult with experienced professionals to make sure the item you are considering is authentic.

Otherwise you could be throwing your time, money, and emotional investment down the drain. 

 

Our Predictions

At Autographia we are always eager to advise you and offer guidance regarding which pieces we think will be the best investment.

You can always contact us with any questions and we will be happy to help you create a personalized investment strategy based on your budget, interest, and existing portfolio.

To get you started we’ve included a few basic predictions for the hottest names with the best staying power based on current and past trends. 

 

Music: 

When it comes to investing in the memorabilia signed by musicians, we recommend the oldies in general. More specifically you can’t go wrong owning a piece signed by Elton John, The Rolling Stones, or Bruce Springsteen. 

 

Movies:

If you interests lie more with the silver screen, we project the same surge that has seen prices explode for classic celebrity royalty like Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood to occur over time with the slightly younger, but proven, Hollywood leading actors such as Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, and Robert Deniro. 

New inventory on the market for these types of names is becoming scarcer and scarcer. 

We would also expect to see prices for the older generations of proven stars to continue to rise as they draw nearer to the end of their careers and toward being memorialized in history.

 

Television:

The same trends can be seen for established TV celebrities. Prices have skyrocketed for names like Bryan Cranston, Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David and the Friends cast.

Well established, classic shows that are no longer on the air provide significant opportunity for investors.

Stock is limited as-is, and because these shows are no longer airing, opportunities to acquire new inventory have significantly decreased, which has caused investors to be keen on these types of items and prices to shoot up. 

 

Ready to Invest?

If you’re ready to take the plunge into the fun and lucrative world of autograph investments, you are in the right place! At Autographia, our experts are able to leverage our broad and deep understanding of the market to advise our customers regarding these investment strategies.

We look forward to hearing from you!