Who are the most valuable and expensive autographs sought by collectors today? William Shakespeare tops the list with Abraham Lincoln, John Lennon, and guitar gods Jimmy Page and Jimmy Hendrix
April 15, 2009 by Richard Budman ·
Reporter Jonathan Evans of Wales Online News just published a list of the Top Five Most Expensive Autographs that seems to be making some news around the net. Evans list includes;
1. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE – potentially worth in the millions of dollars because “only six authentic signatures exist.”
2. US President ABRAHAM LINCOLN – “The highest price ever paid on the open market for a single signed autograph letter was $748,000″
3. JOHN LENNON – “last copy (of album Double Fantasy) autographed by Lennon before he was killed by Mark Chapman was sold for $525,000, becoming the most valuable record ever.”
4. JIMMY PAGE – “Jimmy Page’s signed guitar is one of the most prized signed possessions on sale at £49,000 ($73,000)”
5. JIMMY HENDRIX – “A piece of paper signed by Jimmy Hendrix has a starting price of £41,000 ($61,000)”
While its hard to argue with Evans choice of the top three. For the only person still alive on the list, the Jimmy Page autographed guitar seems very high for a piece he just signed and must be a guitar that Page actually used. Sure, Page is now known as almost an impossible autograph and has not signed a collectors guitar in years – there are many cases of authentic signed Page guitars selling for well under $10,000 (that is, guitars he has just signed, not actually played on.)
HoundsTV decided to ask autograph expert Michael Frost, founder of the International Autograph Collectors Club (IADA-CC.com) about this recently published list on the Wales News website.
Frost also felt the Jimmy Page guitar did not belong on Evans list and also wondered who was paying such an excessive amount for just a piece of paper signed by Jimmy Hendrix (that value would certainly make more sense if the Hendrix item was an album or guitar.)
Frost offered some suggestions that he could see fit on a “most valuable autograph” list including – U.S. President GEORGE WASHINGTON, reclusive author J.D . SALINGER (The Catcher in the Rye), JIM MORRISON & THE DOORS, a complete signed BEATLES, ELVIS PRESLEY, and actress GRETA GARBO.
You might also enjoy seeing:
