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Premium Pricing

Remember the days when an autograph collector could attend a comic convention or a sports collectors convention, and pay one price for an autograph that could be placed on anything collectible? Premium pricing did not exist. Whether Mark Hamill autographed an 8x10 photo or a lightsaber, or whether Don Mattingly autographed a baseball card or a baseball bat, the cost was the same. There was no charge for inscriptions. Entertainers and athletes were happy to oblige. What has happened to our hobby since then?

In a recent private autograph signing, Harrison Ford was requiring an additional $145 to autograph an 8x10 photo if it was signed by other cast members. This is a recent example of the direction that premium pricing is taking autograph collectors now. Hopefully, autograph collectors will not be paying an additional amount for each additional cast member on an item in the future. Perhaps it has already happened.

Hopefully Lee Majors will not charge a premium price to autograph a Col. Steve Austin action figure one day.

I imagine that premium pricing will continue to increase in our ever-changing hobby. Autograph collectors will continue to pursue successfully autographed items that they desire, and their autograph collections will continue to be enhanced, regardless of how financially difficult the hobby may become.

2 members like this

Comment by Dan Morris on April 27, 2022 at 5:01pm: I agree with the other comments that as long as people will pay it then they will keep charging. I wonder if the celebs themselves even know of these charges or if it is their management just adding fees for their own profit.

Charging extra to sign a cast item will certainly drive up prices and whilst many collectors will pay these fees without a second glance it does beg the question, will professional sellers or dealers even bother?

Comment by Mike Shepherd on April 28, 2022 at 12:04am: Eric, those images are absolutely amazing. Thank you for sharing them, and thank you for the information about the location.

Comment by Mike Shepherd on April 28, 2022 at 12:06am: Jason, I was not aware of your discussion. Great stuff.

Comment by Mike Shepherd on April 28, 2022 at 12:12am: Dan, I believe that most of the entertainers and athletes are aware of the premium pricing. I also believe that many of them are not happy about it. As a matter of fact, they may even be a little bit embarrassed about it.

Comment by terrier8HOF on April 30, 2022 at 3:15pm: love that color shot of the honeymooners. I believe that was the "Safe Driver Award" episode one of my favorites.

Comment by Mike Shepherd on April 30, 2022 at 5:40pm: Yes, Terrier. Alice’s dress is a dead giveaway. I truly loved that TV show, and I truly appreciate Eric for sharing those images with us. Regarding a favorite episode, I have only three words. “Do The Hucklebuck.”

Comment by Eric Keith Longo on April 30, 2022 at 5:54pm: Ah Mike, I only saw the first letter of the first word in my email and I guessed "dus a brive" from "The $99.000 Answer".

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