Comment by Steven Jackson on May 21, 2012 at 1:46pm

IMO id say it hurts the value around 20% for example ive bought autographs inscribed to someone else because i could get them cheaper. some people don't care as long as it is real, others are very pickey I know collectors that like to pretend there items were inperson therefore can't have any personilization in there collection at all.

 

 

At the same time without personiling it "to fred" a simple greeting like love, thanks for the support, cheers, all the best can raise the value if it isn't signed to someone else like i have a paul mccartney signed "all the best paul mccartney 08" and that would be worth more since it isn't signed to anyone.

 

Sometimes you can get great deals where the seller has the same name as you , and you get it cheap and it's kinda signed to you :)

Comment by DB on May 21, 2012 at 5:03pm

depends on who it is inscribed to and the age of the item.  having both an inscription and an autograph depends on both people, and the graph, being rare and of some historical significance.

So many actors have inscribed photographs to fans that these photos have little value.  in general;I've heard the following more than once, "A $50 vintage vinyl record album can turn into a $150 album if the famous artist happens to be in town and you can get the album cover signed. But just get it signed, don't have it inscribed. Having it inscribed to you takes it back down to maybe $20."

Comment by Josh Board on May 23, 2012 at 9:10am

You ask a great question, Susan. Let me tell you the EXACT answer (the previous posts do a good job touching on it). Yes, it lowers the value. And a way to realize that is....name your favorite singer. Let's just say it's Elvis. Would you rather have a framed album that said "Elvis Presley" signed? Or would you rather have one that said "Hi Edward. Best, Elvis Presley."

Now, let's take it a step further. Elvis has a lot of forgeries out there. Certain people have a lot of forgeries, if they are popular and easy to forge (elvis and Jim Morrison fit in this category). Soooo, you can easily make the argument that a personalized with those two is more valuable, just for one reason and one reason alone. Why would somebody forge a signature, making it less valuable to sell? And, by doing more writing in that persons hand? Surely it's easier to spot a forgery if some yahooo in their basement is writing "Hey Bob, Last night was a blast, Babe Ruth." They wouldn't risk doing that. There's too much that can go wrong, so they'd want to keep it simple. They'd buy an old baseball at a pawn shop somewhere, use some kind of ink that looks old, AND...THEY WOULD NOT PERSONALIZE IT!!!!

Now, let me add one more thing that ALL OF YOU BETTER FOLLOW. There is nothing I hate more, as a collector and a fan, than to be with the person I want signed, and some idiot in front of me says to the star....well, I'll use Todd Rundgren. My friend and I each brought two albums (we don't like to bring more than 2 items or you look like eBay scum). The guy in front of me had 20 albums. Todd asked who he wanted the albums made out to, and the guy said "Don't personalize them." His wife laughed and said "Have fun selling those." To which the guy said "I'm not going to sell them. It's for a private collection."

Now, the vibe just got ruined for everyone else. I don't care who the F*** you are meeting, and how less valuable it makes your piece. If they ask you, you smile, and say your name. Any collector doesn't mind it saying "To Josh, best wishes, Paul McCartney." If you say no, just to keep the value up, you turn them off. AND, they might say no.

Comment by DB on May 23, 2012 at 12:47pm

JOsh, - depends on the venue.  if you are at a show and they ask one can politely use a number of reasons for not personalizing something.  There are a couple of diehards however that won't sign it unless it is personalized.  I am sure there are exceptions.  Some I have personalized but most I don't and since I'm paying for it the option rests with the buyer, not somone a few positions back in the crowd.. 

Again, there is a distinction between a "paid" per item show and a concert.  However, at concerts I've alos opted not to have some items personalized to me. 

Comment by Travis Christenberry on May 23, 2012 at 1:45pm

If I were the celebrity, artist, or athelete I would never sign anything unless I personalized it for them. I wouldn't want people to make money off of me signing my name. If the fan doesn't want it personalized then they don't really want it, they only want it for it's value.

Comment by Steve Zarelli on May 23, 2012 at 4:08pm

For common low price sigs there is no doubt a personalization kills the value.

IMO, for high value, high risk sigs, the more writing the better.

Comment by Jon Kellogg on May 26, 2012 at 8:11pm

If they are a common show goer it can make it worthless.

Just remember, your autographs will be sold. Maybe not by you or even your kids, but someday, by someone. Or even worse you need the money, whether your sick or lost your job.  

I've seen on other sites were guys were adamant they would never sell. A year later the entire collection is on the market. I never get an inscription unless I have too. 

Comment by Eric Keith Longo on April 22, 2022 at 6:35am

I love it, especially when combined with a date. More is more. My Sunset Bld. Swanson is dedicated but inscribed "Sunset Blvd 1949" and I've never seen that The film was released in 1950. The photo is also very rare rare as it is one of Norma's publicity photos - she can be seen signing them in the film.

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