How To Buy Guidelines In Autograph Collecting
Author: Graeme Hobson
Website: http://www.craftsfinder.com
Added: Tue, 17 Apr 2007 09:15:15 -0400
Category: Autographs
Views: 101

When you are not sure of what you are doing, it is best to start out small. While you are learning how to buy the inexpensive way is the way to go if you are autograph collecting. You sure don’t want to waste your money. It may not be your intention to buy to resale, but you sure want to be satisfied with your autograph purchase.

You need to ask the dealer questions and more questions, such as the source of the autograph, how long the dealer has been in business, and you may even ask for customer references. Even with all of this, you still be dealing with someone who has less integrity than you desire. If the dealer provides evasive answers to your questions, or if he provides unsatisfactory answers to your questions, let that be a warning sign and do not rush into any offer no matter how good it sounds. Time is important when autograph collecting, nevertheless, it may be better to waste time then money. When you decide to resale your investment ten years from now, you want to be sure you have something worth selling. And even more so that the mementoes you pass on to your love ones were actually signed by your hero, not someone in the penitentiary serving time for fraud.

You have to be smart, do some research, make contacts with other dealers and autograph collecting people and remember the old adage,” If it’s too good to be true, it probably is! Dealers who are respectable and with integrity will not mind such questions because they understand that you may be new to the hobby of autograph collecting and need to ask more questions to verify any purchase you make.

A seasoned person autograph collecting is more astute and will be able to spot most rip - off artists who want to make quick money by forging an autograph of a hot celebrity. Using online auctions for autograph collecting can be deceiving and these auctions should be used with caution. You may get many good deals from online auctions on items like baseball cards, comic, and other collectibles. But when it comes to bidding on autographs, you may just be bidding on a forgery. Your recourse if this happens may be limited because these kinds of people disappear literally into thin air after they upload a batch of fake autographs. The sad thing about auctions, you can’t put too much stock in the feedback portion. Let’s face it, if they knew the item was a forgery, more than likely they would not have bidded. When autograph collecting and you order something online, you give positive feedback based on how quickly the order delivered.

It may be several days, months, or even years before you discover that you have been taken or ripped off. You need to fine a few reputable dealers that you can trust. You don’t need a mall full of dealers, because the higher the number of dealers you’re buying from, the more likely you will buy some un - authentic autographs. Autograph collecting is a challenging task. If you really want to be at the top of your interest, join an organization such as the UACC. You can become a regular member of one of these groups for a low membership fee. The collective wisdom of the membership will teach you a lot. Stick with the dealers you can trust.

About the Author:
Graeme has a huge interest in lots of hobbies including Rc Cars and RC Hobby

More Autographs articles