Celebrity Autographs

Celebrity Autograph Collecting TTM

I have been collecting autographs TTM (Through The Mail) for a few months now. It is a very exciting and rewarding hobby that only costs you the price of an envelope and postage stamp. Many celebrities and athletes sign items through the mail and it is a very easy way to start, or continue, your collection.

Celebrity Autograph TTM Tips

Here are my top 10 tips on sending celebrity autograph requests through the mail

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1. Always inlcude a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE).
2. Address the athlete or celebrity as Mr. or Mrs./Ms.
3. Use of the words "Please" and "Thank You" is a must.
4. Always include enough return postage no matter what you are sending.
5. NEVER send anything TTM that you can't afford to lose. Some celebrities don't sign TTM.
6. Write a FAN LETTER, not a REQUEST LETTER. Mention how this person has made a lasting impression on you in some way.
7. Never send more than 2 items unless that person has granted you permission ahead of time.
8. To go with #7, if you are unsure if the celebrity you are writing will sign TTM write a short letter asking their permission. Being thoughtful will go a long way.
9. Be prepared to wait. This can be the hardest part, especially if it is a celebrity or athlete you really like. Some requests get back in 7-10 days, while others take months and years to come back.
10. This needs to be reinforced, DO NOT SEND ANYTHING TTM THAT YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE.

The Standard Guide to Collecting Autographs: A Reference & Value Guide by Mark Allen Baker

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Recent Celebrity Autograph Successes

All of my successes can now be found at my TTM Autograph blog.

Here is the address to check out my latest successes and also my latest sendouts. Thanks for visiting.

http://celebrity-autograph.blogspot.com

Things To Send TTM for Celebrity Autographs

Many things can be sent through the mail. Here are examples of what I send out.

1. Blank Index Cards
2. Custom Index Cards (Usually a photo of the person and their name printed out on 4x6 photo paper)
3. Trading cards (baseball, basketball, etc...)
4. 8x10 photos
5. Magazine Covers

Other people in the TTM community send out jerseys, helmets, balls, postcards, bats, action figures, starting lineups, posters, newspaper clippings (this is a real good idea, one that I am going to do soon).

But remember, DON'T SEND ANYTHING YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE.

Celebrity Autograph Resources

Baseball Autograph Collectors Handbook

by: Jack Smalling

Amazon Price: (as of 07/10/2009)

U S PRESIDENTS: a guide to authenticating autographs

by: Joseph Liberkowski

Amazon Price: $28.50 (as of 07/10/2009)

Deciding On Celebrities To Write

Decide on a theme for your celebrity autograph collection

Do not randomly send out autographs requests. You will find the hobby more enjoyable if you pick a theme that suits you. I am a big time sports fan, so I try to pick players that I have watched that made an impact on me.

Possible Themes:
1. Childhood Stars: Write to celebrities that you watched on TV during your childhood.
2. Favorite Movies: Make a list of your favorite movies and write to the cast of that movie.
3. Left handed pitchers: If you are left handed, write to other left handed players that you enjoyed watching.
4. Master's Champions: Write to golfers that have won the Master's.
5. Hometown Heroes: Write to celebrities that share the same hometown as you.

The list goes on and on, but those are a few suggestions to get you started.

Autograph Letter Writing Tips

Here are my tips on how to write a good autograph request letter

It is important to understand that receiving an autograph is a result of a quality fan letter. The celebrity you are writing isn't obligated to send you anything, but do so as a favor to you for taking time out to sincerely author a letter to them. Here are some tips for a good letter.

1. You are writing a fan letter, not an autograph request letter.
2. Write about various moments in this person's career that have affected you, or made an impact in your memory.
3. Ask questions. Many older athletes and celebrities will actually take time to write you back a letter answering your questions.
4. Handwrite it. This is one I am very big on. Handwrite your letter on nice stationary. It shows that you took time out to sincerely write this person. Too many people use typed form letters (the same letter is used repeatedly and all they do is fill in the person's name).
5. The autograph request comes at the end of the letter. Politely you can ask, "If you have time, could you please sign [insert item here] for me?"
6. Always thank them for their time at the end of the letter.
7. A thank you letter is not necessary, but is always a nice gesture. If the celebrity wrote you a letter back then you should write a thank you letter.

Autograph Resources

The Standard Guide to Collecting Autographs: A Reference & Value Guide

by: Mark Allen Baker

Amazon Price: (as of 07/10/2009)

Signatures of the Stars: A Guide for Autograph Collectors, Dealers and Enthusiasts

by: Kevin Martin

Amazon Price: (as of 07/10/2009)

Sending an 8x10 photo TTM

Sending 8x10 photos through the mail is very popular among autograph collectors. Here is a small guide to help you out.

I start off with an oversized 10x13 Catalog Envelope. This is the main envelope that I enclose everything in. I tried 9x12 envelopes but it was a tight fit for the return envelope and photo. I didn't want to risk the photo being damaged during the opening process.

The SASE should be a 8 1/2x11 Photo Mailer. These are great, have "do not bend" already stamped and are very easy for the celeb to seal up.

Address the SASE and put the necessary return postage on it. I used to just put 2 .39 cent stamps, but the new postage restrictions may require more postage.

Place everything inside the 10x13 mailer, address it, put a return address on it, and place the necessary postage on it.

There you go, it is that simple. Now, I take my large envelopes to the post office to get weighed because the new postage rates on various size envelopes can be confusing and I don't want to risk not getting my item back. The post office will be more than happy to help you out.

Autograph Resources

Photo/Document Mailer, 9x11-1/2

Amazon Price: $0.89 (as of 07/10/2009)

Quality Park 64014 Quality Park Extra-Rigid Fiberboard Photo/Document Mailers, 9x11-1/2, 25/Bx

Amazon Price: $20.39 (as of 07/10/2009)

Sending Floorboards TTM

If you want to collect basketball autographs, one of the new ideas that I really love is to send small floorboards for them to sign.

These can be bought at Home Depot and look like basketball hardwood floors. Each package comes with ten sheets, with each sheet measuring 12"x12". What is great about these though is they break apart into 4 6"x6" floorboards that are perfect for signatures through the mail. They do not cost much either and look great with signatures on them.

Check out your local Home Depot to see what I am talking about. You will fall in love with the idea.

Authentic Celebrity Autographs TTM

How do I know if my autograph is authentic?

You will never know an autograph you got through the mail is authentic unless you were present at the time of the signing. However, you can find resources online that compare signatures to what other people have received to check for authenticity.

The most sure way to know a TTM autograph is authentic is by having it graded. The two most trusted grading services are listed below.

PSA: http://www.psacard.com
Becket Grading Services: http://www.beckett.com

Those are the two most trusted autograph authenticators and will let you know if what you received is real or not.

Autograph Resources

The Address Directory of Celebrities in Entertainment, Sports, Business & Politics, Second Edition

by: David R. Moore

Amazon Price: $29.35 (as of 07/10/2009)

The Celebrity Address Directory & Autograph Collector's Guide

by: Lee A. Ellis

Amazon Price: (as of 07/10/2009)

Fake Autographs

Autopen

An Autopen is a mechanical device that signs a facsimile autograph to any flat object, like letters, photos, and cards. The Autopen has the celebrity's signature preprogrammed, and when a pen is inserted into the machine it simulates the celebrity autograph. Good Autopen signatures can be hard to detect, but there are always some signs that give away the use of an Autopen.

One sign of Autopen signatures are exact matches. Autopen signs the exact same signature every time. If you have two signatures and they match, exactly the same, then you have an Autopen. Try signing your name 10 times. Yes the signatures will be similar, but they will never be exact.

Shaky signatures are also a sign of an Autopen. When the Autopen signs, it vibrates slightly. If some of the lines in your signature are unnaturally shaky then you most likely have an Autopen.

Look for ink buildup at the beginning or end of the signature. The Autopen starts and stops by lifting the pen directly on and off the paper. This causes a very noticeable dot of ink at the beginning and end of signatures.

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