Most expensive auto

[canjond]

Originally Posted by Lordstan

Button Gwinnett.

Certainly the most expensive DOI signature, although I believe 1 or 2 were recently discovered.

[Lordstan]

Originally Posted by canjond

Certainly the most expensive DOI signature, although I believe 1 or 2 were recently discovered.

I hadn't heard that. I wonder how much of a drop from his $1.1 million price tag that will bring?

[gnaz01]

William Henry Harrison signed AS President is no cheap feat.

[prewarsports]

Jesus?

Seriously, in Sports it would be Joss I am sure. The Kelly was expensive but it was also an absolutely beautiful signed albumem photo inside a program so part of the price was due to the medium it was signed on. My guess is that if a Joss signed document ever surfaced it would top $200,000. In the political world Gwinnett is tops but I think there are like 50-60 of his that exist, the demand is just so high. Shakespeare would probably top $10,000,000 but I don't think any are in public hands (all in museums or legal courthouses).

[GKreindler]

Regarding Billy, here's a little article from the New York Times, August 6, 1898:



I wonder if any of those collectors thought to themselves, "Meh, Shakespeare is grand, but I believe I would enjoy some scribes from those base ball men I saw at the Polo Grounds yesterday. Now, when is that parsnip soup coming my way?"

Or, maybe something like that.

Graig

[drcy]

I believe, traditionally the most valuable autographs are William Shakespeare and Julius Cesar. Declaration of Independence signer Button Gwinnett might now be ranked as third. Though not a household name, his signature is ultra rare and completing the Declaration of Independence Signers set is one of the ultimate feats in autograph collecting.

I've told people that I have a first edition copy of the Bible signed by the author, but few laugh at that joke.

[dgo71]

Wow Graig, amazing article. I had no idea the concept of autograph collecting, much less auctioning them at Sotheby's, was around way back in 1898!