# What are autographs; why are they sought over? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 20, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741 "2011-07-20T18:19:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Infoseeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e68b1a/32.png) [@Infoseeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infoseeker)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/1 "2011-07-20T18:19:02Z")
I am a very blunt person. So I cannot perceive what a revered autograph is. Never receiving a good definition beyond it sounding like faith. So: What is an autograph? ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/2 "2011-07-20T18:21:07Z")
Besides proof that you interacted with someone famous? Do you need something more than that? ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/3 "2011-07-20T18:28:59Z")
I love books. Some of my favorite ones are where I’ve gotten the chance to have the author sign my books, and personalize them to me. His autograph just makes it a little more special because the person I like has actually touched the book, and has spent a few seconds in inscribing his name. Now, if it was just something like trying to buy a copy of their name signed on a bar napkin, then it wouldn’t be as special. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/4 "2011-07-20T18:33:41Z")
> [@Infoseeker](#): > > I am a very blunt person. So I cannot perceive what a revered autograph is. Never receiving a good definition beyond it sounding like faith. > > So: What is an autograph? I don’t understand the question. Are you asking “what is an autograph?” Are you asking “what is a revered autograph?” Are you asking “why would someone revere an autograph?” ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/5 "2011-07-20T18:46:25Z")
What the hell does bluntness have to do with understanding a concept? ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/6 "2011-07-20T18:47:12Z")
I see an autograph as a record of you having interacted with someone important to you… if only briefly. Autographs may have commercial value, or they may just have sentimental value to you. For example, if you had an autograph of Marilyn Monroe you could probably sell it for a lot of money to a collector, on the other hand if you had my autograph it would be worthless. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/7 "2011-07-20T19:04:22Z")
Autographs are valuable for the same reason as anything else: people want them, and there is a limited supply. The more famous the person, the more people want them. In addition, people who own an autograph of a favorite celebrity will want to hold on to it. Once a celebrity dies, the supply remains fixed (or drops, as documents with the signature are discarded). If the popularity remains, the price goes up. Simple supply and demand, really. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/8 "2011-07-20T19:19:01Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > I don’t understand the question. Are you asking “what is an autograph?” Are you asking “what is a revered autograph?” Are you asking “why would someone revere an autograph?” > [@Omar\_Little](#): > > What the hell does bluntness have to do with understanding a concept? I have the same questions. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/9 "2011-07-20T19:21:28Z")
> [@Infoseeker](#): > > I am a very blunt person. So I cannot perceive what a revered autograph is. Never receiving a good definition beyond it sounding like faith. > > So: What is an autograph? An autograph is someones signature on an item related to them, picture, book etc. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/10 "2011-07-20T19:43:36Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > An autograph is someones signature on an item related to them, picture, book etc. Not necessarily. It’s someone’s signature (usuall some type of celebrity or notable figure) provided as a memento. It doesn’t have to be on an item related to them. There are autograph books you can buy with blank pages to be signed by the various folks whose autographs you’d like to collect, and people have been known to get autographs on whatever writing surface is handy, be it a napkin or a even T-shirt that the collector is wearing. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/11 "2011-07-20T20:08:44Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > There are autograph books you can buy with blank pages to be signed by the various folks whose autographs you’d like to collect, and people have been known to get autographs on whatever writing surface is handy, be it a napkin or a even T-shirt that the collector is wearing. Or boobs. Don’t forget the boobs. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/12 "2011-07-20T21:54:49Z")
> [@Infoseeker](#): > > So: What is an autograph? Assuming Infoseeker just doesn’t have access to a dictionary: [au·to·graph](http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=autograph+define#hl=en&q=autograph&tbs=dfn:1&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=eE4nTpm_LqSEsgLljpg7&ved=0CBUQkQ4&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=68b2c9f6e06f422c&biw=1366&bih=643) verb /ˈôtəˌgraf/  autographed, past participle; autographed, past tense; autographing, present participle; autographs, 3rd person singular present (of a celebrity) Write one’s signature on (something); sign - the whole team autographed a shirt for him - an autographed photo adjective /ˈôtəˌgraf/ Written in the author’s own handwriting - an autograph manuscript (of a painting or sculpture) Done by the artist, not by a copier noun /ˈôtəˌgraf/  autographs, plural A signature, esp. that of a celebrity written as a memento for an admirer - fans surged around the car asking for autographs A manuscript or musical score in the author’s or musician’s own handwriting A person’s handwriting - a songbook in Purcell’s autograph ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/13 "2011-07-20T22:56:00Z")
Moving to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/14 "2011-07-20T23:12:05Z")
The more I think about it, the more the OP seems like it was written by a bot. ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/15 "2011-07-21T00:05:25Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > The more I think about it, the more the OP seems like it was written by a bot. Not everyone perfect English has:) ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/16 "2011-07-21T00:15:06Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Or boobs. Don’t forget the boobs. That’s the problem with writing children’s books. Nobody ever asks me to sign boobs. ---
**Author:** ![Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speak_to_me_Maddie)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/17 "2011-07-21T01:13:14Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:16, topic:589741”] That’s the problem with writing children’s books. Nobody ever asks me to sign boobs. [/QUOTE] Next time you do a signing in my area I’ll let you sign my man-boobs. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/18 "2011-07-21T01:30:36Z")
> [@Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](#): > > Next time you do a signing in my area I’ll let you sign my man-boobs. I’ll be careful never to do a book signing in your area 😉 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/19 "2011-07-21T03:15:02Z")
> [@Namkcalb](#): > > Not everyone perfect English has:) Yoda, may I have your autograph? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Infoseeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e68b1a/32.png) [@Infoseeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infoseeker)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741/20 "2011-07-22T03:42:53Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I have the same questions. I tried to word it that way, specifically to avoid the question getting moved to “IMHO” section; I see that it did not work. I must thank dolphinboy for that wording of it; it defintely gave me the paradigm shift I was looking for. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-autographs-why-are-they-sought-over/589741.md?page=2)