The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Q&A on the News
Q: Where can I find out the value of a president’s and first lady’s signature? —Dorothy Beasley, Atlanta
A: Two sites are PSAcard.com, which has a price guide that includes presidents and first ladies, and Collectors. com, which aggregates online auction and retail listings for real-time values.
A few factors contribute to the prices, Steve Sloan, vice president of Professional Sports Authenticator, told Q&A on the News via email. The primary driver on value is the timing of the autograph.
“Autographs signed during the presidency command a premium over autographs signed before or after a presidency,” he wrote.
For example, autographs that can be attributed to William Henry Harrison’s short presidential term can be worth up to $200,000, according to PSA, while autographs before his presidency command a few thousand dollars.
“Other presidents at the top of (the) value chain include George Washington, John Adams, Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy,” he wrote. “These presidents combine rarity and popularity, which drives up the value. Likewise, Martha Washington and Abigail Adams are two of the most expensive first lady signatures.”
Presidents and first ladies with autographs of lower value are Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter and Gerald and Betty Ford, which Sloan wrote is due mainly to the high number of available signatures on the market.
Autographs by President Donald Trump, who Sloan said willingly signs during public appearances, range from $200 to $1,000, depending on the item. First lady Melania Trump’s autographs typically sell for around $50.
“Another factor that drives value is the medium on which the autograph appears. As you might imagine, historically significant documents command a premium over personal checks or signatures on index cards. Another factor is the condition of the signature. Collectors like clean, fully scribed signatures with no signs of fading and minimal damage to the medium,” Sloan wrote. Q&A on the News runs Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Fast Copy News Service wrote this column. Do you have a question? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).