Q: Where can I find out the value of a president’s and first lady’s signature?
—Dorothy Beasley, Atlanta
A: Generally, pricing those autographs involves a few factors, with the timing of the autograph as the primary driver, Steve Sloan, vice president of Professional Sports Authenticator, told Q&A on the News via email.
“Autographs signed during the presidency command a premium over autographs signed before or after a presidency,” he wrote.
Presidents at the top of value chain include George Washington, John Adams, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and William Henry Harrison, who died only one month after taking office
“These presidents combine rarity and popularity, which drives up the value,” he wrote.
Martha Washington and Abigail Adams are two of the most expensive first lady signatures.
Lower-value presidential signatures are Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford, due mainly to the high number of available signatures. President Donald Trump also willingly signs during public appearances, he added.
Trump signature values range from $200 to $1,000, depending on the item, Sloan wrote. First lady Melania Trump autographs usually sell for around $50.
Another factor that drives value is the medium on which the autograph appears and the condition of the signature. Historically significant documents command a premium over personal checks or signatures on index cards, Sloan wrote. PSAcard.com provides a price guide; Collectors.com is a resource for real-time values.
Fast Copy News Service wrote this column. Do you have a question? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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