TO SELL OR NOT TO SELL IS THE QUESTION

  When you start out as a " Grapher" it is always for the passion of meeting a famous celebrity  and goes into a book of memories in usually a neat fashion. In most cases the passion grows either but opportunity or desire and before anyone can realize a few turns into a hundred then into thousands. I have been a collector for almost 50 years and I can honestly say I have sold a few here and there to friends at usually half the cost they are worth.  Autographs are an investment that increases in many of them either by the rarity or the popularity of the individual. BABE RUTH was one of the best signers and never turned down a request but his autograph is searched and wanted by the true collector of memorabilia.It really depends on the person and if someone wants someone or some bodies the price changes always. Over the past 10 years anyone who is organized( and the professional graphers are always no matter if they collect or sell) are always bunched together. I would say at least 50 percent of anyone signing makes some remark similar to " Selling that on E BAY or You are an EBAYER' but most of us on an average have about 3 items.This has evolved due to the cost of getting an autograph today. The Paper, the Photo Ink, the gas at over 3.50  a gallon has to come from somewhere to make the trip worthwhile as all of us in the back of our mind know we probably will sell one or 2 to outset the growing expenses.  What has made this generalization of all graphers  are those who make it so obvious that they are selling and not collecting. Someone with 10 albums in his hand. Someone with 5 of the same photos. Someone carrying a box of 11 x 14's and knowing the celeb realizes that they are not going to frame everyone of them on their walls. Also many celebs are very suspicious no matter if you tell them you are a fan and not selling them. Many do sell as the passion has turned into making a profit and I realize now some do deliver a good service. Someone in the far corner of Montana who loves all the movies on Harry Potter will never get an opportunity to meet one of the stars and if they could frame a picture on their wall of an autograph it may make them very happy. But again remember the Time and the expense of getting the autograph is there and truly in most cases does not fully cover the expense of getting it. 

  I remember this man in his 80's who had thousands of signed pieces of famous people and especially athletes that he collected as a boy. He gave me many of them but when I asked what was he going to do with all of them he replied" I will pass them on to mu son" Well he passed away and his son had no desire to know what to do with them and he sold them to some professional dealer at a ridiculous price and off they went .A fellow grapher said" Doc you need to sell them as when you die one day are they going to shovel them all into the hole with you" He is right . The more time goes on I would like someone to enjoy many of the great pieces I have collected for 50 years so they too can enjoy them as time goes on. 
  So the Morale is to Sell or Not to Sell that is question.