Celebrity autographs can be worth lots of money - and many of them are easier to get then you might think.

    Call them paparazzi. They're a new breed of autograph hound - professional celebrity hunters who scour restaurants, clubs, airports and everywhere else the glitterati gather. Some live in London others in New York, but most, like the remarkably resourceful Alfie Pettit, congregate in southern California. For four years, Alfie has been shadowing the stars, travelling the streets of Hollywood, Bel Air and Beverly Hills whit a trunkful of glossy 8"x10" photos to be signed. He's cornered John Goodman outside a chic L.A. restaurant, nabbed George Clooney midway through dinner whit Quentin Tarantino and scooped Roseanne at an ice cream parlor."Hey," said Roseanne, "you're gonna sell these aren't you?" When Alfie admitted so, she had just one question before signing: "So, what am I going for these days?" About 85 bucks, said Alfie. In a chance meeting whit Jerry Seinfeld, how is renowned among collectors for a lack of enthusiasm about signing autographs, Alfie presented a pile of photos. "What are you going to do whit these?" asked Seinfeld. "I'm going to sell them to fans of yours around the world who want an authentic, in-person signature," answered Alfie. "Well, at least you're honest about it," said the comedian as he signed. Seinfeld aside, Alfie claims that the majority of the big names are courteous and congenial whit fans, citing Friends star Courteney Cox as a prime example. "She's been around for a quite a while," say Alfie, "and ever since Springsteen Video Dancing in the Dark she's always been incredibly good about signing. These days, she's the hot ticket in town. She's the most recognizable of the Friends cast and is the one, along whit Matt LeBlanc, who everybody wants to meet. But even though she's now in the spotlight she's still very approachable. I've met her at movie premieres and seen her several times at the House of Blues, and every time I run into her she's happy to stop, Unlike autograph hunters of old, however, Alfie collects such signatures not for fun but for profit. And a tidy profit it is, too. According to industry experts, the average value of celebrity autographs has increased by anywhere from 200 to 500 per cent in the past 10 years. According to Alfie's catalogue, signed photos are worth anywhere from $55 Married... Whit Children 's David Faustino to $1,900 for Marlon Brando (and these prices are in USD). Prices are based on both the accessibility of the star and their popularity. Autographs from "tough signers" like Harrison Ford, Bruce Willis or Brando command top dollar, while the value of a signature from a more approachable celebrity like Cox goes up in direct proportion to her public appeal. "Two years ago I was listing her signed photos for about $40, but nobody wanted them," say Alfie. "Now she's selling for $90 and I can't keep them in stock." Still, fans eager to have a photo or signature of their favorite star don't have to shell out such big bucks. Often all that's required is a wellpenned letter and a stamp.

Back to articles page...