Celebrity
autographs can be worth lots of money - and many of them are
easier to get then you might think
Call them the 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," saya 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 Le Blanc, 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 Alfa'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," saya 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.
