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www.eHistoryBuff.com
Original
Historical Autographs
Appraising or Valuing Your
Autographs
If You Want to Know the Value of Item(s)
You Own or Sell Them
OBTAINING
AN ESTIMATE OF VALUE
We
receive, almost on a daily basis, multiple request(s) for our opinion
as to the value of an item frequently without either a description or
an image of the article to be valued. Because of the increasing volume
of these requests we have out of necessity developed the policies outlined
herein and we hope that those seeking our opinion understand why it
is necessary for us to have such policies.
We do not provide
estimates of value without examining the item or an image of the item..
Furthermore we do not provide free valuations of signed material
or other historical artifacts.. The three exceptions to this policy
are: Our Clients, United States Military Service personnel or students.Our
charge for the time involved to estimate the value of an autograph or like
items is $50.00 . For that fee we offer a best estimate of current
retail value. Retail values change all the time. Sometime, a good scan will
be sufficient to enable us to determine the approximate retail value of
an item. Any additional information that a seller can provide is also helpful:e.g.
information as to the origin of the item, where was it purchased,has it
been authenticated and by whom, etc.Our contact information at the end of
this page.This process produces an estimate of value usually conveyed verbally
or by email. A detailed written proposal that may be used for insurance
or the IRS requires much more work (time) and is that type of appraisal
is discussed subsequently
herein.
The value of autograph
is determined by a combination of the following: rarity, condition, historical
significance, and content if it is a an autographed letter. Something
entirely in someone's hand is usually worth more that a comparable typed
letter.The value of signed photographs and books is determined by similar
criteria-mainly rarity and condition.
As an alternative
to paying for an estimate of value, we suggest you consult with your local
library or bookstore where price guides on autographs are available. One
such reference is: (SANDERS PRICE GUIDE TO AUTOGRAPHS-ED. SAFFRO,SMITH
AND SHAW, ALEXANDER BOOKS, abooks.com.) Or visit autograph
web sites and determine what, for example, an item like yours is selling
for. Just Google historic(al) autographs to find dealers with items
for sale. Remember, there are two prices-retail and what
a dealer will pay for an item or wholesale. But remember, the
autograph market is like any other market and it changes constantly and
the desirability of owning the autograph of a given historical figure
changes quickly as history gets rewritten and revised.
WRITTEN APPRAISALS:
We also do written
appraisals for a fee. The total cost depends on the nature of
the item being appraised and the purpose of the appraisal. For example,
appraisals for the IRS require extensive research and documentation
and anyone who gives such an appraisal has serious legal exposure with
the government if it can be shown that the item was overvalued.Because
of the time involved this type of appraisal is the most costly.Written
proposals for insurance purposes usually cost somewhat less.Obtaining
an appraisal which involves research (time) is different than obtaining
some 'rough estimate' of value. Fee-based appraisals can be arranged by
contacting us. Our appraisal fee is billed at the rate of $75.00 per hour.
SELLING AUTOGRAPHS
TO US:
We are always
interested in buying either complete collections or individual items.
The attributes that make an autographed item desirable are condition,
rarity, content (when applicable) and provenance (did it come from a reliable
source? has it been previously authenticated and by whom? Items purchased
on ebay from someone not known to us usually are not of interest to us.
For further guidance see our thoughts on AUTHENTICATION
OF AUTOGRAPHS.
There are three ways
to sell your item: first,sell to another individual (private treaty);
second, sell at auction (including ebay); and, third, sell to a dealer.
We have prepared a separate article on AUTOGRAPH
AUCTIONS. What follows are some guidelines for selling to a dealer.
First, don't send
out to whom it may concern emails or the equivalent . It indicates
that you are 'shopping' the item . 'Shopping' an item greatly diminishes
its value because the item is no longer 'fresh' to the market. Dealers
have more incentive to buy when an item is new to the market because it
brings the best price under those circumstances. So your best bet is to
look around and select one dealer, tell that dealer you are willing to
deal with him/her only and see if you can arrive at a price by honest
negotiations. It is best to prepare to sell your item by first checking
prices (2nd paragraph) and by preparing images of what you want to sell
on a scanner so they are available to any interested buyer. These images
are called jpgs (pronounced -jaypegs) images. They should be saved at
72 pixels resolution and 6 inches maximum dimension (the other dimension
self-adjusts on the scan). Otherwise the image is too big and will take
forever to download.If you do not have a scanner a digital photograph
may work but it is often difficult to see details of the writing and signature(s)
or the condition of a document on a photograph. We cannot make an offer
on something we have not seen.
When we make an offer
it is a one time offer and if it is not accepted we withdraw the offer
so that our offer cannot be used as leverage on another dealer. We try
to make a very fair offer but one that we can make a profit on when we
are able to resell an item.That offer is based on current market conditions.
Most dealers object
to individuals who are faux sellers and who only want an offer on their
item as a means of obtaining a free 'appraisal' which is a waste of our
time. Some dealers will not make offers but, rather, request that the
seller state their selling price.
. CONTACT
US:
To inquire
about an estimate of current value, appraisals or selling your collection
or individual item please call, write, or email:
The History
Buff, Inc.-17509 Bearpath Trail, Eden Prairie, MN 55347
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