Collecting autographs is a uniquely personal pursuit.
It leads average people to ask celebrities to lend small pieces of themselves, simply for the purpose of connecting in some small way with a famous stranger.
There are no shortage of horror stories of autograph hounds behaving badly or celebrities rebuffing fans without much of a thought. But, in some cases, the chase for an autograph can extend beyond the standard social dynamics, contending with forces of history, circumstance and even death.
Some signatures are tougher than others. And some are almost impossible.
To that end, here’s the cllct list of the 10 rarest and most valuable autographs:
1. Stephen Hawking
At just 21 years old, Hawking was diagnosed with ALS in 1963. Despite doctors' predictions that he was unlikely to live more than a few more years, he not only beat the odds of his own disease, but managed to upend the world of physics in the process.
By the mid-’70s, Hawking had lost his ability to write, making early autographs and signatures extraordinarily rare. His original PHD thesis, signed in the mid ‘60s, sold for $766,475 in 2018 at Christie’s. It is believed to be one of just five known copies.
2. Christy Mathewson
Mathewson was a dominant right-handed pitcher during the early 1900s, during a time when fanfare was minimal and demand for autographs was rare. Combined with his early death at the age of 45, the Baseball Hall of Famer left very few autographs behind.
In December 2020, a single-signed Mathewson ball, considered to be the finest ever offered at public auction, sold at Christie’s for $187,500.
3. Steve Jobs
A famously elusive signer, Jobs left very few autographs behind after his death in 2011. With some estimates placing the number of in-person autographs in the dozens, prices have skyrocketed in recent years.
In 2021, the record was established for any item signed by the Apple founder when Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay spent $787,484 on an Apple II Manual signed and inscribed by Jobs.
4. “Shoeless” Joe Jackson
Embarking on his baseball career at the age of 13, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson exhibited generational talent, so proficient at hitting that none other than Babe Ruth emulated his style. Had it not been for his implication in the 1919 Black Sox scandal, Jackson’s place in the Hall of Fame would be all but assured.
Despite his stardom, Jackson signatures are incredibly scarce due to his illiteracy. There is just one example of a signed photograph of Jackson, graded PSA/DNA 9. In October 2021, it sold for $1,470,000 at Christie’s.
5. Mao Zedong
His legacy as the leader of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution in the mid-20th century in China led Mao Zedong to become one of the most controversial figures in world history, as well as in the realm of autograph collecting.
Whether due to his intimidating nature and closed-off private life — nearly always buttressed by armed guards — Mao autographs are few and far between.
Of his rarest and most valuable signatures, his autograph letters are the most scarce. Only three have ever appeared on the international market, according to a 2023 Sotheby’s auction listing, which sold a 1937 calligraphic letter for $508,000.
T6. Archibald “Moonlight” Graham
Unlike some of the other names on this list, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Graham’s autograph is incredibly difficult to find. He only played two MLB inninings in 1905, never appearing in the batter’s box nor recording an out.
It wasn’t until 1982, when Graham was included in the novel Shoeless Joe, that collectors begun to seek out his autographs. Only around five are believed to exist, with one of the most recent sales appearing at a Love of the Game auction during which a 1906 minor-league postcard sold for $5,000.
T6. Button Gwinnett
The rarest signature of any signer of the Declaration of Independence is a name you almost certainly have never heard of before now. His name is Button Gwinnett, an obscure representative from Georgia who became one of the 56 signers of the 1776 document.
Due to Gwinnett’s lack of political status (relative to his fellow co-signers) and his untimely death in a duel less than a year after the signing, collectors seeking to acquire a complete set of all signers of the Declaration have made his autograph among the most sought-after of all the signers.
Just 51 known examples of his signature are known to exist today, with the majority are held in public institutions. In 2010, Sotheby’s sold “the finest Button Gwinnett autograph that will ever be available for sale” for a record-breaking $722,500.
8. Josh Gibson
Playing from 1930-46 in the Negro Leagues, Gibson never was given the opportunity to play in the MLB as he died of a stroke just months before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. Though Gibson’s talents as one of the greatest players of his generation (regardless of race) were well-documented, the Hall of Fame catcher rarely was asked for autographs by fans as a member of the Negro Leagues.
The result is less than a dozen autographed Gibson baseballs extant, each fetching large sums each time they come up for auction. At a Robert Edwards Summer Auction in 2021, a single-signed Gibson ball, dated to the 1940s, sold for $198,000.
9. William Shakespeare
Despite the playwright’s voluminous portfolio of printed works, Shakespeare's autograph remains arguably the rarest of any contemporary historical figure. The Bard left behind a mere six authenticated examples of his signature — each of which are penned on legal documents and housed by public institutions.
Estimates for the value of a Shakespeare signature at open market often fall as high as $5 million, though due to a dearth of historical sales data, it is nearly impossible to place a price on such rarities.
T10. Eddie Gaedel
Good luck trying to find an autograph of Gaedel. The shortest man to ever play in a major-league game, Gaedel was hired by St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck for one at-bat in 1951. The 3-foot-7 Gaedel walked on four pitches and then returned to his life as a little man for hire. He died 10 years later at the age of 36.
Gaedel's autograph is the most affordable on this list ($3,000 to $5,000) when his signature comes up at auction, which is usually once a year. A government postcard signed by Gaedel sold for $10,200 in August 2017 at Heritage.
T10. Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe
After Monroe's death in 1962, DiMaggio refused to sign his name to anything relating to his late wife. He made one exception, signing the debut edition of Playboy magazine from 1953. After Yankees minority owner Barry Halper asked him to sign it, DiMaggio said: "O.K., but I don't want anyone to see it in my lifetime." It sold for $62,500 at Christie's in October 2021.
After Marilyn Monroe's death, Joe DiMaggio refused to sign his name to anything relating to his late wife.
— Will Stern (@WillStern_) March 26, 2024
He made an exception, signing this 1953 PlayBoy #1.
After Yankees minority owner Barry Halper asked him to sign it, DiMaggio said:
"O.K., but I don't want anyone to see… pic.twitter.com/ufLcGkIrGY
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct. You can follow him on X at @Will__Stern.