[mighty bombjack]

Originally Posted by Frozen in Time

Collecting anything is a learning experience. For almost all of us, this is a gradual process but one that, in the end, provides as much if not more satisfaction as does any individual item.

Once you have decided what you want to collect, and this should always be based on what really excites and/or interests you, rather than future monetary gains, start the learning process. Read as much as you can, go to shows and physically examine items, talk to various dealers, ask questions and visit this site.

In your case, start with a low-end autograph, view as many as you can, try to compare authentic vs known forgeries, etc. If you follow this type of progression not only will you be more confidant in what you buy but you will have established a growing knowledge base to build upon.

For most of us this is a long-term project and one that continues to present new challenges along the way - but that is precisely where all the fun is!!!

I agree with everything written here. I enjoy the learning aspect of autograph collecting even more than the "actually touched by the person" aspect.