Most autograph collectors start out by seeking out sports and entertainment figures and asking them for their autograph. In most cases these autographs are free and very personal. However, collectors soon become more serious and start collecting autographs that can be grouped into three categories, Historical, Political and Science or Inventor. Today millions of hobbyist collect autographs that connect us the with past and bring history to life. The most popular form of autograph collecting is probably a signed letter handwritten by someone of interest. After that comes signed documents or an autographed photograph.

Historical Autographs are usually obtained in the form of documents or letters. For example some collectors try to get all the signers of the Declaration of Independence or all the justices of the Supreme Court, or all the Nobel Prize winners. Sports autographs of famous baseball players such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Leo Durocher are still turning up today and are very valuable.

Most Political autograph collectors try to get an example of the handwriting of all United States presidents. In the late 1800s it was popular to buy and sell clipped signatures, which were signatures that have been cut off documents and letters. Today this practice is discouraged and clipped signatures from that time period are quite inexpensive. Collectors of presidential autographs always prefer those written while a president was in office.

Science or Inventor Autographs are not as popular as historical and political autographs. Some very famous person fit in this category such as Thomas A. Edison, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Morse, Alexander Graham Bell and the Wright Brothers.

One rule to remember is that autographs are parts of something else, documents, letters, books, photographs etc., and looking for something else is a good way to start. Prices have increased over the last few years but there is still a great deal of material that is available for collectors of modest means. Look in the eBay collectibles category Autographs for affordable documents, receipts and letters of famous or soon to be famous people.