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30 of the most valuable autographs ever

Record-shattering signatures worth sums that will astound you
30. Signed Jane Austen 1813 letter: $200,075 ($250k/£188k today)
29. First-edition Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone signed by JK Rowling: $271,000 (£221k)
28. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album signed by The Beatles: $290,500 ($399k/£300k today)
27. Signed 2003 Serena Williams rookie trading card: $266,400 (£200k)
26. Babe Ruth's 1932 signed contract: $295,531 ($370k/£278k today)
25. Signed Marilyn Monroe 'I love you Joe' photo: $300,000 (£225k)
24. Signed 2003-04 LeBron James rookie trading card: $312,000 ($416k/£312k today)
23. First-edition Ulysses signed by James Joyce: $329,000 ($575k/£432k today)
22. Signed Albert Einstein 'Tongue' photo: $338,630 (£254k)
21. Baseball signed by Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe: $384,000 ($453k/340k today)
20. Signed 2024 Caitlin Clark rookie trading card: $386,000 (£290k)
19. Baseball signed by Babe Ruth: $388,375 ($458k/£344k today)
18. Steve Jobs' anti-autograph letter: $479,939 ($566k/£425k today)
17. The Beatles' 1962 signed contract: $569,000 ($768k/£573k today)
16. Baseball signed by inaugural Baseball Hall of Famers: $623,369 ($794k/£596k today)
15. Signed Mao Zedong letter: $660,000 ($872k/£655k today)
14. Button Gwinnett-signed document: $722,500 ($1.1m/£814k today)
13. Signed Darwin manuscript defending his Theory of Evolution: $882,000 (£719k)
12. John Lennon's Double Fantasy album signed for his murderer: $922,500 ($1.1m/£827k today)
11. Signed Lionel Messi FC Barcelona napkin contract promise: $969,000 (£728k)
10. Signed 2024 Shohei Ohtani trading card: $1.1 million (£826k)
9. Signed 1911 'Shoeless' Joe photo: $1.47 million ($1.7m/£1.3m today)
8. Signed Michael Jordan Nike Air Jordan XIII sneakers: $2.2 million (£1.7m)
7. Signed 'Reach Out to Asia' Fender Stratocaster guitar: $2.7 million ($4.4m/£3.4m today)
6. Albert Einstein's 'God letter': $2.9 million ($3.7m/£2.8m today)
5. Signed 2003-04 Michael Jordan trading card: $2.9 million (£2.2m)
4. Abraham Lincoln's 'Little People Letter': $3.4 million ($5.1m/£3.8m today)
3. Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation: $3.8 million ($5.6m/£4.2m today)
2. Signed 2009-10 Stephen Curry rookie trading card: $5.9 million ($7m/£5.3m today)
1. George Washington’s Acts Of Congress: $9.8 million ($13.7m/£10.3m today)
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Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images

Record-shattering signatures worth sums that will astound you

Collecting autographs is arguably a dying art, with the public often opting to snap a selfie with a VIP instead of getting their signature these days. But fans could be overlooking a potentially lucrative nest egg. The most sought-after squiggles sell for incredible amounts, particularly if they're attached to a historically important document or piece of memorabilia. We're talking millions of dollars in some cases.

Read on to discover 30 of the most expensive autographs of all time. For pre-2022 sales we've adjusted the figures for inflation to give you an idea of their value in today's money.

All dollar amounts in US dollars.

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Daniel Coughlin

04 June 2025

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