Fraser's Top 30 Selling Autographs Index Update - August 2008
What's hot in the autograph market now...
Dear Reader,
Let's look at what's going on in the autograph market right now...
Fraser's Top 30 Selling Autographs - August 2008
If any of our top 30 personalities take your fancy, click on the personality name above to view our stock range...
No change in the top 4 since last month and Madonna continues to reign supreme.
The chasing pack show a bit more volatility, with some winners and some losers.
New Entries
New entries this month include:
Brad Pitt (In at No.23)
At 44 years of age, he is still considered one of the most attractive men alive.
He has shared his life with some of the most attractive women who ever lived... now married to our No.2, Angelina Jolie.
Not only that, I cannot deny he is a pretty good actor commanding a screen presence that, quite simply, just makes you want to look at him.
In recent years, we find him increasingly recognised for his humanitarian work alongside Angelina Jolie.
In 2007, Pitt was listed among artists and entertainers as one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People In the World.
Women love him... men are simply jealous of him.
It is no surprise to see Brad in the top 30. He is the most popular framed signed photo bought as a gift from our world famous gallery at 399 Strand.
Click here to view current stock availability
Charles Dickens (In at No.27)
Charles Dickens is undoubtedly the most instantly recognisable name in classical English literature.
The fact that we still enjoy his stories today nearly 200 years on is testament to the quality of his work and the vivid characters he created - "Oliver Twist" and "A Christmas Carol" to name just two which I probably view on TV in some form or other every year of my life.
His place in history is unquestionable, and he is the author I always personally recommend when anyone asks me which author I think presents the securest long term investment.
His signatures are quite rare (and getting rarer all the time) so it is unlikely we will ever see him top the charts in our index.
Click here to view current stock availability
Emma Watson (In at No.28)
Emma Watson, best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, makes it into the top 30 this month.
Having turned 18 this year, she has already amassed a £10 million fortune. It is widely believed that Emma will become a legend in the future and hence the increasing level of collecting interest.
The Harry Potter franchise is a modern day phenomenon and owning a signature of the leading lady (or "girl"?) in the movie series is a piece of memorabilia every fan should own.
Unfortunately, she is so popular we don't have any in stock right now! But click here to view our range of "Harry Potter" related items:
Click here to view current stock availability
Surge in Popularity of US Heroes
The two top risers in the month were Apollo 11 and John F Kennedy...
Next year marks the 40th anniversary of the single greatest technological achievement of mankind when a human first set foot on another celestial body.
The crew included Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins...
Photographs signed by all crew members of Apollo 11 are difficult to find. At Fraser's autographs, our search is extensive and, at any one time, we usually boast the best stockholding of Apollo 11 signatures in the world.
Neil Armstrong is a private individual who shuns public appearances. He stopped signing in 1994 further limiting supply.
To own something, which displays mankind's biggest achievement, is quite special....
I personally own a signed photograph of the Apollo 11 crew. It takes pride of place in my home. It is the first thing you see in fact when you walk through my front door. Guests are always impressed.
Click here to view current stock availability
If you ask anyone to name a past American president, the most popular answer by far is J F Kennedy.
JFK is the most famous American president ever and, for that reason, represents a great investment for the long term.
In light of his premature death by assassination in 1963 - the day everyone remembers what they were doing - the number of signatures in existence are fewer than most other presidents.
The conspiracy theories surrounding his assassination add to the ongoing interest.
His importance in US history is unquestionable...
The economic reforms instigated in his short term in office launched the country on its longest sustained expansion since World War II...
He had an important role to play in the cause of equal rights...
His efforts in dealing with the challenge of Communism reached a crescendo in the Cuban crisis of 1962. The Americans response persuaded Moscow of the futility of nuclear blackmail.
The JKF administration thus saw the beginning of new hope for both the equal rights of Americans and the peace of the world.
JFK is truly a treasure to own... We at Stanley Gibbons display his signature with pride in our Guernsey investment office.
Click here to view current stock availability
Watch out for next month's Top 30 update... Who will rise and who will fall?
If you would like a personal consultation on the best way to get into this exciting market, please contact our Investment Director, Adrian Roose today on:
+44 (0) 1481 708 277
email investment@stanleygibbons.co.uk
TOLL FREE from the USA 1 866 644 6146
Sincerely,
Mike Hall
Chief Executive
The Stanley Gibbons Group
P.S. Watch out for our new autograph price guide scheduled for release later this year...