How Much Are The Beatles’ Autographs Worth?
Memorabilia connected with The Beatles tends to draw great interest and value at auction
10/10/2024
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison. Four Liverpudlians who shot to stardom in the 1960s and changed the face of the pop industry forever. Beginning their career playing bars and clubs, not least the renowned Cavern Club in Liverpool, they eventually went on to tour all over the world and released twelve studio albums across their illustrious career. The Beatles hold the record for the most UK singles of any band, clocking up twenty chart-topping songs, including ‘She Loves You’, ‘A Hard Day’s Night’, and ‘Hey Jude’.
The Beatles: an original black and white signed postcard, early 1960s
Due to their unparalleled success, memorabilia connected with The Beatles tends to draw great interest and value at auction. In fact, a signed copy of The Beatles’ 1967 album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, sold for $290,500 at an auction in the US in 2013. There is a continual interest in the autographs of The Beatles all around the world, and their value only increases with time.
There are many variables which can affect how much autographs might fetch. These include, but are not limited to:
Year – signatures dating from The Beatles’ later years are likely to fetch more at auction, since they stopped touring in 1966, becoming a studio-only band from that point onwards. They signed the most in 1963, touring England during the year as they made their meteoric rise. Therefore, any signatures made after this date are rarer, and thus more valuable.
Condition – Autographed items in better condition will offer a higher value. However, wear and tear to items is expected with age, and so it is important to get your autograph inspected and valued by a professional.
The canvas – while signatures made by the Beatles on paper often draw a valuation several thousand pounds, signatures upon photographs or vinyl tend to be valued at around twice as much. Only recently, a signed photo of The Beatles sold for £13,000 during an online auction in Bristol.
The band versus individuals – full sets of The Beatles’ signatures tend to be much rarer than singular ones, and so will be more valuable. For individual signatures, John Lennon’s is likely to draw the highest value, due to his premature death in 1980, when he was assassinated.
Where you sell them – you can sell for cash quickly to a specialist dealer, pawnbroker, or fellow collector online. However, we would always recommend marketing and promotion to a global audience of enthusiasts and collectors to realise the maximum worth of your autographs or memorabilia – a reputable international auction house like Dawsons will ensure this happens.
The Beatles: an early 1960s autograph book
Since there are various factors which affect the valuation of The Beatles’ autographs, no two signatures will sell for the same amount. There are also reams of forgeries around on the market today, due to the immense popularity of the band. Therefore, to receive a specific valuation and authentication of an autograph, it is important to consult an expert.
Here at Dawsons we have an expert team with vast industry related knowledge who specialise in providing an accurate current market valuation in respect of all things of an Entertainment & Popular Culture nature, inclusive of, autographs, memorabilia, musical instruments, vintage posters, and all other collectables of value from the world of rock and pop. Our sole aim is to secure the highest possible price in respect of any valuable items you may be looking to sell.
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