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Henry VIII’s autograph is a phenomenal rarity.

Owning one is no easy feat, but on rare occasions these documents do become available.  

Here are some of the unique factors driving growth in Henry VIII’s market.

There are so few

Henry VIII was on the throne from 1509-1547.

Five centuries ago.

A lot can happen in 500 years.

Many of the royal decrees Henry VIII signed have been lost or damaged.

And while a number have survived, the bulk is housed in the National Archives. They’re stored there in climate controlled conditions, inaccessible to all but academics.

Others are held by museums.

These documents are of vast cultural importance. Private collectors rarely get the chance to own one.

But, over the centuries, a small number have found their way on the market.

There are plenty of forgeries

Henry VIII’s signature tends to sell for in excess of £30,000.  

It’s a popular target for forgers.

The king also liked to use a stamp for some of his signatures.

Fortunately for collectors he only had one, so it’s fairly easy to identify.

Buyers seeking out a Henry VIII signature should only consider trusted dealers that offer guarantees of authenticity.

Buying from fly by night dealers is not worth the risk.

Demand is steady

A Henry VIII signature is a real rarity.

And there are plenty of collectors out there who want one.

Most are based in the UK, but there are a number of international buyers.

Henry VIII is a profoundly colourful character in British history.

But more than that, his legacy remains pervasive.

It’s a legacy of reform.

The Church of England.

The Royal Mail.

The Royal Navy.

He founded each of these institutions.

And they remain at the centre of British public life today.

Paul Fraser.

PS. I have an incredible, guaranteed authentic Henry VIII signed document for sale. Click here to take a look.

• A clipped cover from an October 26, 1998 edition of Newsweek featuring a signature from astronaut John Glenn

John Glenn (1921-2016) was the pilot of the 1962 Mercury-Atlas 6 spaceflight – making him the first American to orbit the Earth. In later years he became a Democratic senator. In 1998, he flew on the STS-95 Discovery aged 77. He remains the oldest person ever to go to space.

A clipped front cover of an October 26, 1998 edition of Newsweek featuring astronaut John Glenn on the cover. Glenn has inscribed: “To Randall/ John Glenn”. Light folds, otherwise fine condition.

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• A December 11, 1972 clipped Time Magazine cover page signed by Apollo astronaut Jack Schmitt

Jack Schmitt was the Lunar Module pilot during the Apollo 17 mission and the second to last person ever to walk on the Moon.

This is a clipped front cover of a December 11, 1972 edition of Time Magazine, featuring the crew of the Apollo 17 mission on the cover. It’s signed by Lunar Module Pilot Jack Schmitt. The cover displays light folds. Good condition.

• A March 26, 1965 clipped front page of Time Magazine signed by Alexei Leonov

Alexei Leonov is a Russian cosmonaut who in 1965 became the first person to perform a spacewalk. In 1975 he commanded the Soyuz capsule on the Soyuz-Apollo mission, the first collaborative mission between the US and the Soviet Union.

A March 26, 1965 front page cover of Time Magazine featuring a cover image of Alexei Leonov’s 1965 spacewalk. Leonov has signed on the white section of the image. Folded but in fine condition.

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• A June 21, 1965 front page of Newsweek signed by Gemini and Apollo 9 astronaut James A McDivitt

James A McDivitt is a USAF test pilot and NASA astronaut. He flew on the Gemini 4 and Apollo 9 missions. After the Apollo 11 mission he became Manager of the Apollo Program until the end of the series.

This is a June 21, 1965 copy of Newsweek showing astronaut Ed White’s spacewalk during the Gemini 4 mission. It’s signed by mission commander James A McDivitt. The cover displays some folds and rusting from a staple in the top left corner. Otherwise fine condition.

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China 1883 1ca green and 3ca pale red, thicker paper, 2½mm spacing, rough perforations, SG7,8a.

Lovely fresh examples, unused without gum.

The SG catalogue price is £2,250.

• An illustrated portrait of Albert Einstein signed by Einstein himself

Albert Einstein was one of the world’s greatest scientific minds. In the early 1900s he developed the Theory of Relativity, a work that set the template for modern physics. A German citizen, he left the country shortly before Hitler seized power and never returned – choosing instead to spend the rest of his life in America. 

He was instrumental in developing the first atomic bombs in the 1940s, in spite of a lifelong commitment to pacifism. Over the course of his career he published hundreds of scientific papers. His name has become interchangeable with genius.  

This is a 4.9 x 3.9 inch illustration of Albert Einstein by the Danish amateur artist Carl Werner Skogholm. Skogholm drew portraits of celebrities and sent them off with a request they be returned with a signature. Einstein was one of those who obliged. 

Einstein has signed crisply in black pen, dating the piece "48". One of the nicest Einstein autographs you'll see. 

This is a unique piece of considerable charm. Demand for Einstein’s signature has been growing, with one inscribed paper selling for a record $1.5m in 2017.

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• A hugely rare cricket cover from a 1992 match between the Royal Household Cricket Club and the Vic Lewis Cricket Club, signed by the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip
• Also signed by legendary cricketers Sir Don Bradman, Sir Gary Sobers, Sir Colin Cowdry and Sir Richard Hadlee
• Date stamped August 1, 1992 in Windsor Castle

Band leader Vic Lewis founded his legendary cricket club in 1957. The team was made up of an ever-changing roster of cricketing heroes and celebrities. It made regular appearances at charity matches around the world.  

This is one of four (3/4) signed and numbered covers from a 1992 match between the Royal Household Cricket Club and the Vic Lewis Cricket Club held to benefit the Terrence Higgins Trust.

The signers are: Don Bradman, Prince Philip, Vic Lewis, Gary Sobers, Colin Cowdrey, Richard Hadlee, John Jayear and Tom Graveney. A letter of provenance from well-known stamp dealer Mel Brown accompanies the item.

A huge rarity - signed by royalty and several knights. 

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• A 1980 first day cover signed by Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa was born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu in the city of Skopje in what is now North Macedonia. In 1928 she became a nun, moving to Ireland to join a Catholic order. After learning English she was sent to India where she began working as a teacher. Arriving in Kolkata she was shocked by the poverty around her and started the organisation Missionaries of Charity. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and a sainthood in 2016.   

A first day cover of the Indian 1980 Mother Teresa issue bearing a Loreto House date stamp. Below is a signature from Mother Teresa inscribed with the words “God bless you”. The piece was issued to commemorate Teresa’s 1979 Nobel Peace Prize.  A rare and unusual piece of philately that is also a 3rd class relic, having been directly touched by a saint.

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• A typed, signed March 1, 1976 letter from Marlon Brando to Francis Ford Coppola’s lawyers agreeing to take on the role of Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now
• Very fine condition

Marlon Brando began his acting career at the Shattuck Military Academy in the early 1940s. When he was expelled he left for New York.  His big break came in 1947, when he won the role of vicious husband Stanley Kowalski in the original run of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. He went on to star in some of the most iconic movies of the 20th century, including On the Waterfront (1954), The Godfather (1972) and Apocalypse Now (1979).

A March 1, 1976 letter from Marlon Brando to Francis Ford Coppola, sent care of Coppola’s legal team Schiff, Hirsch & Schreiber. In the text Brando agrees to take on the role of Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now, one of his most celebrated performances. To the bottom right is a very fine signature in blue pen. The significance of this letter to the making of the movie cannot be overstated.

It reads in full: “Gentlemen: Reference is hereby made to that certain agreement dated as of March 1, 1976, by and between you and Colony Productions Inc. (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Employment Agreement’) with respect to my services in the motion picture entitled ‘APOCALYPSE, NOW.’

“This will acknowledge that I have read the Employment Agreement and am familiar with all of the terms covenants and conditions thereof.

“In order to induce you to enter into the Employment Agreement, I hereby:”

“1. Guarantee to you the full and faithful performance of each and every term, covenant and condition therein undertaken by Colony Productions Inc.

“2. Undertake and agree to do and perform each and every term, covenant, condition and act which I may be called upon to perform pursuant thereto.

“3. Undertake and agree to look solely to Colony Productions Inc. for the payment of any compensation payable to me thereunder.

“Very truly yours, Marlon Brando”.

The letter is typed on A4-sized paper and is in very fine condition. A must-have for any fan of Apocalypse Now and the American New Wave.

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Great Britain 1840 1d Grey black Plate 1a, SG3.

Very fine used large four margin horizontal pair lettered LE-LF showing moderate plate wear, neatly cancelled by red Maltese Crosses.

A scarce and attractive multiple of the first printing plate of the world's first stamp.

Plate 1 of the 1d black was first registered on 15 April 1840. As the plate had not been hardened it soon showed signs of wear. Consequently, a second sheet is recorded as having been registered on 27 April 1840. The plate was later withdrawn and extensive repairs were undertaken. The plate in its original state is referred to as Plate 1a.

GB Specialised Catalogue No: AS2

Great Britain 1840 1d Intense black Plate 6, SG1.

Very fine entire envelope sent from Stone to Cheadle bearing a good to large four margin 1d intense black, Plate 6 lettered CJ tied by a crisply struck red Maltese Cross, backstamped by a black Stone dispatch datestamp for NO.17.1840.

Light vertical archive fold well clear of adhesive and datestamp. Lovely philatelic piece with intense penny black colour.

GB Specialised Catalogue No: AS40. 

Great Britain 1840 1d Grey-black (worn plate) Plate 2, SG3.

Very fine used close to good four margin example lettered HL. Clearly showing re-entry on check letters, neatly cancelled by a crisp upright black Maltese Cross.

Scarce in such fine condition.

GB Specialised Catalogue No: AS16a/m.

• A 2003 first day cover signed by Prince William
• Also included are four stamps bearing William’s likeness and another unsigned first day cover
• Click here to find out more about this piece 

Prince William, born 1982, is the son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana and second in line to the throne of the United Kingdom. He served with the RAF for four years from 2009-2013 before taking on his full-time royal duties.  

A unique Prince William signature on a June 6, 2003 first day cover featuring four stamps bearing his likeness.

The original owner of this signature acquired it at an event hosted by homeless charity Solas in Newport, South Wales in 2003. Homelessness is a cause close to William’s heart. He attended the event with his father, Prince Charles.

While there, the owner quietly asked if he wouldn’t mind signing. It’s against royal protocol for the Windsors to autograph personal items, making this a fabulous rarity. It's accompanied by a letter of provenance and a photograph of the prince signing. 

Free global shipping. 28-day no quibble returns. 

• A Pele game-worn and signed Brazil number 10 football shirt
• Dated to a friendly between Brazil and Chile on October 4, 1970 (Pele scored in this game)

Pele is one of the greatest players in football history, celebrated for his grace on the pitch and his astonishing career achievements. The legendary Brazilian striker holds the record for most goals scored (1,283 across 1,363 games). He’s also the only player to win three world cups (in 1958, 1962 and 1970). In 1999 FIFA voted Pele Player of the Century. He remains a hero for football fans the world over.

This spectacular Brazil number 10 football shirt is an authentic piece of football history. Pele is believed to have worn it in a Brazil v Chile friendly on October 4, 1970. He’s signed "Edson Pele" on the chest. While the signature is slightly faded, the shirt is in superb condition.

At that time Brazil were fresh from their third World Cup victory, announced by the three stars above the badge on the shirt. They beat Chile 5-1 in Santiago in Chile. Pele scored once.

After the game Pele gifted this shirt to Brazilian team masseur Abilio Jose de Silva – better known by his nickname Nocaute Jack (Knockout Jack). The piece is accompanied by a signed letter of provenance from Abilio’s daughter Silvia.

Game worn Pele jerseys are rare and in high demand among collectors all over the world. This is an opportunity to own a very fine example.  

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Great Britain 1854 Red brown Plate 179, SG17. First official perforated issue. 

Superb unused original gum right hand marginal block of 24 lettered BG-EL showing small part marginal inscription. Couple of clipped perforations at the bottom of EL, nevertheless a magnificent block of the highest quality, very rarely seen so fine. 

Great Britain Queen Elizabeth II 1973 9p British Trees, SG922b.

A very fine unmounted mint full original gum example with brownish-grey (Queens Head) omitted. Offered with normal for comparison.

Scarce, Pierron records only 100 mint examples. 

China 1897 (Jan) 'Red Revenue' 4c on 3c deep red, 'large' surcharge as type 10, SG90.

A fresh well centred example with large part original gum.

The Red Revenue stamps are Qing Dynasty revenue stamps which were overprinted (surcharged) so as to be used as postage stamps in 1897. Their limited number, fine design and intaglio printing process make these stamps some of the most sought after in the world. 

China 1897 (Mar) large figure surcharge, spaced 21/2mm on Dowager Empress (2nd printing) 1/2c on 3ca yellow, upper marginal vertical pair, error imperforate horizontal, Unused  SG57a.

The upper stamp has a thin patch which has caused a couple of tiny punctures, but with large part original gum. A very difficult error to find in good condition and this is a good representative example of this scarce error. 

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue price is £4,250.

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China (Shanghai) 1865 antique numerals 8ca olive-green, 'CANDAREENS' plural, wove paper 8ca olive-green (printing 59), SG4.

A fresh mint example with four large margins. It is extremely difficult to find better quality examples than this one.

Being the first postage stamp issue from China, with the iconic 'Dragon' design, it is a stamp which will always be favoured by collectors.

Great Britain 1971 7½p Christmas, Stained-glass windows, SG896b.

Superb unmounted mint example with full original gum. Error with lilac (Centre King's cloak) omitted. Missing colour also affects the leftmost horse's saddle and the leftmost king's footwear. Offered with normal stamp for comparison.

Pierron records only 24 mint examples.