Copy 2 of PFC40 Autograph Index
PFC40 AUTOGRAPH INDEX 2022 HIGHLIGHTS
Average annual simple growth of the index between 2000-2022
Average annual simple growth of a Steve Jobs signed magazine since 2000 – the most valuable individual in the index at £50,000
Value of an Elizabeth II signed photo – the most valuable living signature in the index
The rise in value of Volodymyr Zelensky's signature, the biggest climber between 2021 and 2022 – from £10 to £350
Investing in autographs: Paul Fraser Collectibles' PFC40 Autograph Index uncovers best performers
The 2022 edition reveals Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky's signature has been the best performer between 2021 and 2022 – up 3,400% in value from £10 to £350.
- At £50,000, Steve Jobs is the most valuable signer, a result of his reluctance to sign, early death and Apple’s iconic status.
- Steve Jobs is also the best performing autograph of the 21st century, up 450% per annum since 2000.
- Queen Elizabeth II is the most valuable living signer, at £6,000.
Zelensky vs Putin
"It's fascinating how global political events have impacted the 2022 figures," says Paul Fraser Collectibles’ Daniel Wade. "Just look at the declining popularity of Vladimir Putin's signature compared with the surge in demand for Ukraine's Volodomyr Zelensky - a man little known outside his own country until this year.
"The Queen's Platinum Jubilee has boosted values for Royal Family signatures, with Prince Harry notably enjoying a return to popularity.
"The key bands of the past 50 years continue to be profitable for investment-minded autograph collectors, with Queen, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles showing strong growth.
High inflation attracts buyers to tangible assets
"Growth across the index has slowed in the past 10 years, albeit still offering solid returns. Current high-inflation conditions suggest there could be increased growth ahead, as investors flock to tangible assets.
Younger buyers disrupting the autograph market
"We're starting to see the impact of a younger generation of buyers, both in what they buy (Amy Winehouse will almost certainly be in the top 40 next year) and how they buy autographs. Fractional ownership and the ability to link autographs to the blockchain has created a new market for autographs."
Most valuable living signatures (signed photos unless otherwise stated)
- Elizabeth II: £6,000
- Prince William (signature): £4,000
- Paul McCartney: £4,000
- JK Rowling (signed book): £3,000
- Prince Harry (signature): £2,000
Most valuable deceased autographs
- Steve Jobs (signed magazine): £50,000
- Stephen Hawking (signed book): £30,000
- James Dean: £18,000
- Princess Diana: £12,000
- Albert Einstein: £12,000
Best performing autographs between 2000 and 2022
- Steve Jobs (signed magazine): Up 450% per annum to £50,000
- Barack Obama: Up 268% per annum to £600
- Kurt Cobain: Up 177% per annum to £4,000
- George Harrison: Up 100% per annum to £4,500
- Paul McCartney: Up 99% per annum to £4,000
Best performing autographs between 2021 and 2022
- Volodymyr Zelensky: Up 3,400% to £350
- Paul McCartney: Up 36% to £4,000
- Barack Obama: Up 33% to £600
- Prince Harry: Up 33% to £2,000
- Donald Trump: Up 25% to £1,000
| Name | Type | (£) 2000 | (£) 2005 | (£) 2010 | (£) 2015 | (£) 2020 | (£) 2021 | (£) 2022 | Total growth | Last year growth | Average annual |
| Ali, Muhammad | Signed photo | £250 | £500 | £950 | £1,950 | £2,500 | £2,500 | £2,500 | 900% | 0% | 41% |
| Apollo XI | Signed photo | £2,000 | £5,000 | £8,950 | £12,500 | £15,000 | £15,500 | £16,000 | 700% | 3% | 32% |
| Armstrong, Neil | Signed photo | £550 | £2,500 | £5,500 | £8,500 | £10,000 | £10,000 | £10,000 | 1718% | 0% | 78% |
| Beatles, The | Signed album page | £2,950 | £6,000 | £8,500 | £9,500 | £18,500 | £19,000 | £20,000 | 578% | 5% | 26% |
| Beatles, The | Signed photo | £5,500 | £13,000 | £22,500 | £25,000 | £29,500 | £30,000 | £32,000 | 482% | 7% | 22% |
| Bonaparte, Napoleon | Signed letter | £995 | £2,000 | £4,500 | £5,500 | £5,950 | £5,950 | £5,950 | 498% | 0% | 23% |
| Castro, Fidel | Signed photo | £325 | £1,000 | £2,950 | £3,950 | £4,500 | £4,500 | £4,500 | 1285% | 0% | 58% |
| Churchill, Sir Winston | Signed photo | £2,600 | £4,000 | £5,950 | £7,500 | £7,950 | £9,000 | £10,000 | 285% | 11% | 13% |
| Cobain, Kurt | Signed photo | £100 | £400 | £1,000 | £1,500 | £3,000 | £3,500 | £4,000 | 3900% | 14% | 177% |
| Dean, James | Signed photo | £1,600 | £7,000 | £12,000 | £18,000 | £18,000 | £18,000 | £18,000 | 1025% | 0% | 47% |
| Diana, Princess of Wales | Signed photo | £1,250 | £5,000 | £8,500 | £9,500 | £10,000 | £11,000 | £12,000 | 860% | 9% | 39% |
| Dickens, Charles | Handwritten signed letter | £795 | £2,000 | £3,950 | £5,950 | £6,000 | £6,000 | £6,000 | 655% | 0% | 30% |
| Disney, Walt | Signed photo | £450 | £2,000 | £3,950 | £4,950 | £4,950 | £6,000 | £7,000 | 1456% | 17% | 66% |
| Einstein, Albert | Handwritten signed letter | £1,750 | £4,000 | £6,000 | £8,950 | £10,500 | £11,500 | £12,000 | 586% | 4% | 27% |
| Elizabeth II | Signed photo | £1,000 | £2,000 | £3,000 | £3,500 | £4,500 | £5,000 | £6,000 | 500% | 20% | 23% |
| Harrison, George | Signed photo | £195 | £1,000 | £2,250 | £3,750 | £4,250 | £4,250 | £4,500 | 2208% | 6% | 100% |
| Harry, Prince | Signature | £100 | £200 | £500 | £600 | £1,750 | £1,500 | £2,000 | 1900% | 33% | 86% |
| Hawking, Stephen | Signed book | £2,000 | £4,000 | £10,000 | £15,000 | £30,000 | £30,000 | £30,000 | 1400% | 0% | 64% |
| Hendrix, Jimi | Signed photo | £3,000 | £4,000 | £4,950 | £7,500 | £8,000 | £9,000 | £9,000 | 200% | 0% | 9% |
| Jobs, Steve | Signed magazine | £500 | £2,000 | £5,000 | £30,000 | £40,000 | £45,000 | £50,000 | 9900% | 11% | 450% |
| Kennedy, John F. | Signed photo | £3,000 | £4,000 | £6,950 | £8,500 | £9,000 | £9,000 | £9,000 | 200% | 0% | 9% |
| King, Martin Luther | Signed photo | £795 | £2,000 | £3,500 | £4,950 | £6,500 | £6,500 | £7,000 | 781% | 8% | 35% |
| Lee, Bruce | Signed album page | £1,750 | £5,000 | £9,950 | £11,000 | £12,000 | £12,000 | £12,000 | 586% | 0% | 27% |
| Lennon, John | Signed photo | £1,000 | £3,000 | £5,950 | £7,500 | £7,950 | £7,950 | £8,500 | 750% | 7% | 34% |
| Mandela, Nelson | Signed photo | £600 | £1,250 | £1,950 | £4,500 | £5,000 | £5,000 | £5,000 | 733% | 0% | 33% |
| McCartney, Sir Paul | Signed photo | £175 | £750 | £1,500 | £2,500 | £2,950 | £2,950 | £4,000 | 2186% | 36% | 99% |
| Monroe, Marilyn | Signed photo | £2,000 | £4,000 | £6,750 | £10,000 | £11,500 | £11,500 | £12,000 | 500% | 4% | 23% |
| Moonwalkers | Signed photo | £1,950 | £7,000 | £12,950 | £17,000 | £19,000 | £19,000 | £19,000 | 874% | 0% | 40% |
| Nelson, Horatio | Handwritten letter | £4,000 | £6,000 | £8,950 | £11,000 | £12,000 | £12,000 | £12,000 | 200% | 0% | 9% |
| Obama, Barack | Signed photo | £10 | £20 | £400 | £350 | £350 | £450 | £600 | 5900% | 33% | 268% |
| Picasso, Pablo | Signed photo | £1,400 | £2,500 | £3,950 | £4,500 | £5,000 | £5,000 | £5,000 | 257% | 0% | 12% |
| Presley, Elvis | Signed photo | £750 | £2,000 | £3,250 | £3,500 | £4,000 | £4,000 | £4,000 | 433% | 0% | 20% |
| Putin, Vladimir | Signed photo | £50 | £75 | £100 | £125 | £200 | £200 | £100 | 100% | -50% | 5% |
| Queen (rock band) | Signed photo | £500 | £1,000 | £2,000 | £3,000 | £5,000 | £6,000 | £7,000 | 1300% | 17% | 59% |
| Rolling Stones, The | Signed photo | £995 | £3,000 | £5,500 | £6,950 | £8,000 | £8,500 | £10,000 | 905% | 18% | 41% |
| Rowling, J.K. | Signed book | £395 | £1,000 | £1,200 | £1,950 | £2,750 | £3,000 | £3,000 | 659% | 0% | 30% |
| Starr, Ringo | Signed photo | £195 | £400 | £795 | £1,250 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,750 | 797% | 17% | 36% |
| Trump, Donald | Signed photo | £50 | £50 | £50 | £450 | £750 | £800 | £1,000 | 1900% | 25% | 86% |
| Warhol, Andy | Signed photo | £195 | £1,000 | £1,950 | £2,950 | £3,250 | £3,500 | £3,500 | 1695% | 0% | 77% |
| William, Prince | Signature | £200 | £500 | £1,500 | £2,500 | £3,500 | £3,500 | £4,000 | 1900% | 14% | 86% |
| Overall | £47,920 | £112,145 | £200,045 | £288,075 | £355,050 | £369,550 | £389,900 | 714% | 6% | 32% | |
| 5-year growth | 134% | 78% | 44% | 23% | |||||||
| New entry | |||||||||||
| Volodymyr Zelensky | signed photo | £1 | £5 | £5 | £5 | £10 | £10 | £350 |
About the PFC40 Autograph Index
The PFC40 Autograph Index tracks the values of 40 of the world’s most sought-after autographs since 2000. The prices given are an evaluation of the dealer price for a fully authenticated, best quality 8 x 10 inch signed photo (unless otherwise stated), based on close monitoring of dealer and auction sales.
A “best quality” example will feature a photograph in superb condition, depicting the subject in their most famous era, with a sharp, clear signature acquired during that period.