Autograph collecting is a fun and exciting hobby that can be relatively inexpensive. The following are some dos and don’ts of the hobby.
DO: Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. A Self Addressed Stamped Envelope is an envelope with your address as the main address and a stamp in the upper right hand corner. In the world of autograph collecting through the mail, it is imperative that you send a SASE with each of your requests. Not only will a SASE be a great help to the person you are sending to – they don’t have to waste their money on stamps or time on writing out envelopes – but it also is a help to you – you will probably get your autograph back faster if you send a SASE.
DON’T: Include just return postage or a return envelope without postage on it. It’s inconvenient for the person signing your item and will decrease your success rate.
DO: Make your letter short and to the point. Don’t write a six page essay, because no matter how much an athlete would like to read it, they would probably never have the time.
DON’T: Write a book. Sure, some people would be honored to receive a long, drawn out letter, however many more would never have the time to read it. One upside with long letters is that they tend to make the writer seem more sincere, which increases the chance of getting an autograph from dealer-wary big names.
DO: Use nice stationary. A piece of computer paper or notebook paper would do. Give the person a good impression about yourself.
DON’T: Use bad stationary. Don’t send tattered, worn out or ripped paper. A torn in half piece of stationary with a hole ripped in the middle doesn’t look good, and might make the addressee think you don’t really care about them or the fact that they are taking the time to sign the item for you.
DO: Handwrite your letters. That gives it more of a personal feeling. Typing up the letter on the computer gives it more of the feeling of an electric bill. I have a much higher success rate when I handwrite the letter rather than type it. The cards have come back quicker, too.
DON’T: Type your letters or use a copier to make copies of one generic letter. When someone uses a copier, it’s obvious to the player and is laughable. Don’t be surprised if your letters end up in the trash if you use a copier.
DO: Use manners. Always use the customary please and thank you.
DON’T: Demand the autograph. Ask if they would be willing to sign the item for you. Don’t write a letter like:
Dear So-and-so,
Sign this card.
John Doe
You don’t want to come across as forceful, rude, or otherwise disrespectful in your letters.
DO: Have something for the player to sign. Send a trading card, a postcard, a baseball or a custom index card. There are many things that you can send.
DON’T: Be a moocher. It’s not the person’s responsibility to provide something for free to those requesting autographs. It’ll save the autographer money and increase your success rate if you include something to be signed.
DO: Use return addresses. A return address is that little address up in the corner of an envelope. If you don’t, and the player you were sending to was traded or retired, you may never see your card again, because it can’t be returned to you. Some suggest putting one on the return envelope as well.
DON’T: Expect the player to put their own return address on the SASE. That almost never, ever happens.
DO: Use proper postage. Incorrect postage will lead to a RTS. If you are going to send to Canada (or any foreign nation), use their stamp on the envelope being sent to the addressee, and use your country’s stamp on the return envelope.
DON’T: try to cheat the system. Sometimes if you fail to include proper postage, the post office will deliver the item anyway. That rarely happens, however.
DO: Enjoy the hobby, because it’s really, really fun.
DON’T: Be disappointed when stuff doesn’t come back to you in a week. Some people take months, even years to return an item signed. Have patience.
Hopefully these dos and don’t will help your autograph collection expand greatly. Have fun!
