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Portraits, books, and letters signed by a particular political hero or heroine are prized by many collectors. Autographed political memorabilia ranges from letters on White House stationery to documents legally requiring an official signature to...
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Portraits, books, and letters signed by a particular political hero or heroine are prized by many collectors. Autographed political memorabilia ranges from letters on White House stationery to documents legally requiring an official signature to books like Barack Obama’s “The Audacity of Hope” bearing a handwritten inscription. Generic “Thank You” notes, Christmas cards, and form letters, which are generally mass produced for major public figures, are typically of less value than personal correspondence. However, even with items that seem unique, autographs can be difficult to authenticate: In addition to hand-signed documents, many politicians’ signatures have been printed by machine, written by a secretary or administrative assistant, or created using a so-called robot pen, which was popular with President John F. Kennedy. Others, of course, are simply forgeries made by unscrupulous antiques dealers looking to make a buck. Besides signatures attributed to former presidents like Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, popular political autographs also include unelected leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X or foreign dignitaries like Princess Diana, Fidel Castro, and, more recently, Vladimir Putin.

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