Nelson Deedle is an autograph expert located in Beverly Hills, California. He has 35 years of experience when it comes to archiving and authenticating autographs and rare memorabilia.

1. Valuable
Signatures
from
Historical
Figures

2. Nelson Deedle is an autograph expert located in
Beverly Hills, California. He has 35 years of
experience when it comes to archiving and
authenticating autographs and rare memorabilia.
Nelson Deedle has handled autographs and related
materials from a wide range of subjects, including
musicians and film stars.

3. While the fans of musicians and film stars may be willing to pay
exorbitant amounts for signed memorabilia, many of the most valuable
autographs involve historical figures. President Abraham Lincoln, for
example, didn’t sign only one copy of the Emancipation Proclamation
during the American Civil War, but nearly 50. Roughly half of those
copies have been lost or destroyed over the years, but one copy sold
for $2.1 million at a New York auction in 2012.

4. Similarly, Button Gwinnett is an
American political figure who spent
most of his life in obscurity, outside of
signing the Declaration of
Independence. His relativelyquaint
signature can be found just below and
to the left of John Hancock’s iconic
mark. This proximity has resulted in a
surprisingly strong market for
Gwinnett’s autograph. In 2010, an
original Gwinnett signature from a 1770
document sold for more than
$722,000.

5. Finally, President John F.
Kennedy famously signed the
front page of The Dallas Morning
News in 1963, the same day as his
assassination. It is believed to be
the president’s final signature.
The paper was acquired by a
historical document dealer for
$39,000, then insured for
$250,000.