The Most Expensive Autographs Ever Sold: 51 Records and Facts (2026)

A signature takes a few seconds to write. On the right document, by the right person, it can be worth millions. The record prices on this page come from public auctions and show how much collectors will pay for a name written by hand.

Prices are given in the currency of the sale and, where the auction house states it, include the buyer's premium. Every figure is linked to a source listed at the foot of the page.

Historic documents

The highest prices are paid for documents where a famous signature made history, not just for the name itself.

1. $13.7 million for Lincoln's signed 13th Amendment

A copy of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in the US, signed by Abraham Lincoln sold for $13.7 million at Sotheby's on 26 June 2025, more than five times the previous record of $2.4 million set in 2016.¹

2. Only 15 copies were signed by Lincoln

The document is one of 15 recorded copies of the amendment signed by Lincoln.²

3. $4.4 million for a signed Emancipation Proclamation

In the same sale, a signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation sold for $4.4 million, beating the previous high of $3.8 million from 2010. The two documents together made $18.1 million.³

4. 27 of the signed proclamations survive

Only 27 signed copies of the Emancipation Proclamation are known to survive.⁴

5. They were printed in an edition of 48

Sotheby's describes the signed proclamation as one of twenty-seven surviving copies from an edition of forty-eight.⁵

6. $9.8 million for George Washington's annotated Acts of Congress

George Washington's personal copy of the Acts of Congress, with the Constitution and his own notes, sold for $9.8 million at Christie's in New York in June 2012, then a record for an American book or historic document.⁶

7. Bought back by Washington's own home

The winning bidder for the 106-page volume was Mount Vernon, Washington's former estate.⁷

8. Sotheby's sold nearly $82 million of books and manuscripts in 2025

Sotheby's says its books and manuscripts department had a record year in 2025, with nearly $82 million in sales across New York, London and Paris.⁸

Scientists and writers

9. $2.9 million for Einstein's "God letter"

Albert Einstein's 1954 letter about religion, known as the "God letter", sold for $2.89 million at Christie's on 4 December 2018.⁹

10. Ten years earlier it sold for $404,000

The same letter had sold for $404,000 at Bloomsbury Auctions in 2008.¹⁰

11. The previous Einstein record was $2.1 million

Before the God letter, the record for an Einstein letter was $2.096 million, for a letter to President Roosevelt about the atomic bomb, sold in 2002.¹¹

12. About $3.9 million for the atomic bomb letter in 2024

A version of Einstein's 1939 letter to Roosevelt warning about atomic weapons sold at Christie's New York in September 2024 for $3.2 million, or about $3.92 million with fees.¹²

13. $197,000 for a Darwin letter on the Bible

A letter by Charles Darwin in which he writes that he does not believe in the Bible as a divine revelation sold for US$197,000 at Bonhams New York in September 2015.¹³

14. $500,075 for a signed Origin of Species

A presentation copy of On the Origin of Species inscribed by Darwin made $500,075 at Bonhams New York in June 2019, a world auction record for such a copy.¹⁴

15. $200,075 for a Jane Austen letter

A signed letter by Jane Austen sold for $200,075 at Bonhams New York in October 2019, a world record for an Austen letter.¹⁵

Steve Jobs and the tech world

16. $2.4 million for Apple's first cheque

A cheque signed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, Apple's cheque No. 1 for $500 dated 16 March 1976, sold for $2.4 million at RR Auction in January 2026.¹⁶

17. 4,800 times its face value

The cheque sold for roughly 4,800 times the $500 it was written for.¹⁷

18. $787,484 for a signed Apple II manual

An Apple II manual signed by Jobs sold for $787,484 at RR Auction in August 2021, more than double the previous record for his signature.¹⁸

19. $479,939 for a letter refusing an autograph

A signed 1983 letter in which Jobs turned down an autograph request sold for $479,939 at RR Auction in 2021.¹⁹

20. The world's most valuable traded autograph

Guinness World Records lists Steve Jobs's signature as the most valuable traded autograph, worth around £50,000 ($60,290) as of 2022.²⁰

21. Up 27% in value since 2000

In 2018 a Jobs signature was valued at about $51,000 in the Paul Fraser Collectibles autograph index, an increase of more than 27% since 2000.²¹

Sport

22. $12.9 million for a card signed by Jordan and Bryant

A 2007 to 2008 Upper Deck card signed by Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant sold for $12.9 million at Heritage Auctions in August 2025, the most ever paid for a sports card.²²

23. More than double its estimate

The card had a pre-auction estimate of just over $6 million.²³

24. $1.47 million for a signed baseball photo

A 1911 photograph signed by baseball player "Shoeless" Joe Jackson sold for $1.47 million in October 2021.²⁴

25. The only photo he ever signed

It is the only known photograph signed by Jackson, and it had sold for $179,250 six years earlier.²⁵

26. $1.68 million for a signed Babe Ruth bat

A game-used bat signed by Babe Ruth sold for $1.68 million at Heritage Auctions.²⁶

27. $183,500 for a ball Ruth signed before his death

A baseball signed by Babe Ruth shortly before he died sold for $183,500 in January 2020.²⁷

28. $191,200 for a ball signed by DiMaggio and Monroe

A baseball signed in 1961 by Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe sold for $191,200 in 2006, the Guinness record for an autographed baseball.²⁸

29. £762,400 for Messi's napkin contract

The paper napkin on which FC Barcelona first committed to signing Lionel Messi in December 2000 sold for £762,400 ($965,000) at Bonhams in May 2024.²⁹

The rarest signatures

30. Three of Shakespeare's signatures are on his will

Shakespeare signed each page of his will in 1616, and the three signatures are all slightly different from one another.³⁰

31. A possible seventh Shakespeare signature

The Folger Shakespeare Library holds a faded signature in a 1568 law book that several authorities have judged to be Shakespeare's own, and has studied it with spectral imaging.³¹

32. A Shakespeare signature could fetch $5 million

Only six undisputed Shakespeare signatures are known. If one ever came to market, it could fetch at least $5 million.³²

33. Only 51 Button Gwinnett autographs exist

Button Gwinnett, who signed the US Declaration of Independence and died a year later, left so few signatures that a 2008 census counted only 51, most of them in institutions.³³

34. A full set of 56 signers for $1.4 million

A complete collection of signatures of all 56 signers of the Declaration sold for $1.4 million. A Gwinnett signature is often the missing piece of such a set.³⁴

35. From $100,000 in 1979 to $800,000

A letter signed by Gwinnett brought $100,000 at a New York auction in 1979. By 2012, a Gwinnett document was valued at $700,000 to $800,000.³⁵

British autographs at auction

British auction houses sell signed letters and photographs every month. Most go for hundreds or a few thousand pounds, but a strong story can push the price far higher.

36. £20,000 for a Nelson letter to Emma Hamilton

A letter from Admiral Lord Nelson to Emma Hamilton sold for £20,000 including premium at Bonhams London in November 2012.³⁶

37. A Churchill letter for £687.50

Not every famous signature is expensive: a 1927 handwritten letter by Winston Churchill on Treasury business sold for £687.50 including premium at Bonhams in 2013.³⁷

38. £94,896 for a portrait Churchill liked enough to sign

A 1955 pen-and-ink portrait of Winston Churchill, which he liked so much that he summoned the artist to his door to sign it, sold for £94,896 including premium at Hansons in November 2024.³⁸

39. £25,000 for a childhood letter by the future Queen

A letter written by the young Princess Elizabeth sold for £25,000 at Hansons in February 2026, against an estimate of £2,000 to £4,000.³⁹

40. £4,200 for Beatles autographs kept in a cupboard

Autographs of the Beatles collected in 1963 and kept in a cupboard for 56 years sold for £4,200 at Hansons in October 2019.⁴⁰

41. £7,040 for a sheet signed by all four Beatles

A 1963 sheet signed by Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr sold for £7,040 including premium at Bonhams London in May 2023.⁴¹

42. £2,048 for Lennon and McCartney

Autographs of John Lennon and Paul McCartney from 1963 sold for £2,048 including premium at Bonhams in June 2024.⁴²

John Lennon

43. $25,001 for a signed Double Fantasy

A copy of the album Double Fantasy signed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono 17 days before his death sold for $25,001 at RR Auction in November 2020.⁴³

44. $850,000 for the album he signed for his killer

The copy of Double Fantasy that Lennon signed for the man who later shot him sold for $150,000 in 1999 and $850,000 in 2010.⁴⁴

Fake autographs

Where there is money, there are forgeries. The largest investigation into fake autographs was the FBI's Operation Bullpen in the late 1990s.

45. $100 million of forged memorabilia

The forgery ring uncovered by Operation Bullpen distributed $100 million of forged memorabilia to retailers and collectors in nearly every US state.⁴⁵

46. 50% to 90% of memorabilia was fake

In 2000, FBI investigators estimated that anywhere from 50% to 90% of memorabilia in the industry was fake.⁴⁶

47. One forger made over a million fakes

One of the forgers convicted in the case estimated that he had produced more than one million forged autographs.⁴⁷

The market and the autopen

48. A $4.2 billion market

One market research firm valued the global autograph collectibles market at $4.2 billion in 2024 and expects it to reach $6.5 billion by 2030. Estimates like this vary widely between sources.⁴⁸

49. $4 million from 100 lots in one sale

A single RR Auction sale in September 2023 made $4,059,063 from 100 lots.⁴⁹

50. Autopen signatures are worth far less

The autopen, a machine that reproduces a signature with a real pen, was developed commercially in 1942. Signatures it produces are vastly less valuable to collectors than hand-signed ones.⁵⁰

51. The first bill signed by autopen came in 2011

The US National Archives notes that on 26 May 2011 a US president used an autopen to sign a bill into law for the first time.⁵¹

The common thread behind all these prices: a signature is valuable because it is personal, hard to copy and tied to a moment. Your own signature will probably never reach Sotheby's, but it is still the mark you leave on every contract and card. If you want one that looks the part, try styles in our free signature generator or have one designed for you with our signature design service.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most expensive autograph ever sold?

The most expensive signed item on this list is a copy of the 13th Amendment signed by Abraham Lincoln, which sold for $13.7 million at Sotheby's in June 2025. Among sports items, a card signed by Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant sold for $12.9 million in August 2025.

Whose signature is worth the most on its own?

Guinness World Records names Steve Jobs as the most valuable traded autograph, at around £50,000 in 2022. A Shakespeare signature would be worth far more, but only six are known and none is on the market.

How many autographs are fake?

During the FBI's Operation Bullpen investigation around 2000, investigators estimated that 50% to 90% of memorabilia in the industry was fake.

Are autopen signatures valuable?

No. Signatures made by an autopen machine are worth far less to collectors than ones signed by hand.

Sources

1. 1Rare Book Hub, Lincoln documents at Sotheby's (rarebookhub.com)
2. 2Rare Book Hub, Lincoln documents at Sotheby's (rarebookhub.com)
3. 3Rare Book Hub, Lincoln documents at Sotheby's (rarebookhub.com)
4. 4Rare Book Hub, Lincoln documents at Sotheby's (rarebookhub.com)
5. 5Sotheby's, Emancipation Proclamation lot (2016) (sothebys.com)
6. 6NBC News, Washington's Acts of Congress (nbcnews.com)
7. 7Mount Vernon, press release (prnewswire.com)
8. 8Sotheby's, Books and Manuscripts department (sothebys.com)
9. 9Just Collecting, Einstein God letter (justcollecting.com)
10. 10Just Collecting, Einstein God letter (justcollecting.com)
11. 11Just Collecting, Einstein God letter (justcollecting.com)
12. 12TheValue, Einstein letter at Christie's New York (thevalue.com)
13. 13Bonhams, Darwin autograph letter (2015) (bonhams.com)
14. 14Bonhams, On the Origin of Species record (bonhams.com)
15. 15Bonhams, Jane Austen letter record (bonhams.com)
16. 16MacRumors, Apple check auction (macrumors.com)
17. 17MacRumors, Apple check auction (macrumors.com)
18. 18Just Collecting, Steve Jobs autograph record (justcollecting.com)
19. 19Just Collecting, Steve Jobs autograph record (justcollecting.com)
20. 20Guinness World Records, most valuable autograph traded (guinnessworldrecords.com)
21. 21TechSpot, citing Paul Fraser Collectibles (techspot.com)
22. 22Just Collecting, Jordan and Bryant card (justcollecting.com)
23. 23Just Collecting, Jordan and Bryant card (justcollecting.com)
24. 24ESPN, Shoeless Joe Jackson photograph (espn.co.uk)
25. 25ESPN, Shoeless Joe Jackson photograph (espn.co.uk)
26. 26Heritage Auctions, Intelligent Collector (intelligentcollector.com)
27. 27Just Collecting, Babe Ruth signed baseball (justcollecting.com)
28. 28Guinness World Records, most expensive autographed baseball (guinnessworldrecords.com)
29. 29NBC News, Messi napkin contract (nbcnews.com)
30. 30Folger Shakespeare Library, Shakespeare Documented (folger.edu)
31. 31Folger Shakespeare Library, The Collation (folger.edu)
32. 32Mental Floss, valuable author signatures (mentalfloss.com)
33. 33Heritage Auctions, Intelligent Collector (intelligentcollector.com)
34. 34Fine Books Magazine (finebooksmagazine.com)
35. 35New Georgia Encyclopedia (georgiaencyclopedia.org)
36. 36Bonhams, Nelson letter to Emma Hamilton (bonhams.com)
37. 37Bonhams, Churchill autograph letter (bonhams.com)
38. 38Hansons Auctioneers, signed Churchill portrait (hansonsauctioneers.co.uk)
39. 39Hansons Auctioneers, letter by Princess Elizabeth (hansonsauctioneers.co.uk)
40. 40Hansons Auctioneers, Beatles autographs (hansonsauctioneers.co.uk)
41. 41Bonhams, Beatles autographs (2023) (bonhams.com)
42. 42Bonhams, Lennon and McCartney autographs (2024) (bonhams.com)
43. 43RR Auction, John Lennon signed album (rrauction.com)
44. 44Ultimate Classic Rock (ultimateclassicrock.com)
45. 45Sports Collectors Digest, Operation Bullpen (sportscollectorsdigest.com)
46. 46Wikipedia, Operation Bullpen (wikipedia.org)
47. 47Wikipedia, Operation Bullpen (wikipedia.org)
48. 48Strategic Market Research, autograph collectibles market (strategicmarketresearch.com)
49. 49RR Auction, Remarkable Rarities results (rrauction.com)
50. 50Wikipedia, Autopen (wikipedia.org)
51. 51US National Archives, AOTUS blog: a signature history (archives.gov)