For me, I only ever write to people who send out genuine autographs.

I'm not spending my time writing a letter, to someone who just sends out a PP and probably doesn't even read what I've written.

I'd rather spend that time writing to someone who deserves a proper letter from me, someone who is going to read it and know I spent time writing to them, and someone who is going to take the time to send me something that they have actually handled and signed.

I only ever write to people I genuinely want an autograph of. I see no point in randomly getting people's autographs for the sake of it.

However, there are a lot of people out there I like and they only send PP's. If I could simply email them for a PP autograph, then I probably would, because it still makes a nice picture, although not an autograph.

At the moment though, I want the real things, which is why I only send to people who send out authentics.

I check before writing to them (I sent out six yesterday, got one VV soon) but if they send PPs I'd either try and find an email or just not bother

I totally agree with Mr Kennedy. And I always check before sending a request, I never write to people who send out PPs,ect. If I'm 1st who writes to an actor and he sends me a PP, I'll keep it. But it wouldn't mean to me as much as others do :)

[quote="guilder1st"]I'm an autograph collector. I don't collect ap, pp or secretarials. If I get those I will throw them out. With that being said, I rarely get them because I don't write to people that send them out. I also only write to people that I like/am a fan off, I don't write to people just because I want a free autograph.[/quote]

I do that too.I only write for those who I'm a fan of.Maybe it sounds weird but if I get a signed photo and maybe it's personalized it kinda means that I have a piece of them.

I'm an autograph collector. I don't collect ap, pp or secretarials. If I get those I will throw them out. With that being said, I rarely get them because I don't write to people that send them out. I also only write to people that I like/am a fan off, I don't write to people just because I want a free autograph.

[quote="jasonw"]For me, I expect authentic autographs from Footballers and Actors and I will only write to them if its handsigned autograph they are sending out.
[/quote]

Agreed. I won't send to someone I know sends out preprints. I don't get people who write to those they know send preprints and then act all disappointed. The feedback is there for a reason, so you know what to expect :)

That said... I'm not an autograph collector. I'm a fan. I write to people I'm a fan of (or who have had a role in a show I'm a fan of). Getting them to sign the photos I send them is kinda just a bonus.

You're right.I'm only interested in authentic autographs although I don't throw out a PP if I get one.I still have my Cher PP.I really don't understand those who sends out e-amils to studiofanmail.I would never do that 'cause they aren't authentic.Having an authentic signature means that the celebrity you wrote to took his/her time to sign a picture etc.And if you get a personalization that's awesome.

I understand having a personalized autograph is awesome and hopefully I can get a few, but I noticed someone saying the other day that if it is AP, PP, SP that it goes directly in the trash.

I was just curious so don't burn me at the stake please.

For me, I expect authentic autographs from Footballers and Actors and I will only write to them if its handsigned autograph they are sending out.

However, for politicans its a bit different - I will write for a reproduction of their original autograph as I understand that they are rather busy people, and for a majority of them; that is the most you can get from them TTM.

Jason 8)

[quote="spanks_4"]Like autopen or stamped?

My thought is an autograph is an autograph and if you want to make sure you get a real one find the actor/actress in person.

Me I have one coming from Gordon Ramsey and while I know it is autopen or whatever I still think that it is an awesome thing to have.[/quote]

An autograph by its very definition -

"1. A person's own signature or handwriting."

Therefore an autograph is an authentic, handsigned by the celebrity signature.

Autopen - Mechanical recreation of an autograph (therefore not "A person's own signature or handwriting")
Preprint - A facsimilie of an autograph (therefore not "A person's own signature or handwriting")
Secretarial - Someone else signed it (therefore not "A person's own signature or handwriting")

I am an autograph collector, I collect autographs. I have no interest in copies and fakes.

My next comment may prove "controversial", but its still true - any serious collector will say the exact same thing I just did.

If people just "want a pretty picture" then thats fair enough, but it has nothing to do with autograph collecting in my opinion.