Absolute Crown Jewel of my Michael Jackson Collection! ^_^

Strictly-Dragonball · Post by **Strictly-Dragonball** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 2:37 pm

Wanted to share this as I know of a couple people here who collect autographs and it's something that I feel just as lucky to own as my most cherished cel.

I'll have to get a picture if anyone wants to see it but basically is a VERY EARLY autograph of Michael from 1971 signed when he was only 13.

What makes it so special isn't just that it's the earliest MJ signature I've ever seen and vintage Jackson signatures are EXTREMELY rare but it's unique in the way it was signed.

MJ signed it "Mike" along with two of his brothers (Tito and Marlon) and Marvin Gaye all together!

It was signed originally at a Motown event and the way Michael signed it shows it could be one of his earliest signatures as he doesn't know or understand why he is signing his name to a piece of card so he didn't sign it full unlike his brothers.

It is PSA/DNA authenticated and encapsulated and I opted to get it graded by them as well as it looked in flawless condition. It came back a GEM MINT 10!

The highest possible grade from the most respected graders in the business adds HUGE value to this piece.

This could also be the very first known autograph he signed to a fan as in J. Randy Taraborrelli's biography of Jackson he recalls a Motown event where Michael signed his first autograph to a fan and signed it as "Mike" with his brothers signing their full names and Marvin Gaye in green.

J. Randy Taraborrelli is the most well known biographer of Jackson and he also grew up with him as his best friend so he knows his life better than anyone.

This is just like mine. I could be his earliest autograph EVER! How awesome would that be if I could find out where it originally came from?

I bought it from one of my contacts who got it from someone on the East Coast but I plan to do some more digging

If I can prove it is indeed that same autograph, his first known one then I'm looking at 5 figures.

Michael's last known autograph signed the day before he died made over $28,000 recently so it would probably be a similar price. And that was just his common signature on card. This in my opinion is much more unique with a young Michael signing as "Mike" and the perfect condition. Graded a 10 by PSA too.

It really is a holy grail piece for me, I mean I can't afford any of his gloves or stage worn costumes so something like this was realistically as great as I could buy, at the top of my budget and worth every penny!

I feel so lucky to own it

Thanks for reading, hope you guys even non-fans found it interesting haha.

Killua · Post by **Killua** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 3:58 pm

Post a picture!

Keropi · Post by **Keropi** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 4:18 pm

That's pretty neat! Congratulations on your acquisition!

Be sure to keep it in a proper environment.

I think the only "early autograph" I have is a photograph signed by President Nixon's daughters back when they were children.

ReiTheJelly · Post by **ReiTheJelly** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 5:53 pm

Congratulations on purchasing such a unique piece for your Michael Jackson collection. All of my autographs are from living celebrities, so I've never had much trouble in acquiring them. I can't even begin to imagine the effort necessary to get an early authenticated autograph from a majorly famous dead celebrity.

Strictly-Dragonball · Post by **Strictly-Dragonball** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 6:26 am

How do you actually upload images? I've never done it before. I don't have anywhere I can upload it from like a my pictures site, apart from my e-mail address.

It was a great surprise to find it, I just was looking for any unique signatures, different to a normal one and came across it.

since he passed his autographs have seen increases 3-5 times what they were when he was alive so they are creeping out of my budget slowly but surely. So I'm very glad I've managed to get a few quality items since then.

I think I was very lucky to get it because the gentleman I bought it from had a great contact in Japan that quite literally was buying up his entire MJ stock. MJ is absolutely massive in Japan and it's funny all the high-end items seem to go over there.

He might be selling them for a lot more over there

Crazed Japanese Michael Jackson fans in action at the start of this video haha

:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UByzX_9MuJ4

There is a lesson to be learned there, if you want legends and icons in your collection, be sure to buy them when they are alive

iceman57 · Post by **iceman57** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 6:57 am

Before to post any picture, ring Christie's or Sotheby's. There's a hat from MJ running in auction recently at $8000, ask them for an estimate.

Strictly-Dragonball · Post by **Strictly-Dragonball** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 7:29 am

Hey Iceman

Well that would be the place you would sell something like this wouldn't it?

I wonder how much of a difference the grading makes, I know in cards you wouldn't believe the difference in some. In some cases a sought after baseball card that may be worth thousands ungraded could be worth hundreds of thousands graded a 10.

It's different for cards because condition is the deal breaker for the value but still a graded 10 autograph is rare

Keropi · Post by **Keropi** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 9:34 am

Strictly-Dragonball wrote:How do you actually upload images? I've never done it before.

I'd just upload them to an image site like Photo Bucket or Image Shack. But you might want to put something over the image so that someone doesn't claim it as their own. Maybe you shouldn't name the image as a description of the file also.

Yeah...always best to buy before the person passes away. Obviously it's harder to tell for some celebrities than with others. I got an autographed photo of John Wooden when he was 81. Then he lived for eighteen years longer.

Strictly-Dragonball · Post by **Strictly-Dragonball** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 9:43 am

Sounds like hassle haha. I probably wouldn't upload it to a big social sharing site because people always find ways to steal images for things they don't own.

I trust everyone here though so if anyone has a junk e-mail account or something they wouldn't mind me sending them pictures to I would happily do that

We all know what it's like when some stranger steals your cel images.

Just drop me an e-mail if anyone is interested.

Post by **JWR** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:43 am

You can upload it into your photo album section of your RS gallery and then post the link here.

After a bit and those wishing to view it have done so you can go in and remove the image.

Strictly-Dragonball · Sat Sep 18, 2010 11:22 am

Thank you very much for that suggestion JWR

Pics are now up in my gallery here:

http://honoursd.rubberslug.com/gallery/ ... spx?id=550

I will keep them up long enough for anyone who wants to see them but take them down in time.

Keropi · Post by **Keropi** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 12:47 pm

Thanks for sharing that! That's pretty cool.

If you don't mind my asking, what does the small writing on the edges say?

Strictly-Dragonball · Post by **Strictly-Dragonball** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 4:49 pm

Sure, don't mind at all. The small black writing on the edges is where the piece has been dated. On one side where Michael and his brothers signed it says "Jackson Five 1971" and on the other "Marvin Gaye 1971"

It was likely written on by the person who originally got it signed or maybe a dealer who got it from there.

Strictly-Dragonball · Post by **Strictly-Dragonball** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 5:08 pm

The other MJ auto I have is on a fantastic 11"x14" photo of him from his Thriller days. Basically the same photo as this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Michael-Jackson-Sig ... 45f2365d94

Not the same signature of course

But the same photo.

That was a recent one like 99% of MJ signatures for sale they are from the past 5-10 years. You don't find many earlier than that for sale.

It was apparently signed in 2008, Jackson collected a lot of his own memorabilia and so this guy would find ways to buy rare imports or concert posters featuring Jackson and give them to Michael for his private collection.

Michael would keep a lot of what was given to him and in return sign a few items and photos apparently.

Michael was well known to do this with a few dealers in the California area including one owner of a rock and roll memorabilia auction store who got all his items sold in a recent MJ sale from Michael himself doing the exact same thing.

Essentially trading items with the King of Pop, one of the items Michael gave him were the black gloves he wore on the cover of 'Bad'

iceman57 · Post by **iceman57** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 6:10 pm

REUTERS (2009)
A glove: $350,000
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5AL02A20091123

Auction house website:
http://www.juliensauctions.com/auctions ... index.html

Catalogue from 2009 auction:
http://www.juliensauctions.com/auctions ... alog5.html

StrictlyDB, I kindly advise you to give them a ring for an estimate