Autograph Signing Tips: Labeling, Inscriptions, and Fixes

If you’ve ever sent items to a big signing and wondered how everything stays organized—this episode is for you.

Today I’m covering three things collectors can control that make a massive difference in results:

1. How you label your items

2. When inscriptions are worth it (and when they aren’t)

3. How bad autographs can sometimes be fixed

And then I’m ending on a positive note with the best autograph signer in the industry, in my experience.

---

Quick Website Update: Football Signings Hit the Limit

Fun website issue: our site only lets us list 50 signings per sport per page, and football finally maxed out. So we had to create a second football page just to keep listings going.

This is the kind of behind-the-scenes stuff you don’t think about until your website looks at you and says, “Nope, I’m done.”

---

The Real Challenge of Big Autograph Shows

If we’re doing one athlete—say, a single Larry Bird signing—logistics are easy.

But big shows can have 50–60 athletes (sometimes more). And depending on popularity, we may have 10 to 50 items per athlete.

That means the #1 job becomes simple:

Don’t miss anything.
Not an item. Not an inscription. Not a pen color.

And that’s where collectors can help.

---

Autograph Signing Tips for Labeling Items (So Nothing Gets Missed)

Here’s the key question to ask yourself:

If someone looks at my item for 1–2 seconds, is the instruction crystal clear?

That’s the standard.

What to include on the note (keep it simple)

• Pen color + type (example: “Blue Sharpie” or “Gold Paint Pen”)

• Any authentication request (if applicable)

• Your name / order number

• Inscription written clearly (if needed)

What NOT to do

Don’t write a long paragraph telling the athlete your life story and then sneak the inscription at the bottom.

If your note says:

“Thank you for everything… my dad and I watched you growing up… you’re the greatest… by the way please write ‘To Tom’…”

That inscription can get missed in the chaos.

The best trick: highlight or circle inscriptions

We’ve started highlighting inscriptions because it makes it instantly obvious:

YES — THIS ITEM HAS AN INSCRIPTION.

If you want perfection, help us make it impossible to miss.

---

Inscriptions: Awesome… Until the Athlete Hates Doing Them

Inscriptions are fun. They’re the whole point of customizing an item beyond “just a signature.”

And some athletes choose no inscriptions, which is totally fine. Honestly, from a logistics standpoint, it makes everything easier and reduces mistakes.

My biggest pet peeve is when athletes:

• get paid for inscriptions

• agree to do them

• and then complain the entire time

If you hate inscriptions… just don’t do inscriptions.

Or charge more so it’s worth it. But don’t spend a minute complaining when you could’ve already finished the inscription in that same time.

---

Can You Fix a Bad Autograph? A Lot More Than You Think

Bad autographs happen. Sometimes the pen doesn’t take. Sometimes paint pens spider. Sometimes it smears even if nobody touches it.

Example from today:

• A Marcus Allen mini helmet was requested in silver

• The silver came out awful—smudgy and messy

• So we cleaned it off and re-did it properly

How to fix common issues

• Helmets (paint pen): Goo Gone on a towel can often remove it cleanly

• Chrome/Glossy cards: Alcohol wipes / hand sanitizer wipes can often wipe ink off

• Cardboard vintage cards: Usually not fixable (once it’s on there, it’s on there)

If the surface is glossy, you have options. If it’s old cardboard, you’re basically at the mercy of the moment.

---

Mini Helmet Warning: Inscriptions Are Tough Now

Modern mini helmets (especially speed-style) have holes everywhere and very little clean space.

Two inscriptions on a mini helmet is already pushing it. Sometimes the best move is:

• move inscriptions to the top

• keep the side clean

• focus on readability over forcing placement

Sometimes we’ll make an executive decision on color/placement if it means the final result looks 10x better.

---

The Best Autograph Signer in the Industry: Barry Sanders

Let’s end this the right way.

In my experience, the greatest autograph signer—by a mile—is Barry Sanders.

Here’s why:

• Never rushes

• Writes inscriptions cleanly

• Doesn’t complain

• Asks questions like:

  • “Do you want it here?”

  • “This angle?”

  • “Would you prefer it over here?”

• Treats the item like it matters

• Treats the collector like a human being

I’ve never seen Barry give a bad autograph. Ever.

He might spend three minutes doing one helmet with eight inscriptions (which is “slow” compared to other signings), but the final piece looks like a museum display.

That’s why Barry is the GOAT autograph experience.

If you ever get a chance to meet him or add him to your collection—do it.

---

Final Thoughts

This episode is really about one thing:

The best autographs happen when the prep is clear and the process is respected.

Use these autograph signing tips to get better results:

• Keep labels short and readable

• Highlight inscriptions

• Give athletes space to sign

• Understand what can/can’t be fixed

• Choose athletes who care about quality

Visit: powerssportsmemorabilia.com
Follow: @PowersAutographs