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Research on Auction of Signature Collections of world Political Leaders |
| General Description |
1.The main source of data is the transaction prices of 252 such auction items from 2013 to 2024 released by three famous auction companies, China Guardian, Xiling, and Poly. (A small amount of data comes from the art search results of Artron Art website, which requires registration and payment to view the transaction price), as well as the transaction prices of 51 such auction items from 1995 to 2024 by three famous auction companies, USA Sotheby's, Christie's, and UK Bonhams. Due to the large number of auction items in foreign countries, only a portion of representative data can be selected. Interested readers can browse and study it on their own. The complete original information of 303 auction items can be found in a PDF file compiled by our website, which is 0.7MB. Click here to download it. |
2. Main research subjects: Collectibles bearing the autography (or signatures) of foreign heads of state (presidents, prime ministers, chairpersons, and other political figures) over the years. For the convenience of research and comparison, they are divided into three categories based on the nature of their signature items: Class A, which refers to government documents issued or handwritten by these leaders; Class B, handwritten letters from these leaders, including social and personal letters; Class C refers to various collectibles that only have the handwritten signatures of these leaders (some with a small amount of ceremonial text), such as photos, printed letters, envelopes, stamps, greeting cards, banknotes, checks, even bowling balls, carvings, and so on |
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| 1 Overview of Auction of Signature Collections of Presidents and Political Officials from Various Countries Over the Years |
List 1-1 Summary of Auction Classification Transactions on 6 Major Auction Websites at Home and Abroad Over the Years（ In US dollars. 1 US dollar=7 RMB--Chinese yuan, the same below) |
| Auction website |
Total number of in categories A+B |
Average transaction price per item for A+B |
Total number of in categories C |
Average transaction price per item for C |
| Three major websites in China |
74 |
8371 |
178 |
1800 |
| Three major foreign websites |
28 |
108738 |
23 |
26226 (Excluding Lincoln, Roosevelt, Reagan three special signatures, the average is 9835） |
| Total |
102 |
35923 |
201 |
4595 （2612） |
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List 1-2 Domestic Auction Prices of US Presidential Signature Collections over the Years |
There are 20 US presidents' information in the PDF file, and the table below selects the data of 10 presidents (USD) |
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List 1-3 Over the years US President's Signature Collection Foreign Auction Price（USD） |
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List 1-4 Domestic auction prices of signature collections of political figures from various countries (excluding the United States) over the years（USD） |
| Name |
Number |
Maximum price |
Bottom price |
All average prices |
| Putin, Russia |
10 |
9857 |
329 |
10665 |
| Gorbachev, Soviet |
11 |
13964 |
329 |
21296 |
| Charles de Gaulle, France |
8 |
7386 |
986 |
24863 |
| Tito, Yugoslavia |
4 |
2957 |
394 |
9315 |
| Castro, Cuba |
5 |
18071 |
1150 |
36750 |
| Saddam Hussein, Iraq |
6 |
5257 |
657 |
13608 |
Gaddafi, Libya |
2 |
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8050 |
| Merkel, Germany |
1 |
3614 |
---- |
25300 |
| Sarkozy, France |
1 |
493 |
---- |
3450 |
| Wavensa, Poland |
1 |
657 |
---- |
4600 |
| Rabin, Israel |
1 |
1643 |
---- |
11500 |
| Karzai, Afghan |
1 |
1314 |
---- |
9200 |
Sadat, Egypt
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1 |
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---- |
5750 |
Segoudur, Guinea |
1 |
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---- |
17250 |
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List 1-5 Foreign Auction Prices of Signature Collectibles of Political Leaders from Various Countries (excluding the United States) Over the Years（USD） |
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2 Initial impression |
2-1 The signature collections of political figures from various countries, both domestically and internationally, have been auctioned many times and the opportunities are quite common. From the three major domestic auction companies we have selected, from 2013 to 2024, more than 30 auctions were held in spring and autumn each year, and such collections were sold. Some have also held special auctions such as "Celebrity Handwriting Signature Collection" and "World Celebrity Letter Collection" for many times, and each auction company has a special auction service (see the relevant websites of three companies, Guardian, Xiling and Poly). Even in the COVID-19 period from 2020 to 2023, these auctions are still ongoing (Jiade also chose the form of online auction, but the transaction price is significantly lower). This is also true from the situation of the three major auction houses abroad, and their auction transaction prices are significantly higher than those in China, and the recorded auction years are also longer than those in China. It has been proved that as long as there are good collections, the channels to participate in the auction are open However, as mentioned in the network information, there may be some issues, which also need attention. |
2-2 The collection of signatures from foreign political figures varies greatly in price due to differences in their age of existence, historical background, level of fame, auction environment, and other factors. In China, the highest price was a handwritten letter from the first President of the United States, Washington, declaring independence in 1791, which sold for 437000 yuan. The lowest prices were the Trump signature photo auctioned by Poly in 2020, the Clinton signature photo auctioned by Poly in 2023, and the Reagan signature photo auctioned by Poly in 2024, all of which sold for 1500 yuan. They have two common characteristics: first, they are in the period of the COVID-19 epidemic, which is an extraordinary period. People are suffering from the invasion of the epidemic, and their enthusiasm for collecting has generally declined. You can pay attention to the lowest price range of similar collectibles from the PDF files on this website (the table sequence is arranged in descending order of price). This low price mostly occurs between 2020-2024, and their decline ranges from one to three times, which is remarkable; Secondly, they were all auctioned by Poly Company. From the PDF file, it can be seen that the political signature collections auctioned by the company are generally sold at a price one-third to one-half lower than similar collections from the two auction companies, Guardian and Xiling. This is also a point that collectors need to pay attention to when choosing an auction company. At least for collections signed by political figures, it has been proven that the transaction prices vary greatly in different auction environments. Choosing Guardian or Xiling and selling at the appropriate time can achieve ideal results |
2-3 Regarding the price: A total of 252 samples of this type of collection were auctioned in China in the PDF files. Statistics were conducted for categories A, B, and C, and the results are shown in the table below (USD) |
List 2-1 Overall average data of domestic auctions |
| Classification |
Total number of items (except for individual items, each auction is counted as 1 item) |
Total transaction price |
Average transaction price per item |
| Class A - Government documents issued by political leaders of various countries |
18 |
125186 |
6955 |
| Class B - handwritten letters from political leaders of various countries, including social and personal letters |
56 |
494257 |
8826 |
| Class C - Photos with signatures of political leaders from various countries, printed letters, various items, etc |
178 |
320446 |
1800 |
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| Total |
252 |
939889 |
3730 |
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From this table, we can see the following points：
1. The overall price of this type of collection is at the level of thousands yuan (USD, 4 digits). Although individual collections, such as those of the founding president of the United States, Washington, have sold for 62430 USD domestically and 318400 USD abroad, if we use 7000 USD as a threshold, the total number is only 53 pieces, accounting for about 1/5 of the entire sample, and the vast majority are below 7000 USD. This is still far from those paintings and calligraphy that can easily reach millions, or more 100 millions of USD （01, 02）. From this, it can also be seen that there is still a lot of room for appreciation for collections of political signatures in the future
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2. From the average transaction prices of collections in categories A, B, and C, A and B are 4-5 times higher than C, indicating that people attach great importance to the connotation of collections. A set of signed letters, documents, official documents with special significance Wait, it will give the collection greater value |
3. Upon careful observation of the PDF file, it can be seen that the preservation time of the collection, the content related to the document, and the popularity of the signatory are closely related to the price of the collection. Below is a summary table, ranked by the years of governance of representative political figures. The average transaction price has fluctuated slightly, but the overall trend is clear |
List 2-2 The relationship between the existence time of the collection, the content it contains, the popularity of the signatory, and the transaction price |
| Name (Year of Administration) |
(A, B sample number) average price |
(C sample number) average price |
| Washington （1789-1797） |
(A1B4) 31857 |
---- |
| Lincoln（1861-1865） |
(A3B4) 23818 |
---- |
| Roosevelt （1933-1945） |
（A2B10) 7461 |
（C11) 3144 |
| Truman (1945-1953) |
（B2) 3286 |
(C8) 2832 |
| Eisenhower(1953-1961) |
（B3) 7119 |
(C8) 1877 |
| Kennedy（1961-1963） |
(B3) 7940 |
（C3) 3124 |
| Nixon（1969-1974） |
(B5) 4929 |
(C16) 1088 |
| Reagan (1981-1989) |
（B8) 3635 |
(C6) 509 |
| George Bush (1989-1993) |
（B1) 986 |
(C5) 1347 |
| Clinton (1993-2001) |
（B1) 1314 |
(C11) 1250 |
| Obama(2009-2017) |
---- |
（C5) 4607 |
| Trump (2017-2021, 2025-) |
---- |
（C7) 1455 |
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3 Extract some eye-catching collections |
3-1 Obama's signature when he won the election and took office |
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On January 20, 2009, Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, D.C. He was also the first black president of the United States. This is an unprecedented gathering, reportedly the most attended in the history of Washington. This photo captures the wonderful moment of Obama and his wife Michelle walking down Capitol Hill after the inauguration ceremony. In the photo, the couple is radiant and full of energy. The signature on the photo was obtained by the collector during Obama's re-election campaign while on vacation in Virginia in 2012. The signature is clear and powerful, excellent, and leaves a deep impression on people. This signature photo was originally estimated at 215-430 USD at the 2013 China Guardian Autumn "Stamp Signature Collection" special auction, but the actual transaction price reached 11830 USD, which is 36 times higher than the estimated price. This premium is extremely rare, and bidders bid with such high enthusiasm, reflecting their high praise and historical expectations for this signature collection (the information on this item has exceeded the display period of Guardian website, and the relevant information is from Artron Art website) |
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3-2 Important handwritten letter from the first President of the United States, Washington, 234 years ago |
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This is a handwritten letter written by the first President of the United States, Washington, to former British Prime Minister Morris on November 7, 1791. Praise Morris for recognizing the independence of the United States during his tenure as Prime Minister, and express gratitude for the peace he brought to the two countries. In other words, this letter is also declaring the independence of the United States. Therefore. It has high historical significance. As the stars shift, 234 years of world history have quietly passed, but the international situation remains unpredictable. Seeing these two yellowed handwritten letters with our own eyes allows us to gain a glimpse into the behind the scenes operations of political leaders from various countries who once dominated the world. The price of this collection is the highest of its kind found among the three major auction companies in China (62430 USD), and another item with a price of 182500 USD appeared at Sotheby's auction in the United States in 2011, which was a handwritten letter from Washington about the Constitution. The highest price for a similar collection (Class A) is 1.32 million US dollars, which appeared on Christie's auction records in the United States. This is the manuscript of the 16th US President Lincoln's second inaugural speech in 1865 |
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3-3 Autography photo of Nixon and Deng Xiaoping |
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这This is a photo jointly signed by Chinese and foreign political figures sold by Christie's auction house in the United States on October 9, 2002, with a transaction price of $13145, equivalent to approximately 90125 yuan in Chinese yuan. Nixon is an old friend of the Chinese people. On February 21, 1972, Nixon arrived in Beijing as the first American president to visit New China. China and the United States issued the historic Shanghai Communique, which became a major turning point in China US relations. After resigning from the presidency due to the Watergate scandal, he continued to enjoy high popularity abroad, visiting 18 countries and frequently meeting with many heads of state. On September 18, 1979, he returned to the once glorious Beijing and held a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping. At the bottom of the photo, there are two people's handwritten signatures, and the auction price was 13145 US dollars, equivalent to approximately 90125 Chinese yuan. Such a price is not commonly seen in auctions of signature photo collections in the United States, which indirectly illustrates the important position of these two politicians in people's minds |
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3-4 The two highest selling Lincoln autographed photos at auction
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这These are the two highest priced Lincoln signature photos I have ever seen at an auction. The first one was auctioned by Christie's in the United States on May 19, 2000, with a transaction price of $76000 (equivalent to RMB 535000). The second one was auctioned by Bonhams Company in the UK on May 6, 2020, with a transaction price of $90000 (equivalent to RMB 630000). It is recorded that photography began in 1839. Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States. The first photo here was taken on February 24, 1861, in Washington, D.C., one week before Lincoln's inauguration ceremony. Lincoln signed the photo with ink on the lower left side of the frame. On the reverse side, there is the handwritten signature authentication inscription of Secretary Lincoln: "I certify that the President's signature is genuine, John Hay." The photo is packaged in a customized blue box with gilded text on the cover reading "Lincoln portrait handwritten signature. The second photo was given by Lincoln to an educator, Mr. Edwards, the principal of St. Louis Normal School, three weeks before his inauguration as president in Washington in 1861. Lincoln was born into poverty and only attended elementary school for four months. In his youth, he worked as a ferryman on the Ohio River, a plantation worker, as well as a store clerk and stonemason. During his presidency, the Civil War broke out, and Lincoln signed the Homestead Act and issued the Emancipation Proclamation, laying the foundation for the North's victory in the Civil War. On November 8, 1864, Lincoln was re elected as the President of the United States. On April 14, 1865, Lincoln was assassinated by sympathetic actor John Booth and passed away the next morning at the age of 56. In 2008, The Times ranked 43 American presidents as the "Greatest Presidents" based on different criteria, with Abraham Lincoln ranking first. (See here) |
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3-5 A piece of 'abandoned construction waste' sold for a sky high price |
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3-6The True Story of Collecting autography Collections to Make Money |
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While editing the PDF file, the author accidentally discovered that an identical B-class signature collection had been auctioned twice This is a resignation letter personally autographed by Nixon to then Secretary of State Kissinger on August 9, 1974. The content of the letter is: "Dear Secretary of State, August 9, 1974: I hereby resign from the position of President of the United States. Signature Nixon." The address at the bottom is the mailing address. After careful study, it was determined that this was not a typographical error, but a real incident that occurred around us. A signature collection (classified as C based on signature, but classified as B based on the nature of the letter) was auctioned repeatedly (auction in and auction out) to make money |
This collection was purchased at auction on December 5, 2015 (China Poly) and sold on December 15, 2022 (China Guardian, online auction). After 7 years, the buying price was 43700 RMB (6243 USD) and the selling price was 73600 RMB (10514 USD). The difference between the two auctions reached 29900 RMB (4271 USD), and the actual annual interest rate calculated at simple interest was 9.78%. During this period, the 5-year deposit interest rate of China's six major banks was approximately 1.55%. Even if calculated at 2%, the 7-year bank deposit interest income of 43700 RMB is only 6118 RMB, with a difference of 29900-6118=23782 RMB (3390 USD). It should also be mentioned that the time of this sale coincides with the epidemic period, and it is an online auction. If we avoid these two factors, the difference in numbers may be much higher |
通There are many stories of making big money through auctioning collections, and they are all wealthy families who spend millions or more of dollars, which is far from ordinary people like us. There are many articles online about the appreciation speed of collectibles auctions, but there is a lack of comprehensive, persistent, and relatively accurate data. The author saw a data that says: （Sorry only Chinese)"According to relevant departments, the annual average investment return rate of financial securities is about 15%, real estate is 21%, and the annual average investment return rate of art collections is 26%." This average figure seems quite reliable. For ordinary people who have some idle money in their hands, according to their own financial resources, investing a part of their long idle money in their favorite cultural and artistic collections, and even leaving it for future generations , as time passes by, they not only contribute to the collection and dissemination of these treasures, but also receive rich returns of wealth appreciation. It can be said that it is a fun, tasteful, and visionary investment choice |
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3-7 Three sets (48 pieces) of foreign political signature auction items with significant comparative and reference value |
During the process of editing the PDF files, I discovered three sets of very meaningful and valuable signature collections. These are the related collections signed by 48 foreign political figures from 2003 to 2006, which were provided by Ms. Yang Xiuwen, the fifth generation granddaughter of Yang Renshan, the founder of the Nanjing "Jinling Scripture Carving Office", in 2012 and 2014 at Xiling Auction Company. Their overview is as follows: |
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Signed letters and photos by 18 former or current political figures from various countries, including UN Secretary General Annan, Cambodian President Norodom Sihanouk, Cuban President Castro, French President Chirac, and others |
1.1 signed photo and hard card reply letter of former UN Secretary General Annan。
2. Queen Elizabeth II of England replied with a signed letter.
3. One signed letter and one signed greeting card from Cuban President Castro.
4. Cambodian Prime Minister Prince Norodom Sihanouk and his wife signed a photo, greeting card, and signed one letter.
5. 1 greeting card with handwritten inscription by former French leader Chirac。
6. One photo and brief introduction of Singapore President Nathan's handwritten signature and inscription.
7. One signed photo and one signed greeting card of former German President Kler and his wife.
8. A signed photo and letter of Irish President McAleese.
9. One signed photo and greeting card of former Brazilian President Lula.
10. One signed photo of Czech President Klaus.
11. A signed photo and letter from the Governor General and his wife of Jamaica.
12. A signed photo of Finnish President Halonen (wrapped in greeting card paper).
13. One greeting card signed by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Kumaratonga.
14. Portuguese President Sampaio signed 2 greeting cards.
15. One greeting card signed by Cyprus Head of State Papadopoulos.
16. One greeting card signed by the heads of state of Uruguay in Africa, Herhe and Barret.
17. One signed photo of Canadian Prime Minister Paul.
18. New Zealand Head of State Carter and Mrs. Wright, 1 signed photo and signature data |
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Former German Chancellor Schroeder, former French President Chirac, and 18 other former or current political figures from various countries sent signed letters and photos to Yang Xiuwen |
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Record: Jinling Evening News, March 8, 2007, Edition 06, "They, specializing in communication with foreign political figures". |
Fourteen pages of letter, nineteen photos, and three greeting cards (with Twenty one pieces entire cover attached).
This subject matter includes：
1.Former Greek President Stefanopoulos signed a greeting card and a photo of the signature. (Two entire cover attached, from 2003 and 2004)
2.Cambodian King Sihamoni signed a reply letter, one page at a time. (Attached with entire cover 2007)
3. A signed photo of former Austrian President Klestil and his wife, and a signed greeting card. (Attached with entire cover, 2003)
4. One signed photo of former German Chancellor Schroeder (printed), and one page of a reply letter from the secretary. (Attached with entire cover, 2005)
5. A signed photo of former Slovenian President Milan Kuchan and his wife, and a reply letter from the secretary on behalf of each page. (Attached with entire cover, 2004)
6. One signed photo of former Estonian President L ü ttel (printed), one photo with his wife, and a two page reply letter from the secretary. (Two entire covers attached, from 2004 to 2006)）
7. A signed photo of former Lithuanian President Adamkus (printed), and a reply letter from the secretary on behalf of the president, one page per letter. (Attached with entire covers, 2004)
8. Two frames of a photo of the King and Queen of Belgium, and two pages of a reply letter from the consultant. (Two entire covers attached, 2005, 2007)
9. A signed photo of former Slovak President Rudolf Schuster (printed). (Attached with entire covers, 2003)
10. One signed photo of Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic (printed), one signed greeting card with inscription, and one signed photo of his wife Gasparovicova. (Attached with enrtire cover, 2006)
11. A photo of the inscription and signature of former Czech President Klaus (printed). (Attached with entire cover, 2005)
12. One signed photo of Lebanese President Lahoud (printed), and one letter and one page of embassy response letter. (Attached with entire cover, 2004)
13. A signed photo of former Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio (printed), and a one page reply letter from the Cabinet. (Attached with entire cover, 2005)
14. A photo of former Italian President Ciampi and his wife, and a letter of reply from the secretary, one page at a time. (Attached with entire cover, 2004)
15. A photo of former Latvian President Freiberga, and a reply letter from the secretary on behalf of him, one page per letter. (Attached with entire cover, 2003)
16. A photo of former Polish President Kwasniewski and his wife, and a reply letter from the secretary on behalf of them, one page and one envelope. (Attached with entire cover, 2003)
17. A handwritten greeting card from the fifth President of France, Jacques Chirac. (Attached with entire cover, 2004)
17. One signed photo of Swiss Federal President Pascal Kushpan (printed), and a reply letter from the secretary, one page and one envelope. (Attached with entire cover, 2004) |
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Nine former or current political figures from various countries, including Egyptian President Mubarak and Belgian King Albert II, addressed signed letters and photos to Yang Xiuwen |
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Record: Jinling Evening News, March 8, 2007, Edition 06, "They, specializing in communication with foreign political figures" |
Seven pages of letter, four photos, three postcards, one greeting card (with nine envelopes attached)
This subject includes:
1. A signed photo of former French President Jacques Chirac, and a reply letter from a cabinet minister in the Presidential Palace, one page and a envelope. (Attached with 1 entire cover, 2004)
2. A photo of former Belgian King Albert II and his queen (printed), with a reply letter from the secretary, one page and a envelope. (Attached with 1 entire cover, 2003)
3. A signed photo of Hungarian President Mader Franz and a reply letter from the secretary, one page and one envelope. (Attached with entire cover)
4. A photo of King Carl XVI of Sweden with the royal family (printed), and a reply letter from the secretary on behalf of one page. (Attached with entire cover, 2003)
5. Take a photo of King Harald V of Norway with his wife and others, and reply with a letter and a page from his secretary. (Attached with entire cover, 2004)
6. King Sihamoni of Cambodia wrote an inscription and signed a letter, one page and a envelope. (Attached with entire cover, 2006)
7. Egyptian President Mubarak signs a photo and the Minister of Public Relations responds with a letter, one page and a envelope. (Attached with entire cover, 2004)
8. Swiss Federal President Pascal Kushpan signs a greeting card. (Attached with entire cover, 2003)
9. A photo of the President and his wife of Mexico with their signatures, and a reply letter from the secretary on their behalf, one page and a envelope. (Enclosed in entire cover, 2003) |
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List 3-1：Comparison between the 3 sets of collectibles auctioned by Ms. Yang and the collectibles to be transferred on this website |
| Compare projects |
Three sets of auction items provided by Ms. Yang Xiuwen |
The postal products that this website intends to transfer |
| Collection method |
Requesting signatures and replies from politicians through letter |
Requesting signatures and replies from politicians through postcard |
| Signature year |
2003-2006 |
1998-2000 |
| Total number of signature responses |
38 |
31 |
| Record |
Jinling Evening News, March 8, 2007, page 06, "They, specializing in communication with foreign politicians" |
The relevant content of the article "Prince Norodom Sihanouk's feeling Relationship with Nanjing" in the Nanjing Morning Post on October 10, 2004 |
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| Scope Asia |
King Sihanouk of Cambodia |
King Sihanouk of Cambodia （Multiple items and related postal products） |
| King Sihamoni of Cambodia |
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| Singapore President Nathan |
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| Mrs. Malatonga, President of Sri Lanka |
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| Lebanese President Lahoud |
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South Korean President Kim Dae jung |
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The first President of East Timor, Sanana Gusmao |
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Israeli President Ezer Weizmann |
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Mongolian President Natsuk Bagabandi |
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Lao President Kham Dai Xipandun |
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Iranian President Khatami |
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Uzbekistan President Karimov |
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Europe
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Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom |
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Irish President McAleese |
Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern |
French President Chirac |
French President Chirac （Sold） |
German President koehler |
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German Chancellor Schroeder |
German Chancellor Schroeder （Sold） |
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German Chancellor Kohl （Sold） |
Italian President Ciampi |
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King Carl XVI of Sweden |
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King Harald V of Norway |
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Finnish President Halonen |
Finnish Prime Minister Pavlobonin |
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Danish Prime Minister Boris Rasmussen |
King Albert II of Belgium |
Belgian Prime Minister Jean Luc de Anna |
Austrian President Klestil |
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Portuguese President Sampaio |
Last Governor General of Portugal in Macau, Vichy Li （Sold） |
Swiss Federal President Pascal Kushpan |
Swiss Federal President Flavio Conti |
Polish President Kwasniewski |
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Greek President Stefanopoulos |
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Hungarian President Mader Franz |
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Czech President Klaus |
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Slovak President Rudolf Schuster |
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Slovak President Ivanka Sparovic |
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Estonian President Ruttel |
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Former Lithuanian President Adamkus |
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Latvian President Freiberger |
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Slovenian President Milankuchang |
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Cyprus Head of State Papadopoulos |
President of Cyprus, Graves Klerides （Sold） |
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Albanian Prime Minister Recep Madani |
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美洲
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Canadian Prime Minister Paul |
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President of Mexico |
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Cuban President Castro |
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Governor-General of Jamaica
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Jamaican Prime Minister Perceval Paterson |
Brazilian President Lula da Silva |
Brazilian President Fernando Cardozo |
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Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur |
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Ecuadorian President Hamir Mawad |
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Australia |
Mrs. Cartwright, the Head of State of New Zealand |
New Zealand Governor General Michael Hardibois |
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New Zealand Prime Minister (female) Jenny Shipley（Sold） |
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Cook Islands Prime Minister Jeffrey Henry |
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Africa
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Egyptian President Mubarak |
Egyptian President Mubarak |
Uruguayan Head of State Hern á ndez |
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Ivory Coast Prime Minister Daniel Kablan Dunkan |
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Tanzanian Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye |
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President Faustus Mogae of Botswana |
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United Nations |
Secretary General Kofi A.Annan |
Secretary General Kofi A.Annan |
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| Total price |
3 auctions totaling 45 pieces (38 people) The total transaction price is USD 73920. On average, each piece costs USD 1643 |
31 pieces (31 people, including 1 person's multiple signatures and related collections) with a total price of USD 32286. Deducting the 6 sold pieces, the remaining 25 pieces cost USD 25570, with an average of USD 1023 per piece |
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4 Determination of prices for similar collections on this website |
Our purpose of focusing on these auction data is to gain a clearer understanding of the current and potential future value of the many philatelic collections we are transferring. Therefore, we need to conduct targeted research on certain issues. Their time period should be in the second half of the 20th century, and the characteristics of the collection are mainly to accept the request of Chinese philatelists to autography postcards, as well as some subsequent events that occurred as a result. Based on these characteristics, we will focus our in-depth research on the following areas: |
| 1. Among all the ABC collections, the closest item to our sale is the C auction item, so we will only select this type of item for research and comparison below. |
2. There is limited foreign statistical data, and their transaction prices are significantly higher. Although they can be used as a reference, they are not very suitable for the current situation in China, so they are excluded. |
3. Exclude Objects from a long time ago, and select political figures from various countries who have been in power since 1950. |
4. Excluding the abnormal data during the COVID-19 and online auction, the domestic auction was selected from 2013 to 2019 |
The statistics based on the above range are shown in the table below |
List 4-1 According to the above scope, the transaction statistics of Class C collectibles of the three major auction companies in China |
| Name |
Samples |
Total transaction price |
Average transaction price |
| 4-1-1 According to the above range, the sample data of US presidents (see the PDF file) |
Truman
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5 |
19468 |
3894 |
Eisenhower
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3 |
7557 |
2519 |
| Kennedy |
2 |
6900 |
3450 |
| Johnson |
2 |
1068 |
534 |
| Nixon |
7 |
7311 |
1044 |
Ford
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2 |
3779 |
1890 |
| Carter |
1 |
986 |
986 |
| George Bush |
2 |
3943 |
1972 |
| Clinton |
5 |
4436 |
887 |
| George W. Bush |
1 |
493 |
493 |
| Obama |
4 |
22671 |
5668 |
| Trump |
4 |
6071 |
1518 |
| Subtotals for the President of the United States |
38 |
85689 |
2255 |
| 4-1-2 According to the sample data of political figures from other countries in the world within the above range (see List 1-4 and the PDF file) |
| Russian Putin |
6 |
9200 |
1533 |
| Soviet Gorbache |
7 |
19768（There is one piece counted as 1/2） |
2824 |
| Charles de Gaulle, France |
2 |
3450（There is one piece counted as 1/2） |
1725 |
| Sarkozy, France |
1 |
493 |
493 |
| Merkel, Germany |
1 |
3614 |
3614 |
| Tito, Yugoslavia |
1 |
2957 |
2957 |
| Wavensa, Poland |
1 |
657 |
657 |
| Israeli Rabin |
1 |
1643 |
1643 |
| Afghan Karzai |
1 |
1314 |
1314 |
| Sadat, Egypt |
1 |
821 |
821 |
| Libyan Gaddafi |
2 |
2300 |
1150 |
| Segoudur, Guinea |
1 |
2464 |
2464 |
| Total of political leaders from other countries in the world |
25 |
48681 |
1947 |
| All political figures in total |
63 |
134370 |
2133 |
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According to the above range, various data are compared as follows |
List 4-2 Comparison of prices for foreign political figures signature collections within the above scope |
| Name |
Sample |
Total price |
Average price per item |
| US Presidential Signature Collection (Class C Transaction Price) |
38 |
85689 |
2255 |
| Other foreign political figures signature collections (C-class transaction price) |
25 |
48681 |
1947 |
| Ms. Yang provided 3 sets of 45 pieces (38 people) foreign political signature collections (Class C, 2014 transaction price) |
45 |
73920 |
1643 |
| 31 sets (31 people) of foreign political figures signature collections transferred on this site (Class C, selling price in 2025) |
31 |
32286 |
1041 |
| The remaining 25 sets （25 peoples) of collections for sale after excluding the 6 sets sold (Class C, selling price in 2025) |
25 |
25571 |
1023 |
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The above table shows that the average price of the 25 sets of foreign political figures signature collections (with green background) currently for sale on this website is 1023 USD. Compared with the lowest average price of 1643 USD among the three similar collections (with a blue background and a total sample of 108 pieces), it is only 62.3%. The pricing level should be considered appropriate (the author has decided that if a buyer is willing to purchase all 25 sets of collections at once, appropriate discounts can also be offered). In the future, based on the development of the auction market and the wishes of the inheritors of these collections, it is not ruled out that they will directly participate in the auction. |
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These postal products were among the 31 postcards sent by the author to 100 foreign dignitaries who visited China in the three years after retirement in 1997. The response rate was only 31%, which is regrettable but even more precious. I have been working in plants and enterprises all my life, and I rely entirely on self-study for my English. Before issuing these postcards in those fleeting historical opportunities, it is necessary to have a necessary understanding of the international situation, Sino foreign relations, and personal profiles of foreign politicians at that time. Every postcard, stamp, image, and text used for the visa application, as well as the layout of various elements on the postcards, should be carefully considered to endow them with the cultural and historical value they should possess. The footprints of these postcards span across the four oceans and five continents of the world, with political systems involving various forms of government such as socialism, capitalism, constitutional monarchy, democratic republics, etc. The economic level ranges from poor countries with a per capita GDP of $600 to developed countries with a per capita GDP of over $30000. They not only showcase the infinite charm of philatelic communication, but more importantly, in the form of documents, they record a side image of the colorful world and the coexistence of all things during the late 20th and early 21st centuries, leaving an unforgettable mark of the era of economic globalization
These collections originally had a total of 31 sets, and apart from the 6 sets that have already been sold, there are currently 25 sets. According to their content and rarity, they are divided into 6 levels, including 430, 715, 1130, 1430, 1715, 2860 etc. Below is a brief explanation of this
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1. Minimum grade of 430 USD: 6 sets of collections, including UN Secretary General Annan who only received signed photos, as well as 4 countries including Denmark, Egypt, and Iran. And two countries, Ivory Coast and Ecuador, which received autographs from political leaders |
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4. The fourth is 1430 USD: including two collections fromSwitzerland (President) and Brazil (President) that have received signatures from political figures and official correspondence from the office. Its characteristic is that the postcards are all the first day postcards of commemorative stamps jointly issued by China Switzerland and China Pakistan, so they have a special significance. |
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Kim Dae jung is a symbol of South Korean democracy fighters. During his 40 year political career, the Grim Reaper brushed past him five times, he was placed under house arrest 55 times, imprisoned for six years, and exiled abroad twice Despite being assassinated multiple times and surviving great hardships, he is known as the "the immortal bird" of South Korean politics and the "Mandela" of Asia. He signed a joint declaration with North Korean leader Kim Jong il to promote national reconciliation. It enjoys high popularity in South Korea and around the world. This group of stamps also includes many stamps, souvenir sheets, and entire cover envelopes related to North and South Korea (please refer to 01， 02， 03) |
Ezer Weizmann was the 7th President of Israel and the nephew of the first President of Israel, Chaim Weizmann. He is known as the "father of the development of the Israeli Air Force" and enjoys high prestige in the military and political circles. In the latter half of his life, he transformed from a hawkish figure with great military achievements to a famous dovish figure. The former Chinese ambassador to Israel wrote in his article recalling Weizmann: "Weizmann repeatedly told me that his past experience can be summed up as: engaging in war for the first thirty years and seeking peace for the second thirty years. He believed that winning peace was more important and difficult than winning war, and instead embarked on the path of fighting for peace between Israel and neighboring countries." In early 2000, the Israeli judiciary began investigating President Weizmann's acceptance of cash during his time as a member of parliament. And it is classified as' moral negligence '. Under political pressure, Weizmann resigned from the presidency on July 10, 2000, and retired with a sense of sadness. In 2005, he passed away due to illness in sadness at the age of 80. The author has had two crossing with him due to "seeking an autography" and "resigning", which has left a deep impression on me. These events have also been recorded in the collection. Impressive（Refer 01， 02， 03） |
Helmut Kohl served as the Prime Minister of Germany three times and was also the first Prime Minister after the merger of East and West Germany, known as the "father of reunification" of Germany. Enjoy high prestige both domestically and internationally. His signature collection has been sold, so there won't be much introduction here（Refer 01， 02） |
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Norodom Sihanouk, known as the founding father of Cambodia, king, and lifelong head of state. On the surface, he appears charming and handsome, but his life has always been a struggle for Cambodia's independence, peace, and neutrality in a complex and ever-changing international environment, full of hardships, difficulties, and even life-threatening situations. He has an extremely high prestige among the Cambodian people. He is also the only foreign monarch who has established close friendships with generations of Chinese leaders and regards China as his second home. In 1998, when China was hit by a rare and catastrophic flood, he using his own money to donate money to the people in the disaster stricken areas of China; In the midst of severe political turmoil in Cambodia, he personally presided over the "Khmer Summit" and the National Assembly in Siem Reap to mediate the national crisis. In such a tense and ever-changing moment, he still took the time to sign and reply to the author's request ; During his illness and treatment in Beijing, he personally picked up a pen from "No. 15 Dongjiaominxiang, Beijing" to reply to my letter In 2012, he passed away due to illness at the age of 90. One touching action after another, along with many precious writings related to him, have also been recorded in these small postal products and will last forever. This collection also includes a large number of stamps related to Norodom Sihanouk issued by Cambodia, as well as flood relief stamps and entire covers issued by various countries around the world. The content is very rich, please see 01, 02, 03 for details |
Shanana Gusmão, a poet, politician, leader of the East Timor independence movement, the first president and fourth prime minister of East Timor after independence. He is revered as the 'Father of East Timor' and the 'Mandela of Asia'. The reason why he is called the "Father of East Timor" is that he led the "Revolutionary Front for East Timor Independence", the "National Council of Timorese Resistance", and the "Armed Forces for the Liberation of East Timor" (Commander in Chief) in a life and death struggle since 1978, until East Timor achieved independence in 2002 and was elected as the first president (although he himself repeatedly declared that he did not want to be president); He is called the 'Mandela of Asia' because he was arrested by Indonesian military and police in 1992 and sentenced to 'life imprisonment'. This collection, through philately, extremely rare records many important historical events before and after East Timor's independence. For example, on September 7, 1999, Gusmão was granted amnesty by the Indonesian President and released from prison. He stayed at the British Embassy for two weeks before returning to East Timor to continue leading the independence movement; On October 25, 1999, the United Nations decided to establish the Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNAMET). And for the first time, a special stamp was issued for an independent country;
On January 24, 2000, Gusm ã o led a delegation to visit China to seek support; China sends relevant officials and police to participate in transitional administrative authorities and peacekeeping operations; On May 20, 2002, East Timor officially became independent and established its own country. Gusm ã o was elected as the founding president; China is the first country to officially recognize and send an ambassador All events can be recorded in the text, stamps, postmarks, and postal marks of this philatelic collection, showcasing the unique charm of philatelic activities. It has a total of 25 philatelic collections, including a letter from the British Ambassador to Indonesia confirming his return to East Timor after his release from prison. It includes Gusmao's visit to China as a leader of the East Timor independence movement and chairman of the National Council of Timorese Resistance to seek support before the independence of East Timor in 2000. When the Chinese post office did not have the communication channel of "East Timor" at that time, I sent Gusmao a requesting autography postcard through several possible channels (the post office mark later indicated that it was redirected through Darwin Post in Australia to reach East Timor), as well as a postcard signed by Gusmao himself on both sides of the postcard and safely returned; Including Mr. Zhao Yongge, who was responsible for managing the preparations for the establishment of East Timor and was sent by me to the officials dispatched by China for the country, and affixed with the only non denomination stamp designed and issued by the United Nations for a single country, as well as multiple related emails that have been sent back and forth; Including emails exchanged between me and Ms. Wang Ran, a peacekeeping civilian police officer dispatched by our country at the request of the United Nations; Contains signed emails exchanged between me and the first ambassador of our country, Shao Guanfu, who officially recognized the independence of East Timor; Contains 11 new stamps of significant value and 1 banknote Wait, wait, wait. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is a precious historical document of East Timor's independent nation building. In a few decades, they will become an unparalleled collection of philatelic treasures about East Timor's independent nation building (see 01, 02, 03 for more details)
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5 Final Summary |
1. Signature philatelic collection of foreign political figures are a collection with special cultural and historical significance. They occupy an important position in the business of renowned auction companies in China and internationally. Through auctions, their influence can be highlighted, their collection can be continued, and their value can be highlighted. Its auction channel is smooth, and its good value-added effect is certain |
2. Excluding occasional factors, the transaction price of a auctioned item is generally related to three aspects: first, the popularity of the The person who signed it; Secondly, the importance of relevant documents (such as the age of circulation, rarity and cultural significance, historical value, etc.); The third is the auction environment, including the social environment (economic prosperity, social stability, etc.) and the auction environment. In China, besides avoiding similar epidemics or economic downturns as much as possible, the choice of auction company is also important. It is recommended to choose the Guardian or Xiling auction companies for better results. |
3. In order to facilitate price comparison, we have classified signature files into three categories: A, B, and C. Among them, Class A and Class B have a wide range and a long history, so the price difference between their auction items is significant. C-class collections generally have a limited scope, are relatively late in age, and have similar attributes to the collections currently planned for sale on this website. Except for a few rare cases, their reasonable prices are still quite clear. Considering various factors, the current pricing on this website has left ample room for appreciation for buyers. |
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| Full text completed. Starting from Jan.18th, 2025 and ending on Feb. 8th, 2025 |
| There is a lot of data in this article. If there are any calculation errors, readers are welcome to report them for correction （qilingren@163.com) |
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