Buy Fewer Things, and Make Them Great

I first got started in this field back in 1985. At that time, I was like a kid in a candy store, buying without much discrimination whatever caught my eye. Over lunch a respected dealer gave me some unsolicited advice. “Buy fewer things,” he told me, “but make them the highest quality you can afford.” I was impressed, and began a search for the true meaning of quality that has defined my relationship to autographs and led me through analysis of dealer and auction catalogs by the thousands, uncountable purchases at both private and public venues, and innumerable conversations with knowledgeable enthusiasts. In the end, it would take me many years to fully understand the implications of the advice and its value. Here are the lessons I’ve learned along the way.