posted 10-06-2007 06:45 PM               

I have no idea if there is a rule or something.

I always think of the advice Juergen Esders (AstroAddies) gave: "Just be sincere and polite. Astronauts granting autographs is a favour not an obligation."

Do you write thank you letters?

posted 10-06-2007 10:32 PM               

When I was going thru the "autograph phase" of my life years ago, i always sent a small gift with my request for their autograph, in appreciation for their signing. This worked wonders.

I usually sent in covers for autographing as that was and is my main collecting interest. Sending a cover of something related to them or their flight makes a nice gift. Usually these were the space pictorial cancellations on covers that I sent for myself to the different postoffices. I think the astronauts were more appreciative of that than a thank you card later. Many times I would get a thank you letter thanking me for the gift I sent!

Another thing that I would send as a gift was a small packet of mint or used space stamps (not USA unless I was writing to an overseas address). Often times these inexpensive stamps can be purchased as stamp shows. I would then suggest that these stamps be given to their kids or someone in the family who collected stamps.

I also did the same above when I wrote to any space official, experimenter, scientist etc. as I not only collected astronaut autographs but other space autographs too.

I only write for autographs on occasion now.

One time I sent a Copernicus cover to astronomer/scientist Thomas Gold of Cornell University in NY and this what he signed above his autograph: "I regret that I have not been able to improve much upon his work - Thomas Gold"