From Senna’s McLaren to Le Mans socks: this month’s collectors’ picks

Collecting signatures is a great hobby. It’s real thrill-of-the-chase stuff and a great way to add value to items. However, be warned that more is not always better.

By this I mean items bearing multiple signatures can often be worth less on the collectors’ market than ones with just a single appropriate autograph. For example, say you went to the British Grand Prix, watched Nigel Mansell win and then were lucky enough to have him sign your programme. Perfect, stop there! With that you have an item with irrefutable proof bearing the signature of the main man that weekend. Whereas if you went and got half the grid to also sign it, it’ll be worth nothing extra as all the value resides with the driver who’s most linked to that moment in time.

Some of you may have seen an example on Antiques Roadshow where a gentleman brought in a vintage Austrian GP programme. He’d been sitting in a café after the race when 17 of the drivers wandered in, and he asked them all to sign it. Problem was he didn’t get the winner, so his item was valued at a few hundred pounds instead of thousands.

The other risk is that multi-signed items become too personal. If you have a certain book, mini helmet or similar and have made it your mission to collect as many signatures as you can on it, above, it’s great for you, but to the outside world you end up with something covered in squiggles that takes a lot of time to decipher and validate, often looks messy and becomes incredibly difficult to sell.

Signatures are wonderful things, but there is a point of overdoing it. So, if you have a special item and think the value will grow with every additional autograph, you’re wrong. By all means take great pleasure in having your own multi-signed item, but don’t be fooled into thinking it’s a guaranteed investment piece.

Andrew Francis is director at The Signature Store. thesignaturestore.co.uk

Heel tread Le Mans socks

If you’re after funky motoring socks, look no further than Heel Tread, whose new range of Le Mans artwork-inspired tootsie warmers take some beating. Each pair features artwork from a classic race poster, with 1959 being our favourite, above, but you can also have 2026 or 1965.
From £12.25, heeltread.com

Bentley Full Send Miniatures

You may have witnessed Bentley being very un-Bentley recently in its Full Send film, a gymkhana-style stunt driving special featuring Travis Pastrana and a Supersports. Now you can get official 1:18 and 1:43-scale models of the No199 car to slide around your desk.
From £100, shop.bentleymotors.com

Lego Editions McLaren Helmet

Lego is on to something with its latest range of build-your-own helmet kits. Subjects here are McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, with the designs celebrating McLaren’s 1000th grand prix (celebrated at the Monaco GP this year). Complete with stand, printed signature and matching mini-figure.
£79.99, lego.com

Rennbetrieb Grille Badges

If ever there was a motoring sentiment we agree with, this is it. Rennbetrieb is a German company that translates literally as ‘racing operation’ and specialises in car culture items such as enamel car grille badges. Available in five, six or seven-speed with a Save the Manuals message.
£62, rennbetrieb.com