Abraham Lincoln Autograph Letters Signed (ALS): Values, Examples & How to Sell
To auction, sell or consign your Abraham Lincoln autograph letter signed, please email your description and photos to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (natedsanders.com).
Abraham Lincoln and Handwritten Letters
Abraham Lincoln is one of the most significant figures in American history, and a handwritten letter by him is a lasting piece of that history, especially from such an uncertain and transformative time in the U.S. Lincoln wasn’t known for writing a huge volume of letters himself, and many were written by secretaries. Several of the letters we’ve handled were written during his Presidency and the Civil War and makes them especially coveted by Presidential and Civil War collectors.
Some Abraham Lincoln Letters We’ve Sold:
Autograph Letter from 1864 — Sold for $32,548
Lincoln writes to Secretary of Treasury, Salmon P. Chase, in this 1864 letter and refers to reviewing trade rules with Chase. These later implemented rules raised the trade tariff to a record high in order to hurt the South. This fantastic letter sold for $32,548.
Autograph Letter Signed from 1859 — Sold for $25,000
We realized $25,000 for a fantastic Abraham Lincoln autograph letter signed to his close advisor and associate Norman Judd. In this 1859 letter Lincoln considers a plan to reach German voters in the state by obtaining a printing press and printing German literature.
Autograph Letter Signed as President — Sold for $20,939
We sold an autograph letter signed by Abraham Lincoln as President to Secretary of War, Simon Cameron, for $20,939. In this letter dated 1 October 1861 Lincoln requests Cameron’s help to find a new job in the Army for a Minuteman from Massachusetts’ 6th Infantry whose 90 day service expired. Letter measures about 8 x 10 inches and bears a Philp & Solomons stationers seal at top left. In full:
“My Dear Sir: The Post-Master General and myself have especial reasons for wishing to oblige Mr. Benjamin F. Watson, of Lawrence, Massachusetts. He has been appointed an Assistant Paymaster or Pay. M. of Volunteers; but he wishes the same position in the regular Army. If there is any vacancy, not committed to any other person, let Mr. Watson have it. If there be no such vacancy, oblige him as far as you can, by sending him to service at the place which suits him best. Yours truly, A. Lincoln”.
Autograph Letter Signed as President — Sold for $20,124
We sold an early Civil War Abraham Lincoln autograph letter signed from April 1862 for $20,124. During this tense time the government’s military spending was drastically increasing. In this letter Lincoln evaluates and questions a contract for the purchase of arms.
Autograph Letter Signed as President — Sold for $20,124
, Regarding Possible War Profiteering During the Civil War — “…I expected that when…the price of a…gun was fixed, it would stand…”
Abraham Lincoln autograph letter signed as President with exceptional content regarding arms requisitions, dated 23 April 1862 during the early years of the Civil War as the government’s military expenditures were dramatically increasing. Lincoln’s legal instincts are sharp here, as he analyzes a contract for the purchase of guns, putting a contractor on notice that varying prices will be challenged, and making sure that the government doesn’t fall victim to war profiteering or fraud. Sold for $20,124.
Autograph Letter Signed On Executive Mansion Stationery — Sold for $18,500
We sold an Abraham Lincoln autograph letter signed on Executive Mansion stationery dated 8 December 1862 for $18,500. Measures 5 x 8 inches and has been framed to a total size of 16.5 x 13.25 inches. Letter is addressed to one General Halleck regarding a Brigadier General appointment and reads:
“…This morning Hon. Mr. Granger & Hon. Robert J. Walker call to ask that Col. Justus I McCarty may be appointed a Brigadier General. They say he has a good record; and I shall be obliged if you will have it examined in reference to such appointment. He was nominated last session, and fell among the large number passed over by the Senate. It is said the Secretary of War fully understands the case…” Letter is signed “A. Lincoln”.
Autograph Letter Signed As President — Sold for $18,500
We sold an Abraham Lincoln autograph letter signed to George M. Weston in Augusta, Maine for $18,500. Two page letter is datelined the Executive Mansion, 28 September 1861 and is fully written in his hand. Content reads:
“My dear sir, Some time ago I told your brother if he would get Gen. Ripley to say he denies his (your brother’s) acceptance as Military Store keeper I would be inclined to appoint him. He brought in a note from Gen. Ripley saying he was competent, but in which he does not say he wishes his appointment and seemed to think he had got what I suggested – I however wrote the Sec. of War favorable to his appointment…A. Lincoln”. Letter is in a custom slipcase of deep blue fabric with ribbed black leather spine, lettered in gilt: “A.L.S. / Sept. 28, / 1861 / A. / Lincoln”.
Autograph Letter Signed From 1857 — Sold for $15,000
Before Abraham Lincoln became president he served as a lawyer and dealt with disputes related to property, divorces and murder. We sold a Lincoln ALS from 1857 written to his plaintiff client William H. Davenport of “Davenport v. Sconce and Don Carlos”, a fraud and property case, for $15,000.
Autograph Note as President-Elect — Sold for $14,700
In this short memo five days following the 1860 election, Abraham Lincoln personally fulfills an autograph request of a supporter by the name of Absalom Wilson while in Springfield, Illinois. This scarce note sold for $14,700.
Thanks for viewing some of the Abraham Lincoln autograph letters signed that we sold! Our monthly auctions can be viewed at natedsanders.com. Learn how to sell your Abraham Lincoln autograph.
FAQs
What are the types of Abraham Lincoln signed letters?
An ALS, or autograph letter signed, is a letter fully written and signed by Lincoln. An ALS is the most valuable and rare. A letter signed is written by a clerk or secretary that Lincoln has personally signed. Lastly, an autograph manuscript is a letter or document written by Lincoln that he didn’t sign.
How much is my Abraham Lincoln autograph letter signed worth?
The value of your autograph letter signed can vary based on condition, subject matter and the year the letter was written.