Harry Potter autographs have gained huge traction over the years. Since 2004, when Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (aka Harry Potter 3) came out, Artbox has been pumped set after set of every film in the franchise. Several have multiple sets. Plus there are the trading card sets that mix films. The result: a whole lot of Harry Potter autograph cards.
Just about every major (and not so major) person in the movies has signed cards at some point. Many, including the big three of Harry, Ron and Hermione, have been on several.
After culling through the Artbox sets, I’ve narrowed the field down to the top 20. Rather than filling it with single-signed cards of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, actors with multiple cards are listed just once. However, if it’s a multi-signature card, it’s fair game.
Looking to buy Harry Potter autograph cards or want to check current market values? Here’s what’s currently listed on eBay.
Top 20 Harry Potter Autograph Cards
20. Julie Christie as Madam Rosmerta
Found in: 2004 Artbox Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Winner of the Best Actress Oscar for her work in Darling in 1965, Christie has been making films and TV shows for more than 50 years. Although maybe not a superstar in the Hollywood sense, Christie is nonetheless one of the most respected actresses in the industry. Other notable films she’s appeared in include McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Doctor Zhivago, Troy and, more recently, Red Riding Hood.
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19. Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall
Found in: 2006 Artbox Harry Potter Memorable Moments
Like Christie, Smith’s is another long-time Hollywood veteran known for her dedication to the craft. A two-time Academy Award winner and six-time nominee (not to mention a novel’s worth of wins and nominations from other organizations), Smith watched over the Gryffindoor House at Hogwart’s. Smith’s other films include Othello, Clash of the Titans and Sister Act.
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18. Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange
Found in: 2007 Artbox Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Update
Don’t let the freakish look on her face trick you. Helena Bonam Carter has been one of the most reliable actresses in the last decade. In Alice in Wonderland, she outdid both Johnny Depp and 3D at a time when 3D was still a novelty. Besides her Harry Potter autograph cards, Bonham Carter signed for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Planet of the Apes.
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17. Kenneth Branagh as Professor Lockhart
Found in: 2006 Artbox Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Remember that Shakespeare trend that was all the rage in the ’90s? Well, you can thank Branagh and his acting for a lot of that. Although he’s been a lot quieter in recent years, Branagh came back into the spotlight in 2011 for directing Thor. Branagh might have ranked higher had he not also signed for both Thor and the dreadful Wild, Wild West, which are a good value if you’re going for the autograph and not the movie.
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16. Bonnie Wright as Ginny Weasley
Found in: 2007 Artbox Harry Potter San Diego Comic-Con
Bonnie Wright has literally grown up on the screen in her role as Ron’s little sister. Having signed for almost every Artbox Harry Potter set, this card gets the nod because of it’s limited availability. A total of 100 copies were distributed, exclusively in goodie bags sold by Artbox at the 2007 San Diego Comic Con.
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15. Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood
Found in: 2007 Artbox Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
A quirky character when she (and her Bond girl-esque name) debuted in The Order of the Phoenix, Luna Lovegood is one of the fan favorite characters in the franchise. When the set first came out, Evanna Lynch’s signature was one of the surprise leaders as far as prices realized. Like most Harry Potter autograph cards in the set, this was available by redemption.
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14. Richard Griffiths and Harry Melling as Uncle Vernon and Dudley Dursley
Found in: 2007 Artbox World of Harry Potter 3-D
Although Richard Griffiths was a well-respected actor and Dudley has always been good for a laugh, the big appeal of this card is the combination of the two. Harry Potter is at its most exciting when it’s set in the magical imagination. The Dursleys symbolize Harry’s connection to the Muggle world and that’s just not as fun a Harry Potter autograph on its own.
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13. John Cleese as Nearly Headless Nick
Found in: 2005 Artbox Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone
Um, Monty Python and Fawlty Towers. Nothing else needs to be said about this comedy legend except maybe A Fish Called Wanda other than this is a fantastic entry into the Harry Potter autograph card canon.
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12. Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy
Found in: 2007 Artbox Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Update
Every hero needs a villain, and for Harry Potter, at school it’s Draco Malfoy. With a nasty sneer, this card is classic Malfoy.
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11. Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton as Lucious Malfoy and Draco Malfoy
Found in: 2009 Artbox Harry Potter: Memorable Moments Series 2
What’s better than one villain? Two. That’s exactly what you get with this dual autograph. A couple things put this card lower on the list than it might have otherwise: it’s a redemption and it’s from the worst Harry Potter set Artbox produced.
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10. Gary Oldman as Sirius Black
Found in: 2004 Artbox Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Throughout his career, Oldman has been the definition of “cool.” From Leon (aka The Professional, aka the movie that made Natalie Portman famous) to Dracula to Immortal Beloved to Batman Begins and The Dark Knight to…well, I could probably go on and on. Oldman’s signature also appeared in Batman Begins.
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9. David Tennant as Barty Crouch, Jr.
Found in: 2007 Artbox Harry Potter San Diego Comic-Con
Another card exclusive to the 2007 San Diego Comic Con, this one’s limited to 250 copies. Tennant is probably best known for his run on Doctor Who. Probably not the best look for Tennant, who looks like he hasn’t slept since the Pittsburgh Pirates last had a winning season. Still, the actor, the small distribution and the limited numbers bring this one into the top ten.
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8. Daniel Radcliffe and Tom Felton as Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy
Found in: 2009 Artbox Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Good guy and bad guy on the same card. It’s so simple yet such a great card. By the time this card came out, Artbox was heavy into the repeat signers and it was harder to get excited for them. This card avoided that trend, even if both have signed elsewhere.
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7. Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley
Found in: 2004 Artbox Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Update
This card shows just how much the franchise’s kids have grown and changed over the years. Rupert Grint signed for the first of many Artbox sets with this set.
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6. Robert Pattinson as Cedric Diggory
Found in: 2005 Artbox Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
It’s Edward! With hardly any Twilight autographs out there, Twi-hards may want to give this Harry Potter autograph card a try to get a little piece of their beloved Edward. Pattinson is also donning the cape and cowl in The Batman. Of the three iconic franchises that Pattinson has starred in, a Harry Potter autograph might be the least desirable of the three from a visibility standpoint, but it’s also the only option at this point.
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5. Daniel Radcliffe and Gary Oldman as Harry Potter and Sirius Black
Found in: 2009 Artbox Harry Potter Memorable Moments Series 2
So it’s not the prettiest card. Or the 10,342nd prettiest card. But it does have a very impressive “master and apprentice” vibe about it, both for the story and in the world of acting. You’ve got young Harry being advised by his uncle. You’ve also got a modern legend signing with an actor who will be remembered for his body of work forever, even if his resume grows stagnant in a couple of years after the Harry Potter franchise is relegated to holiday cable marathons.
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4. Emma Watson as Hermione Granger
Found in: 2004 Artbox Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Emma Watson was the first of the “big three” to sign, anchoring Artbox’s first Harry Potter set, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Like Grint, she looks a lot different than how she does now. A flowing, legible signature is the cherry on top of this great card and on of the greatest Harry Potter autographs.
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3. Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter
Found in: 2004 Artbox Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Update
Radcliffe’s first autograph, a classic Harry Potter pose – what more could one ask for? A wonderful card that would be a cornerstone to any entertainment card collection.
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2. Daniel Radcliffe, Robert Pattinson, Stanislav Janevski and Clemence Poesy as Harry Potter, Cedric Diggory, Viktor Crum and Fleur Delacour Quad Card
Found in: 2006 Artbox Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Update
Harry Potter and Edward autographs on the same card! The Harry Potter and Twilight franchises collide, at least as much as they ever will on cardboard. Putting it into perspective, in 20 years, today’s Pot-heads and Twi-hards will be duking it out over which is better, much like Star Wars and Star Trek fanatics do today.
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1. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley
Found in: 2004 Artbox Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Update
Does this need an explanation? All three of the top stars in the franchise together on one card, done early on and no stickers to be found. There are a lot of great Harry Potters autographs out there but there’s no question that Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint together tops them all. This is truly an iconic card of one of the biggest trading card franchises of all-time.
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