Autograph hunting has always been a popular hobby and I can remember going to local fetes with my little autograph book waiting in line for ages just to get it signed by some soap star or another. When I finally managed to get their monika I was so cuffed. Luckily as you grow up you don't have to stop collecting as you can use the excuse that any famous autograph is likely to go up in value as long as it belongs to a big name.
With Formula One autographs it's obviously desirable to try and get hold of the world champions such as Michael Schumacher or Fernando Alonso but there are other British stars such as Sir John Surtees or Stirling Moss which are also worth having.
At the more affordable end of the range are signed photos but for around £100 you are still in posession of an actual autograph by an F1 legend so it's still something special. If you really can afford it then signed crash helmets or overalls, etc. are the real collector's pieces and likely to fetch a good price at auction sometime in the future.