Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali)

Three-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist · Sports - Professional Boxing

1960 US Olympic Boxing Team / World Heavyweight Champion

Pre-conversion period - circa 1960-1964

Autograph Slip (Cut / Index Card)

Excellent/Near Mint. The signature is bold with no fading. The paper shows minor vintage character but no major stains or creases.

Scarcest form of his signature. Clay signed as 'Muhammad Ali' for nearly 50 years, making 'Cassius' era examples highly rare.

Overall Assessment

This is a premier-tier collector's piece. The 'Cassius Clay' signature is the 'Holy Grail' for Ali collectors due to the short signing window.

Highly likely authentic; confidence level 95%. The flow and letter construction are textbook for early 60s Clay.

Full name 'Cassius Clay' in a vertical stack. Clean, cursive script with the distinctive oversized 'C' in both names.

Natural pen speed, no hesitation marks, fluid rhythmic loops in the 'C', and a sharp descending stroke on the 'y'.

Blue ballpoint pen on a pink index card/paper slip. Typical ink consistency for the early 60s; no signs of bleeding.

A vintage pink paper slip or index card. Such items were commonly used for 'in-person' autograph hunting during the 1960s.

$3,500 - $5,500 USD (Authenticated)

Matches high-grade 1960-1963 examplars perfectly, particularly in the spacing of the double 's' in Cassius.

Look for the sharp 'y' tail and the specific connectivity between letters in 'Cassius'. Forgers often struggle with his early speed.

PSA/DNA or JSA (James Spence Authentication). Both are industry leaders specifically for historical sports signatures.

No significant red flags observed. The ink aging and paper texture appear period-correct.

Ideal to have a note regarding where/when in the early 60s this was obtained in-person, though the signature often stands on its own.

Signed before his 1964 name change to Muhammad Ali and joining the Nation of Islam. This represents the 'Louisville Lip' era.

'Cassius Clay' signatures have outperformed 'Muhammad Ali' signatures in growth over the last decade due to fixed supply.

Excellent. This is a blue-chip sports autograph that historically appreciates steadily due to its rarity and cultural weight.

Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier (early), or 1960 Olympic teammates.

Frame with UV-protective museum glass and acid-free matting to prevent the pink paper from fading or becoming brittle.

Ali became very reluctant to sign 'Cassius Clay' after his name change, often telling fans 'That is a slave name.'

Identified on 6/27/2026