Starting a sports memorabilia collection can be very exciting. You can now take your love of a sport, a team, or a player to the next level and build a unique collection that not only displays well but gains value. It’s great to be passionate about your sports collection, but it’s important to never buy pieces out of pour emotion. Do your research, there are a lot of fake sports memorabilia items being sold online daily, especially when it comes to autographed items.
When a price seems to good to be true, it probably is when it comes to sports memorabilia. It’s great to find a good deal, but items priced far below market value should be viewed with a high level of skepticism. Be sure to purchase items from a reputable source such as The Autograph Network. Don’t be afraid to ask for a Certificate of Authenticity and inquire about the seller’s money back guarantee policy.
The best sports memorabilia collection should be a representation of your own personal taste in sports. Sure, you want to make money, but you should also be excited about your collection and proud to showcase it to others. Personal preferences will always play a key role in building a sports collection, but it’s important to gain an understanding of the market that you’re collecting within. Like many things, supply and demand play an important role in building a valuable collection. If an item is rare and in good condition, it’s more likely to gain a better value than an item easily found. Sports memorabilia is known to fluctuate in value regularly, with various factors influencing price. Generally, items associated with historic greats such as Mohamed Ali, Wayne Gretzky, Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, and Gordie Howe will hold value. The same can be said about some modern era athletes including Tom Brady, Derek Jeter, Shaquille O’Neal and Sidney Crosby will also grow in value.
There are various types of sports memorabilia collectibles on the market and this presents an opportunity to build several types of collections. Maybe you want to build a collection around a specific team, player, sporting event (Stanley Cup, World Series, Super Bowl, or Daytona 500). Some collectors are only interested in collecting specific items such as game-used equipment, jerseys, autographed photos, baseball or pucks. Autographed gamed used equipment are some of the most interesting, rare and valuable collectibles on the market. Any game used equipment should bear an official seal and letters of authenticity should be given with any autographed items. Game used jerseys are some of the most sought-after items in the sports memorabilia collecting world, not only do they show well, they can quickly increase in value. A jersey from a specific and significant game can earn even more money. Imagine owning a Joe Carter Blue Jays jersey from the 1992 World Series, or a Sidney Crosby Penguins jersey from last year’s Stanley Cup final.
Most game-used memorabilia will come with an autograph, it’s not uncommon for players to write GU (standing for Game Used) with the signature, they may also write out the entire phrase. Unautographed items will typically cost less and it gives you the opportunity to instantly increase its value by getting it autographed at some point. Unlike most collectibles, game used items may have damage, dirt and even tears and cracks. A cracked hockey stick may be slightest less valuable than a pristine stick, but it’s accepted that the item was used in a game and therefore it won’t be perfect.
You’ve worked hard on your sports memorabilia collection and you should be proud to display it. Be sure to purchase proper cases with UV glass. You’ll also want to keep your collection away from direct sunlight, moisture and the room should always be at room temperature. Many collectors will insure their collection with special coverage for more valuable and rare pieces.
Collecting sports memorabilia is a lot of fun and rewarding. Regardless of your personal preferences, there are many interesting items that will make your collection something you’re proud to own.
At the Autograph Network, we realize that there is a wide range of collectors out there and our goal is to have something for everyone. Our accept all major credit cards on our secure website and can ship items worldwide through Pak Mail. Browse our selection of sports memorabilia from athletes such as Max Domi, Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Joe Carter, Austin Matthews and other popular professional athletes.
