Advice for Collectors of Autographed Sports Memorabilia

Back in the day, your typical collector of autographed sports memorabilia was a bright-eyed kid hanging around the stadium and praying for a chance to get his hero’s signature on that foul ball he caught. It didn’t take long for entrepreneurs of various stripes to figure out that there was profit to be made in sports autographs, though. Today, autographed sports memorabilia is a multi-million dollar business, and finding genuine sports memorabilia can be tricky. If you’re just getting started in sports collectibles, sports memorabilia or autographed sports memorabilia, these tips can help you enjoy your hobby and find quality pieces for your collection.

Follow Your Heart

Are you buying sports memorabilia as an investment or because you love sports? If your answer is the latter – or both – the best advice you’ll get is to specialize in buying what you love. The best defense against fake sports memorabilia is knowing your niche. It’s a lot harder for someone to pass off a fake autograph or piece of game-used sports memorabilia when you know your stuff. More importantly, when you collect pieces that you love, you’ll get more enjoyment from your hobby. In addition to the fun of tracking down items you want and the triumph of finding that special autograph, you get to enjoy your collection over and over again whenever you look at it or display it.

Buy from Trusted Sources

Unfortunately, the increased value of autographed sports memorabilia has brought the scammers out of the woodwork. Over the past few years, there have been several scandals in the sport memorabilia industry. They underscore the importance of being able to rely on the purchaser to provide authentication for any sports collectible or sports memorabilia you buy from them. After all, unless you’re knowledgeable enough to be able to authenticate an autograph yourself, you need to trust the buyer.

Finding a Reputable Dealer

The most important thing you can do to make sure you’re getting genuine sports collectibles is to research the qualifications and reputation of the seller. The sports collectibles community is small enough that most dealers are well-known, so you can learn a lot just by asking around on Internet forums devoted to sports collecting. In addition, you should check into the background of the dealer, including any professional credentials they may have and whether they self-authenticate or use third-party authentication services.

Finally, always be suspicious of prices for autographed sports memorabilia that are too good to be true. If someone is offering a baseball autographed by Babe Ruth or a basketball with Magic Johnson’s signature for $50 when other sources are pricing the same items at $1,000, the chances are pretty good that it’s not a genuine piece of sports memorabilia.

Collecting autographed sports memorabilia is a rewarding hobby in many ways. Take the time to know your dealer and you’ll always be happy with your purchases.

How to Buy Autographed Sports Memorabilia

Collecting autographed sports memorabilia is fast becoming an in hobby, which is both a blessing and a boon to the serious collector. On the one hand, the growing demand for sports collectibles has greatly increased the supply of legitimate pieces on the market. On the other, it has also increased the number of fraudulent sports memorabilia, scams and traps for the collector. If you’re just beginning to collect sports autographs, these tips can help you avoid the traps and enjoy your collection and collecting.

Focus on a Niche Market

The best and most satisfying collections of sports collectibles are those that have a specific focus. If your focus is basketball memorabilia or baseball memorabilia, for example, you might narrow your collection to sports collectibles from one particular team, or only from championship teams, or to autographed game jerseys from one team. In addition to giving you a more focused – and thus, more valuable – collection, it will allow you to build your knowledge as you build your collection. That way, when you’re ready to move on to buying more expensive pieces, you’ll know the market well enough to spot improbable “deals” and have the contacts to help you track down specific pieces that you want.

Meet People in the Sports Memorabilia World

The more you know about the people who collect and deal in autographed sports memorabilia, the more equipped you’ll be to find and evaluate sport memorabilia. If you can, attend some local memorabilia auctions where you can meet people in the industry as well as other collectors. Those contacts – even if they specialize in movie memorabilia – can be valuable down the line as you start looking for pieces to fill out your collection. Don’t overlook the Internet as a source of knowledge, either. A sports memorabilia discussion group is a great place to meet experienced collectors who can help you out with information and advice, point you to reputable dealers and steer you away from those whose reputation is shady.

Protect Yourself from Frauds

According to one study, only about 20 percent of Lou Gehrig memorabilia was genuine. That’s a scary, staggering number for a beginning collector. But it’s not hard to make sure that you only purchase genuine autographed sports memorabilia. It just takes some knowledge and a good eye.

For example, stay on top of the signing habits of particular athletes that whose sports autographs you want to collect. Most of the top athletes have contract agreements with companies that sell memorabilia and only distribute through specific houses. Knowing about those contracts can save you from making expensive mistakes. Likewise, if you know how much various players charge for their signature, you’ll be able to eliminate a lot of the “great deals” you might find online at places like eBay.

Buy from Reputable Dealers

When you first start out, make it a practice to only buy autographed sports memorabilia from legitimate, reputable dealers with a good reputation in the industry. Dealers with a name have no reason to try to pass off fake autographs, and they’re very careful about the pieces they sell. They have a lot invested in maintaining their reputations for dealing honestly in authentic sports collectibles & memorabilia.

Welcome to the world of collecting autographed sports memorabilia. Get to know your merchandise and your favorite players, teams and items and you’ll quickly build a worthy collection of your own.

Movie Memorabilia and Autographed Sports Memorabilia Make Special Father’s Day Gifts

Are you looking for a very special gift for a very special dad? Play to his favorite activities with a gift of movie memorabilia or autographed sports memorabilia that he’ll appreciate for years. From movie posters of his favorite actors to celebrity autographs of his favorite sports stars, there’s bound to be a gift that your dad will love. Not sure what he’d like best? Here are a few suggestions to help you make your decision.

Star Wars Poster

You just know your dad would line up weeks in advance for a chance to pilot an X-wing fighter and he’s got a collection of Star Wars action figures hidden on a high shelf. If your mom teases your dad about his crush on Princess Leia and his friends refer to him as C3PO, you just know that he’ll flip over a Star Wars The Duel poster, featuring the moment when Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader face off with light sabers.

James Bond Movie Poster

If your dad has been known to intone, “Shaken, not stirred” and jokingly introduce himself as “Bond. James Bond,” you’re almost guaranteed to hit the right spot with a James Bond poster – or a collection of them. Many of the best entertainment memorabilia dealers put together unusual collections of memorabilia into one-of-a-kind movie memorabilia displays. How about a framed set of photographs of each of the James Bonds along with an autographed MasterPrint – with the signatures of each actor who has played the infamous Spy Who Loved Me.

Secretariat Photo

There’s not a horse lover alive that wouldn’t love a beautifully framed photo of Triple Crown winner, Secretariat. Add the signature of Ron Turcotte, the jockey who rode Secretariat to victory, and you’ve got a sure-fire hit gift. If Dad’s already got a Secretariat photo, why not add another horse to his collection – say, I’ll Have Another sprinting to victory in the Kentucky Derby. With his win at Belmont, I’ll Have Another is 2/3rds of the way to becoming the next Triple Crown Winner.

When choosing celebrity memorabilia gifts for dad, consider these guidelines to ensure you get him a gift he’ll love.

Choose sports memorabilia related to his favorite team.

Choose autographed sports memorabilia related to his favorite players.

Choose signed movie posters and theater cards from his favorite movies.

Choose celebrity autographs of his favorite actors in the roles for which they are most famous.

Why not give Dad a gift he’ll never forget for Father’s Day this year? Give him a gift of movie memorabilia or autographed sports memorabilia he can display and enjoy with pride.

Movie Memorabilia – Hot Movie Posters for Home Theater Décor

Nothing goes better in your media room than a homage to media, which is why the best home theater décor you can buy is movie memorabilia. Add movie theater ambiance to your home movie theater with authentic movie memorabilia – theater cards, movie posters and authenticated movie memorabilia from some of the hottest movies of recent years.

Star Wars

Star Wars may be the most iconic movie franchise in history. What better way to decorate your home theater room than with a movie poster or piece of entertainment memorabilia featuring characters and famous scenes from a galaxy far, far away. In addition to Star Wars poster memorabilia, you’ll find framed Star Wars displays featuring such famous moments as Star Wars The Duel, an official publicity photograph showing Luke Skywalker facing off against Darth Vader. If the photograph is signed by Mark Hamil and Dave Prowse, you’ll have an even more valuable treasure to highlight in a place of honor.

Pirates of the Caribbean

Johnny Depp has enchanted the world with his portrayal of the swaggering Jack Sparrow, the dastardly pirate with a romantic streak and a sense of humor that’s sharper than his cutlass. Signed movie posters, publicity photos and memorabilia from Pirates of the Caribbean 4 or a shadow box of Hollywood memorabilia from the making of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest are the ideal finishing touch for a home theater. Whether you’re a fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise or a Johnny Depp fan – or adore Keira Knightly in her pirate wench regalia – you’ll find one-of-a-kind movie memorabilia treasures to finish off your home theater décor.

LOTR

Lord of the Rings was an epic Hollywood extravaganza, and like the epics of old, it spawned a generation of fans. If you’re a fan of high fantasy movies, what better way to outfit your home theater’s walls than with posters and framed movie memorabilia from the making of the LOTR series of movies? Don’t settle for a LOTR poster print. Make your home theater the envy of all your friends with a stunning LOTR Return of the King display featuring an official autographed movie poster surrounded by stills from the most famous moments in the final installment of the LOTR trilogy.

Of course, you don’t have to stick with recent movies and current stars when decorating your home theater room. You’ll find movie posters with celebrity autographs, signed photographs and authenticated movie memorabilia from nearly any television show or movie you love, from a James Bond poster to movie memorabilia from this summer’s smash hit Hunger Games. So go for it – surround yourself with your favorite actors and characters in the form of authentic movie memorabilia.

Collectibles and Memorabilia:

The best cherished gifts for fans and specific passionate people.

There are millions of movie buffs and sports enthusiasts who make it their business to collect entertainment mementos and souvenirs like sports memorabilia, posters and autographed movie star items like books, CD covers and even autobiographies, to remember these events all their lives. These items are nothing but mere mementos, which hold in them little fragments of time frozen it these little figments of entertainment.

Entertainment Collectibles or memorabilia include wide array of the most overwhelming, imaginative items, like artistically created posters, and CD covers for movies, albums and games, signed posters by the movie stars and sports legends themselves. These memorabilia are designed to attract not only fans alone but collectors of such items as well. These collectibles may be for movie publicity, Collectibles Sports Memorabilia, music bands and musicians or for historicity purposes and have a wide appeal for all ages and communities, who identify with the people involved with the entertainment business.

These entertainment memorabilia include souvenirs like t-shirts, posters for bed-stands, calendars, coffee mugs, cups and other collectibles for any star or movie of your choice, be it the great sport star David Bekham or the audience favourites like Star Wars posters or Pirates Of The Caribbean Dead. Nevertheless, these collectibles are not merely restrained to the exceedingly famous in the entertainment business and hence fans will find posters and collectibles of even the most offbeat and obscure pieces of entertainment and movies. So no matter what your preference or inclination, if your object of devotion has ever been on the TV screen, be sure to find posters and collectible on them with most of the online collectible sites on Internet.



These sports or entertainment collectibles are not only a great asset for fans and collectors in general, but may also double as valuable gifts for your near and dear ones. So surprise your best friend with the personally signed, custom-made t-shirt with the emblem of her favourite band or n a collector’s edition, rare poster of their movie.  Collectors may also be worried about the authenticity of these online posters and services, but there is absolutely no need to be paranoid, since most of these sites have been in operation for quite some time and have been distributing these items for decades and have gained immense popularity doing so. Collector’s items and entertainment memorabilia are ageless pieces of art and entertainment that will last you a lifetime. So browse through your favorite stars and movie collectibles and purchase them pronto!

Memorabilia Collections Come Out of the Closets Collections

Collectibles and memorabilia are among the most popular new ways for home and business owners to invest a few dollars while providing the ultimate in décor and atmosphere. The wide market of memorabilia covers just about anything connected with celebrities, well-known events, history, sports, movies, and – well, just about anything you can imagine. If there’s a fan base for it, there’s a good chance that you’ll find memorabilia associated with it. Of course, that also means that no matter what your favorite passion is, you’re almost positive to find memorabilia associated with it.

And that memorabilia has come out into the open. Where once collectors jealously and protectively stored their celebrity autographs and other items in locked safes and safety deposit boxes, today’s collector delights in the principles of conspicuous consumption by displaying his collection of movie tickets, movie posters, autographed guitars and all the other mementoes and memorabilia that are available today.

And what a variety of memorabilia items there are on the market. Music lovers can mount guitars signed by their favorite musical artists on the wall of a family room. Movie buffs have a treasure trove of signed lobby cards, movie memorabilia, celebrity autographs and candid photos framed with their certified autographs with which to decorate their in-home media rooms and movie theaters. Sport fans decorating a man room can hang autographed team jerseys in frames on their walls, or create displays of signed balls, pucks, bats and hockey sticks to strike envy in the hearts of their friends.

The love of memorabilia and its display doesn’t stop with the typical celebrity pursuits, and isn’t even limited to humans. Fans of the horse circuit can find beautifully framed horse photo memorabilia, including framed photos of Triple Crown winners and other famous horses that have captured the public imagination. Framed photos, often autographed by the jockeys that rode them in their most famous races, adorn the walls of restaurant dining rooms and executive board rooms around the country.

The best-known dealers in memorabilia and collectibles cater to a wide assortment of fans in a broad assortment of genres. It’s become more and more common for the best dealers to assemble small collections of memorabilia in a particular genre and sell them as a single framed piece of wall art & décor. You might find, for example, a frame that holds pictures of the three Triple Crown Winners of the 20th century, or a framed collage that displays replicas of tickets to every Kentucky Derby ever run.

The new trend of displaying memorabilia makes much more sense than tucking the prized possessions away to “keep them safe.” After all, what fun is it to own a full collection of original Star Wars posters if you can’t show them off to all of your friends?

Hockey Memorabilia Ideas for Man Cave Decorations Man

Man caves are this generation’s answer to the bachelor pad, the place where a guy can be a guy and surround himself with guy things like sports memorabilia and other things that pay homage to his favorite things. “Man cave” gives the impression of roughing it up, but a well-appointed man cave is anything but rough. Put aside any preconceived notions of unfinished garages with tacked up posters and an old refrigerator in the corner to hold a 12-pack or two. Today’s man cave is not only well-equipped, it’s stylish, and any memorabilia used to decorate it is not only authentic, but displayed beautifully. Keep that in mind when seeking ideas for outfitting your man room with the finishing touches that fit its mood. If you’re helping decorate a man cave for a hockey fan, these three sport memorabilia ideas can give you a starting place for your own design and décor.

Autographed Game Shirts

Game jerseys are among the hottest memorabilia items on the market these days. Team jerseys with player signatures make great wall hangings and help set the mood. For the true hockey buff, delve into the history of the sport and come up with something special, like a framed U.S. Olympic team jersey from the 1980 Miracle on Ice team. An authentic 1980 USA hockey team jersey – especially one signed by members of the team – is more than a decoration for your man cave. It’s like owning a piece of history.

Autographed Photos

Celebrity autographs are always meaningful, but never as meaningful as when they accompany a photo of a once-in-a-lifetime moment. The history of hockey is liberally sprinkled with moments captured by the cameras of famous sports photographers. Perhaps the single most famous sports photograph in history features an airborne Bobby Orr, arms raised in triumph after he scored the goal that gave the Boston Bruins their first Stanley Cup in 29 years. Invoke the history of hockey with a signed and framed copy of that famous photograph on your walls.

Famous Sports Posters

When the 1980 USA hockey team won the Olympic gold, it was a historic moment for sports fans, and especially for hockey fans, around the world and across the country. After their victory, the USA Miracle on Ice poster became one of the hottest selling sports posters of the decade. That poster is worth even more when it bears the signatures of every member of the team and framed in a beautiful museum quality frame that highlights it perfectly.

Sport memorabilia makes a perfect finishing touch for the private retreat of any sport fan. If you’re looking for a memorabilia ideas for your man cave, make a point of buying from a recognized, reputable dealer who guarantees its authenticity.