Sport Memorabilia Gift Ideas

Choosing a gift for a real sports fan? You can’t go wrong with a piece of sports history. If you’re looking for a gift for the person who can recite the stats of every player on the home team and knows the history of every team in the league, a gift that honors his favorite teams, players and sport is sure to be a big hit. What’s hot in sport memorabilia? The details depend on the sport, but there are general categories of memorabilia that are always popular.

Sports Celebrity Autographs

Celebrity signatures are always highly collectible, and that goes for sports celebrity autographs as well. But with sports celebrities, the most wanted autographs aren’t necessarily those on a slip of paper or in your autograph book. Autographed game balls are always big hits, and that includes golf balls and hockey pucks. If the game ball was actually used in a historic game, it only adds to the value of the ball.

The second most popular category of sports celebrity autographs is autographs on game jerseys. Some of the best memorabilia dealers specialize in autographed game jerseys signed by the top names in basketball, baseball, football and hockey. They’re often sold in frames with a certificate of authenticity, and may include other bits of player memorabilia in a shadow box or flat frame.

Sport Memorabilia Displays

Many dealers of sports memorabilia offer special collection displays that combine a number of collectibles in groups. Your favorite baseball fan will fall in love with a framed display of baseball cards representing a championship home team – even better if the cards are autographed. Other popular collectible displays may include a framed collection of Super Bowl tickets that features a ticket from each of the Super Bowls ever held, or tickets to every Kentucky Derby ever run. For the boxing fan, look for a display of Muhammad Ali boxing memorabilia, including signed photos and miniatures of Ali fight publicity posters.

Sports Photographs

Photographs are always highly prized and collectible, and the more famous the moment or the players in the photo, the more valuable the photo will be. Photographs that help a sports fan relive the triumphs of a favorite player – be they basketball players or golfers – have emotional as well as monetary value. If you can get your hands on a framed photo of 2011 Masters Champion Carl Schwartzel raising his club in triumph after a spectacular shot in the final round, you’ll have a gift that’s sure to please your favorite golfing fan.

A gift of sports memorabilia is a guaranteed hit with your favorite sports fan. Check out what’s available through a reputable dealer of high quality memorabilia next time you need that special gift.

Elevating Memorabilia to Art

Collectors of memorabilia have always enjoyed displaying the items in their collections, but doing so was always problematic. Nowadays, dealers of celebrity autographs and sports memorabilia are making it easy for their customers to display their acquisitions. The latest trend in collecting celebrity mementoes is turning the memorabilia into artwork suitable for hanging on the walls of a man room or for use as game room decorations. If you’re looking for the ideal piece to finish off your game room or ideas for man cave decorations, look into some of the newest ways to collect and display collectible items.

Framed Photos

Celebrity photos have always been among the most collectible items available. From Marilyn Monroe to Heath Ledger, people love to collect photos of their favorite actors, comedians, sports stars and political figures. Once upon a time, the big Hollywood studios employed people in the PR department whose only job was to respond to fan mail with autographed photographs of the stars. Those days are gone, but people still love photo memorabilia. In fact, candid celebrity photos are even more valued.

If you’re looking for a photo of your favorite movie star for the walls of your media room, don’t take chances. Make your purchase from a dealer who provides the photos framed behind glass and matted with acid-free paper. Why pay for just a photo when you can get a complete display piece, ready to hang on the wall?

Memorabilia Displays

Many people enjoy themed collections – collections of memorabilia that revolve around a particular movie, star, sport or event. Some of the most popular new collectibles are created specifically for use in themed displays. Signed guitars, for example, are extremely popular with collectors of music memorabilia. While you can find autographed guitars for sale on their own, the more valuable items are framed as part of a collection that may include contracts, concert tickets, photos of the musician or musicians who autographed the guitar or other mementoes. The frames are the highest quality, real wood frames, and all materials are acid-free to help preserve the items behind the glass.

Themed Collections

Some collectors fancy very specific collectibles. Celebrity autographs aren’t quite specific enough. Those collectors may set their sights on photos of celebrities, such as Bob Hope, Jackie Gleason, Howard Cosell and Lucille Ball, on the golf course. Others may be looking for framed collections that celebrate a particular achievement – Triple Crown winners, for example, or winners of the Masters tournament.

The most popular memorabilia dealers have taken up the cause of turning mementoes into art by framing some of the most sought-after types of mementoes into framed works of art that will lend a touch of true class to your game room decorations.

Commemorate Triple Crown Winners with Memorabilia

Now that Father's Day has come and gone, you might be thinking this year's present wasn't the best. After all, there's only so many ties or aftershave you can give. Next year, if your dad loves the ponies, you might find the perfect gift for him at a website that specializes in memorabilia. If you’ve never considered purchasing sports memorabilia before, you’ll be surprised at the variety of mementoes available, and the stylish presentations you’ll find for everything from photographs of Triple Crown Winners to replica collections of Kentucky Derby race cards. Not sure what your dad will like best when it comes to horse racing memorabilia? These gift ideas may help you decide.

Triple Crown Winners

Triple Crown winners hold a special place in the heart of horse fans the world over. Taking first place in the three major races of the horse racing season is a rare accomplishment, and the horses, and their riders, who achieve it earn a place in history. Even those who aren’t racing fans know the names Seattle Slew, Secretariat and Affirmed. For the dad who appreciates the finest horseflesh, you’ll find framed photos, often signed by the jockey, of Triple Crown winners, as well as collages that include photos, paintings and prints of all three in one frame. For the true connoisseur – or as a grace note for your man room decoration – a signed, limited edition print of “Triple Crown Champions” by world-renowned watercolor artist, Michael McCann is the ultimate gift.

Kentucky Derby Wall Art and Décor

As the opening race of the season, the Kentucky Derby is as much a social event as it is a racing event. When it comes down to the racing, though, it’s breathless excitement from the starting gate to the finish line. Capture both the excitement and the history of the Kentucky Derby in wall displays that combine photos of famous Derby winners with Derby memorabilia, such as tickets, newspaper prints with the results of famous races and the signatures of famous jockeys.

Famous Horse Photos

Start dad off on a hobby of collecting photos of some of the most famous horses of all time. It’s not just a “horse photo” when the subject is Seabiscuit, Man o’ War, Secretariat, Barbaro or this year’s Derby winner, Animal Kingdom. You can choose from portraits, finish line photos, winners circle photos and action shots that capture the beauty and grace of magnificent animals doing what they do best.

If horses aren’t your dad’s thing, you’ll still find many memorabilia gift ideas when you search online. From team photos and autographed practice shirts to celebrity photos featuring some of the biggest stars in history, memorabilia gifts offer a walk down memory lane to your special dad – and who deserves it more?

Memorabilia Gift Ideas for Dads and Grads

June brings sunny days, the start of summer, barbecues and picnics. It also brings graduations and Fathers Day, two gift-giving occasions that often leave parents and kids scratching their heads in the midst of the “what do I get him?” dilemma. If you’re stuck coming up with a gift for your accomplished grad or special dad, consider giving him a walk down memory lane as a very special gift. Sports and music memorabilia are becoming ever more popular as gifts and collector’s items, and a gift of either provides more than just memories – most music and sports memorabilia are highly collectible items that will only increase in value as time goes by. If you’re stumped about what sort of memorabilia will please your dad or grad the most, this quick checklist can help you find the perfect Fathers Day or graduation gift for your special someone.

The Movie Buff

Movie memorabilia is the ideal gift for your college graduate who’ll be moving out on her own with a new apartment to furnish and decorate. Framed movie posters of her favorite stars or from her favorite movies will easily claim a place of honor on the walls of her new living room or home theater room. Pick a favorite film, producer or actor and look for genuine memorabilia – not knockoff poster prints of movie posters and ads. Instead, make the gift extra special by buying from a specialist who offers original theater cards and movie posters, often autographed by the stars or often, the producer and director of the films.

The Sports Fan

If dad is a huge fan of the home town heroes, make his Fathers Day one to remember by presenting him with a memento he can hang in his man cave or den. Autographed photos capturing special moments in sports history are popular gifts, but you can make the gift even more special by choosing a memorabilia collage that includes signed photos, game balls, sports tickets or even a game jersey signed by his favorite player.

The Music Lover

Whether Dad’s an old rocker who never hung up his guitar or a fan of the Big Bands and the Rat Pack, you’ll find a wealth of memorabilia from the music world to gift him with. Choose from signed concert posters to hang on the wall of the den or get really fancy with framed collages that include signature guitars and onstage photos of his favorite rock stars and bands.

If you’re looking for genuine memorabilia, don’t be sucked into paying big bucks for questionable authenticity. Always buy from a trusted dealer of sports, music or movie memorabilia to be sure that you’re giving a gift of true value.

Celebrate the Unusual with Sports Memorabilia

When choosing a gift of sports memorabilia for the sports fan in your life, take a few moments to consider his tastes. Sports memorabilia often celebrates sports heroes, and autographed photos of winners, signed baseball cards and game balls from big games are all popular sports memorabilia gifts. But there’s more to sports than winning, and many sports memorabilia collectors set their sights on items that commemorate a particular type of moment.

The “Wide World of Sports” used to highlight “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” in its opening montage each week. Sports buffs often remember iconic moments in sports history with true fervor. Those moments fall into three categories. You’ll have no trouble finding photos that celebrate the moments of victory such as Bobby Orr sailing through the air after scoring the winning goal, or Jackie Robinson sliding into home plate with the ump in the background declaring him safe. Sports buffs who love to celebrate their team’s heroes and winners will proudly hang a signed team photo of their championship team on their brag wall.

You won’t find as many photos and pieces of sports memorabilia that commemorate the losses, but they exist. A Red Sox fan, for example, will never forget Bill Buckner not fielding a grounder in a 1983 World Series game. Autographed photos of Buckner aren’t hard to find, but you may have more trouble finding Buck’s autograph on a photo of him missing that ball. They’re out there, if you know where to look. A golfing fan might love the iconic photo of Arnold Palmer handing off a $50 bill to Jack Nicklaus in payment for losing his bet on their golf match.

The third type of memorabilia celebrates odd and quirky moments in sports—those times and events that often make the morning news and leave sports fans shaking their heads. Team allegiance doesn’t really matter for those who collect this type of memorabilia because it’s the moment that counts. These are games that make the news in every city because they strike a chord for all sports fans or raise questions like the football coach who called a timeout to clear the field of snow, the pro golfer whose drive takes a crazy loop and hits a camera lens—these are the moments that become legends. A guy who loves the quirky, odd moments in sports, on the other hand, may truly appreciate a photo that commemorates the Pine Tar Bat baseball game of 1983, when George Brett’s bat sparked a rules controversy that forced a game replay nearly two months after the original game.

Sports memorabilia makes a great gift for Father’s Day, Christmas or a birthday, but take the time to make it extra special by choosing a memorabilia item that has a special meaning for your sports fan.

Mom Loves Celebrity Memorabilia!

Mothers Day came early this year, and maybe you were caught without a gift. It's not too late to choose a special gift for mom this year, or you can use these ideas for a birthday or just to show how much you care. Consider tickling her fancy with a memorabilia gift that commemorates one or more of her favorite celebrities. Celebrity memorabilia can bring back memories of special times and events in mom’s life, especially if you do a little research to figure out exactly what type of memorabilia would suit your mom best. Here are four different types of celebrity memorabilia gifts and the moms that might appreciate them.

Autographed Photos

If your mom has every Elvis album ever released or would jump at the chance to follow Mick Jagger around the country for a summer, you can totally make her year with an autographed photo of her musical hero. Signed photos are among the easiest types of celebrity memorabilia to find, since autographed publicity photos have long been a mainstay of media marketing.

Celebrity Collages

If celebrity autographs are a great gift, you can quintuple the fun with a framed collage of celebrity photos and other memorabilia connected to the celebrity. Take mom back to her earlier years with a celebrity collage featuring photos, posters and other mementoes of her favorite stars, television shows or movies. Consider, for example, an “I Love Lucy” collage featuring photos of the famed comedienne in her best-known role, including ensemble photos with Fred, Ethel and Ricky, all finished up with the show’s logo and the famous Lucille Ball Arnaz signature on a canceled check.

TV Show Memorabilia

If your mom’s not the type to live in the past, pay a nod to her current favorite shows with a collage or signed poster featuring the cast of her favorite television shows. You’ll find beautifully framed publicity posters from such recent shows as “Bones,” “Boston Legal,” “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives,” all autographed by the cast members of the show. They’re perfect décor for her home theater setup, or can take an honored place in the family room or den.

Engraved Signature Collections

Give mom a celebrity gift destined to become the highlight of her collection. memorabilia complemented by a metal plaque engraved with the celebrity’s autograph. Choose from famous Hollywood celebs such as the Rat Pack, Sinatra and Bruce Lee, or from sports legends, including collections of Celtics greats and home run heroes.

That’s just a small sampling of the many kinds of celebrity memorabiliaavailable online. If your mom’s favorites aren’t among those mentioned, drop by online stores that specialize in celebrity memorabilia and poke around to see what you find that mom will absolutely love.

Movie Memorabilia for Unique Gifts

Celebrate a friend’s obsession with a unique gift of memorabilia from a favorite movie or celebrity. Movie items are extremely collectible yet surprisingly affordable.  Depending on the popularity of the movie and the rarity of the piece, you can pick up some very flashy movie-themed collectibles for a fraction of what you’d expect to pay. Not sure what sort of pieces will make a suitable gift? This quick guide to movie items may spark some ideas.

Movie Posters

Posters are the most recognizable form of movie collectables, and they’re relatively easy to find and inexpensive. You don’t even need to hit the collector’s circuit to find many of the most popular, just check out an online vendor of framed wall art. For the serious collector, look for original movie posters, also known as studio-issued movie posters. These posters were made to hang in movie theaters to advertise an upcoming or featured movie. They’re the most valuable, and are highly collectible. Licensed movie posters, made to be sold to the public, aren’t as collectible and are seldom worth much, but they can be fun gift ideas, or an accent to hang on your wall. If your friend has a favorite movie, the official movie poster release makes a great housewarming, Christmas or birthday gift. Collectors often focus on movies by a particular director or actor.

Movie Props and Costumes

Props and costumes used during the actual filming of a movie are often considered high ticket items, but they too are often quite affordable. Dorothy’s ruby slippers may be out of your price range, but the shoes used to create the dinosaur footprints for the movie “Jurassic Park” are far more affordable at just over $450. A walkie-talkie used in the same movie sold recently for just over $400. The amber-tipped cane with the embedded mosquito from the movie was a bit pricier at $3,100, but what’s it worth to be the caretaker of a piece of movie history?

Autographs and Publicity Stills

Autographed photos of film stars aren’t nearly as popular as they used to be back in the movies golden ages, but those golden oldie film stars still fetch a pretty penny on the collectibles market. You’ll find them in specialty auctions, on movie websites, or even on eBay.

If you’re looking for a special gift for a friend who’s a movie buff, poke around a bit on a website that features movie memorabilia to find something truly different that they’ll enjoy.