Collecting Autographed Sports Memorabilia

Does the sound of a bat slamming a ball out of the park make your heart go pitter pat? Do you thrill to the sight of a football arcing cleanly through the goalposts? Do you love everything about a sport or a particular player? Collecting autographed sports memorabilia may be just the hobby for you. If you’re just starting out in your collection of autographed sports memorabilia, these tips can help you amass a collection that’s interesting and potentially valuable.

 

Specialize

Many collectors make the mistake of being too general in their acquisitions. The most interesting and valuable collections are those that have a focus. You can choose to focus broadly and collect football memorabilia or hockey memorabilia, or you can focus your collection more finely. Instead of collecting baseball memorabilia, collect autographed baseballs, for example.

There’s another advantage to specializing in a particular sports memorabilia niche – knowledge. When you focus your attention on collecting one particular type of sport memorabilia, you’ll amass a great deal of knowledge about that particular niche. That allows you to spot items that other people might miss, and more importantly, to avoid getting taken in by fakes and frauds.

Choose High Quality Items

Better quality items will always be worth more money than the same item in poor condition. Given a choice, always choose high quality collectibles, sports memorabilia and sports autographs in good condition. An autographed sports poster in pristine condition will fetch far more than the same celebrity autographs on a creased poster.

Cultivate Reputable Dealers

There are dozens of dealers selling autographed sports memorabilia, both online and off. The single most important thing you can do for your collecting career is to cultivate a relationship with a reputable dealer of celebrity autographs and autographed sports memorabilia. Not only will you be able to trust the items you buy from that dealer, but he’ll keep you in mind. If you collect basketball memorabilia, for example, and he comes across an autographed game shirt worn by your favorite b-baller, he’ll drop you a line to give you first shot at it.

Miami Heat Champion Dwyane Wade with two 8x10" action photographs Authentically hand signed by Champions Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James

Trust But Verify

Celebrity autographs are among the most faked types of sports memorabilia on the market. Unless you’re an expert yourself, always have any autographed sports memorabilia authenticated by a reputable third-party appraiser.

Collecting autographed sports memorabilia can be a fun hobby that leads to a valuable collection. The more you know about the sport you’re collecting, the better are your chances of acquiring authentic, valuable pieces of sports memorabilia.

Top Ten Most Forged Signatures on Autographed Sports Memorabilia

Autographed sports memorabilia has become one of the hottest segments of the memorabilia market. The popularity – and value – of signed baseball memorabilia, football memorabilia, basketball memorabilia and hockey memorabilia has also made sports autographs among the most forged signatures in the world of memorabilia. Celebrity autographs are very collectible, but items with these signatures have a high likelihood of being faked, according to a major memorabilia authenticator.



Baseball Memorabilia


 Featuring three vintage Major League official baseballs Authentically hand signed by Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Ted Williams. Quality Framed as shown with a classic 20x26" photograph of the three standing together, official team patches and descriptive plaques.

Babe Ruth, whose signature can be found on anything from baseball cards to baseballs and other types of baseball memorabilia, is one of the most forged celebrity autographs of all, with a fake rate of about 60 percent.

Lou Gehrig, whose signature on a single-signed baseball can bring as much as $60,000, is often forged.

Mickey Mantle had one of the most-wanted signatures in the hobby of collecting sports memorabilia. The value of Mantle celebrity autographs is lower than that of many other players in large part because he was a prolific signer who did many autograph events. Even so, authenticators suggest that there are more fakes available than genuine Mantle autographs.

Ted Williams, the long-time pride of the Boston Red Sox, is also high on the list of forged celebrity autographs despite the fact that demand for his signature has decreased slightly over the years.

Albert Pujols, LA Angels first baseman, may not have acquired the widespread name recognition with the general public enjoyed by the others on the most-forged autographed sports memorabilia list, but the scarcity of authentic celebrity autographs from Pujols has made his a popular signature for fakes.

Basketball Memorabilia

Michael Jordan signed tens of thousands of items of sports memorabilia while he was under contract with Upper Deck Authenticated, but that hasn’t stopped forgers from trying to profit off this reputation.

LeBron James is wildly popular, especially after his 2011 MVP award, but his autograph is one of the most in-person signatures to get. With the value of a single-signed LeBron basketball coming close to $500, his signature is a popular target for forgers.

Kobe Bryant has five basketball championships to his credit, and a lot of authentic celebrity autographs available on the market. The demand for Kobe Bryant signatures has made the basketball superstar a popular target for forged basketball memorabilia.

Miscellaneous Sports Memorabilia

Muhammad Ali, perhaps the best-known boxer of all time, put in a lot of time signing collectibles, sports memorabilia and other items. Even so, his signature is in high demand and there are many forgeries of his signature floating around.

Tiger Woods may have lost some of his luster recently, his autographs are still in high demand, placing Tiger Woods autographed sports memorabilia high on the list of most-forged signatures.

The best way to protect yourself from forgeries and ensure that you’re buying genuine autographed sports memorabilia is to always buy through a reputable memorabilia dealer that uses a third party authentication service to verify the signatures on the items they sell.

Unusual Finds in Autographed Sports Memorabilia and Movie Memorabilia

Collectors love autographed sports memorabilia and signed movie memorabilia. From autographed game jerseys to signed guitars and signed movie posters, celebrity autographs carry a special cachet with collectors that ordinary movie memorabilia and sports collectibles don’t have. Even so, there are some pieces of movie and sports memorabilia that are more collectible than others. Every once in a while, an especially rare or popular piece of Hollywood memorabilia or autographed sports memorabilia crops up that is met with a great deal of interest and high demand. These are a few collectibles that have lit up the market in the past few years.

Star Wars Poster

Star Wars posters are always in big demand. As one of the longest lasting and most popular movie franchises of all times, Star Wars has spawned an entire industry of Star Wars collectibles, toys and posters. Easily the most popular of all Star Wars movie posters is the Star Wars The Duel poster, featuring Luke Skywalker facing off against Darth Vader. Celebrity autographs make this particular poster even more valuable and push it up onto the most wanted list.

James Bond

In the world of movie franchises, James Bond is in a class by itself. While most of the “series” movie franchises have been the creative vision of one particular producer or director, James Bond has captured the creative vision of numerous directors, producers and stars. It is also unique in that the title character has been played by a variety of stars, and each of them has placed an indelible stamp on the character. Roger Moore, Sean Connery and others have each breathed life into the debonair 007, and each has his proponents regarding the claim to be the best Bond of all time. While all James Bond movie posters are collectible, some of the most valued pieces of Bond memorabilia are those that combine several versions of James Bond in one frame.

Autographed Sports Memorabilia

As game rooms and man caves become more and more popular, sales of autographed sports memorabilia are hitting record highs. There are a few items that always seem to make it onto every list of “ideas for a man cave” – and they nearly all have to do with sports collectibles, sports memorabilia and autographed sports memorabilia. Game jerseys are high on the list of most wanted items, with game-worn items always in the highest demand. The most popular of all game jerseys and other sports and team memorabilia are those worn by superstars in major games. Their rarity and significance gives them an added cachet.

Collecting autographed sports memorabilia and movie memorabilia is more than a fun hobby. It can add a distinctive touch to your home décor and, if you choose carefully, make you a little extra cash if and when you decide to sell your collection.

Buying Autographed Sports Memorabilia for Collectors

Sports fans are inveterate collectors of sports memorabilia. They hang onto the ticket stubs from the games they attend. They buy team-tagged swag at games and at their favorite stores. They hang team posters on their walls save collectible team photos from their local newspapers. They collect stats and “official” team game jerseys and licensed sports merchandise. Few of them take the next step into serious sports collecting, though – collecting genuine, authenticated autographed sports memorabilia.

Why Collect Genuine Autographed Sports Memorabilia?

While authenticated sports autographs and memorabilia related to the various professional sports can be valuable, money and profit is seldom the reason that the typical sports autograph buff collects autographed sports memorabilia. Celebrity autographs and signed collectible sports memorabilia carry their own cachet that makes them attractive to the collector. It may be hero worship, love of the game, admiration for a particular sports player or a sense of belonging. Whatever the reason they collect, though, sports lovers and those who gather autographed sports collectibles are at a different level than those who lay out $25 to buy the program at the basketball game.

The Value Factor

Value may be in the eye of the beholder, but there’s no doubt that genuine basketball memorabilia is more valuable than the $25 program – unless, of course, you manage to get a few highly-sought-after autographs – and evidence that those sports autographs are genuine.

Authenticity is a major factor in the value of a piece of baseball memorabilia, football memorabilia or basketball memorabilia. Experienced collectors won’t even consider paying for an autographed sports photo, game ball, autographed game jersey or other type of sport memorabilia without some proof that the signature is genuine. Reputable dealers would never dream of selling, for example, a baseball autographed by Cal Ripken without including a certificate of authenticity attesting to it being a genuine signature.

Of course, the mere presence of a certificate of authenticity is no guarantee. It is, after all, even easier to fake a certificate than it is to fake the autograph of a famous gridiron hero or baseball superstar. If you’re thinking of buying an autographed sports photo or game jersey for a sports fan in your life, and you’re not an expert in the field of collecting sports memorabilia, skip that awesome bargain-priced “game-worn” basketball jersey that you found for sale on eBay. Instead, do your research to find a reputable dealer of autographed sports memorabilia and do your shopping safely. You’ll avoid being disappointed and ensure that the sports mementoes you buy are the real thing.

Popular Types of Sports Memorabilia

Collecting sports memorabilia has become a popular hobby, and an even more popular way of decorating the typical man cave. If you’re looking for ideas for a man cave, consider one of these popular types of sports memorabilia.

Sports Jerseys

Framed and signed sports jerseys are among the most popular types of sports memorabilia. Whether you collect football memorabilia, basketball memorabilia, hockey memorabilia or baseball memorabilia, you’ll find major league sports jerseys, signed by your favorite sports superstars, available for sale on sites that sell sports and movie memorabilia.

There are two basic classifications of sports jerseys available. The more valued are game-worn jerseys, that is, jerseys that were actually worn during a major league game. A game-worn jersey should be accompanied by a certificate authenticating its provenance, and will usually show signs of having been worn. The certificate may even include the date of the game in which it was worn, and may be accompanied by a photograph of the player wearing the jersey. That kind of detail is rare, however.

The other classification of sports jerseys as sports memorabilia is a signed jersey that has not been worn in a game. These are obviously far less valuable, but still make a nice framed display for your den or game room wall.

Celebrity Autographs

Autographed photos have always been and will always be popular sports memorabilia. The most valuable celebrity autographs are those that are rarest. Look for photos that were hand-signed and action shots with authenticated signatures of the players in the shot.

Sports Tickets

Less common and less popular than sports jerseys, sports tickets can become sports collectibles for any number of reasons. Tickets to Super Bowl games, for example, can become highly collectible if they’re part of a framed display that includes tickets to every Bowl game, or if they are part of a sports memorabilia display for a particular sports franchise or player. In that case, an autographed Super Bowl ticket included in a frame with photos of players in the game, a game-worn jersey or other memorabilia from the player’s career can be of considerably more value than the ticket on its own.

Autographed sports memorabilia and movie memorabilia are among the most popular home décor items for dens, man caves and home theater décor. When you choose a piece of artwork that has a place in sports or entertainment history, you’re getting more than a picture for your wall. You’re buying a piece of history.

Most Popular Types of Autographed Sports Memorabilia

Autographed sports memorabilia has always been among the most popular of all types of entertainment collectibles, but some types of sports memorabilia are more popular than others. If you’re just starting to collect memorabilia – or are just wondering if your favorite sports collectibles are on the most popular list – here’s a rundown of some of the most sought-after types of sports autographs.

Trading Cards

Signed or unsigned, sports trading cards have always been popular sports collectibles – but of course, autographed cards bring much higher value than unsigned cards. Since 1990, manufacturers have often inserted player-signed cards into collectible packs, so there are quite a few of them floating around. The condition of the card, its relative rarity and the popularity of the player will all play a part in determining the value of any particular trading card.

Autographed Balls

Game-used balls are also high on the list of the most popular autographed sports memorabilia. Surprisingly, balls signed by a single player are more valuable than those signed by several players, with a few notable exceptions, such as a championship game ball signed by every member of the winning team. Many athletes also sign balls – or, in the case of hockey memorabilia, hockey pucks – that haven’t ever seen game play. Those non-game balls will be worth less, but are easier to get. Always look for authentication of both the sports autograph and the game-use status of any piece of sports memorabilia.

Game Jerseys

Game jerseys have exploded in popularity as collectibles sports memorabilia in the past decade. Game-worn jerseys are popular football memorabilia, basketball memorabilia and hockey memorabilia. Again, there’s a difference in value between game-worn jerseys and autographed jerseys that were not worn on the court or on the field. Look for sweat stains, wear and tear or other signs of proof that the shirt was actually worn in a game before plunking down a bonus for a game-worn piece of autographed sports memorabilia.

Game-Used Equipment

Balls aren’t the only popular items in the world of sports and entertainment collectibles. Virtually any piece of equipment used in a game or in a practice can have some value to a sports collector. That includes such things as signed tee flags from golf tournaments or referee flags used in a football game.

If you’re considering the purchase of autographed sports memorabilia, make sure that you’re buying from a trusted buyer or ask for a certificate of authenticity from a certified third party authenticator. Collecting sports memorabilia is fun – but getting cheated is no fun for anyone.

Top Movie Memorabilia Buys

Looking for movie memorabilia to decorate your home theater room? Movie memorabilia is rapidly becoming the hottest ticket in home theater décor. From vintage movie posters from the 1940s and 1950s to the latest movie franchises of the past few years, Hollywood memorabilia is finding a home on the walls of homes around the country. If you’re looking for the best-selling, hottest items of movie memorabilia, these are the movie posters you want to keep your eyes peeled for.

Star Wars Posters

The Star Wars franchise has launched a lot of successful movie posters, but none are quite as popular as the Star Wars The Duel poster featuring Luke Skywalker facing off against Darth Vader. Other Star Wars movie posters that make the most popular list include a 30^th anniversary collage featuring photographs, movie posters and autographs of actors from several different installments of the Star Wars franchise.

Pirates of the Caribbean

With the release of Pirates of the Caribbean Man’s Dead Chest, the sales of Pirates movie posters really took off. Any memorabilia from the Pirates franchise does well at auction, but one top of the line collectible is a shadow box backed by a Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man’s Chest movie poster and various bits of memorabilia from the set. To sweeten the deal, the shadow box includes celebrity autographs from cast members Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom, making it even more valuable.

James Bond

The name is Bond. James Bond, and he’s easily the most famous spy to ever grace a movie screen. It’s almost impossible to choose just one James Bond poster, especially considering the fine performances by all of the actors who have played the suave 007. In fact, many movie memorabilia collectors specialize in collecting James Bond memorabilia exclusively. Why choose when you can find a selection of displays that include autographed photos of two, three, four or all six James Bonds, all framed together? It’s the ideal home theater décor for a Bond enthusiast.

Lord of the Rings

LOTR was bound to be a big hit with memorabilia lovers and collectors. Movie posters for the eagerly awaited installments of the trilogy moved into collectible status as soon as they were released. LOTR movie posters signed by Elijah Wood, Liv Tyler and other actors from the franchise are especially valuable.

Movie posters and Hollywood memorabilia are great choices to decorate the walls of your family room, home theater or themed bar. Whether you love vintage westerns or contemporary thrillers, you’ll find something to love when you shop auctions and dealer sites for the best movie memorabilia.