Signed Sports Memorabilia

THE ORIGINS OF SPORTS MEMORABILIA

Now a multi-billion dollar industry the current craze for sports memorabilia shows no sign of abating. There is actually no real measure of just how big the market is, because no one has taken the time to measure it. Fuelled by the sports card collecting trend in the US, which were issued by tobacco companies in the early part of the twentieth century , the sports collecting trend has been gathering pace over the last one hundred years. If you thought that Babe Ruth was most popular baseball player, take a look at Honor Wagner’s AMT baseball card from  the 1909-1911 season, valued at over $2.7mn (£2mn)! It’s not just American tobacco cards that command huge sums either. The trend has extended to pretty much all competitive sports, from the earliest re-boot of the Olympics in 1896, right up the present day.

When we reach back to the earliest pieces from the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was enough just to have the piece. A rare silver Olympic medal sold for $180,111 in 2021 according to a Boston based auction house. Popular with numismatists (coin collectors), these medals were one offs, with the only factor being the number issued at the time of the games; which in this case was forty-three, so you can imagine that few of them have ever come on to the open market.

WHAT’S THE MOST EXPENSIVE PIECE OF SPORTS MEMORABILIA?

The highest priced item ever sold is an American Topps baseball card from 1952 featuring Micky Mantle. It shattered the previous record of $7.5m and sold for $12.6m! There is a huge market in the US for high quality baseball cards. They are graded like rare coins or comics, and this one was a ‘9.5’. The second highest was Michael Jordan’s ‘Last Dance No.23 shirt which sold for $10m.

Moving backwards in time the baseball that Mark McGwire hit in for his 70th home run in the 1998 season went for $3m (£2.25mn), but even that pales against the aforementioned babe Ruth’s 1920 season baseball jersey, which went for a staggering $4.5m (£3.4m) in 2012.

IS IT BETTER TO BUY SIGNED SPORTS MEMORABILIA?

When it comes to collecting, signed sports memorabilia is much more valuable. A signature adds a huge cachet to rarity and therefore the price, especially for high profile players. The fact that the item has that magic autograph from a star, team or sports stars can push values to astronomical sums. Some people just collect a selection of items which will rise in value over the years. There is a huge market for sport shoes for example. Original Air Max boots can go for thousands, but imagine if you had a pair with Michael Jordan’s signature on them? That would make them incredibly rare. The market is all about rarity and having a piece of sports memorabilia signed is the ultimate goal.

HOW I KNOW THAT THE SPORTS MEMORABILIA I BUY IS GENUINE?

It depends where you buy your items from. If you are relying on auction sites then you are taking a chance whatever the seller tells you. Our advice is to buy from a reputable source. At Firma Stella, as well as having documented signing sessions, we often grab a photo from the moment the item was signed. Also look for a certificate of authenticity. Ours are holographic, matching the hologram to the item. Keep them safe! This gives you hard proof or ‘provenance’ that you can pass onto anyone who buys the item from you. Our advice is to keep the original purchase receipt, COA and evidence, as you or you family may need it further down the line to prove authenticity.

SPORT MEMORABILIA COLLECTING

Whatever your sport, your team or your favourite player, the market is so huge now that you are bound to find an auction house or online store like ours selling sports memorabilia with an item for you. The difficult period of 2020/21 with autographs hard to come by has put a floor under prices. The rarest ephemera will always command the highest sums, but previously mediocre items are starting to command higher prices as well. Our mantra has never changed; buy something you really love, want to hold and treasure, and you will never be disappointed! Also, the longer you can hold it for, the higher (hopefully) could be the eventual value. Collecting sporting memorabilia can sometimes feel like prospecting for gold, or metal detecting. Imagine stumbling over one of those Olympic silver medals in a charity shop? Now there’s a thought!