Sports Autographs - Determining Value on Autographed Sports Memorabilia

Collecting sports autographs and autographed sports memorabilia has become a trendy and pricey hobby. No doubt collecting such items can be complicated and expensive. Like any investment vehicle, prices of autographed sports memorabilia are determined by supply and demand. This clip aims to clarify some of the confusion that help determine value on sports autographs.
The primary driver in valuation is popularity of the athlete. Athletes who have been the best in their sports like Michael Jordan, Mickey Mantle and Manny Pacquiao will command higher prices than others. These athletes set the bar in their trade and are regarded as Hall of Fame players. Championships, top rated rankings, MVP’s and other awards help cast the spot light on athletes propelling their autographs to higher levels.
The type of memorabilia athletes sign is also a key valuation driver. Game used balls, jerseys, bats, helmets etc. will be more expensive than replicas. The condition of the item also persuades buyers. Items in pristine condition will attract more interest than those that show signs of wear and deterioration.
The location of the signature can make a product more aesthetically appealing thus creating newness for collectors. Baseballs signed legibly in a non fading marker on the sweet spot will be draw more buyers and higher prices than ones that are non legible and on the side. The same holds true for jerseys, hockey pucks, bats, helmets and other memorabilia articles.
Signatures on documents can be worth tremendous amounts of money. It is believed that one of the most expensive sports athlete documents was Babe Ruth’s signature on a contract between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. This was the contract that led to the demise and the 86 year World Series drought for the BoSox meanwhile propelling the Yankees to record championships.
Not only is the popularity of the athlete important in valuing sports autographs, but also the supply of autographs available in the market place. It is said that Tiger Woods and Tom Brady rarely sign autographs when randomly asked. They sign memorabilia only in private auctions and events. Because of the rarity of signatures in the market, their autographed sports memorabilia costs a lot more.
Other factors to consider are whether the athlete is still alive. Popular athletes who have passed on are known as vintage collectibles. Their value tends to remain steady and rarely drops. Games in playoff mode also help drive athletes value simply because television networks and media outlets focus on those teams and players. For example athletes who perform well in an NBA Finals series will more than likely have a surge in autograph demand. Keep these tips in mind when searching for you favorite athletes.

Sports Autographs - What do you want?

There are a lot of questions collectors have about autographed sports memorabilia and how to go about collecting sports autographs.  The main question I always get asked is about valuations and authentications.

Sports Autographs are worth by the authentication process. If you cannot prove its authentication, you will have a hard time to find buyers who will pay top dollar. Usually, reputable companies will provide you with a certificate of authenticity and a guarantee money back policy. These are legit companies and ones that you should do business with. Of course selling autographed sports memorabilia has become a huge enterprise and fans have become closer to athletes than ever before. This means that fans are able to get signatures from athletes in their raw form. Players will sign memorabilia in haste creating speculation from buyers whether the autograph is real. There are companies out there that verify such memorabilia and have many different versions of a players autograph. The leaders in the industry are PSA/DNA and James Spence. A collectible certified by these companies will assure an authentic product. Usually companies (ours included) that sell autographed sports memorabilia will buy from different industry leaders and no one else. Trust is a huge part of the sports memorabilia market and one that should be taken seriously by both the buyer and seller.