Pricing Sports Memorabilia

By Dee Dee Smith

Sports memorabilia collecting is a very serious hobby for a lot of people.  Card collectors can be desperate to get that one card they need to complete their collection, while NFL Hall of Fame collectors may be willing to spend their last dollar to get their hands on memorabilia from the most recent inductee.  This kind of passion and emotion has created a lot of room for fraud in the memorabilia market. 

Purchasing sports memorabilia can be a confusing process.  One dealer may list an item at one price, while another dealer may seem to have the same item listed at a different price.  There are various reasons as to why prices may differ.

Are you comparing apples to apples, and not apples to oranges?  Derek Jeter cards in mint condition are surely going to demand higher prices than the same cards in nearly mint condition. The same goes for Barry Bonds cards. The condition of an item strongly affects its value.  Likewise, an autographed Michael Jordan jersey worn in a game will demand a higher price than one that was never worn.  One must be sure that the products being compared are qualitatively equal.

Prices for autographed collectibles may also vary due to the actual signature.  An autographed item will almost always yield a higher return than a non-autographed item.  But, the quality of the signature will seriously affect its value.  First, how easy is it to see and recognize the signature?  Is the autograph smudged or faded?   Above all, what assurance or proof is there that this is truly the athlete’s signature?

Non-authenticated items are of very little value because there is no proof that they are genuine.  Authentication is a promise or guarantee from the seller that what they have promised a particular to product to be is in fact accurate.   Another thing collectors must consider is where the collectible came from.  Was it passed down from a relative who says he met the athlete while working at a restaurant?  Is there any proof (authentication papers or a photo showing the person signing) that this athlete signed this item?   Because of fraud, many individuals want to know for certain that this is an authentic collectible.   Thus signatures collected through private signings with photos and other documentation will demand a higher price because if it‘s authenticity. 

Is the price reasonable?  If someone says they are selling genuine, autographed Mickey Mantle baseballs for $500, you can probably be sure that it’s a fake.  If it’s too good to be true, it more than likely is.  Authentic signed Mickey Mantle baseballs in good condition usually cost well over $1,000, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a deal willing to go lower.  Dealers are in the business of making, not losing money.  In sports collecting, you have to be willing to make an investment.  Bargain shopping can be extremely risky in this business. 

Sports memorabilia companies pay athletes to come and sign collectibles exclusively for them.  Companies usually sign exclusive signing deals with big name athletes, in the hopes that items autographed by these players will translate into big profits.  You can be sure then that authentic autographed items will reflect the cost of acquiring that signature in the price.

The sports memorabilia industry is not as closely regulated as some other industries.  The truth is that a product is worth what consumers are willing to pay for it.  Consequently, the market for sports memorabilia changes often.  To avoid being scammed, savvy collectors and investors should keep abreast of market values in their collection specialty.  If you collect bobble heads, be sure to read as much as you can about the market for bobble heads.  What bobble heads are in demand?  For example, a Lebron James bobble head is currently very popular. What is the going rate for the most popular bobble heads?  Who are the most reputable bobble head dealers? 

One of the wisest decisions an investor can make is to consult a price guide published by a reputable company like Beckett Media.  These guides allow you to check or analyze current market values and prices for popular sports collectibles.  Price guides can be purchased based upon specialtyand can be searched via player or item. 

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