How to Collect Sports Memorabilia

Of all the collectibles bought and sold in the United States, sports trading cards top the list. Sports memorabilia runs the gamut from game-worn jerseys to vintage autographed programs and home run bats. Prices for collectibles range from a single dollar to millions.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Choose a Strategy in Collecting Sports Memorabilia

1. Decide if you're in it for fun or profit. How attached will you become to what you collect? Will it mean so much that you won't be able to part with it? Will you pay more just to get it? Will it be a hobby or an investment?
2. Establish a theme for your collection. By narrowing your search to include, for example, only one team, one athlete, the Olympics, one sport, home run record holders or award winners, you'll become more educated about one area and become more savvy about collecting.
3. Know that the theme of your collection can determine its value. A collection centered on an individual player might be difficult to sell at some point, but a collection dedicated to Hall of Famers may appeal to a wide range of buyers.
4. Make a wish list of the items you want most.
5. Establish a budget and determine how much you're willing to spend for each item.

Learn About the Sports Memorabilia Market

6. Educate yourself about grading systems, market prices and things that would make a price fluctuate, such as rarity, condition and events associated with the item or the player.
7. Keep up to date. Join sports collector message boards, read sports trading publications and visit related Web sites to stay current about the latest trends in sports collecting.

Collect Sports Memorabilia

8. Shop online, scour newspaper ads for estate sales and auctions, deal directly with a sports memorabilia broker or store and attend collectible shows. Many online auction sites such as eBay rate vendors and provide buyer and seller guides.
9. Go straight to the source. Many players will sign autographs for free after practices or games.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep the items you collect in good condition. Appearance counts! Even a rare item will lose its value if it hasn't been properly cared for. Conversely, an item that might not have been worth much originally may increase substantially in value if it's in perfect condition.
• Be sure you collect your sports memorabilia from a reputable source. Hire a sports authenticator through PSA/DNA Authentication Services when in doubt.