How to Display Autographed Sports Memorabilia

Whether you collect autographed sports memorabilia in the hopes of striking it rich or simply for fun, take time to display these items correctly. You just might have something that will be around long enough to be worth some cash or to leave to your kids.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Keep your autographed sports cards or photographs in a book with sheet protectors. You should protect autographed materials carefully, since signatures can fade over time. Buy a ring binder with plastic pockets to store items. Buy acid-free binders, since some holders have pockets that contain a type of acid that can wear away signatures. You can purchase portfolios and binders at office or photography supply stores.
2. Stow your autographed items in a safe, dry location. The value of sports memorabilia goes down considerably if the item gets damaged, faded by sun exposure or smells of various odors.
3. Use top-loader sheets to house your autographed sports memorabilia to keep them safe and clean. These sheets are sold in various sizes for specific items such as magazines, flyers, team yearbooks and promotional sheets. Place the binder on a table or in your sports room so you can enjoy looking at your autographs.
4. Display an autographed ball in a case. Purchase an acrylic or lucite case with a removable cover to hold the piece of sporting equipment. Look for these cases or display cubes at hobby shops.
5. Combine your autographs with other sports memorabilia. Place a baseball card, photo, autograph and pin for a specific team, player or event in one frame or shadow box, or create a scrapbook highlighting your special autograph.
6. Display an MLB autographed baseball collection in a hardwood case shaped like a baseball diamond. Make sure the inside shelves have round indentations to secure the balls so that they don't roll off.
7. If you have a ball signed by many players, rotate it regularly so no one side is constantly exposed to light. Cover the ball with a piece of cloth when it is not being shown, to keep the signatures from fading.

Tips & Warnings

• When shopping for items, beware of the autopen signature, which is a type of signature generated by a machine. Many times it is very hard to tell the difference between an autopen "signature" and a real one.