What sports memorabilia is worth money? (2023)

What sports memorabilia is worth money?

The value of an autograph from an athlete considered a sports icon will stay steady or become more sought after and collectible over time. Some icons include Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle and Michael Jordan.

The most expensive sports memorabilia sold at an auction is £7,142,500 ($8,958,124) and was achieved by Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' shirt worn at the 1986 World Cup quarter-final, which was sold at Sotheby's, London, UK, on 4 May 2022.

Decide what you want to collect

Sports memorabilia can include photos, trading cards, jerseys, helmets, balls, bats, and other sports equipment that is directly associated with an athlete, team, sporting event, or sporting venue. These items can be autographed or not.

Not only do sports fans buy them, their family and friends also purchase sports memorabilia as gifts. Selling sports collectibles can be quite profitable, especially if you're able to get your hands on a very rare or valuable piece and resell it at a significant markup.

#1 George Washington's Acts of Congress: $9.8 Million. The first place in this list of most expensive autographs belongs to George Washington's personal copy of the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the First Congress. He signed the first page of this book which was put up for auction at Sotheby's in 2012.

Babe Ruth's Jersey

It sold for an eye-popping $4.4 million, the most ever for an item of sports memorabilia, according to the buyer and the seller.

What is the most profitable thing to collect?

Sports memorabilia, does go up in value, but not nearly as consistent as a good growth stock mutual fund would over time. It is much more reliable to invest in the stock market than sports memorabilia for that reason.

Licensed autographed jerseys usually have more value but they're also more expensive. Custom autographed jerseys provide an affordable option to add to your autographed sports memorabilia collection.

Signed historical documents are investment grade opportunities. Since WWII the highest quality documents have averaged an annualized return of more than 10% per year. Even a simple autograph has demonstrated impressive growth over the last 50 years: more than 9% per year.

To get an appraisal for your sports memorabilia, first, submit your item(s) for PSA grading. Once graded, submit the item(s) for appraisal services. Since the PSA will only appraise items that it has certified, their authenticity and accuracy are valid in a court of law and for insurance purposes.

Some trophy shops may take them as well (if not to reuse they would at least be able to recycle the metal and wood appropriately) Thrift shops like Salvation Army, Value Village, and Goodwill take them and seem to sell them. You could also list them for free on Freecycle, Craigslist, or Kijiji.

What is the Value of Sports Memorabilia at a Pawnshop? Pawnbrokers are constantly looking for new items for pawnshop collections. Sports memorabilia items ranging from autographed baseballs to collectible cards and even jerseys seem to be always in demand. So, pawn shops value these sports treasures too.

Besides eBay, collectors' favorite online marketplaces include Bonanza, Etsy, Craigslist, Ruby Lane, Webstore, and Artfire. Some of these stores, like Etsy and ArtFire, feature mostly handmade items.

Are baseball cards still worth money?

Baseball cards produced before 1980 are of great value because of their limited availability. “High number” iconic cards printed at the end of the baseball season are more commonly purchased than regular cards. “Short prints” are printed cards in a shorter time for no reason, so people can also appreciate these cards.

Signed historical documents are investment grade opportunities. Since WWII the highest quality documents have averaged an annualized return of more than 10% per year. Even a simple autograph has demonstrated impressive growth over the last 50 years: more than 9% per year.

Sports memorabilia, does go up in value, but not nearly as consistent as a good growth stock mutual fund would over time. It is much more reliable to invest in the stock market than sports memorabilia for that reason.

If a card is very valuable, an autograph can actually decrease its value. A 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle rookie card is worth $8,000 in near mint condition. The same card, when autographed, is worth less than that, perhaps even thousands less.

The most important factor in valuing a signature is the person who made the autograph — the more iconic the individual, the more the autograph can be worth. One of the most valuable autographs, for example, is on George Washington's copy of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, which sold in 2012 for $9.8 million.