Sports Memorabilia – A Market on the Rise
Like many collectibles, the market value for sports memorabilia has grown rapidly in recent years. Collectors are paying more than ever for signed balls, game-used & autographed uniforms, equipment, vintage photography, and much more. If you’re holding something valuable in your collection, it’s a great time to consign to auction.
If your item is right for auction, we can give you an honest assessment of your memorabilia’s value, and even help with authentication. Most importantly, for 30 years we’ve been committed to operating each auction with the utmost integrity to ensure our bidders and consignors alike are satisfied with the results.
The Importance of Authentication
In the memorabilia market, authenticity is everything. To include an item in our auction we need proof that the item is genuine, and we frequently help consignors with authentication. When in doubt, reach out to our consignment experts and we’ll provide you with all the guidance you need to max out your collection’s value.
The Broad Spectrum of Memorabilia
Some of the most commonly appearing items in our auctions include autographed photographs and equipment, game-used uniforms, historic ticket stubs & souvenirs and programs.
Signed baseballs are the gold standard, and over the years we’ve auctioned hundreds, including balls signed by Babe Ruth, Christy Mathewson, Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams and many more. The finest examples, shown below, feature not only Hall of Fame caliber players but also signatures that remarkable in clarity relative to their age.
Christy Mathewson signed baseball – price realized $161,000
Walter Johnson signed baseball – price realized $50,430
Jimmy Foxx signed baseball – price realized $16,100
Babe Ruth signed baseball – price realized $49,200
Many collectors are drawn to items that give them a feeling of connection to their favorite players or events, and nothing compares to game-used uniforms and equipment. Checking all the boxes was this football used in the 1958 NFL Championship Game. The ball, proven to have been thrown from Unitas to Berry for a TD, went for $62,140 in our February 2016 auction.
Game-used 1958 Championship Game – Unitas to Berry TD
Similarly, a well-conditioned ticket stub from historically significant games can generate a bidding buzz. This can include a legend’s debut, a game in which a record was set, or a game in which something special was achieved.
Over the years, we’ve auctioned stubs from the debuts of Michael Jordan, Mickey Mantle, Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, as well as tickets from the game in which Hank Aaron broke the HR record, and from when Babe Ruth hit his 700th dinger.
As with cards, highly-valued ticket stubs are graded and valued accordingly. In the November 2021 auction a PSA 6 stub from Michael Jordan’s 1984 debut sold for $270,600.
PSA 6 ticket stub from Michael Jordan debut 10/26/84
Sports photography is an emerging category in memorabilia, and can include vintage magazines, postcards with or without autographs, or even original photos that were used for classic cards. For example, the Joe Namath original photo used for his iconic 1965 Topps rookie card went for $66,000 in our August 2017 auction.
Joe Namath original photograph for 1965 rookie card
Signed photography of larger than life sports figures can also be highly collectible, as often they are truly one-of-a-kind. The two items below, featuring Babe Ruth and George Gipp, cleared five-figures in our December 2023 Auction.
Babe Ruth Signed Photo c.1948 -price realized $10,500
George Gipp Signed Photo c.1919-1920 – price realized $10,200
In the end, any rare item of historical significance can be collectible, as evidenced by this original beer bottle from Babe Ruth’s bar in Baltimore. The winning bid for the bottle was $14,145 in our August 2022 auction. If you’re unsure of your item’s value, or if it’s real, our experts are standing by ready to help.