Today's memorabilia world is a big, and expensive place for a Phillies fan to live. With so many options available, at sometimes lofty prices, many collectors want to know which pieces will provide them with the most bang for their buck. It is not an easy question to answer, but these tips can help…
Baseball Cards:
Ah, old faithful! Beware though, the card shops of our childhood have turned into "memorabilia stores", where baseball cards are, more times than not, reserved a single showcase. If you have not been plugged into baseball cards for a while, the market may not be as familiar as you first thought. Today's sets are all about inserts, game-used relics, autographs and base card variations – not bubble gum and rookie cards.
Opening a pack with a 1/1 relic, like the Mike Schmidt card pictured below, could provide you with a nice profit for years to come. Doubters need no further proof than to know that this one, because of it's limited nature, sold for more than $1,000 in an online auction!
Autographs:
Another familiar place for collectors, autographs can be fun, expensive and valuable. I wrote about autograph prospecting last week, and while it can be rewarding, focusing your autograph collection soley on guys who "might make it", will limit your long term profitability. If you're investing in autographs, "the known" is always better than "the unknown" and patience is key.
For example, it is known that Robin Roberts is a Hall of Famer, and that he will not be signing any more balls, photos or cards. If he were still alive, his alignment with baseball's elite would be enough to provide value to his signature, but in death, that value is steadily growing. A regular on the autograph circuit, Roberts likely signed thousands of autographs during his life. Yet the $30 autograph you got in 2007, could easily go for $60 today because of his historical status, and a now finite number of signatures.
Game-used Equipment:
Today, teams are bringing the game to the fans in more ways than ever before. The Phillies have an Authentics stand on the main concourse at Citizens Bank Park, and host several sales of game-used items throughout the year.
Growing up, the thought of owning a uniform worn by a player was unimaginable. They just were not available – which is the real catch. Consider this: Chase Utley wears several sets of uniforms throughout each season. Having his jersey from 2008, really means you have one of many he wore that year. Owning the Utley jersey is very cool, but it is not as unique, rare or valuable as having a Tug McGraw 1980 jersey, where only two were issued – and constently switched out, as they are today. As a result, the Utley jersey will never be worth more than the McGraw. Nevertheless, game-used equipment of all eras can hold a lot of value, and if you buy right – it should be worthy of your investment.
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