2/10/2012

Looking For Sports Memorabilia From Star Athletes

By Gail J. Lemire


Many people collect items of sports memorabilia; collecting is a way to gather special items that have personal significance to you. All sports feature memorabilia items that are linked to the sport itself as well as individual athletes; fans can collect those items to remind them of special moments in sports history. Buying and selling verified collectible items has gone from a hobby to a moneymaking venture for some folks who began as collectors and have now become dealers. Stores that specialize in marketing commemorative jerseys, balls, hats, and other gear can be found in many towns as well as online. What should you look for when you are trying to confirm if an item is authentic or not? And why should you consider making your purchase online?

Officially licensed products are viewed as authentic pieces of sports memorabilia. Professional athletic associations, such as the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL, permit companies to create products featuring official names of athletes, names of teams, and official logos on their merchandise. All officially licensed collectibles receive a tag or sticker that guarantees their authenticity by the sports association. If you are purchasing sports memorabilia, always look for authentic products that were officially licensed for production.

Massive amounts of items, such as jerseys, baseball mitts, footballs, and other gear are made each year by manufacturing agencies. Sports memorabilia collectors are usually much more interested in limited edition products, however, that were not mass produced and are harder to find. Limited edition items are numbered to show precisely how many were made and come with certificates of authenticity to prove they are the real thing. They are much more difficult to come across, but if you manage to add a limited edition piece to your collection it is sure to be quite valuable.

An athlete's signature is the icing on the cake that makes an item of sports memorabilia truly special. Most collectors have a favorite athlete and would be willing to part with much in order to get a real autographed item. Official signatures can be gotten in person from an athlete or through an exclusive autograph contract between an athlete and a manufacturer.

Sports memorabilia is easy to find online; there are lots of stores where you can search for the items you want. Consider checking auction and resell sites online to find the special items you want to add to your collection.




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