One of the strongest signals for me that sports memorabilia has moved into a different category is the presence of Sotheby’s and Christie’s. For a long time, sports memorabilia felt like its own collector world. Card shows, private deals, specialist auction houses, old collections, hobby forums, dealers who knew exactly which jersey, ball or card … Read more
Some memorabilia should not be treated like normal collectibles. That sounds strange coming from someone who writes about buying, selling, framing, authenticating and displaying sports memorabilia. I like private collections. I understand why someone wants a signed jersey, a game-used bat, an old Olympic item, a medal, a torch, a program, a ticket, or a … Read more
James Worthy is one of those Lakers names that always sits in a slightly strange place for collectors. Nobody needs to be convinced that he matters. Hall of Famer, Finals MVP, Showtime Lakers, one of the great players in franchise history. But in the memorabilia market he still feels like a second-row Lakers legend, standing … Read more
A Kevin Garnett game-worn Minnesota Timberwolves jersey sold for $5,700 at Goldin, and for KG collectors that result is more interesting than just another auction number. The jersey was PSA graded, which matters. I have written before about why third-party grading and authentication can change the way buyers read an item, even when the grade … Read more
Sports autographs are one of the most personal parts of collecting. A signed basketball, jersey, rookie card, photo, or pair of shoes can feel very different from a regular collectible. That is also why fake autographs are such a big problem in sports memorabilia. Few athletes are forged as often as Michael Jordan. Why Michael … Read more
The New York Yankees are not just a baseball team. They are one of the few sports brands that moved far beyond their own sport. You can see the Yankees cap almost anywhere in the world. New York, London, Tokyo, Berlin, Paris. Many people wear the interlocking NY logo without knowing much about the roster, … Read more
The Air Jordan 7 is not just another retro sneaker. It was a shoe Michael Jordan actually wore during one of the most important stretches of his career. Jordan played in the Air Jordan 7 during the 1991–92 NBA season, won his second straight championship with the Chicago Bulls, and also wore the model during … Read more
A Ronaldo Nike boot for £65,000 is not a normal memorabilia listing. At that price, nobody is buying “cool boots.” The seller is asking you to buy the whole chain: Ronaldo, Nike, player supply, season, wear, provenance, maybe a match. Fine. Then show it. The swoosh does not do the work. CR7 branding does not … Read more
Today we are looking at one of the most important athletes in sports history: Jackie Robinson. When collectors talk about legendary baseball memorabilia, Robinson is in a category of his own. And that matters, because not every great player automatically has extremely valuable memorabilia. There are many Hall of Famers and former stars whose autographs … Read more
Kobe Bryant autographed jerseys are among the most emotional pieces in modern basketball memorabilia. And in his case, the story is both powerful and tragic. Kobe died in 2020 in a helicopter crash, together with his daughter Gianna and seven others. After that, demand for his memorabilia increased dramatically. Collectors, fans, and investors all looked … Read more
