The term sports memorabilia, usually referring to a souvenir, a token, or anything of remembrance associated with a player, team, or event, is probably in use as long as the sports competitions itself.
However, fans surely had noticed the value of it soon enough and started to collect various items that reminded them of the time when they’ve been watching famous games. It must have begun mostly for sentimental reasons, but it grew to become an excellent idea for an exciting hobby, and sometimes – to make a considerable amount of money.
Naturally, the most typical merchandise sold by any sports team is gameday and everyday jersey and other pieces of sportswear. Even without the sentimental value, some of the seemingly basic things can have a big price tag, if only for the reason of being associated with a significant sporting brand. There are also customized, special items that can blow your mind, like the game balls and helmets ornamented with Swarovski diamonds that go for thousands of dollars.
That is what you can get at the official gift shop of the Oregon Ducks football team. Of course, they also have pins, buttons, figurines, bobbleheads, and nifty poker chips – not to be used for playing poker but more as lucky charms that could become more valuable in time. But even if they don’t, they could still be important for their owners, especially if they are emotionally connected to the team. Attending a class at the University of Oregon might be enough to make a person invested in their college football team, and put a smile on their face every time the Oregon Duck mascot does the famous pushups.
Indeed, love for sports is something that could make anybody interested in collecting memorabilia. It can be a decisive factor here because what doesn’t have any value for some people can be a priceless thing for others. On the other hand, an essential element determining every collection, not only from the world of sports, is the passing time.
We all know that most art forms become more valuable as they get older, provided that they are still in good shape. It’s not only because of the years passing by but also the history being made. When a team or an athlete becomes legendary over some time, everything associated with them also becomes more significant. That is why some of the most expensive articles ever sold are Babe Ruth’s 1920 jersey ($4.4 million) or James Naismith’s 1891 Rules of Basketball ($4.3 million).
Of course, there are some additional reasons that specific items achieve huge prices on the market. A crucial one is always a quality of it. It may be a little different if we’re talking about a rarity where there are not many left of its kind. But generally speaking: an old piece of pristine quality should always find a buyer. Then, there are so-called bonus features that can make it all even more attractive for an interested party. Among the most obvious ones are certificates of authentication and autographs of sports legends, preferably with photo proof of them signing an item in question.
