Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Finding Authentic Sports Memorabilia Online

By Gail J. Lemire


Lots of people take pleasure in the popular hobby of sports memorabilia collecting, which is an excellent way for sports fans to feel connected to their favorite athletes. 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. A lot of collectors have come to understand that their hobby can also be a lucrative business venture and have begun buying, selling, and trading memorabilia. Stores that specialize in selling commemorative jerseys, balls, hats, and other gear can be found in many towns as well as online. What are you able to do to ensure that a piece you are interested in is actually authentic? And what are a few of the benefits to shopping on the Internet?

When looking for sports memorabilia, make certain that the item you are purchasing is an officially licensed product. The licensing rights to team names and logos for the MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, and other sports associations are sold to manufacturers who are permitted to sell official memorabilia. An official product must have a stamp, tag, or sticker that authenticates the item as licensed in accord with the association. If you are buying sports memorabilia, always keep an eye out for authentic products that were officially licensed for production.

Manufacturers of sports items, like bats, balls, gloves, pucks, jerseys, and caps, usually produce the same products to keep their vendors stocked. But they sometimes come out with limited edition items that are not going to be made again; this makes those items unique and more valuable as sports memorabilia. 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 harder 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 can make even an ordinary piece of sports memorabilia into a much desired item. Many collectors search high and low to find the signature of an athlete they love, and they are usually willing to pay quite a bit for such items. If you are not able to get the personal signature of your favorite athlete, consider picking up one of their official signature products from a manufacturer.

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




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