h4>Sports-Memorabilia -> Sports-Collectibles -> Fan-Apparel-and-Souvenirs

Lance Armstrong is one of today’s most well-known names, both in professional cycling and professional sports in general. Born in 1971, he went on to win the Tour de France 7 years in a row from 1999 to 2005, a record-breaking run that guaranteed him a place in sports history. What makes his triumphs even more impressive was that he managed them after suffering from cancer that the doctors believed would likely end his life. He underwent grueling treatments including chemotherapy and surgery, however, and went on to make his name in the world of sports. He’s won numerous awards, been named Athlete of the Year, Sportsman of the Year, Best Male Athlete and other among numerous titles.

During his career, Lance Armstrong faced allegations of drug use. He was accused of using performance enhancing drugs, steroids among them, but the allegations never proved true. In fact, Armstrong viewed the charges as ridiculous, stating that he was probably the most tested athlete in the world. Due to his previous battles with cancer, his physical testing was much more detailed that many other athletes to ensure that he was well enough to compete, and as a constant check to make sure the testicular cancer which had spread to his lungs and brain and nearly cost him his life, wasn’t trying to return.

After his retirement in 2005, he dedicated himself to the Lance Armstrong Foundation, a foundation he created that supports those suffering from cancer. He also helped found Athletes for Hope, an organization that helps and encourages professional athletes to get involved in charities, and encourages others to volunteer their time and efforts toward charitable causes. He cofounded this venture along with other top athletes like Tennis pro Andre Agassi, legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, racing star Jeff Gordon, pro skater Tony Hawk, baseball player Cal Ripkin, and many other worldwide sports stars.

Lance Armstrong has also participated in other sports since his retirement. He’s driven the pace car in the Indianapolis 500, has competed in two New York City Marathons, in 2006 and 2007. In 2006, a camera followed him the entire time, and he raised over half a million dollars for his foundation through his Livestrong campaign. These products are sold under his name with the Livestrong logo, with the profits going to his foundation to support cancer victims. While he had difficulties in 2006, he finished in the top 250 in 2007 and went on to finish in the top 500 in the 2008 Boston Marathon.

Lance Armstrong could be set to repopularize competitive cycling, because he recently announced that he will compete again in 2009 in an amazing sports comeback. Collectible items will also become more valuable, especially if he dominates the 2009 racing season as he did during the last 7 years of his professional life. Some of the most popular items found on eBay include Tour de France posters bearing his autograph, autographed copies of his books and Livestrong gear that he’s personally worn during cycling competitions or signed.

Originally posted 2008-11-14 13:56:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Sports Memorabilis -> Autographs -> Golf-LPGA

LPGA photos are a hot collectible item for a variety of collectors, from golf buffs to those who admire the strides women have made in what used to be typically men’s arenas. The LPGA or Ladies Professional Golf Association was only founded in 1950 by 13 women to be the official American organization for women professional golfers. They run the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour, which is a series of weekly tournaments exclusively for professional female golfers around the world, from February to December each year.

It’s no wonder LPGA photos are becoming increasingly popular as collectibles, considering that the sports has gotten much more attention in recent years, and this year, 2008, prize money for winning golfers has been more than $58 million dollars.

Other countries have their own versions of the United States’ Ladies Professional Golf Association, but the US LPGA is the largest and most well-known of them all. It’s the oldest female professional sporting association in the country. LPGA photos are popular collectibles just based on that distinction alone.

But to celebrate the sport of golf, LPGA photos are popular with fans, especially when the photos are autographed in person by the golfers. While not all of us are lucky enough to meet our sports heroes and idols in person, many people each year have the thrill of meeting their favorite female golfers and having photographs signed. The rest of us have to purchase signed photographs from autograph dealers in stores and online.

LPGA photos are popular items in online auctions and among online autograph dealers. Unfortunately, it’s easy to fall victim to a less than scrupulous person who might be passing off autographed photos that have never even come near the person who supposedly signed them. This is a large problem online among all autograph dealers, especially those who sell the most expensive and highly sought after autographs of celebrities and sports stars. Autographed photos and items, particularly those that were allegedly autographs by stars and legends who have died, command hundreds and thousands of dollars, or more, so it’s easy to see why some less than ethical people will try to sell unauthentic autographs.

When purchasing LPGA photos, be sure that first of all it’s an actual photo and not something printed on a laser or ink jet printer. Ask. At least you have it in writing that it’s not, should you ever need to try for a refund. Autographs are also commonly printed right into the picture. These are known as pre-prints, and while some fans still enjoy them because they’re inexpensive and more likely to contain an authentic autograph, at least know whether you’re buying a pre-print or a one-time original signature.

For those that claim the signatures are original, compare them to pre-prints for similarities, and search for the autograph in other places online. If the signature is exactly the same, you should be just as wary as if it’s wildly different because no one signs exactly the same each time.

Photo Credits: canadagraphs.weebly.com

Originally posted 2008-10-14 05:00:14. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

sports-memorabilia -> Basketball-NBA -> Lithographs-Posters-and-Prints

During the 1990s, it wasn’t uncommon to see Michael Jordan posters lining the walls of kids rooms. Born in 1963, Jordan played college ball at the University of North Carolina and began his professional career (and played his best years) with National Basketball Association team, the Chicago Bulls. Now retired, for the third and final time, Jordan’s career brought him fame and fortune, and made him one of the most recognizable names in sports worldwide. Many consider him to be the greatest basketball player of all time.

Some of the best Michael Jordan posters showed him in action. He was famous for his ability to change direction in mid-air, and stay airborne so long than commentators often said that he could fly. He was often called “Air Jordan” because of his amazing ability to leap high and stay there. His presence in the game of basketball made it an even more popular spectator sport, as fans and those curious about the sports phenomenon wanted to see him make his signature moves. He was also one of the first players to earn huge product endorsement deals and benefit from aggressive marketing.

Many Michael Jordan posters that collectors want today are from the period of 1991-1993, because it was during those years he helped lead the Bulls to 3 NBA championships in a row. They seemed unbeatable with Jordan at the helm, though after the second championship, fans and experts alike speculated whether they could actually pull off a third.

But they did win the third championship, sparking cries of “Three-peat,” and Michael Jordan posters stating the same, across the nation. Jordan then decided to pursue a career in baseball and left during the beginning of the following season to do so. His baseball career was unremarkable, however, and he returned to basketball and the Bulls, who won 3 more championships with him on the team, another 3 years in a row, and set an NBA record for the most wins in a season.

He retired for the second time in 1999, but two years later he came back, this time to the Washington Wizards, and was once again the subject of new Michael Jordon posters and with new product endorsement deals. But he donated his salary to help victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. After two years of leading in scoring despite his injuries, Jordan played his last game in 2003, and was honored by a 3-minute standing ovation.

Michael Jordan holds a number of NBA records, including the most points scored in an all-star game, as well as 2 Olympic gold medals, one won while as a college student, and one earned as part of the 1992 Dream Team of players like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. When looking for Michael Jordan posters online, those featuring in-play shots during regular games are easy to find, but the ones commemorating his many NBA championships and The Olympic Dream Team are the ones usually prized by fans.

Originally posted 2008-11-01 14:00:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

There are a number of different forms that sports memorabilia items can take, including both modern memorabilia and vintage memorabilia. Some of the sports memorabilia items that you can purchase and add to your collection include:

- Autographed sports memorabilia items, including balls, gloves, bats, cards and anything else that is capable of being signed. Here you should be watching out for clean surfaces, signatures that are clear and legible and certificates of authenticity.

- Sports cards, which should feature sharp corners, smooth surfaces and good image quality. Autographed sports cards are certainly worth more, and the most valuable are rookie cards for athletes that later go on to become stars.

- Equipment from games such as balls, bats, jerseys, rackets, shoes and other sporting equipment that was actually used during a game by a star athlete can go on to be extremely valuable.

- Team jerseys and other apparel memorabilia is another good option for collecting sports memorabilia items, but you should be looking for signs of wear such as authentic wear and tear, sweat stains and other proof that the apparel was used in the sport.

- Stadium items also make good sports memorabilia items, including seats and turnstiles, plain signs, neon signs, benches and any other items that come from stadiums as they can be very rare and extremely valuable, especially in situations where they are historically significant or vintage. If the stadium is no longer standing, then these particular sports memorabilia items can be even more valuable because they are irreplaceable piece of sporting history.

- Ticket Stubs and Programs are also great sports memorabilia items. You should be looking for programs and ticket stubs and other paper items that come from important or historically valuable tournaments, games and other events such as Super Bowl events, World Series events or US Open events for example, as these will be the most valuable.

- Bobbleheads are more modern, but they are still great sports memorabilia items. These are plastic dolls that have oversized heads affixed to a spring. If you have a full set of Bobblehead dolls, they may be really valuable. There are also ceramic items that are worth even more when they are in excellent condition.

- Pins are sports memorabilia items that are often offered for all sports and you can find them online or through sporting goods collectors. There are both modern and vintage pins that you can buy. Full series or full sets of pins can be worth a lot to the right collector.

- Boxing Items are harder to find in comparison to most other sports memorabilia items, so if you are interested in a valuable type of sporting memorabilia, consider collecting memorabilia and collectibles from boxing tournaments and the boxing sport.

Photo Credits: kate.gardiner

Originally posted 2009-09-12 03:22:10. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Sports Memorabilia -> Fan Apparel & Souvenirs -> Baseball-MLB

Baseball fan love everything about the game—the atmosphere, the rules, the players, the equipment, and especially the collectible memorabilia like baseball jerseys, the older, the better. Major League Baseball produces tons of memorabilia like bats, balls, caps, cards, logos, banners, and almost any kind of souvenir and collectible item you can think of. This merchandise is available in a variety of places. Some brick and mortar stores specialize in sports memorabilia—even furniture bearing team logos, like a Cardinals couch. Online stores offer a wide variety of products, too, and of course, online auctions are a great place to find anything you’re looking for, including sports memorabilia.

If you’re looking for collectible baseball jerseys, auctions are a great place to look. Often, teams and other organizations will offer old jerseys for auction to raise money for charity. Often these items are signed, or have special significance. This isn’t a discount way to buy the items, but at least the money spent goes for a good cause. Stores that specialize in sports merchandise carry just about every kind of jersey and every other item you could want, too.

If you can purchase memorabilia like baseball jerseys and take it to an autograph signing (or purchase it there, as things like that are typically offered for sale specifically so you can have them signed) then you have a one-of-a-kind piece of sports memorabilia made even more special if the athlete uses your name. The ones bearing only a signature will fetch a much higher price should you decide to sell the item at auction—if your buyers can be convinced the signature is real, that is.

When purchasing baseball jerseys online or just about anywhere, the first thing you want to do is make sure the tag is intact. It’s a common trick among those who try to sell “official” merchandise to cut the tag out so you can’t verify the manufacturer. Chances are fairly high that if the tag’s gone, the item isn’t genuine. These days, with a good printer and software almost anyone can produce sports t-shirts, jerseys, baseball caps, and virtually anything that mimics the look of official merchandise. Look for the MLB tag on the item to ensure that you’re getting a genuine baseball jersey.

When it comes to buying autographed baseball jerseys, there are a number of things you can do to ensure the item is genuine. While it’s always best to get the autograph yourself so there’s no doubt, if you do want to purchase one, ask if any pictures were taken at the signing. All autograph dealers don’t do this, but some very reputable ones will show a picture of he celebrity or athlete signing the item.

Look at the athlete’s autograph from other sources. Make sure the autograph you’re looking at is genuine, and compare the photos carefully. Remember, though, a talented forger can do wonders, so you at least understand the risk when purchasing autographed baseball jerseys from dealers and other sources.

Photo Credits: ewen and donabel

Originally posted 2008-10-18 05:00:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Sports Memorabilia -> Autographs Original -> Soccer

While the United States may not share the same love for soccer as the rest of the world, it is clear that everywhere else soccer and soccer memorabilia is big business. During the last World Cup a cumulative 4 billion people turned into the watch the matches and during that time thousands of pieces of soccer memorabilia were sold. There is big business in soccer, and the booming memorabilia business has never been hotter.

If you’re interested in taking part in this huge industry, there are a few great collectibles that are quite valuable and they are also a lot of fun. Let’s take a look at a few of the hottest soccer memorabilia items that are currently on the market.

Anything Beckham

David Beckham is incredibly popular right now, and as a result, soccer memorabilia that has been signed by him is also very popular right now. Whether it’s a jersey, signed soccer ball or even a photo, collectors can’t get enough of anything and everything Beckham. Try to find original and authentic autographs, since these will hold the most value by far.

Signed Apparel

This kind of soccer memorabilia is very valuable, especially if you can get a popular player to sign it. Shirts, shorts and hats are commonly used and many fans will go to the stadium with their items in hopes of having them autographed by the players on site. If you can’t get to the arena, you can also find these items in special stores that have been licensed to sell this apparel, and you can also find them at online auction sites.

Signed Soccer Balls

One of the most popular forms of soccer memorabilia is a soccer ball that is signed by the entire team after an important win. These are very hard to get a hold of, but if you can find one, it will be very valuable, especially if it is a team of global prominence. Keep in mind that these can be very expensive but they will typically hold on to their value quite well.

Signed Photographs

Again, if you can get this kind of photograph that is signed by a player, that is one of the best kinds of soccer memorabilia to get. They are valuable both in terms of monetary value, as well as the emotional value that comes with having your favorite player personalize something just for you. It is best to get a photograph and then try to get the autograph on your own, either through their agent or by visiting a stadium. However, you can also purchase these through autograph stores and online auctions are a goldmine for this kind of soccer memorabilia.

Whether you’re just getting into soccer, or you have been a die hard fan for many years, collecting soccer memorabilia is a great way to show your appreciation for this sport and to be able to have a very valuable collectible. In fact, you may find that it enhances your love of the game even more.

Photo Credits: AsianFC

Originally posted 2008-10-05 14:00:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Sports Memorabilia -> Autographs – Original -> Golf – PGA

While the sport of golf may not be quite as popular as football or baseball, it still has its share of rabid fans and when you’ve got a fan base like that, you’re guaranteed that there will be a demand for golf memorabilia. Throughout the past few years, as greats like Tiger Woods have risen to prominence, there has been a resurgence in popularity of golf memorabilia and many collectors are desperate to get their hands on some.

If you’re looking for golf memorabilia, but you’re not quite sure what you should be collecting, here’s a quick guide to get you started.

Autographed Golf Balls

One of the best types of golf memorabilia are autographed golf balls and good ones can be hard to come by. Fans will usually sit at tournaments and hope that they can get their favorite player to come by and give them an autograph. For those that can’t make it in person, there are many shops that sell licensed merchandise and you can usually find a few of these in stock. However, the rarest will be typically found at auction, or online if a private collector decides to sell theirs.

Pin Flags

This is a very unique kind of golf memorabilia and one that is highly sought after. Typically, you can find autographed pin flags after a major tournament. The winner will usually sign the flag for the eighteenth green. However, in some cases, especially at charity events, you may even find flags signed by everyone that took part in the tournament. This is a fun collectible and one that is great to display in your home.

Signed Photographs

These are another popular form of golf memorabilia. Fans of the sport will typically go in person to get autographed photos, or special commemorative editions are sometimes released. Once again, the best place to find these photos is at auction or at a special golf memorabilia store. In many cases, you can also buy a photograph, and send it to the agent of your favorite player in order to have it autographed. This method is hit or miss, but many have reported success with it.

Bobbleheads

Like most sports, you can find bobbleheads golf memorabilia. While these may not be as valuable as other types of memorabilia, they are fun to collect. Most of the top players in the PGA will have their own bobblehead and occasionally companies will release special collector editions that are a bit more valuable.

Special Golf Clubs

If you’re looking for a unique piece of golf memorabilia, every once in awhile you can find autographed golf clubs. These are usually auctioned off for charity purposes, but every once in awhile they will be released for a special occasion or event. This type of golf memorabilia can be expensive, but for true fans of the game, it’s more than worth the expense.

Now that you know what kind of golf memorabilia to buy, you can start adding to your personal collection.

Photo Credits: nsaplayer

Originally posted 2008-09-30 07:00:39. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Sports-Memorabilia -> Fan-Apparel-and-Souvenirs -> Baseball-MLB

Ken Griffey Jr is a baseball player from Cincinnati who has played for the Cincinnati Reds, the Chicago White Sox and the Seattle Mariners. The 39-year-old Griffey is a center fielder, and known for his home-run hitting power. He ranks fifth in home runs, and is tied for first place on the list of those who’ve made home runs in the most consecutive games. In late 2008, Griffey became a free agent. His father was baseball player Ken Griffey Sr. who played for Cincinnati.

Ken Griffey Jr started his career with the Seattle Mariners and played there for 11 distinguished and successful seasons. Not known for just home runs and his effortless swing, he was also lauded as a great defensive player, able to dive and slide when necessary and make difficult catches, often leaping high to catch a ball before it could become a home run.

The Seattle stadium that was built to replace the Kingdome, known as Safeco field, is often referred to as The House that Griffey Built. He was an all-star, won numerous awards and made numerous lists of all-time great baseball players while he played for the Mariners. He was even named to the All-Century team in 1999. That same year Ken Griffey Jr. asked to be traded to the Cincinnati Reds, the team his father played for, so he could live closer to his relatives.

He began playing for the Reds during the 2000 season, but with less impressive numbers than his previous years with Seattle. Frequent injuries caused problems for Ken Griffey Jr and slowed him down on the field. In 2004, he became the 20th player ever to make 500 career home runs. In a fitting moment, he made that home run on Father’s Day, with Ken Griffey Sr. watching from the stands in a hit that also tied him with his father’s career hits record of 2, 143. But he finished the year on the injured list.

Despite injuries that benched him throughout the years, Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 600th home run, making him one of only 6 players in baseball history to do so, on June 9, 2008. In July, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox, and by September, had added to his home runs to his 611, making him 5th on the all time list. In October, the Sox declined his expensive contract option, and he became a free agent.

His memorabilia is popular among baseball fans, especially those who are still watching and waiting to see what team he’ll play for next. Petitions were signed by fans who wanted him back to his original baseball home with the Seattle Mariners. Autographed photos of him as well as jerseys and caps are popular items you can find places like eBay. Just be sure to compare the signature with one you know to be authentic to avoid buying a forgery. A photo, signature, or ball hit by Ken Griffey Jr could be the crowning jewel in a baseball collection

Originally posted 2008-12-27 10:23:52. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Some people begin to create a sports memorabilia collection to create a hobby, and other people decide to put together a sports memorabilia collection for the sole purpose of eventually selling their memorabilia off later. Some people, then, specially build up their sports memorabilia collection full of specifically chosen items that are considered to be sound investments that they can sell off in the future with an increased value. People that are not serious about their sports memorabilia collection being sold in the near future can pass their sports memorabilia collection off to their children or other loved ones as it grows.

The majority of people building up a sports memorabilia collection actually began simply by collecting simple collectibles such as baseball cards of their absolute favorite baseball players for example. Now they may be focusing on different items for their sports memorabilia collection such as vintage baseball cards, retired player cards, rookie cards, and baseball cards for players that have just recently been indicted into the Hall of Fame. Other collectors all together may focus on a much wider range of sports memorabilia collection memorabilia while still focusing on a certain player, a certain sport, a certain era or something else that interests them. Some collectors choose a specific team within the sport, while others are simply happy with a broad sports memorabilia collection based on a single sport.

Collectors that put together their own sports memorabilia collections together often do so in order to make a statement about who they are. Each of the pieces of memorabilia that they collect will tell a unique and specific story about who they are, and some of these pieces in their sports memorabilia collection may even signify something important that happened to the collector or within the sport throughout history. Since creating a sports memorabilia collection depends greatly on the individual collector and their unique interests, their sports memorabilia collection should absolutely consist of items that interest them in some way or another. Collectors may decide to collect autographed items, historical items, equipment, baseball cards, items with significance and so on and so forth.

People that put a sports memorabilia collection together for the purpose of investing generally try to acquire items that are more unique, more vintage and more rare so that they can be sold in the future for an increase in profit. The market today is becoming overrun with some items but there are still some truly unique items that are out there and can help an investor earn a profit. This means that there are still ample opportunities for building a sports memorabilia collection that will net you a profit in the future.

If you are thinking about building a sports memorabilia collection, the first thing that you need to determine is what reason you want to collect for, so you know what items to obtain for your sports memorabilia collection.

Photo Credits: Garyisajoke

Originally posted 2009-08-25 05:07:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

If you are interested in sports, then there is a growing business trend that you should be aware of, which relates to buying, collecting and selling signed sports memorabilia. This is a sound investment that would be well worth considering if you are into sports, but the first consideration that you need to make when it comes to collecting signed sports memorabilia is what type of sport you are going to pursue.

If you are looking for an alternative method of investing that is always going to hold some kind of value in it, then collecting signed sports memorabilia is definitely a good way for you to go. This is because it is very rare for signed sports memorabilia to lose value, but rather most pieces of signed sports memorabilia are going to appreciate in value over time, meaning that more often than not you will have a sound vehicle for investing. Not only are these items going to hold their values, they are going to appreciate greatly in value over time, allowing you to realize a return on your investment if you ever decide to sell the signed sports memorabilia that you have spent time collecting through the years.

Unfortunately, there are some things that you are going to want to watch out for. For example, you are going to want to watch out for pieces of signed sports memorabilia that are not actually authentic. You want to make sure that the signed sports memorabilia pieces that you buy are authentic, and you can do this by choosing a reputable source for purchasing your pieces of memorabilia. You should not simply buy from random sellers until they have built up a reputation. If you cannot get good references, reviews and recommendations on the seller in question, then you should not trust them or the products that they are selling.

Here is a rule of thumb for when it comes to buying signed sports memorabilia online. If the store selling the signed sports memorabilia does not have a loyal following of buyers, completely positive feedback ratings or references to provide you, they can’t prove their reputation and should not be trusted. Any reputable dealer of signed sports memorabilia is going to have plenty of satisfied customers.

You don’t have to be driven by monetary gain in order to enjoy collecting signed sports memorabilia because owning a piece of sports history is rewarding in many ways, and they do not all relate to investing or getting a return on your investment in any way. Imagine owning a real, genuine article that has sports history attached to it. Does it sound enjoyable? Collecting signed sports memorabilia is something that you can do with your children and other family members, and you can pass your collectibles down to your children in the future as well.

Photo Credits: Chris Devers

Originally posted 2009-08-22 05:36:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter