Why Collect Sports Autographs?
Fans have been collecting sports autographs for about the last century, although it didn’t really become widely popular until Babe Ruth autographs became a treasure to most Americans. Ruth signed thousands of items during and after his legendary baseball career. People got them because it gave them a special, if only brief, connection to one of their heroes. It was one thing to say “I met the Babe”. It was quite another to be able to prove it.
The same holds true today and sports autographs are one of the most popular forms of collecting. Athletes are center stage 365 days a year. They’re more visible thanks to TV and the internet. Collecting signed items is a little tougher than it used to be. Aware of the value of their signatures, some athletes make themselves harder to find, even in public. Not all are worth money, but superstars are deluged with requests from fans who want that special piece for their collection but also by part or full-time sports collectible dealers who are obtaining the signatures to re-sell.
Athletes should know, though, that most people who buy or chase after autographs are pure in their intent. They love to have a tangible connection to their favorite teams, players and to the history of the games themselves by collecting relics both past and present. It’s a memory preserved for all time and a colorful way to decorate an office, sports room or kids room. They’re conversation pieces and anyone who is a sports fan appreciates the time and effort it took to track down that special sports autograph. A baseball sporting the autograph of Babe Ruth is worth thousands of dollars today because there is still a greater demand than the supply that exists in the marketplace. It’s a terrific connection to the game’s past.
While autographs of Hall of Famers and deceased players might cost quite a lot, the beauty of autograph collecting is that you can start with a small budget and still have a nice collection. There are plenty of well-known players whose autograph is still very inexpensive on eBay or Amazon.com. Some retired players sign thousands of items. As famous as he was, Nolan Ryan autographs are generally less than $75 because the great pitcher has always been so agreeable to sign. He did so in part to keep the value down so he wouldn’t have to deal with sneaky, overbearing dealers.
Sports autographs provide a way for a collector to turn a run-of-the-mill piece of memorabilia such as a card or 8×10 photograph into a special piece with increased value. More than anything though, collectors just like to accumulate items that mean something to them. It’s fun, it’s relaxing and it’s a challenge. What more could you ask for from a hobby?
