Starting a Sports Collection

The Goodwin Company was the first to market a numbered set of baseball cards in 1887. Many companies followed and the printing of the card on the back of cigarettes and cigar boxes went on for the next 30 years. Cashing in on the opportunity, bubble gum companies decided to manufacture collectible cards that were included in bubble gum packs in the 1930s. This allowed fans to put together a complete set, which at the time was a new idea. In 1952, the Topps company came out with the first card to have a player's photo, team logo, vital information, and up to date career facts.

Here are a few things to remember if you are thinking about starting a sports collection of your own. Have an idea of how much money you have and how much you want spend. A sports memorabilia collection grows over time and starting out small never puts you at a disadvantage. Find out about some of the sports memorabilia retailers in your area and get to know what companies have signing deals with athletes whose memorabilia you are buying. This will making searching for memorabilia and collectibles easier, but will also help you to avoid purchasing fraudulent merchandise. Know some information about memorabilia fraud and how to detect it. Never buy anything that does not come with documentation providing proof of authenticity.

You also need to know that jerseys, cards, photographs, or related sports equipment that have been signed by an athlete are considered memorabilia only if that autograph or signed merchandise has been certified by a legitimate distributor. Reproductions and authentic sports products that are not signed or are signed but not authenticated are collectibles. Remember that the words memorabilia and collectible are often used in the same context.