Sports memorabilia

I have a small stack of autographed SI issues that I plan to get framed one of these days. In most cases they aren't all that valuable in the grand scheme of sports memorabilia, but I put value in them as historical documents -- a moment captured in its time. The ones I've had signed have sentimental value to me, most notably the 1979 Sportsman of the Year issue, which I have signed by both Stargell and Bradshaw.

I like looking for older cards. And every so often when I'm in Target I'll pick up a couple packs just because it's fun to open them. There's a monthly local card show in my area and a couple months ago a guy was there selling packs of 1982 Fleer baseball cards. I'm always skeptical of that, because you never know how "unopened" they are. I always figure someone rooted through them, took out the good ones and resealed the pack, because with the old wax paper packaging you could do that. But believe it or not, I pulled a Cal Ripken rookie card out of one of the packs I bought from the guy. It was off center, so it's not too valuable. But that was still pretty freakin' cool.

 

I have a couple of issues of SI signed by Gene Stallings and Jay Barker, but that's about it. No idea if they have any value, and I wouldn't part with them anyway.

 

Probably the best thing I own when it comes to Sports memorabilia:

 

Yeah, I don't think I could get anything close to that if I sold it, but I do have some really valuable cards from the 50s and 60s. Fortunately, I had everything appraised when we did our home owners insurance back in 2004. I think it was appraised for $75K but only insured for $50K. The guy only took a look at my most valuable stuff, most of which is in the safety deposit box.

 

I used to collect the credentials from big events I covered, but I couldn't tell you where they are now in my house to win a very big bet.

 

I have been to the national sports memorabilia show twice (Baltimore and Cleveland) on a Sunday, and it is as depressing as a visitor's room at prison.

I like to get things that I like and I think are cool, and I never will sell them. If you do this for profit, I think it loses its magic.

For example, I like the Pitt pennant. http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=13926190
Pennants I like because they are cheap and still give a retro feel to things.

This (http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=13922832) is cool to me because of this... http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2002&dat=19830515&id=xGwvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CNsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2810,3090540

I would also like to get some lineup cards. Those are pretty cheap online and pretty cool as well.
https://steiner-java.s3.amazonaws.com/steiner-images/skus/2012NYYLIU10050_zoom_IMAGE1_197581.jpg - an amazing one, but high as shit.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pirates-Cardinals-Dugout-Lineup-Card-4-04-11-MLB-Authenticated-293408-FJ-/290956979829?pt=Vintage_Sports_Memorabilia&hash=item43be632e75 - $45

Someday I would like to try and find complete football card sets of each Steeler SB team plus 1976 and the same for the Pirates of 1979 and Pens of Mario and Sid that won the Cup. Or trying to buy every Andrew McCutchen card no matter value or condition.

I have also heard of people trying to collect every Spider Man or Batman, no matter the condition from when they were eight to 11 years old for example.

I also have organized my cards into teams so when a friend's birthday comes up, I will sometimes stick an old Lance Parrish card in if they are from Detroit, for example. No real value, but people get a real kick out of it.

I have not yet, but collecting bad retro jerseys could be fun...
http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=13893259

 

I've been to a few shows and they have a bit of a Walmat feel to them.

 

I found all mine when I moved recently, which was kind of cool.

 

I've got an autographed picture of Brian Cox in my home office, made out to me with the usual best-wishes mumbo-jumbo. My buddy who worked for the Jets gave it to me at my bachelor party. It's there as a placeholder for the other Cox autographed pic he gave me, where the inscription was, "You look good with a dick on your chin."

 

I think what you're doing is pretty cool, Dick. I'd be doing the same if my house had a basement and didn't have to recently turn my office into a nursery.

About three weeks ago, I found myself in the midst of my first real nostalgia kick -- like everyone else, I stopped collecting cards and autographs once I hit a certain age, but still have them in storage -- when I visited a flea market. I bought out his Barry Sanders collection because, mainly, what the hell? Plus, I got a Travis Fryman rookie card for a quarter. Whenever I put together my sports bar, it's going to have a bunch of cards under a thick, clear varnish or glass.

That trip to the flea market eventually drove me to eBay for the first time since 2006 where I found a George Gervin signed basketball w/CoA for $18. How do you pass that up? If you went to Eastern Michigan, you fucking can't. That's how.

That's my story. And I like yours, too, Dick.

 

Good story in The Times today about a guy who amassed a 10 mil collection of baseball memorabilia, mostly from the Brooklyn
Dodgers and Yankees of The Fifties.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/08/sports/baseball/warehouse-of-baseball-memories-could-be-left-stranded.html?ref=sports