Football Memorabilia & Signed Collectibles

Football Memorabilia & Signed Collectibles

The buying and selling of football memorabilia is a multi-billion-dollar industry. At the top of many wish lists is game-worn football equipment, especially uniforms and helmets. Only a few hundred 'home and away' uniform sets exist per team, and clothing that isn't saved by the club is quickly sold at charity auctions or through the teams' own catalogues.


Uniforms are expected to show signs of wear and tear from game play and laundering. Values can range from $200- £165 for an NFL player who isn't particularly well-known to more than $1000-£750 for a game- used jersey from, say, 1950s Hall of Fame running-back Jim Brown.


Because of the high demand for game- worn equipment, some manufacturers,like Mitchell & Ness, produce 'nostalgic' uniforms, allowing football fans to wear replicas of their favourite players' jersey at very affordable prices.






Be aware, this sort of gear has no value to serious collectors.

Football Memorabilia & Signed Collectibles

Football media guides, yearbooks and programmes are an inexpensive, yet satisfying, collecting genre - examples from championship contests and bowl games can draw strong prices. Age, rarity and a collector's team loyalty are among the main factors that determine market value.
A 1938 championship programme for the match between the New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers can sell for more than$1500- £1,000, while the 1967 programme for the first Super Bowl commands around$300- £200. Among university bowl game championship  programmes, the 1925 Rose Bowl guide featuring Stanford and Notre Dame, is worth up to $2800- £1,500 in near-mint condition. A 1966 Cotton Bowl programme, with the University of Arkansas competing against Louisiana State University, is available for  $100-£65.

Football Memorabilia & Signed Collectibles

Media guides contain cover photos of the team's best players from a particular year and are filled with team statistics and other minutiae. A 1934 Chicago Bears media guide can sell for £40, while a guide from the 1987 season can be snapped up for less than &4.

In addition to receiving media guides, reporters covering past major football championships were issued enamel or cloisonne 'press pins'. The first Super Bowl press badge was handed to reporters at 1972's Super Bowl VI, and is worth $450- £225 today, while newer badges are available for $70-$120 £55 - £85.

Football Memorabilia & Signed Collectibles

Journalists at the first three Super Bowls received tie bars, of which 1969's Super Bowl III commands the highest value, at more than $1600-£1,275. While every professional and university team has its own cadre of fans,it is football's most popular squads whose memorabilia consistently draws the most money with collectors. In the professional ranks, the most collectable teams are the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers.

Football Memorabilia & Signed Collectibles

University teams enjoy regional support as well as a large fan base comprised of alumnae. As with professional football, however, it is the perennially successful university squads whose memorabilia garners the most money at auctions and shows.






Many collectors seek out souvenirs from amateur and lesser-known football leagues, especially those that failed after a brief attempt to win market share. Some of the more collectable leagues in addition to the NFL are: the Canadian Football League (CFL), the Arena Football League, the United States Football League (USFL), XFL (a short¬lived renegade league known for its excessive violence), and the World Football League, which folded after filing for bankruptcy.

Football Memorabilia & Signed Collectibles

Building a collection of American football memorabilia is possible no matter where you are in the world, especially with the help of the Internet, but aspiring collectors should follow the same rules that apply to any category that is new to them: buy one uncommon item rather than five or ten common ones, try to develop a theme in your collection (eg: a particular team or type of item, etc), deal only with reputable sports memorabilia dealers and auction houses. And most importantly, become educated about market values before raiding your wallet.

Collectibles Coach