What is the better investment?

fightingokra3

I'm curious what everyone's opinion is. Is an autographed baseball/football or signature card a better long term value investment. I have typically gone with balls over cards.

nonpareil

<< <i>I have typically gone with balls over cards. >>



I bet you have...

All kidding aside, I think autographed memorabilia will always hold its value. Auto rookie cards might be a wise investment. Back in the day, collectors used to get index cards signed and then display them with pictures of the athlete (some still do now). Autographed cards are sort of the next evolution of that. Plus, they are easier to store. Autographed memorabilia displays well.

JoeBanzai

Generally speaking autographed balls would seem to be the better investment. I do not collect autographed cards and actually avoid them as do many collectors.

Joe

fightingokra3

I set myself up for that one!

Thanks for the info, I always wondered why most of the older athletes signatures were on index cards. Do those still hold value?

Yankees001

<< <i>I set myself up for that one!

Thanks for the info, I always wondered why most of the older athletes signatures were on index cards. Do those still hold value? >>



Signed IC's hold their value very well. I would not get anyone from today to sign them thou. 3X5's from the 1880's through the 1980's are great. Players from 1990's through today probably will not hold their value very well.

1920's - 1970's most people didn't have overproduced cards or 8X10's laying around.

I hope this helps. I did have a collection of over 6,000 IC's that I personally sent to each player for. I made some nice money when I sold the collection 7 years ago.

Dave

dtkk49a

There is tons of fake memorabilia on the market. Buy PSA/DNA certified balls only. Otherwise, unless you get it signed yourself, there is a good chance you will get ripped.
For modern players, I prefer certified autos on sports cards issued by the major card companies and certified by PSA - they are much easier to store and easier to sell.

yankeeno7

I also like cards signed...for storage reasons mostly. Baseballs tone and fade. I dont know what happens to signed footballs. Signed jerseys seem to bleed. I dont like the way they look. Signed helmets and bats are nice but take up a lot of space.

DCanfield

#1 rule is collect what you love and appeals to you.

Ironmanfan

If you're going to have a baseball signed, be sure it's an OMLB....Don't try to cut corners by purchasing the un-official ones....

Regarding 3x5's, the majority of current baseball players won't even sign them amymore....

IMF

MinorLeaguer

Also the industry used to frown on autos on cards as it "ruined" the card. That was the thinking in the late 80's to early 90s. Back then one used to get high priced raw cards at a big discount if it had an auto. When in the 90s, they started chopping up game-used memorabilia to make cards with the shards, my personal opinion is that they simply destroyed great memorabilia.

larryallen73

For investments I would buy residential property in California. They are giving stuff away now and prices are finally starting to inch up. Combination of interest rates, rental rates and sale prices make for an amazing INVESTMENT. If you want to collect autographs do it for fun. You are not likely to ever have enough to make the "investment" matter.

JoeBanzai

<< <i>Also the industry used to frown on autos on cards as it "ruined" the card. That was the thinking in the late 80's to early 90s. Back then one used to get high priced raw cards at a big discount if it had an auto. When in the 90s, they started chopping up game-used memorabilia to make cards with the shards, my personal opinion is that they simply destroyed great memorabilia. >>



Very true, however you will need to get an in person auto verified. I assume people would trust an insert card over a random card that you got a player to sign.

There are people who try to collect all of the regular issued cards of certain players. They are in my opinion less of these collectors than of people who collect single signed balls.

Joe

P.S. I totally agree that chopping up game used items is wrong. Now they are even chopping up autographed CARDS to make another autographed card!

jimrad

<< <i>For investments I would buy residential property in California. They are giving stuff away now and prices are finally starting to inch up. Combination of interest rates, rental rates and sale prices make for an amazing INVESTMENT. If you want to collect autographs do it for fun. You are not likely to ever have enough to make the "investment" matter. >>



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