Investing
Recently, I made my first purchase in the stock market, I was very excited to buy some shares and I am hoping it was a good move for the future! It got me thinking about what I do on a daily basis and the purchases I make to better the future of ManCave Memorabilia.
People often ask me, "Tony, who do you think I should buy that will not lose value and will also appreciate in time"? I get at least five calls a day from people asking me what I think there items are worth and if I would like to buy the item from them. Those of us that have been lucky enough to either purchase or inherit some type of sports or entertainment memorabilia may or may not know its value. If you think about it, buying memorabilia is a lot like playing the stock market. Not only are you buying something you love and are very proud of, you’re also buying something that could grow in value.
For me, my top choices of living athletes would be Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali and Tiger Woods. We all have our opinions but, for me, these three athletes don’t regularly sign autographs for people nor do they show up to trade shows for signings.
Each one of these athletes do private signings for their own respected company's or if they do not belong to a company they will sign with a memorabilia company (like ManCave Memorabilia) for a very hefty price. Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods are with Upper Deck, so when making this investment stick with Upper Deck when you purchase, as they hold a high value.
Over the last several years both Jordan and Woods have remained solid in the memorabilia market, remaining stable in their value. However, you will have to spend a good amount to obtain these autographs. It is a solid investment though that will hold its value and continue to grow as the years go by.
As far as entertainers and/or celebrities, I would obtain someone like a Clint Eastwood. He is still an affordable autograph to get and is our modern day "John Wayne". He has been in so many classic movies you can’t go wrong with an autographed photo of, The Good the Bad and the Ugly or even more recently Gran Torino. Any Eastwood autograph is an awesome investment.
Sadly, in this industry of collecting, when the athlete or celebrity passes away that is when the value really takes off. This is not the case for all athletes/celebrities unfortunately, for example, Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams signed a ton of stuff before they died and a lot of their items have dropped in value. If you’re making a purchase for investment purposes try to do some research, look to see if they often autograph items? What is their value currently? Are they still playing and do their have a chance to improve or decline their performance/value? It’s always going to be a risk! But like they say, "If there is no risk, there is no reward!”
Lastly, one of the more important factors to check on, make sure the item is authenticated. Some of the trusted Authentication Companies are JSA, PSA/DNA or places like Steiner, Mounted Memories and Upper Deck. Again, do your own research and check to see if the player or Celebrity has an exclusive deal with a company.
If you’re willing to invest in start up companies and play the stock market then I would tell you make an investment in a good piece of memorabilia and I think you will be happy with the results.
This blog was written by Tony Rohatch Owner & President of ManCave Memorabilia.
