Ali Collectibles a Boom or Bust Market

ATLANTIC CITY – There is 400,000 square feet of floor space at the Atlantic City Convention Center, site of the 37th National Sports Collectors Convention.

That’s quite a bit of space for cards, memorabilia and collectibles.

There was a little something for everyone, including some of the most obscure collectibles imaginable.

Then there are the “regulars.”

Mickey Mantle, Derek Jeter and Mike Trout stuff is everywhere and you won’t have any problem finding anything and everything having to do with Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

Mantle, Jeter, Trout, Jordan and James are all over as well as some others but few faces were featured as prominently as Muhammad Ali’s.

The boxing legend and humanitarian passed away June 6.

Ali stuff was everywhere at The National.

There was original artwork from some of the world’s best artists. Signed items, including gloves, shorts, fight posters and the like are plentiful.

Ali’s passing only reinvigorated an already strong market but things haven’t been all positive for Ali collectors.

ESPN recently pro duced a feature on how Ali forgeries have flooded the market as vultures didn’t miss out on the opportunity to prey on the unsuspecting.

Marty Mednick of Marlboro, NJ knows Ali collectibles as well as anyone. The owner of AliCollectibles.com has been dealing primarily in Ali memorabilia for more than 30 years.

“Ali is the most forged signature in the world,” Mednick said. “It’s a real shame.”

Mednick mentioned that a handful of would-be sellers have already approached him with forgeries during The National.

Mednick and his kids collected cards for years but he started getting into autographs in the 80’s and started to look for someone to collect.

“I wanted someone that wouldn’t get hurt,” Mednick said with a laugh.

Being that his fighting days were already over, it was unlikely that Ali would be getting injured.

“Ali is an investment,” Mednick said. “There will never be another Ali. It’s like buying Babe Ruth stuff. He’s the most well-liked guy in the world.”

After Ali passed, friends, family and collectors flooded Mednick’s phone lines. Some wanted Ali collectibles. Others simply wanted to offer their condolences knowing that Mednick had become somewhat of an Ali expert.

“We get a million stories from a million people,” Mednick said. “Each one nicer than the last.”