I get emails and calls from reporters, authors and other information seekers on a fairly regular basis. Probably the most popular question is “do you know how big the sports memorabilia industry/hobby is with regard to annual sales?” Hey, it beats the most popular question from circa 2008 which was “how come baseball cards aren’t worth anything anymore?” I’d … [Read more...]
Bi-Weekly Schedule Keeps Auction of Champions Buzzing
Launched less than six months ago, Auction of Champions is already on its eighth online catalog and hoping to carve its own niche in the hobby. The family owned Arizona-based company has been holding bi-weekly events with an eye on a possible move to weekly auctions in the near future. Each auction typically includes hundreds of items, with a heavy emphasis on … [Read more...]
Red Threads Card Company to Launch Monthly Auctions
Red Threads Card Company will launch its inaugural auction on Friday, December 30 at 7 PM. Owner Charles Pope, a long-time collector/dealer, hopes to have 200-250 lots in the first auction, most aimed at average collectors. The first auction will include a 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan graded BGS 8.5, a 1904 Fan Craze baseball game, a small group of 1933 Tattoo Orbit … [Read more...]
New App Aims to Help Collectors Navigate Auction Marketplace
Collectors who bid in sports memorabilia catalog auctions and use Apple products can now access a free app that helps them see everything in one place. Co-founded by long-time collector David Yoken, the free Collectable app for iPhone and iPad provides users the ability to view, search, and track auctions from 22 different companies from their phone or tablet. Users can … [Read more...]
Auction Houses Roll With the Changes
Over the last 10-15 years, no element of the sports collecting hobby has grown more than the auction business. Auctions have always existed in the hobby. Pick up a 35-year-old hobby publication and you'll see private collectors and dealers running mini auctions in the pages of hobby publications. However, sports memorabilia has now joined the ranks of fine art and antiques … [Read more...]
Auction House Execs Talk About What’s Hot
You're only as good as your last auction and for companies that produce catalogs full of sports memorabilia and cards, that means consignments. He who has the best consignments usually wins, but so far there's been room for a lot of different companies in the marketplace. They handle a wide variety of items to meet the diversity of their clientele, some of which is new to the … [Read more...]
Consignment Rep Sees it All
By day, he helps keep the nation's air traffic moving in an orderly fashion. By night, he's one of more than two dozen consignment representatives for one of the sports memorabilia industry's top auction companies. Steve Phillips lives in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area and when a potential consignor who lives within driving distance wants to consider consigning his collection … [Read more...]
Auction Companies Prepare for 2010 Stretch Run
The sports memorabilia auction business is booming. That is, if the number of auctioneers is your yardstick. 2010 has brought new companies into the auction field, while others that launched in the last year or two have pushed further forward. If you're going by sales, the general perception is that the market is down. The still sluggish economy isn't helping. Increased … [Read more...]
National Sports Collectors Convention: 10 Ways to Improve It
Collectors and dealers have returned home or are on their way and the 31st National Sports Collectors Convention is history. How much different was it than the 20th? Or the 25th? Or the 30th? Dealers judge a show based on their income for the four days and maybe how many names were added to their mailing list. Auction companies hope for consignments. Collectors hope … [Read more...]