Maybe you've got George Mitterwald. But do you have Mitt Romney? Maybe you've got Joe Garagiola. But do you have Newt Gingrich? The chase is on for autographs from the Republican candidates for president. What once may have been a quirky little segment of collecting is now recognized--by the profit seeking autograph hounds who chase them, by the collectors and 'fans' who … [Read more...] about Autograph Seekers Chase White House Seekers
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2011 Bowman Sterling Football a Popular Product on eBay
Sellers who put 2011 Bowman Sterling Football on eBay in the final days of 2011 did well. Or, if their profit margin wasn't as great as they'd hoped, they did sell their merchandise. From Dec. 18 through December 30, there were over 6,990 listings for the newly released product on eBay. 5,197 of those lots sold, an impressive sell-through rate of 74%. The average price … [Read more...] about 2011 Bowman Sterling Football a Popular Product on eBay
Topps 2011 Products: Best and Worst Money Makers
Think you can make money selling current year baseball card cases and boxes? It's sort of like going to the race track. You can grab some information and make an educated guess but you really never whether that horse will act like the second coming of Secretariat or wind up in a claiming race. Topps 2011 baseball products have included nearly two dozen different cases since … [Read more...] about Topps 2011 Products: Best and Worst Money Makers
Some People Will Do Anything For Free Cards
You can see the evidence of pack searching in nearly every big box department store that carries sports cards. Those with a pure profit motive in mind will figure out which cards hold the valuable inserts and cherry pick them out of an open box. Sometimes they'll even use a digital scale, standing in full view of other customers, most of whom probably have no idea what's … [Read more...] about Some People Will Do Anything For Free Cards
Smaller Sports Memorabilia Dealers Battle the Big Boys at the NSCC
Jim Miller has been buying and selling sports memorabilia since the 1980s, but his trip to Chicago last week was just the second time he'd set up at the National Sports Collectors Convention. Last year's event in Baltimore was his first. “The overhead is absolutely staggering, especially for someone like me who drives from the east coast," said the Trenton, New Jersey … [Read more...] about Smaller Sports Memorabilia Dealers Battle the Big Boys at the NSCC
Atlanta TV Station’s Undercover Autograph Investigation
You wouldn't think it would be that hard. Telling a real autograph from one that's simply printed on a poster? Apparently, some fans don't look that closely. You also wouldn't think someone would be able to make a profit from selling Georgia Southern autographed items. Apparently, that's not true. In the first of a two-part series, Atlanta's Fox 5 TV uses undercover … [Read more...] about Atlanta TV Station’s Undercover Autograph Investigation
The Real Cost of Selling on eBay
by Diane Carter The internet has changed the world of sports cards forever and you can scarcely bring up the topic without hearing "'eBay" almost immediately. Love them or hate them, anyone who buys or sells cards online is eventually going to have to deal with the company that has fundamentally changed collectible commerce. While buying that card you so desperately want is … [Read more...] about The Real Cost of Selling on eBay
Industry Summit Attendance Grows
More than 250 industry professionals will attend the 2011 Industry Summit, an increase of more than 25 percent over last year’s inaugural event, according to organizers. Scheduled for Las Vegas later this month, 2011 Industry Summit will include representatives of more than 105 independent sports, gaming and entertainment collectible stores. “Our primary mission is … [Read more...] about Industry Summit Attendance Grows
T206 Collections Always a Welcome Consignment
A collection of 70 of the 76 Hall of Famers in the T206 baseball card set arrived at Just Collect's offices last week thanks to a long-time collector who has decided to liquidate and turn his attention to other investments. The New Jersey-based eBay consignment specialist is offering them one at a time on eBay over the next couple of weeks. "T206s are one of the most … [Read more...] about T206 Collections Always a Welcome Consignment