What really is the best piece of sports memorabilia to collect as a fan?
We all have our own shit we collect as fans. Autographed baseballs, bobbleheads, baseball cards, jersey’s, helmets you name it. Whatever it is that fans collect, the value of each item fluctuates. A signed Hall of Fame Mike Piazza jersey goes for big bucks. A Nolan Ryan autographed baseball could go for $85.00 to $100.00. Bobbleheads on average can range from $10.00 to $300.00 give or take what bobblehead it actually is.
You know my answer, as I feel bobbleheads are the most unique items to collect and here’s why. They move and there’s thousands beyond thousands of all types and they all look different. The hunt and chase for specific bobbles you want can be extremely difficult. Trying to score a hard to find bobblehead can be super frustrating, but that is what the “hunt” is all about.
Collecting a piece of cardboard (baseball card) and putting it in a plastic case doesn’t do shit for me. Having a baseball card graded for condition doesn’t flatter me at all. Some high end baseball cards are known to produce 25,000 to 50,000, so how rare can they be?
Baseballs. Getting a baseball signed by Mike Trout and putting it in a clear plastic cube does nothing for me. It doesn’t move. It just sits there. If you have 100 baseballs signed in a display case, they all look the same. It looks like a plain white wall with sphere shapes. Another thing, how many balls do you think Trout signs per year? 10,000? 20,000? How about when Steiner Sports and card shows pay Trout to sign items? During a 2 hour card show, Trout probably signs another 1,000 balls! So why is having a Mike Trout baseball so desirable to a collector when there’s sooooooo many available? Doesn’t make sense to me.
Signed jerseys. Now these are cool to collect. Getting an authentic $300.00 jersey that you bought in a team store or online and then having your favorite player sign it, is bad ass. Not to many people can afford the price of a true “authentic jersey” and then to get it signed and glass frame it, is rare. Jersey’s are very expensive and I respect the passion of collecting jerseys.
Basically, bobbleheads are the most affordable, unique items to collect and if you haven’t started just yet, it’s time to get your ass in gear and start collecting. You heard it here first and once you start, it’s damn near impossible to stop. Get going and enjoy the hunt!