Of course it does! People go nuts and search Ebay like crazy when a player or coach dies. Depending on how good and popular the player is, prices can skyrocket once they pass away. Now, I don’t condone death upon anyone, but in the bobblehead game you have to know when to capitalize on an opportunity.
I remember I had a ton of Joe Paterno bobbleheads 5-6 years ago when that whole scandal when down with Penn State and Sandusky. As soon as Joe Pa died, my Paterno bobbles flew off the shelves and for big money. Another example, is when Don Zimmer passed, I threw a couple of his bobbles up on Ebay and they sold lighting fast as well.
So to answer the question, yes, when a player, manager or coach who was popular in the sports world dies, the value increases dramatically.
Here’s a Sniper tip for you all. When the actual death of a player occurs, you better list it on Ebay quick. Collector’s feel a sense of closeness and want that bobblehead to be a part of their collection while the passing is fresh in their mind. It sounds dirty but it is what it is. This applies to any sports memorabilia as well.