Several decades ago, the big insert in a pack of trading cards was a yummy stick of bubble gum. These days, collectors can sink their teeth into a whole new world of collectibles. The stick of bubble gum has been replaced with authentic game-used memorabilia and the trading card industry has soared in popularity. Whether it be a piece of a game-used bat, football jersey, sheet metal from a race car or other rare collectible, trading card companies are always looking for new and better innovations to get a leg up on their competition. This makes for a terrific, and exciting, time to collect trading cards. A game-used event card will always be a good investment as its more than just a typical trading card - its a unique insert with, what will someday be, a piece of history. And, best of all, its guaranteed to be authentic by the issuing card company.
If you are an avid trading card collector, then you know the value potential of rookie cards. Collectors should keep in mind that there is a difference between a true rookie card and a card company who releases their first card of a particular player, which they also call a rookie card. When searching for a true rookie card, you want the first card that the player ever appeared on. Be careful of rookie reprints, which are sometimes nearly impossible to differentiate from the real thing. For example, Michael Jordans rookie card was reprinted years ago and its nearly impossible to tell a real MJ rookie card, which is worth thousands of dollars, from the reprint. If youre considering investing a large amount of money in a card, do as much research as possible to make sure that you are getting the real deal. If feasible, have the card authenticated or buy one thats already authenticated from a reputable source. Limited edition items also increase in value due to the fact that there are only a certain number of these items available and they are not being mass produced. As a general rule, anything that is produced in limited quantities will always retain a better value than anything that was produced in larger quantities. Special edition and commemorative collectibles hold their value equally as well. These collectibles are released in honor of a special, and usually a rare, event. Such things may include an anniversary, career record achievement or other milestone. If you enjoy reading, perhaps you are a collector of press kits. These rare information kits are made available to the media, from a company or sports team, to be used for news purposes. More and more sports fans are beginning to accept these kits as collectibles. A combination of press releases, exclusive photos and 35mm slides provide a sports fan with an inside look at his/her favorite sport. In some cases, a press kit may also contain a team or stadium photo. An important thing to keep in mind when shopping for collectibles is that, if investment potential is of concern, be on the lookout for unauthorized or illegal merchandise. In some cases, items will be reproduced without the consent or knowledge of the sports organization or even the athletes themselves. The best way to avoid this is to look for the symbol that confirms a collectible is an officially-licensed product. If you collect autographs, most athletes will not even sign an item unless its an officially-licensed product. Shop wisely and, most importantly, take the time to enjoy your collection of sports memorabilia. It truly is a reflection of you and, through the years, a collection will become full of memories. |
