Most Sought After Sports Icon Memorabilia
Sports enthrall us. That’s why we watch and play. Despite the fact that one in a million worldwide get to play sports professionally, the rest of us sports fans feel connected to them in some small way. Feel connected to the rare bird, to greatness, even if only in a meak, almost facetious way. Perhaps that’s the reason sports memorabilia is revered – to feel like we belong to something larger than us.
Some of the rarest memorabilia today is also some of the priciest. While not particularly a game used item, Honus Wagner’s ATC (American Tobacco Company) T-206 sports card is at the top of just about any collectors’ wish list. It was only produced for two years, before Wagner himself requested ATC to stop production of it; he didn’t want kids buying tobacco just to get his card. In recent auctions, it’s commanded nearly three million dollars, far more expensive than any game-worn jersey or other memorabilia.
It’s funny that Wagner should lead this topic off, because old-time baseball dominates the sports memorabilia market. More specifically, Babe Ruth. His jersey’s, bats and autograph’s all command a half million at least. His sale contract from the Red Sox to the Yankees has even been bid on, fetching over a hundred thousand dollars.
Aside from old time, extremely rare, often one-of-a-kind items, some of modern sports’ iconic memorabilia can be worth a lot. In spite of the steroid scandal, Mark McGuire’s 70th homerun ball is priced right on the edge of some of Ruth’s things. In addition, Shoeless Joe Jackson material, pretty much any item with a Michael Jordan signature and some of Wayne Gretzky’s game-worn jersey’s all carry a heafty price tag.