Authentic Sports Memorabilia
By:
Dave Deane
Will you want to choose only one category to begin collecting
your sports memorabilia? If so, learn it, research it, and invest in
it wisely. Did you know that trading cards have to be graded? It's
one of the important facts you would do well to know as a potential
collector of authentic, valuable sports items.
Collectibles fraud is a terrible thing for someone to endure. If
you've been saving a special item or items for years, waiting on
just the right moment to cash in on your investment, and one day you
are forced to sell because life threw you a hard ball, you don't
want to suffer the devastation of a fake collectible.
Educate yourself, arm yourself with knowledge. Become a collector
who doesn't just pretend to know the art of recognizing authentic
sports memorabilia.
If you encounter a dealer who doesn't answer your questions to your
satisfaction, it's best to follow your instincts and go elsewhere.
Dealer confidence is key, but don't confuse confidence with a con's
suave evasions.
Find out the worth of your items. It's not fair to you or to the
dealer to purchase an item, then discover it's not quite as valuable
as you had first thought, and try to hassle the dealer about a
return. Do your homework before purchasing. An honest dealer will
want you to be happy with your purchase so you can be proud to do
business with them and spread their good name to build their
reputation. A dishonest dealer just wants you to hurry up and spend
your money and won't want to stand behind the authentication of
their sports memorabilia. But by the same token, it's unfair to the
dealer to go on with an attitude of "If I don't like it, I'll just
return it." They want people who are serious about their sports
memorabilia just as much as you want authenticity. It's best to
leave, think it over, and return than to buy in haste. You may want
to return to the same dealer in the future and should build a good
interaction with him or her.
Make sure you are clear on how rare an item is. Limited edition does
not necessarily mean the same as limited production. Limited edition
means one of a kind, limited production means only produced for a
short period of time.
A certificate of authenticity does not assure that you're in good
hands with a dealer. Neither do the words 'mint condition'. There is
such a thing as 'dealer bias'. It's one of the negative aspects of
the business. You may later try to return to the same dealer and
sell back the card they sold for a high price in 'mint condition'
only to find they reduce the worth. They won't want to pay you what
they said it was worth, even though they are the ones who set the
price originally.
You shouldn't have to allow the dealer to dictate which
authentication service you can use. A reputable dealer will be fine
with your choice. But do understand that authenticators may not
specialize in the item you are having checked. If they don't excel
in this area, you may be disappointed.
About the Author Dave
is both Author and Webmaster at
ArticleWealth.com - Article
Directory. To find out more about
Sports Memorabilia, and Sporting Memories, please visit
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