Why Do Humans Collect Things? Confessions Of A Sports Collectible Expert

Jul 24, 2017

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What gives a collectible item its value? Certified sports memorabilia expert Michael Osacky has been the official appraiser for athletes from the Chicago Bulls, New York Yankees, and other professional teams, and he sheds some light into the world of collecting.

Lots of people own old books, ticket stubs, or baseball cards, but some of those items are valued at tens of thousands of dollars, while others aren't worth a penny. Michael digs into why there's such a discrepancy by getting into what collectors find valuable, along with a little history lesson on the hobby itself.

Michael Osacky, certified sports memorabilia expert, discussed:

The importance of personal stories and history when curating a collection.
The history of autographs and why they have value.
Why collectible memorabilia produced after the 1970s rarely has much monetary value.
How collectors use look, feel, and even smell to determine the authenticity of an item.
Why the monetary value of collectible items can vary wildly over time.
Similarities across different collectible items, like sports, coins, stamps, and other collections.
How errors or misprints can affect the value of a collectible item.
The value of a "phantom ticket" for a concert or sporting event that ended up not happening.
How an athlete or celebrity's infamy can affect the value of associated memorabilia.
The best way to use the internet to research the potential value of your items, and how many people use eBay for research the wrong way.
Is an item labeled "collector's edition" worth any value to collectors, or is it just a marketing tactic?
International interest in sport memorabilia and why they're looking into collectible items as an asset class for their portfolios.