Sports fans who hoard match programmes, trade cards and autographs may find that it’s the best basis to build a valuable memorabilia collection

Words: Virginia Blackburn

“THE CHILD IS THE father of the man,” goes the saying, and in some cases, of the collector, too; for childhood pursuits can sometimes become very profitable in middle age. Sporting memorabilia is one such area. The most popular is football,followed by cricket, golf, motor sports and fishing.

“Schoolboys have been collecting sports-related items, especially in football, since the 1930s,” says Chris Williams, a dealer who runs Sporting Memorabilia and SportinGold Ltd, a specialist auctioneer. “But the World Cup in 1966 was what really sparked people’s interest. There were two different match programmes from that time: one for all the group games and another one for the fi nal, England v West Germany. There was also a character at the time called World Cup Willie, a little lion that ran along tea towels, postcards, bottles and so on, which is now extremely collectable.”

When carefully chosen, these items can gain in value quite signifi cantly, although the buyer should be aware that not any old sportingrelated memorabilia will rise in price.

“Sporting memorabilia can make an excellent investment, if selected carefully,” explains Dan Davis, sporting expert at Bonhams auction house. “For example, you should never buy an item that was just manufactured to cash in on something, such as replica shirts which have then been signed. Instead, look for a shirt worn during a Cup Final or a memorable match. These are part of sporting history; not just something someone put together to make a few bob. That applies to every sport. For example, the winning ball kicked by Jonny Wilkinson [in the 2003 Rugby World Cup] would be a good item to own.”

For the choice items, prices have risen sharply in recent years. The fi rst volume of the annual Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack was published in 1864. About 10 years ago, a complete set from the very beginning would have cost about £10,000. Now, a full set is worth £60,000, with the very fi rst edition fetching £10,000 alone. “Books from the turn of the century would cost a few hundred pounds each, but those from the period during World War I would be a little bit more,” explains Williams. “There were fewer volumes printed during the years 1914-1918, and they were smaller than usual. The same applies to World War II. However, prices go down to about £30 a volume in the later 1940s and less after that.”

The value of the memorabilia can depend on the personality, too. “Sir Donald Bradman was one of the 20th century’s greatest cricketers, playing in the 1920s and 1930s and remains a hero for many,” says Williams. “His autograph, trade cards and cigarette cards relating to him, are very popular.”

More recent and current stars are also very much sought after. In March 2006, a Manchester United FC blazer which was awarded to the late George Best in 1968 sold for £13,160 in a Bonhams’ auction. A pair of football boots, also belonging to Best and signed by him, went for £4,700.

Another famous name also cropped up in that sale: David Beckham. Two letters and a drawing dating from 1991, when Beckham was 16 and had just signed up with Manchester United,sold for £1,058, and portray a very different life from the one that superstar Beckham lives now.

HOW TO GET STARTED

The most obvious place to start collecting sporting memorabilia is at sporting events themselves. Don’t throw away Arsenal programmes or Wimbledon tickets: they could all be worth something one day.


Bonhams holds six sporting auctions a year in Chester: three general sporting goods sales and three golf-specific ones.
Visit www.bonhams.com for details.


Football collectibles’ specialists Sporting Memorabilia and SportinGold are at www.sportingmem.co.uk and
www.sportingold.co.uk


Billiards memorabilia dealer The Billiard Room is at The Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, from 1864 to the present, is online at
www.billiard.co.uk


The Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, from 1864 to the present, is online at The Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, from 1864 to the present, is online at
http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/almanack

“I’ve been playing in the A-team instead of the Bteam, which is brilliant,” he wrote to a friend called Lee. “I’ve been doing really well with my football as well as with girls, because we are United players they all want to go with us. I got my fi rst wage packet the other day and a bonus which come to £120 so that went into the bank and I have got about £250 in there now.” The drawing was of a greyhound called Rosie Red at Walthamstow Stadium, where the very young David worked as a glass collector.

Some items can be of specifi c interest because they are unique. In SportinGold’s most recent auction in September, a very unusual lot came up.

“From the 1890s to World War II, Tottenham Hotspur had a full-page cartoon on the front page of every programme,” says Williams. “We have 37 original ink drawings of the cartoons by Fred Perry [not the tennis champion] from 1908 to 1910, which were estimated at £10,000 to £12,000. We also have a collection of Manchester City programmes dating from 1902, which is the oldest copy of such a programme in existence. It also includes the programme for the fi rst game played at Main Road in 1923, and was estimated at £1,500.”

Although it may relate more closely to the antique furniture market, billiard tables are also popular collectibles. Dealer Paul McKeivor runs Bath-based The Billiard Room, which specialises in billiard tables.

“Billiard tables fi rst emerged in the 18th century, as billiards was essentially croquet brought indoors,” he says. “The current shape of the billiard table emerged in about 1840 and it hasn’t really changed since then.” A table dating from that period would start from about £15,000; McKeivor currently has one dating from 1875, which used to belong to Donington Hall. It has a price tag of £30,000. Now may be the time to recall another often cited saying: “It takes money to make money.”

A WORD OF ADVICE

The internet is an excellent way to track down sporting goods but be wary. Only go to reputable dealers; otherwise it’s impossible to tell whether the autograph you are buying is a fake



Never buy replicas; only originals. Read up on the market and be aware that many sports stars, like any celebrity, may suffer a dip in popularity, affecting the prices of goods relating to them


As with many forms of collecting, it’s best to buy it because you love it; not because you hope to make money from it. The prices of sporting memorabilia can go down as well as up