History of Sports and Football Collectibles

Our lives revolve around family, sports, entertainment and work, but not necessarily in that order. I would argue, and many others might agree, that our lives revolve around these experiences in that order; essentially placing family at the forefront of our existence. Although, if you were to rank these experiences in order of the amount of time consumed, we might place work at the beginning of our list. Time-consumed is not the focus topic here; certainly memories and life’s experiences take precedence. Of course, when it comes to memories, family wins without question. The definition of family is different for everyone. In our society, the definition of “family” can include friends, siblings, co-workers, spouses, parents, and of course pets (how dare I list pets last!) Family relationships typically grow deep and strong, developing into a lifelong connection. For many, family extends beyond just this list; it also includes individuals from our towns, city, state, and country. It also includes those belonging to religious, charitable, and fraternal organizations and can include various nationalities as well. Wow, are we discussing football collectibles or is this a philosophical discussion about family and life? Football fans and players are part of a family that is built through a sense of competition, pride and loyalty.

The interest in sports and football collectibles is driven by many factors, but we do know that family and history play significant roles. Backyard football games with brothers, sisters, and neighbors are lifetime memories. You and your Dad sitting in good (or maybe not so good) seats at a NFL football game is a lifelong memory. Watching your Alma mater play their rival at their home field with friends and family present is a lifetime memory. We take family photographs to keep memories. With sports it’s a little different. The connection and loyalty with your favorite football team can be expressed in many ways, although the most prominent way is by owning apparel, a collectible or a memorabilia item.

In the United States, sports collectibles have a relatively short history. The hobby began with sports cards, specifically with baseball cards in the late 1800’s. These baseball cards were intended to be a “token” item that was included in boxes of tobacco or candy. This could be compared to receiving a prize in a box of cereal or Cracker Jacks. As you can imagine, sports cards became very popular among our youth of the past, and eventually the “aura” of collecting became appealing to adults. Along with sports cards, memorabilia also included game-used items, such as jerseys, helmets and other gear. Not to mention, display items like pennants and photos. The variety list of various football collectibles is long, though the significance of each item is pretty much the same. The sports cards and memorabilia companies understand the pride, spirit and emotional aspect their products hold. Hence, coining of the phrases like, “We bring you closer to the game” and “Own a piece of history”. Football collectibles have become more valuable with enhancements such as personal autographs or limited production runs. The weighty appeal of football collectibles is usually tied to a specific team or player in history and their contributions to the sport.

There are many attributes of football collectibles that can contribute to the value of an item, but for the average fan, the personal connection is the most important. As mentioned before, the variety of football collectibles in the market place is vast. Whether you’re purchasing an item for yourself, or as a gift, it helps to answer some basic questions. Does the recipient of the football collectible intend on displaying the item in their bedroom or office? If so, a photograph, pennant, framed jersey or poster might be appropriate. Is the item intended to hold value and be passed down for generations? If so, football cards, coins (yes, football coins), mini helmets, and autographed items including footballs might be suitable. Maybe the item is to be worn by the individual… in which case a football jersey, T-shirt or hat would work. It is important to note that if an item is purchased with the intention to be kept as a collectible, the treatment of that item should be much different than an item intended solely to show fan loyalty. You might want to buy an item to wear and also an item to keep as a collectible or keepsake. Football collectible gifts to a youth should be coordinated with parents to make sure they either protect the item themselves from being damaged or educate the teenager or child on the importance of preservation. Don’t let this discourage you from giving football collectible gifts to younger generations, especially when you consider that they have the ideal time frame to benefit from the enjoyment and monetary-appreciation of collectibles.

As aforementioned, several factors influence the rarity and value of football collectibles. The team and player tied to an item have the most obvious collecting benefits, but the age and condition of the item is a factor as well. A football collectible that is autographed or a limited edition item (aka limited production) adds value to the collectible. Over the past decade, more football cards contain an authentic jersey piece worn by the featured player. A “trifecta” football card would be one that is autographed, a limited edition and contains a piece of the player’s jersey that was worn in an official NFL game. Because so many options exist, one can obtain football collectibles on both large and small budgets. The reason football collectibles and memorabilia are ranked highly as gift items revolves not only around the value received from the possession, but also the connection to a favorite team or player! It is a gift of value, memories, and competitive spirit.

See our football collectibles guide below