Buying sports memorabilia can be a great hobby for collectors or just a great gift to buy for a friend, loved one or even yourself. Here are some tips & guidelines on what you should look for when you buy sports memorabilia and sports collectibles.

* A certified signature of a professional athlete identifies a piece of sports memorabilia. The signature can appear on a ball, jersey, card, photo, helmet, bat, glove or other sports related equipment.
* It must come with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) issued by a well-known, reliable and credible company in the sports memorabilia industry.
* Whether in person, on the Internet or in a catalog, you should be able to see an image of the item before making a purchase.
* Make sure that you are getting an actual "Hand Signed" or "Autographed" item; not just some reprint or copy of the signature.
* Signed replicas and authentic sports items sold without signatures or COA are classified as "collectibles"
* Check for a hologram or serial number to come with the item
* Most reputable companies have a company representative witness the actual signing

Value of Sports Memorabilia

Sports memorabilia will most likely retain or increase in value base on several factors.

* The popularity and talent of the athlete
* The quantity of a particular item that is made available in the open market
* If the player becomes deceased after you have purchased the item or if the player is already deceased
* Players who inducted into the Hall of Fame or who have participated in events such as World Series, Super Bowl or Stanley Cup
* The condition that you keep your item once you purchase it. Always try to keep signed items away from direct sunlight by using cases with UV Protection when available.

One such company that offers sports memorabilia & collectibles is http://www.AuthenticSportsCollectibles.com. They are highly reputable and only sell sports memorabilia from the top well known and credible companies in the sports memorabilia business. We hope this article is helpful when you decide that its time for you to buy a part of history. Collecting sports memorabilia is fun, exciting and can also be a good investment.

Scott Johnson is a writer who enjoys sharing the valuable information hes found on various topics.