Football Programmes Centre

Finding Football Memorabilia at Garage Sales

Are you a football memorabilia collector? It can be tough finding pieces to add to your collection when you have a budget you need to stick to!

Football programmes have sold at auctions for hundreds of thousands of pounds, and autographed balls and shirts can reach into the thousands as quickly. It's not just old memorabilia that fetches these extraordinary prices either, and a little research on your part can help you spot bargains at garage sales that you can make plenty of profit on.

It's not a guarantee that you'll find anything valuable at the average garage sale, but it's certainly possible, and a great option if you don't have that much money to spend on your collection. This article outlines a few hints and tips so you can make the most of your next lucky find.

Charge Your Smartphone and Take It With You

You have no idea what you may unearth, and being able to check the value of items online before you hand over any money is a must. Just because something is old doesn't mean it has any real value.

The price will also depend on the fact that it's not widely available, and the market's demand for it needs to be taken into account as well. A quick check online is easy to do with your smartphone before you hand any money over.

Check Price Guides

If you are aware of Football programmes or other memorabilia being available beforehand, make sure you do some homework before you get to the sale. There is a good range of Price Guides and Auction Sites online that will be able to give you an idea of the worth of items, depending on their condition.

In the same way that you would never put money down on a bet you haven't researched properly when it comes to the sports betting NZ has to offer, you shouldn't purchase memorabilia you know nothing about.

Honestly Evaluate the Condition

Football programmes and such that you unearth at a garage sale should be inspected very carefully, unless they've been graded and placed inside sealed cases, and even then a thorough once-over is recommended.

Look at the edges of the programmes, and the scratches or creases it has. Jerseys and such are less prone to suffer environmental conditions, especially if they've been worn in a game, and the value of these is directly related to the quality of the autograph, if there is one.

Be Cautious When It Comes to Autographs

It's exceedingly rare for someone to sell autographed Football memorabilia for a few pounds at a garage sale, as these items usually get sold online.

There are multiple outlets online that fetch great prices for these kinds of items, so inspect anything you find very carefully. It may well be an autograph that is either not authenticated, impossible to authenticate, or an outright fake.

Once again, homework will help you. Examples of some of the most famous Footballers' autographs can be viewed online, and knowing what they look like will help you spot a fake more quickly.

If it seems legitimate, find out why it is being sold at a garage sale and not at an auction house.

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