MyJohnstownPA.com

Johnstown's only user driven website providing information on local news, events, businesses, sports, travel, nightlife & more!

Call us Today!
(800) 971-0878

Our Sponsors

@myjohnstownpa Tweets

Category: Collectibles
Autograph Authentication
Written by Tony Penna
Monday, 01 June 2009 20:19
No Comments

TIP # 2:
JUST BECAUSE A SIGNED ITEM HAS A CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY
DOES NOT MEAN IT IS AUTHENTIC.

There is a lot of mistrust out there in the collectible business when it is comes to autographed memorabilia. Prices plummeted during the early parts of the millennium after several reports surfaced of fraudulent pieces popping up for authentication. Then there was operation bullpen which was an F.B.I led sting of Smokey’s collectibles in Las Vegas. Smokey’s was one of the biggest dealers in the country and when they got hit it sent shockwaves through the hobby. Buyer confidence was at an all time low and there were reports out that were stating that a high percentage of the items available for purchase were indeed not authentic. This left people to wonder if there hidden treasures were even authentic at all. I feel that as a direct result of this people started insisting on having a certificate of authenticity for every item they purchased when in turn they are easier to forge than the autographs themselves. The majority of these forms are just high quality paper bought from office retail shops and printed on laser printers.

If you wan to invest in autographs buy them from a reputable dealer or obtain them in person. You would not believe the amount of opportunities teams provide for exposure to their athletes. They do this for public relations and to possibly avoid the after game and in game distractions autograph hounds pose on players. For baseball minor league games are very fan friendly and for football try a team’s summer camp. Both of these occasions come with the expected autograph seekers and the teams prepare for it. When buying retail stick with a reputable dealer to deal with and stick with the best. I would recommend Upper Deck authenticated, Steiner Sports, or Legends of the field. They all have websites and run lots of auctions on EBay. In a lot of occasions a collector will obtain an authentic item at a discount because of the mistrust that is out there. If you see an item that you are interested in just search eBay for completed listings, compare the sigs, and make a judgment call. In most cases you will be able to tell right away. This practice can really stretch your collecting dollar.

Lastly if you are not afraid of a little work there are lots of athlete’s addresses available on the net. You can either mail them your items there or to their current team’s stadium. There are a lot of players who sign by mail and it can be very fun to see who returns them and how long it takes. This is very inexpensive and very low risk if you mail them inexpensive items. Just remember to always include return postage and you will have very few problems.

Good Luck and if you have any questions stop in or check us out at http://miscuescollectibles.com

Popularity: 1%

 
Collecting vs. Value
Written by Tony Penna
Thursday, 28 May 2009 11:56
No Comments

I know from being in the business that most people think they are sitting on some sort of valuable treasure at home. They think they have a Michael Jordan rookie or a Nolan Ryan rookie and it usually turns out to be a card from the 90’s with a picture of the athlete in their rookie year. If people are holding on to these for sentimental value that is okay, but if it is for any kind of investment purposes they are wasting their time. With the economy today sports memorabilia may not be a bad investment. Remember there will always be sports and always be people watching it. This then leads to people collecting items from there favorite superstars. Every week I will give a tip of the week to collectors.

TIP #1 – JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING IS OLD DOES NOT MEAN IT IS WORTH TONS OF MONEY!

This is a very big misconception in the hobby. There are plenty of old items that are not worth a lot of money because they are easier to obtain. It all comes down to availability of an item. If you consider the collecting resources we have today in comparison to 20 years ago it is no wonder why values have dropped. Any collector who searches completed and active listings on Ebay would be hard pressed to not find any one particular item and furthermore if they don’t find it then they may be on to something. There are so many items on there for sale that a collector can find whatever they need and have it in a week. This is nice for the collector but not so nice for the hobby dealer. I really feel as time goes on and we get more accustomed to using the internet it will be harder and harder for retail stores to make it. Heck just look around at all the empty storefronts in our town alone.

Just remember before you invest do your homework. The reason 1962 Mickey Mantle’s are worth so much is because everyone has a story about there mom throwing there collection away. I always say if all the mom’s would have not pitched what they thought was garbage the Mick wouldn’t be worth quite as much. Find the rare items and hang on to them. I promise you there will always be a market for it.

Any questions visit miscues collectibles in the Bel-Air (Value City) shopping center or visit http://miscuescollectibles.com

Popularity: 1%

 
Collecting my Thoughts
Written by Tony Penna
Tuesday, 26 May 2009 13:31
No Comments

As time goes by and we get older memories naturally slip away from us. We remember some things because they are repeated to us in stories so many times, but we do not remember how we felt during that said time. Then there are some things we remember vividly and furthermore how we were feeling during that event. One of those moments for me was when I opened my first pack of 1989 Upper Deck baseball cards.  I remember it like it was yesterday and I often think of it when I see a child new to collecting open a pack in my shop.

I was at Grand Slam USA hitting baseballs with my dad. We took a break and went into the snack bar to get a cold drink. While we where in there I spotted the shiny foil pack and asked my dad to get a pack.  Instantly upon holding even just the pack the difference in these cards was quite evident. The card wrappers where historically made of wax wrapped around the card and then heated shut. This pack was made of foil and sealed completely shut. But that was just the beginning! When I opened the pack and I saw these bright shiny cards I almost passed out. These cards where not the dull cardboard cards we were used to from Topps. They were glossy and colorful. I can remember looking at my Jose Canseco and Chris Sabo cards and thinking I just hit the jackpot. I was so appreciative of the basic satisfaction of getting two huge stars of the game. I didn’t need a jersey or an autograph to feel like I did well. Just the beauty of these cards alone was enough for me to be satisfied. This thought alone makes me realize what the hobby should be all about. It should be about a child’s wonderment of seeing their stars on cardboard. The big guys they see on TV and want to be like some day. Not just what a card sells for on Ebay.  Just for the love of the hobby and the game.

I encourage you to pick up a hobby and share it with someone. It is great to have something to chase and let build up. It is even more fun to share it with family and friends. But more importantly your hobby can take you to a different time and place. It can maybe make you remember a good time on a bad day and put a smile on your face. When I see a young child light up it reminds me of when I was a child and how a simple pack of cards could brighten my day. It is amazing how we get older and have more resources yet things still get much more complicated. There are no easy thrills. We need six days in Vegas to get a rush or an all inclusive vacation package.  We just need so much more to be thrilled or even satisfied.

Wow wasn’t it great to be a kid!

Popularity: 1%