NHL

Autographed NHL Memorabilia:
What to Look For and Why You Should Get It by Joseph Baylon

Autographed NHL memorabilia can vary from trading cards to pucks to jerseys - almost anything hockey-related that has a surface that can be written on.

And it's always an exciting time to take home signed memorabilia that lets you hold a piece of hockey history in your hands, especially if it's from a favorite player or an athlete who helped shape the game into what it is now. But with every celebration, there's always a party pooper - fake memorabilia.

Fake sports and celebrity memorabilia have robbed fans and collectors about $0.5 billion dollars and the bogus industry hasn't showed signs of stopping. Today, experts estimate that at least 80% of autographed memorabilia are fake, prompting the FBI to create 'Operation Bullpen', a task force that investigates fake memorabilia and forgeries.

Authentic vs. fake autographed memorabilia Fortunately, there are ways to find authentic NHL memorabilia, provided you spend time to do research and become an educated consumer. Fakes can sometimes be as good as the real thing and to an untrained eye, it can be difficult to tell them apart.

To make sure your autographed NHL memorabilia is truly worth your money, purchase your memorabilia from the NHL shop. The website displays different NHL memorabilia signed by the players themselves. Some autographed memorabilia may also come with an authentication from a league representative to certify its authenticity.

Autographed NHL memorabilia can also be purchased from well-established companies that are licensed to sell them. Many NHL athletes have contracts with these companies and sign memorabilia for them exclusively. These companies also have authorized affiliates and dealers who sell authentic memorabilia. Autographed NHL memorabilia can also be found on EBay, team websites and players' personal websites.

The COA When buying autographed NHL memorabilia, make sure it comes with a COA or Certificate of Authenticity from a reliable and well-known company involved in authenticating sports memorabilia. Actual autographed memorabilia should be 'hand-signed' items and not just copies or reprints of the athlete's signature. Look for COAs issued by some of the most trusted companies such as Steiner Sports, Online Authentics and Global Authentication, Inc.

The price you pay When it comes to sports memorabilia, the older the item is, the pricier it will be. Nostalgia plays a great part in driving interest and prices up for vintage NHL memorabilia. Price for autographed NHL memorabilia will also fluctuate, depending on the number of items available, the popularity of the player and on the condition of the item. The season also contributes to the demand. In spring, just before the play-offs, NHL memorabilia such as cards, pucks, hats and sports jerseys become more expensive.

Collecting now If you intend to collect autographed NHL memorabilia, it's a good idea to start now. Sports memorabilia have a way of increasing in value as time passes. Rookies and current hockey superstars' signatures are very much sought-after. Autographed memorabilia from players such as Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby will be worth a lot 10 to 15 years from now.

Autographed NHL memorabilia of the greatest and most popular players can also hike the price up. A signed Wayne Gretzky Rangers jersey can cost from about $970 while legendary player Gordie Howe's jersey can cost a little over $1000. Framed signed photos of the two players can fetch upwards from $1300.

You don't have to buy the most expensive memorabilia for yourself, but if you're an avid collector, you can look forward to the time when your autographed NHL memorabilia will be worth thousands.