Of all the memorabilia collecting hobbies around, college sports might just be the most difficult. People collect professional sports memorabilia all the time, and the hobby has become so mainstream that it has become diluted. The college sports memorabilia market is actually a relatively laid back market. It has not been beaten to death by fringe collectors that are simply in it for the money.
When it comes to collecting hobbies, rarity is one of the most important factors in value. Because of this, college sports memorabilia is generally considered to be harder to come by. The reason for this is because a college sports star might only be in college for a year, but never more than four. This leaves a very small window of time to secure autographs, jerseys, and other memorabilia from a potential star.
This rarity has always been there, but only recently is it becoming a solid niche hobby. College sports memorabilia is beginning to gain in popularity because the pro merchandise is a dime a dozen. The pro merchandise is mass produced much of the time, and this dilutes any chance of potential value in the future.
Take for example a Michael Jordan game used jersey. There are literally thousands of these in circulation due to the number of years, and repeated use of new jerseys by Michael. In comparison, a game used Michael Jordan UNC Tarheel jersey is incredibly unusual and rare. This is the impetus behind the sudden surge in college sports memorabilia today.
More and more the focus is going to the colleges. Another reason college sports memorabilia is gaining in popularity is because of college loyalties. Nothing is more fun than to collect college memorabilia from your alma mater. It gives your hobby a personal touch that can not be attained as well through professional sports memorabilia. Having a piece of your college’s sports history is a special thing that tends to take on personal meaning.
Because college sports memorabilia generally has special meaning, less collectors are looking to sell them. This creates that much more rarity for said items, and it feeds the cycle. Once a college athlete goes pro, the cap is set for his game used items. The clock starts ticking on the value of the item. Even if the player goes on to be a flop in the pro ranks, it will still hold value to the person simply because of the ties to the school. It is a win/win proposition.
