Football Memorabilia – Seasonal Collecting Guide
The best football gifts as we approach the festive season!
With the festive season looming on the horizon, there is no better time to pick up that hallowed piece of football memorabilia before the rush. Many stores are just starting to stock up for Christmas, so getting in early might allow you to pick up some bargains ahead of the season. As with all forms of collecting it’s the biggest teams and biggest stars that sell best, but whether you are an uber-fan of Manchester United, West Ham or Fulham, there is always something for you.
The ultimate in football collecting is that hallowed signed shirt from one of the biggest stars, like Pele, Maradona, Ronaldo, or George Best, but for most people, these star items are well out of reach. Imagine owning the actual ‘hand-of-god’ match worn football shirt that Diego Maradona wore in the 1986 World Cup final! Well, it actually sold at Sotheby’s in 2022 for a staggering £7.1m! Of course these kind of once in a lifetime items are out of reach for the average person, but that doesn’t mean you can’t pick up a future classic for a modest sum. The trick is to get in early, to find the next Ronaldo, the next Denis Law, or Lionel Messi, bag a bargain early in their career and watch it soar as your star finds fame on the world stage.
Sounds easy, doesn’t it? In reality it’s much more difficult. Most collectors are ardent fans of one particular team, and it’s rare to come across people who are just into football’. Maybe the King of Saudi Arabia would like to have his palace walls strewn with the biggest stars of the day, but for me and you, it’s Manchester United or Manchester City, Liverpool, or Everton and ne’er the twain shall meet!
Whichever your chosen team or player, there is always something you can buy as a lasting memento of them. Either a particular sporting moment, tournament, or game. Something to remember them by, and it’s this connection that makes football memorabilia collecting so special. Having that photo, football, boot, or god forbid, shirt on the wall, signed by your favourite player, is the ultimate in feel good buzz. Something to stare at, cherish and talk about with your friends. It can be a simple autograph in a frame that you picked up yourself, or something more valuable that you have bought online, either way whether bought or received as a gift it forms a bond, a lasting reminder of that connection, that special moment.
We take a look at the football collecting market to give you some idea of what is available at key price points in the run-up to Christmas!
£10-£250
You’ll be surprised what you can buy at this entry price point, from £10 to £250. Starting with simple autographs and signed photos, there are some real bargains to be had, especially if you are new to football collecting. Take a look at some of the items below, from a signed Joey Barton photo for just £19.99, to one of the cheapest signed Manchester United shirts for under £150! A further surprise is the array of different items you can buy. Signed footballs are a particular favourite, with a Perspex dome to surround them to keep them looking pristine. Signed football boots are another. Often these sell as singles, with the autograph on one side, once again protected in a see through box, which enables you to display them on a sideboard or shelf.
Moving further up the price points there is a broad selection of hand-signed football shirts in the £229 to £250 range including ones signed by Kevin Keegan, John Terry, Nobby Stiles as well as team signed Wrexham shirts! These look amazing, framed, and hanging on the wall!
Signed Melvine Malard Man Utd Shirt £149.99, Signed Joey Barton Photo £19.99, Signed Ashley Young Football £39.99, Signed Aaron Cresswell Framed Boot £99.99 (Courtesy of Firma Stella)
£251-£1000
With a bit more money your selection opens up into a huge array of signed football shirts from bigger stars such as Denis Law, Ryan Giggs and Frank Lampard. One of the current trends in football memorabilia collecting is ‘duo’, ‘trio’ or ‘quad’ shirt displays, where one or more player is represented in a frame. If you love a particular team but can’t decide on which player to buy then this makes the perfect gift or investment. See the Lampard/Gerrard combination below.
David Beckham Framed Display Shirt £299.99, Signed Denis Law Shirt £299.99, Signed Ryan Giggs Shirt £449.99, Signed Frank Lampard & Steven Gerrard Framed shirts £999.99. (Courtesy of Firma Stella)
£1001 and Above
With a bit more money, the selection becomes even broader. This is where it gets really serious, with some shirts and player combinations going for as much as £4,000. There is no surprise in revealing who the world’s most collectable footballer is – Cristiano Ronaldo, whose signed shirts can go for as much as £,2500, depending on the team and the season. It’s not all about CR7 though. Other players come close, such as Lionel Messi, Yamal, and Mo Salah.
Signed Fernandes & Cantona Shirts £1299.99, Signed Salah & Haaland shirts £2999.99, Signed Ronaldo shirt £1999.99, Framed Pele & Diego Maradona Signed
Shirts £3999.99 (Courtesy of Firma Stella)
From the modest to the majestic – from under twenty pounds to four thousand, and it doesn’t end there. Some of the largest quad shirt displays sell for up to ten thousand pounds. Now that really is for the person who has everything!
Thanks to Firma Stella for the information and images. See more at https://www.firmastella.com/football/