Sports Memorabilia Insider – Dec 24, 2021

Welcome to Sports Memorabilia Insider for December 24, 2021 – FREE version.

We use Moneyball tactics to discover undervalued, mispriced, and hidden gems in Fractional Investing.

Sports Memorablia in 2021

We’re seeing this category continue to bounce right around break-even for the year. Down close to 20% in the summer, a series of buy-outs (Frank Robinson 500th Home-run Bat; Stephen Curry game worn sneakers; LeBron high school sneakers) helped the category recover most of their losses for the year.

All stats come from assets trading on secondary markets at Otis, Collectable, and Rally

Last Week

Fractional secondary markets

Sports memorabilia broke a two week losing streak by posting a positive gain of 1.3% last week.

As goes basketball memorabilia, so generally goes the overall index.

Basketball has the most assets in the index at 41 (baseball is in second place with 29 assets). So it was no surprise to see that basketball memorabilia had a positive week as the sub-category finished up 2.8%. The 1995-98 Chicago Bulls hardwood floor popped 60% in its first week of trading on Collectable (but a word of caution that the asset is thinly traded at present with the current bid at the IPO price of $5.00). A pair of offerings from two of the games all-time greats also helped as the Michael Jordan rookie jersey (29.1%) and Kobe Bryant 2003 game-worn Jordans (24.9%) increased on Collectable.

All stats come from assets trading on the secondary markets at Otis, Collectable, and Rally

Auctions

Goldin and Heritage wrapped up their December card and memorabilia auctions last week. Heritage shone a spotlight on the emerging asset class of game tickets as they highlighted debut tickets from both LeBron James and Tom Brady. The LeBron ticket, graded a PSA 6, sold for $24,000 and falls in between recent sales of a PSA 7 ($40,800) and a PSA 5 ($9,000).

Back when the King was just a Prince

Lelands closed the auction on a 1930s Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig Dual-Signed Baseball (PSA 5) at a final hammer price of $8,274. As noted in the last Insider issue, Collectable has a similar dual signed baseball from 1933 in better condition (PSA 7.5) at a $76,000 market cap. This sale, combined with a November sale of another Ruth/Gehrig 1934 dual auto baseball for $28,800, adjusts the inferred value of the Collectable ball to $35,000 (slight premium for eye appeal and Ruth’s signature on the sweet spot for the Collectable offering).

This Week and Next

Fractional Market IPOs

Collectable has the sole memorabilia IPO this week with a post-Christmas offering for a classic winter sport.

Is that blood or red paint on the bottom hem? Knowing hockey players, guessing it’s blood

Bobby Orr 1971 Boston Bruins Photomatched Jersey

  • Drop: 12/26/21 on Collectable
  • Market Cap: $399,000
  • Retained Equity: $0
  • Inferred Value: $266,436
  • Recommendation: [INSIDERS ONLY]

Fractional Secondary Markets

Rally continues to roll out live trading with 20 new assets debuting this week that includes 4 sports memorabilia assets. Collectable also gives us some fresh meat.

Here’s our pick of the most interesting offerings (and please note that Market Cap data is correct as at 12/23):

‘16 Kobe Bryant Farewell Game Hardwood (Signed)

A unique asset, and a fond farewell to a legend
  • Platform: Rally
  • Market Cap: $400,000
  • Inferred Value: $887,000 (updated inferred value; Rally bought this from Heritage in October 2020 for $631,200; if we apply the fractional platform auction discount and then take into account Kobe’s cards appreciation from October 2020 to today of 156%, it gets us to $887K, which is an $87K increase from the March 2021 IPO price)

Giannis Antetokounmpo ‘19 48-point Game Used and Signed Sneakers

  • Platform: Collectable (trading began 12/21/2021)
  • Market Cap: $25,000
  • Inferred Value: $11,300 (updated inferred value; a pair of Giannis sneakers photo-matched to 11 games in 2018 sold in October for $24,000; the Collectable offering has only been photo-matched to one game from a year later)

‘96 Michael Jordan Game Worn Air Jordan 11s Concord

  • Platform: Rally
  • Market Cap: $48,000
  • Inferred Value: $23,300 (updated inferred value; a pair of Jordan game used sneakers from 1998 traced to the NBA finals sold in August 2021 for $22,800; Jordan cards are up 2% over same time period)

‘59 Roberto Clemente “Momen” Game Used Bat

  • Platform: Rally
  • Market Cap: $36,100
  • Inferred Value: $103,000 (updated inferred value; a Clemente bat from 1971-72 that includes Clemente’s signature sold in October 2021 for $118,080; Clemente’s baseball cards are up 91% from Rally’s purchase date in July 2020 to today)

‘14 Kobe Bryant Game-Worn Jersey (Signed)

  • Platform: Rally
  • Market Cap: $57,037
  • Inferred Value: $20,000 (updated inferred value; a game-worn and autographed Kobe jersey from the 2009 finals sold in December for $14,351; the 2009 jersey is not photo-matched – the Rally offering is photo-matched to a December 2014 regular season game versus the Celtics)

Auctions

25 cents in 1924 and $45 today – thanks inflation!

Not a lot of current auctions as most of the auction houses slow down for the holidays.

For those on a budget or looking for some late stocking stuffers, Sterling Sports has some vintage baseball memorabilia with low or no current bids, including this Bob Feller autograph postcard and a 1924 Senators World Series score card.

Goldin’s holiday auction kicked off on December 21. A game used jersey from Kobe Bryant and dual-signed sneakers from both Kobe and Jordan will be good comps for current fractional offerings.

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Author

Wyatt Cavalier

Wyatt Cavalier

With a background in finance & intelligence analysis, Wyatt has an unhealthy obsession with finding the best blue chip investment opportunities. His previous newsletter, Fractional, resonated deeply with subscribers, bringing actionable insights and unconventional trading strategies. His rare book collection specializes in banned editions. He currently lives in Spain with his beautiful wife, three young boys, and dog Monty.

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