Sports memorabilia is a fun investment that requires protection and care. This article gives useful easy tips and video to help you discover the curator inside.

1. Investing in Sporting
Memorabilia, Protecting your
investment tips.
Fans are the best part of sports and you
will probably want to own part of sports
history. A jersey, or a ball from a historic
game, owning a piece of sports
memorabilia could bring you that much
closerto your sporting hero. Once
you’ve invested in it though, you are
going to want to preserve it to keep it
looking its best, and hold it's value.
Here are a couple of short videos and
some tips:
Click here to see this shortvideo on protecting originalsignatures from
fading.If you have something with a signature, like a ball or bat, take the
extra care to purchase a display case and make sure it filters out UV rays! A
quality display case will save your memorabilia from dust and other airborne
dangers like nicotine, smoke,and mishaps when the friends are over.A case
also keeps the house cleaning person from wiping it down with cleaners when
you are not around to scream at her. You want to preserve your piece in the
bestgame condition that you can, that means leaving any original scuff marks
or dirt and signatures intact, don't go crazy with the cleaning cloth because
you could be removing factors that make that ball or bat so unique.
Remember,framing is not a preservationtechnique.In the case of
jerseys, photos,prints or cards, you may want to get them framed.But, in
fact, done incorrectly can expose the sports item to fading, stretching, heat or
cold and more. Make sure your items are attached in the framing with archival
materials (mounting materials) and make sure that UV filters and other
important framing materials are used. Don’t skimp on framing materials as
cheap matting papercan contain high volumes of acid that will stain and fade
your memorabiliaitems, use quality products.
Click here to see a shortvideo on a fast, easy and cheap way to store
flat paper items. Storage page protectors in a binder are a cheap and
portable alternative for large photographcollections.Make sure the pages
don’t have an odd or strong smellas they may be made of plastics that will
deteriorate the item and cause the ink (on cards for example) to stick to the
plastic.

2. Once you have chosenthe proper display
solution for your sports memorabilia, you
should also take environmental conditions
into account. Fluorescentlighting can also
be damaging, causing UV damage and
fading at a fast pace. If placed near
windows, the long-term effects of UV rays
can fade your vintage memorabilia, so it's
a good idea to keep them out all strong
light. If you decide to light your
memorabilia so they stand out in the room,
use a halogen light bulb to avoid any
damaging light risks. Regular light bulbs
(with a filament inside) tend to heat up and
if close to your investment could cause
damage. When storing your collection,try
to avoid storing them in damp locations;
places at risk of leaks. An unfinished basementis a poorchoice and an attic
is too hot! Invest in large plastic storage containers as water damage will
definitely reduce the value if flooding is a potential in your area.
A really good preservation manual that doesn’t talk specifically about
preserving sports memorabilia but talks a lot about all the same problems is
“How To Save Your Stuff From A Disaster.” I used this book to help write this
article and the e book is 50% off the book price ($9.95). Its by far the best
book I’ve ever seen on this subject. BTW, getting good preservation
info/coaching can save you many $1,000 and keep you from damaging your
collection. You can also get in touch with the author, Scott M. Haskins at Fine
Art Conservation Laboratories for additional coaching (805 564 3438).
By Isabelle Riley, Guest Blogger
p.s. While it is the dream to buy low and sell high and
make money when collecting, there are many
circumstances that play into this “game.” Do NOT
assume you will make money and this article does
not give investment advice. None of the information in
this article should be construed as encouragement,
coaching or teaching investment strategies. Having said that, a good bit
of advice is to become friends with an art or memorabilia appraiser to
get information pertinent to your specific interests. And finally, good
advice that you can take to the bank is that the state of preservation is
very important to the value.

3. Art conservation/Save Your Stuff questions? Call Scott at 805 564 3438
Art appraisal questions? Call Richard Holgate at 805 895 5121
Be Friends on Facebook at
“Save Your Stuff”
”Scott M. Haskins”
“Fine Art Conservation”
Subscribe to our How-To videos on YouTube at “Preservationcoach”
Channel
Check out Isabelle’s Sports memorabilia website at
http://www.htfm.com.au/ . She’s an expert when it comes to knowing her
“stuff.”