Is There Money To Be Made in Football Memorabilia?

admin | December 2, 2018

More people are getting involved with making money from old football memorabilia. However, many fans now aren’t sure of what to look for and how much an item they already own in storage could be worth.

Looking particularly at football programs, we take a look at which editions have sold for the most money and offer you advice on how you can get started collecting rare footie programs today…

Which year was the first football program printed?

Not long after 1888, when the Football League started, the first football match program was created not long after. Unlike today, the aim of a program was to keep score and it was made up of a single sheet detailing the teams and match date.

You might’ve heard that it was the Villa News and Record which was one of the first programs to be released. Soon after, the football program took on a weightier format of between four and eight pages, while the covers became more attention-grabbing and attractive.

During and after World War II, a paper shortage cut the number of programs that clubs could produce — making any that were released very collectible today.

What did they look like? When they were first rolled out, football programs were pocket sized but then developed to A4.

From a single sheet of basic info, the availability of saddle stitched and a growth in popularity turned football programs into thick, glossy books crammed with trivia, statistics and high-resolution photos that fans loved to buy before every match.

In recent years, they’ve been published to inform readers about the team. Although today, the program can also act as a mouthpiece for the club in question, allowing managers and players to speak to fans via interviews and club statements.

How much could you sell your collection for?

Collecting items of nostalgia is a hobby that many are involved with, and football programs are no different.

In 2012, a family from Ipswich managed to make around £46,000 by auctioning off a set of football programs they stumbled across in their house, which goes to show how easy it is to not realize the treasure you have sitting around your home.

How much are these programs generating at auction? New Bond Street is thought to have auctioned the oldest-known programmed from a Football Association Cup Final for £30,000 — detailing Old Etonians vs Blackburn Rovers from 1882.

Similarly, in 2012, the single sheet program from 1909 between Manchester United and Bristol City sold for £23,500.

Most valuable football programs

If you have a collection of football programs, which could be the most valuable?

It’s thought that the first Wembley final program dating back to 1923 between Bolton and West Ham United is worth just £1,000. Alternatively, there’s the program from the one and only time a non-English club lifted the FA Cup — Cardiff City vs Arsenal in 1927 — which ended with a score of 1-0 and has a value of about £2,500!

There are some games that understandably have more valuable programs than others. For example, the 1966 program of England vs West Germany is worth a lot more than others. But be warned; there were three reprints of the original, so tracking down a bona fide version is tough.

If you want to be sure you’re buying an original, check the weight and coloring — the reprints are more lightweight, while the front cover of the original is a deep, royal blue. Different paper types are also used for the team pages in the original, but not in the reprinted versions.

If you’ve been an attendee of a significant game, you might find that the program is worth a lot of money too. Take the Manchester United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers game in 1958 following the Munich air disaster. This can go to auction for around £10,000.

However, once rescheduled, another program was created where the club showed respect to those involved in the disaster by leaving the team page blank.

Collecting Tips

Considering getting involved with program collecting? Keep the following in mind:

Age — anything over 50 years old is most collectible.
Rarity — if there are many available, this will bring the value down.
Popularity — programs with an iconic footballer on the cover or detailing a famous match are the most prized and valuable.
Condition — creases, missing staples and water damage all harm the program’s price, so ask for a photo before you pay.

You might not think that your collection is not worth any, but don’t give up. There are a lot of programs that are valuable, so it’s worth collecting them at any match you go to — especially if it also specifies a special event, such as the last time a player plays. Also, certain teams typically hold greater monetary value than others when it comes to program collecting — although, programs from your team’s past will be more personally valuable to you. Sides such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs, West Ham, and Arsenal are all highly sought after and are worth keeping an eye out for if you want a particularly valuable item. The Football Program Center is also a good source of advice if you’re keen on becoming a serious collector.

Get involved with memorabilia collecting and see how much you could make!

Where The Trade Buys are print experts and retailers, based online and in the UK. As well as offering pop up displays for exhibitions, they specialize in promotional and office print services for small and large businesses.

Sources:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-18399222

https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/news/2013/auction-record-for-any-football-programme/

https://www.justcollecting.com/miscellania/top-5-most-fascinating-football-programmes

http://www.footballprogrammecentre.co.uk/football-programme-guide.php