Trying to add the autograph of a favourite sports person to your collection is like taking part in a game. You need to gather information, plan tactics and analyse locations and conditions; even the weather can play a role in your calculations.

Many fans and autograph collectors have followed the stars of sport since childhood. They remember the days when it was the norm to stand outside stadiums and practice grounds, sometimes freezing with the cold or boiling in the heat but determined to get that autograph.

Today, many things have changed for the sports autograph collector. With security aspects in play for the almost Godlike sports celebrity, the tracking and gaining of information has become more complicated and requires a particular kind of expertise. The rules and playing the game have changed drastically.

Nowadays, the development of the Internet has replaced some of the leg-work and a lot of the outdoor waiting and chasing of the star. However, there are still ways of meeting your favourite sports star in person and obtaining that all important autograph. These include arranged autograph signing sessions, charity events and if you are lucky, actual events, in which the star is taking part.

Most sports autograph collectors want to get their hands on a particular or especially rare autograph. Unfortunately, for many of them buying the item can be either impractical or impossible due to price of the item. The price of a rare autograph can range from thousands, to hundreds of thousands of pounds. Most collectors are aware of the fact that the sports memorabilia industry is a hobby or a business that can be extremely expensive but are willing to pay the price for the enjoyment or the opportunity to make money.

A sporting autograph generally has two categories: stars of the past and present. There are relevant factors that determine what collectors would consider the market age and rarity. The first factor is two fold and considers if the sporting personality is still alive and whether they are still active in sport. The second factor is the number of autographs signed by the sports person. Some sporting celebrities only give their signature on certain and rare occasions whereas others will sign autographs freely. If your favourite star doesnt tend to sign much then their signature will be considered rare and therefore more valuable. Also, keep in mind that the autograph of a highly successful personality automatically becomes a more desirable and popular collectible. If an item is widely sought after then the price of it will automatically rise.

A golden rule to observe in this high profile game is to always negotiate for autographs. Whether you deal with individuals or established dealers, if you can get a good deal for your sports autograph then you stand more of a chance of making money. You also need to make sure that you are always provided with a certificate of authenticity when purchasing autographs. With the amount of money that is involved in the sporting autographs industry it is no wonder that fraudsters are attracted to it and are very willing to take advantage of an inexperienced collector. Therefore make sure you protect yourself against fraud by becoming equipped with an in depth knowledge of your favourite sporting star and what their autograph looks like. This way you will hopefully become more aware of what is real and fake in the world of sports memorabilia.

If you are looking for genuine sports autographs, look no further than Genuine Memorabilia. They are a family-run company who pride themselves on only collecting the highest quality genuine memorabilia from all areas of celebrity. For more information on Genuine Memorabilia then please click here.