Historical Memorabilia Auctions
Pieces with history are antiques or collectibles. Pieces from history are historical memorabilia. Whether your piece is connected to well-known figures or simply came from an eventful chapter in history (e.g. the Civil War or WWII) can sell for more than a few shillings.
Examples of historical memorabilia include certain books, manuscripts, letters, signed documents, furniture, house-ware, and wartime artifacts. But any object may be woven into the fabric of history, so a piece of historical memorabilia can take nearly any form.
Based in history-soaked Massachusetts, Central Mass Auctions has auctioned historical memorabilia of all kinds for the last 20 years. Below are a few examples.
Professional credentials and other belongings of Eliot Ness, the legendary crimefighter who defeated Al Capone.
When should you try to auction historical memorabilia?
It might be worth having an auctioneer evaluate your piece if:
- You can name the historical figure to which you believe the memorabilia was attached.
- You can name a specific event you believe the memorabilia was attached to.
- The memorabilia has been signed.
Certain categories of memorabilia do especially well, including:
- Presidential memorabilia.
- Memorabilia related to famous criminals or investigators.
- Wartime or military memorabilia.
- Explorer memorabilia.
- Classic celebrity memorabilia.
- Classic sports memorabilia.
- First-edition books.
What makes memorabilia valuable?
The first thing that makes memorabilia valuable is its veracity. It helps to trace the memorabilia back to its source. It goes without saying that the rarity of the piece can also play a big role in its final value.
Next, we look at the condition of the piece. Old newspaper articles pre-dating the 20th century can sell quite well if they’re in good condition, for example.
Specificity to an event or person will always help the memorabilia sell better than a general piece that can merely be traced back to a particular era or time period. Most collectors want memorabilia with a story attached to it.
Finally, collectors’ whims factor in. The collector world goes through fads and trends, and some pieces of memorabilia may be more or less valuable depending on what collectors are interested in from year to year.
Unusual auction results
You may be surprised by what has sold in the past and for how much. For example, Freddie Mercury’s door sold for $525,000 at one 2023 auction. Would you have expected those kinds of results from a door?
What about an old shirt? A Michael Jordan jersey sold for $10.091 million because it happened to be the jersey he was wearing when he scored 33 points in a loss to the Utah Jazz in Game 1 of the NBA finals.
Our auction results
The value of memorabilia varies wildly but may surprise you. Here are some results from a recent auction.
- A Spalding Sporting Goods Golf Swing Research and Development Photo sold for $190
- Wright & Ditson Bobby Jones Gold Filmstrips sold for $2,200
- A 1960s signed St. Louis Cardinals Team Ball sold for $100
- A vintage Boy Scout silver buffalo Belt Buckle belonging to Max Silber sold for $850
Are you wondering where we’d start bidding for memorabilia like yours? Schedule an evaluation. It’s the fastest and easiest way to learn more about the items you may have been storing for years.
To get the maximum return for your item or collection at auction, please call Central Mass Auctions at 508-612-6111, or email us.
