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Experts Can Appraise Your Football Memorabilia

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TBO.com

Published: January 21, 2009

Organizers of the popular football memorabilia auction that travels around with the Super Bowl is offering appraisals for those with signed cards, balls, posters or helmets.

The appraisals will take place in the card-show tent at the NFL Experience, on the south side of the Raymond James Stadium, the site of Super Bowl XLIII on Feb. 1.

Hunt Auctions Appraisal Fair will have memorabilia experts giving complimentary appraisals in the tent this weekend and on Jan. 29 and 30.

The appraisals will give amateur collectors an idea of what their stuff is worth, said David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions in an announcement of the event.

Appraisers will estimate the values of all kinds of memorabilia, including trading cards, pennants, photographs, helmets and team-signed items. Appraisers may offer to put some of the items in the auction if the owners want to sell. The live auction will take place at the NFL Experience at 1 p.m. Jan. 31.

The appraisals are free to all NFL Experience attendees. Anyone interested in scheduling a private consultation can call ahead to (610) 524-0822.

Proceeds from the auction will benefit charities designated by the NFL, players and teams.

The NFL Experience is the league's interactive project that accompanies Super Bowls around the nation. This year, the NFL Experience covers a million square feet and involves more than 50 displays and interactive games.

The event is open to the public Jan. 24-25 and 29-31. Tickets are $18.50 for adults and $12.50 for children 12 and younger.

The auction features more than 300 lots of football memorabilia and include items from the early days of the sport as well as modern memorabilia.

Some of the items on the auction block are expected to bring in big money.

A Johnny Unitas Baltimore Colts helmet from the 1960s is appraised at between $20,000 and $30,000. A Norm Van Brocklin Los Angeles Rams helmet from the 1950s is worth between $20,000 and $25,000. A ticket to the first Super Bowl, then called the AFL-NFL Championship Game, might bring between $400 to $500.

Other items are not as pricey.

A Chris Washington Tampa Bay Buccaneers jersey from the 1980s is expected to fetch between $300 and $400.

To view items up for auction, go to www.huntauctions.com.

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