A West Midlands football memorabilia find unleashed a golden auction moment for a sports valuer – who hopes to find more treasures in Sutton Coldfield.
Alistair Lofley, sports valuer for Hansons Auctioneers, will be at St Chads Church, Hollyfield Road, Sutton Coldfield, on May 14, from 10am-1pm, together with books and works on paper expert Jim Spencer.
Mr Lofley would love to uncover something special in the wake of one of his best finds of the year so far. At Hansons’ last Football in Focus Auction, a gold FA Cup winner’s medal awarded to West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Norman Heath in 1954 sold for £13,000 from an estimate of £4,000-£6,000.
Mr Lofley, 55, a lifelong sports memorabilia collector, said: “The sale of the Norman Heath medal was very special for me. Heath’s career was finished by a terrible injury just before that 1954 FA Cup final. The sale of the medal honoured his memory – and I was delighted it went to a devoted Baggies fan.”
The buyer, a 52-year-old West Bromwich man who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I’ve supported West Brom fan all my life and couldn’t bear to think of the medal going to a non-Baggies fan. I wanted it to stay in the West Brom family.”
He was one of four phone bidders and several internet contenders who battled to own the medal in a tense auction at Derbyshire’s Hansons Auctioneers in February.
Mr Lofley can assess all types of sports memorabilia including old football programmes, match-worn shirts, ticket stubs from important games, medals and trophies in Sutton Coldfield. General valuations will also be available and Jim Spencer will be on hand to look at antiquarian books, old postcards collections, autographs and all types of works on paper.
Mr Spencer has made international news with his finds which include the discovery of a rare first edition of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith. It was found in a cupboard at Bishton Hall, Wolseley Bridge, Staffordshire, last autumn and sold for £65,000.
Free valuations will be available at St Chads Church, Hollyfield Road, Sutton Coldfield, B75 7SN, on May 14, 10am-1pm. Entries invited for sports, library and general auctions. To find our more, or to arrange a private valuation at home, email [email protected]
