Stoke City fans are being urged to dig out their old matchday programmes and sports memorabilia because auction prices are booming.
Right now, demand from collectors across the world for sports-related ephemera and rare programmes is on a high, according to sports memorabilia valuer Alistair Lofley.
He’s heading to Longton Cricket Club, Ripon Road, Blurton, Stoke, on Thursday, April 4, from 10.30am-3pm, to value items for free on behalf of Hansons Auctioneers. General antique valuations will also be available.
If you like the sound of the guide price, you can enter items into a future Football in Focus or general auction at Hansons.
Mr Lofley said: “Thanks to Stoke’s football pedigree we have found some amazing items in the city such as Stanley Matthews’ first football contract from 1932 which sold for £4,100. Another early Matthews contract from 1935 made £3,100.
“Our sports auctions are going from strength to strength with many items selling for thousands of pounds. For example, in our March sale a gold FA Cup final winner’s medal presented to former West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Norman Heath in 1954 was contested to £13,000.
“Match-worn shirts are also in demand, especially if they were worn by key players in important seasons. For example, a shirt worn by Derby County’s Alan Hinton in the year the club won the First Division Championship in 1971-72 sold for £2,600. It had been sitting in a drawer for decades.
“I’m sure Potters fans have some fantastic items tucked away that could spark interest. When it comes to football programmes, if you have one that’s particularly old or rare, it can fetch thousands of pounds. European and England matchday programmes can be valuable, too.
“For example, in 2013, a programme from the 1882 FA Cup final sold at auction for £35,250, and a 1924 cup final programme is now worth £6,500.
“Money is no object if people want a programme. There are buyers all over world and I have sold to 27 different countries. The market is buoyant.”
Entries are invited until May 3 for Hansons’ May 23 Football in Focus Auction. To find out more, call Alistair on 0786 320 3377 or email [email protected]. Auctions are held at Hansons, Heage Lane, Etwall, Derbyshire.
