By Henry Palmore

Growing up, I was always interested in sports. I had an addiction to watching ESPN’s SportsCenter in the mornings, hearing all of the latest news about what was taking place in the sports world. My dad, Michael Palmore (‘93), also being a sports person, collected sports memorabilia over his youth. He passed that tradition down to me when he introduced me to sports cards. Sports cards were very popular among my friends when we were younger, and we would trade and buy NFL, NBA, and MLB cards with one another. Autographs were also another thing that was important in the sports market; I loved collecting autographs from players as well, and each autograph has a special story behind it. 

At the age of nine, I remember visiting August National Golf Club, home of the PGA’s Masters tournament. The sun was setting on a Friday evening, and my dad and I were leaving the grounds. I noticed one person on the driving range; we walked over and waited for the man to stop hitting balls. A significant amount of time goes by, but my dad and I are still waiting. 

Tiger Woods in 2018. Photo credit: KA Sports Photos. 

The man hands his putter to his caddy to put in the bag, then he walks over to exit. I hold out my flag that reads “2015 Masters.” I grab the black Sharpie out of my pocket and politely ask the man to sign my flag. He takes the marker from me and swiftly signs the flag at the top. I could tell the man was in a hurry, because of how quickly he signed the flag. He handed the marker back to me and left. This man was Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer to ever exist, and he autographed something for me. My dad says, “That’s why he is the best, the last player on the range.” As a nine-year-old, I was in shock; I didn’t think this was real. One of my earliest memories is watching Woods erupt on the 18th hole at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2009. This autograph is my favorite and the most special to me. 

I have done some research on how much this autograph would cost, but to my dad and I, this autograph is priceless. It is very hard to find free time when you are a professional athlete, so when a player takes the time to sign an autograph or take a picture with a fan, it is meaningful. I have seen athletes walk by a group of kids looking in their direction and not signing something for them, or taking a picture. When a player takes the time to sign an autograph, it will be documented and remembered forever. This is why they are so important and worth so much in the sports memorabilia market.

In the world of sports teams, player contracts, ticketing, and official merchandise, the sports memorabilia market is currently worth $35 billion and is projected to rise to $227.2 billion by 2032. The National Sports Collectors Convention is held every year, and in 2024 it will take place in Cleveland Ohio on July 24-28. The convention’s website states, “If you can’t find what you’re looking for at the National, it probably doesn’t exist!” The convention will be in its 44th year. Many variables play into how much an item will sell for. Obviously, the better the player, the more a signature will cost. As things age, their value rises, because rarity will increase the cost of the item. 

An (unsigned) picture of the cover of the Prime Time Sports Illustrated issue from Nov. 13, 1989. Photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated.

Another example of a meaningful piece of sports memorabilia is my dad’s copy of Sports Illustrated’s Prime Time edition from 1989, signed by NFL Hall of Famer, and now college football coach, Deion Sanders. The original copy itself is old school; it was published when Sanders was on top of the sports world as a dual-sport professional athlete in the NFL and MLB. 

Sanders played baseball for the Atlanta Braves during my dad’s youth. Every year for spring break, my dad and grandparents would go to the Braves spring training in West Palm Beach, Florida. Like I did years later in Augusta, my dad would wait for players and try to collect autographs. Sanders was walking to his car one day after practice, and my dad chased after him. Sanders signed the magazine, and my dad was ecstatic. 

Sanders’ outgoing personality and attitude are why he has the nickname Prime Time. Sanders was very popular because of his dominance and his brand. My dad’s copy of the magazine is kept in mint condition and is only touched by him. (No, I am not allowed to touch it.) The cover of the magazine can be purchased today for $20.11, but that would just be a plain copy without the signature. But with a Sanders autograph, the magazine is clearly worth much more. To my father, it’s priceless.