Keeping Up with Your Kids' Likes: Soccer Autographed Sports Memorabilia and Posters

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, and it’s rapidly gaining popularity in the USA as well. As more and more kids join the local soccer teams, more and more dads are tuning into the World Cup and following international soccer stars. If your knowledge of soccer stars is limited to Pele, you may need to brush up on your futbol knowledge before you start shopping for autographed sports memorabilia gifts for your kids. These are some of the most popular soccer celebrity autographs and personalities to help you pick the best gifts for your family, friends – or your own personal collection.
Pele
Just as every baseball card collector dreams of owning a baseball or glove autographed by Mickey Mantle, Pele’s signature is still among the most sought in the world of soccer. The three-time World Cup champion was the original soccer ambassador to the world. Among the most wanted Pele sport collectible items are signed action photos – particularly the “Bicycle Kick” photo from the 1970 World Cup which is essentially the soccer world’s equivalent of Bobby Orr’s iconic hockey photo – also taken in 1970. If you’re looking for something even more impressive, you can sometimes find a #10 Brazil framed and autographed jersey, worn by Pele as he took the field for his team in the 1970 World Cup game.
Beckham
David Beckham is easily the most decorated – and photographed – soccer players of all time. While he began his career playing for Manchester United, Beckham has gone on to play for Madrid, Milan and the LA Galaxy. His list of awards and trophies would take up several paragraphs. Needless to say, sport memorabilia autographed by Beckham is quite popular – but it’s also quite reasonably priced. If you’re not sure which player to collect, Beckham is a good starting point, if for no other reason than that he is so very loved throughout the world.
Ronaldo
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo is a soccer Cinderella story. His skills with a soccer ball started attracting attention by the time he was 10, was playing for his neighborhood club in Madeira, Portugal by the time he was 16, and signed with Manchester United by the time he was 18, scoring one of the priciest transfer fees ever for an adolescent. But Ronaldo’s popularity is about more than his skills. His good looks, superb physique and open friendliness have made him a favorite on the World Cup circuit with both players and fans.
If you’re looking for a great deal in sport collectibles, autographed sports memorabilia related to soccer, including autographed jerseys, photographs and team badges, are still reasonably priced but growing in popularity.

Home Theater Décor – Tips for Decorating with Movie Memorabilia

While the technology may be the center and the brain of your new home theater, the décor you choose is its heart and soul. Movie memorabilia like celebrity autographs, movie posters and other movie collectibles are a great starting point or finishing touches for your home theater décor .The specific items you choose – and the way you arrange and display them – can give your new home theater exactly the look and feel you want. These tips can help you choose and arrange your favorite Hollywood memorabilia to make your home theater feel complete.
Get Thematic
The best collections and displays of memorabilia center around a specific theme, and that theme can define the rest of your home theater décor – or you could approach it from the opposite direction by choosing movie posters and Hollywood memorabilia that suits the rest of your décor. If you’ve outfitted your room with sleek, futuristic furniture and lots of angles and planes, for example, complete the look with Star Trek or The Matrix movie posters. If your room has a more rustic and comfortable feel, consider Western-themed décor, such as TV show posters from such classics as Bonanza.
Be Off the Wall
Posters are just one type of movie memorabilia to consider. If you shop around, you’ll find some beautifully assembled collections of items from your favorite movies as well as original theater posters cardboard lobby cutouts to stand on your floor or hang from the ceiling. When choosing pieces for your home theater décor make sure you consider all your options for displaying your collectibles.
Define Your Budget
You’ve probably seen headline stories about pieces of movie memorabilia bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction. Don’t let that scare you off. In fact, there’s a huge market for entertainment memorabilia of all kinds, and entertainment collectibles that fall into every price range imaginable. Figure out how much you’re willing to spend overall and per piece so that you can start planning how to arrange your acquisitions in the room.
Know What You’re Buying
There are many factors that affect the asking price for a piece of memorabilia. They include rarity, condition and authenticity, as well as provenance and type of item. A vintage TV show poster won’t command the same price as an authentic lobby card or theater poster, and celebrity autographs can multiply the value of a piece of movie memorabilia by several orders of magnitude. Before you make a purchase, be sure you know exactly what you’re buying so you don’t end up overpaying or being disappointed when your purchase arrives.

Sports Memorabilia for Dad for Fathers Day

Fathers Day never has to throw you for a loop again if your dad is a sports buff—not when you have access to a whole world of sport memorabilia from which to choose a gift for him. Whatever sport he fancies, you’ll find a wide variety of mementos and memorabilia that he’ll appreciate and enjoy. If you’re looking for gift ideas for Fathers Day, consider one of these pieces of sports history that are guaranteed to make him a happy pappy.

Baseball Fans

Skip the cheesy bar signs and clocks in his favorite team colors. Instead, go for a classy, classic piece of memorabilia that speaks to the history of America’s favorite sport. Imagine dad’s face when he opens his gift on Fathers Day morning and finds a framed collage that includes a baseball signed by none other than Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax or Ted Williams. If he’s a BoSox fan, put a grin on his face with a collage display that includes a signed photo of the Bambino himself on one side, a photo of the 2004 World Series winning Red Sox and between them, Babe Ruth’s signed contract. So much for the Babe’s curse!

Basketball Fans

From Bob Cousy to Yao Ming, Bill Russell to Lebron James, you’ll find basketball memorabilia to delight any diehard b-ball fan. Framed, autographed photos are just one of the many types of mementos that your basketball-loving dad will put up on his wall. You can be sure he’ll save a special place above the bar for a signed, framed game shirt worn by Yao Ming, Larry Bird or LeBron James.

Football Fans

Your favorite armchair quarterback deserves something special for all those Sunday afternoons he’s spent rooting for the home team. How about a game jersey from a football quarterback who’s shown the same persistence in his yearly comeback – Bret Favre? Maybe he’d rather celebrate the monumental Saints win in Super Bowl XLIV with a Drew Brees signed Super Bowl display that includes replica tickets of each of the last 44 Super Bowls, or a collage featuring Peyton and Eli Manning – whatever his favorite team or player, you’ll find the perfect piece of sports memorabilia to spark his memory.

Even if Dad’s not a fan of the Big Three American sports, you’ll find lots of memorabilia gifts to please him. Consider a framed photo of the Old Course at St. Andrews for your golfing dad, an autographed collage featuring Lance Armstrong for the dad that bikes or a Kentucky Derby card set if your dad breaks out the mint juleps for the first weekend in May. If you’re not sure what to get your sports-loving dad for Fathers Day this year, spend some time checking out the many different kinds of sports memorabilia available online.