New balls please ... they could be a collector’s item!
So too could all the other souvenirs for this summer’s big events that now won’t take place
ALL the big sporting and music festivals may have been cancelled this summer, but not before a host of collectable memorabilia was produced to celebrate them.
Shrewd investors are now snapping up some of this merchandise as experts believe it may rise in value. Here we identify what could prove to be collecting bargains.
Goodbye Euro 2020
FOOTBALL fans are mourning the loss of Euro 2020, but it need not stop them getting their hands on the tournament’s official merchandise that experts believe could soon start rising in value.
Wembley had been due to host both the semi-finals and finals in the June 12 to July 12 tournament. As it has been postponed until the same time next year – though it will still be known as Euro 2020 – official merchandisers have been forced to slash the price of everything from T-shirts to key rings.
But because fewer pieces are being sold there will be a limited number available to trade – and for canny buyers this could increase their value over time.
An official UEFA Euro 2020 cap is now half-price at £8.50 while a black 2020 England hoodie costs £41. Yet when the Euros roll around this time next year, sale prices will no longer be on offer while the most sought-after pieces will have been snapped up. And if England have a good tournament, then values could soar – as they have in previous tournaments.
Daniel Wade is manager at auction house Paul Fraser Collectibles. He says: ‘The rescheduling of events such as Euro 2020 is unprecedented and could have a big impact on the investment values of related collectables – creating a huge surge of interest in items produced for any cancelled events.’
Not a sound from Glastonbury
THIS was to have been a momentous year for the Glastonbury Festival as it celebrated its 50th anniversary. Headline acts such as Paul McCartney and Diana Ross were due to entertain 200,000 revellers.
The merchandising machine acted swiftly once the June 24 to 28 event was axed and you cannot now buy any 2020 memorabilia from the official website – only items relating to the 2019 festival.
Yet you can still find the odd collectable nugget that has slipped through the net – such as a Glastonbury 2020 poster, available from eBay for as little as £10.
Even tickets might become worth more than their face value. Demand for tickets is expected to rise next year with existing holders allowed to use theirs for 2021. This means 2020 tickets could be like gold dust.
No one for tennis at Wimbledon
THERE will be no strawberries and cream served up at Wimbledon this year as the tournament is cancelled for the first time since the Second World War. Unlike other events such as Euro 2020 and the
Tokyo 2020 Olympics, this annual sporting highlight has not just been deferred – but will never happen. It means collectables produced by the All England Club for a tournament that will no longer now be held between June 29 and July 12 are particularly special for sports fans.
Daniel Wade says: ‘Wimbledon is among the sports that we as a country are most nostalgic about – so potentially, memorabilia makes for a great investment.’ Official Wimbledon T-shirts and
Championship towels are on sale for £35 while a 2020 Green Mug is available for £10. Even a £9 set of three tennis balls with a 2020 logo stamped on them could become collectable rarities.
But for such items to stand a chance of rising in value in the future they must never be used and be kept in pristine condition, preferably supported by original packaging and receipts.
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
WE GOT as far as the Olympic torch being rekindled in Greece on March 12 before it was whizzed off in a private jet to Japan. The flame continues to burn but the Olympics are rescheduled for next year.
Although Tokyo 2020 is no longer taking place between July 24 and August 9, the official online shop remains open for business.
Yet with organisers saying they will continue to use the Tokyo 2020 logo next year it is important to be canny as a collector. Only the most sought-after limited edition items are expected to rise in value. As with all collectables, buy something that you will cherish. The chances are that if you fall in love with an item, then someone else will want it too.
The official tokyo2020shop.jp sells items from Japan in the local currency yen. These include everything from a ¥1,980 (£15) Miraitowa action figure mascot for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics to a ¥39,600 (£300) limited edition ‘Sukajan’ embroidered satin bomber jacket.
This jacket already has a fivemonth waiting list for orders as it is so sought-after – so by next year when the Olympics is held it might not be available.