Nearly half the United States population believes collecting sports memorabilia is a financial investment, according to a survey commissioned by cllct in late April and conducted by the Seton Hall Sports Poll.
The survey comes from a polling of 1,528 American adults over a four-day period in April. The sample size mirrors the U.S. Census by percentages on age, gender, income, education, ethnicity and region. The margin of error is 3 percent.
Of those surveyed, 46 percent of the general population, 56 percent of those who identified as sports fans and 68 percent of avid sports fans said they considered sports memorabilia collecting to be a financial investment, poll numbers reflected.
Four out of 10 sports fans (40 percent) said they actively are collecting sports memorabilia, while 53 percent of avid fans said they did.
The 18- to 34-year-old demographic most considered themselves sports fans (48 percent) and were the most invested in sports memorabilia (40 percent). More than half (53 percent) of the demographic said collecting was a financial investment, more than any other age group.
While many seemed to be aware of sports memorabilia having value, many of them still said it's just a hobby for them or someone in their household: 36 percent of general population, 47 percent of sports fans and 63 percent of avid fans.
So what is being actively collected?
Of those who say they collect, more than half from the general population (54 percent) say they are collecting cards, 47 percent said autographs, 40 percent collect some sort of equipment, including balls, 34 percent are into collecting game-used jerseys, 29 percent have been aggregating tickets and 28 percent say they collect sneakers.
Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct.com and one of the country's leading reporters on the collectible market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network.