Inventory List
A fine piece on Senna's Final Weekend
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Collecting car and race memorabilia has become increasingly
popular with the proliferation of motor racing in the 1990's.
Various objects serve to remind us of the historical significance
of a particular race, team, or driver. These artifacts vary from
model cars to event posters to original helmets and uniforms. Be careful when you
start your collection to try to focus on
certain themes because there is a plethora of memorabilia
available. Our gallery focuses on F1 & CART/Indycar models,
artwork (in the form of signed prints, paintings and glass
sculptures) and original worn and used memorabilia (helmets,
uniforms, gloves, visors, nosecones, etc.) This might seem
like a lot but it leaves out much, like tickets & trading cards,
to name a few. If you don't limit yourself, you can really get
caught up in the game and tie up funds necessary for your
primary focus.
As with any
type of collecting there are various levels which are
available to suit your budget. At the low end ($25-$100) the
enthusiast can collect 1/43 & 1/18 models, photos, posters
and programs. In the midrange ($100-$500) there are signed
prints & photos, and some worn items like visors and gloves.
At the mid-high range ($500-$1000) there are rare out-of-
production models, discontinued prints, and signed ephemera
from deceased drivers and world champions. Finally, at the very
high end ($1,000-$50,000+) there are many original items
available, from signed vintage posters to uniforms and helmets.
It is this last group of memorabilia which our gallery focuses on.
These items are considered to be the "cream of the crop",
symbolizing the more important drivers, teams and
championships.
Among the
memorabilia in here which typify this last group are:
-Ayrton Senna, raceworn McLaren uniform from victory at the
-1989 German Grand Prix;
-Juan Manuel Fangio, raceworn helmet, signed, from victory
-at the 1950 Belgian Grand Prix;
-Emerson Fittipaldi, raceworn helmet from the 1989 Championship
-season;
-Jacques Villeneuve, raceworn uniform used in his maiden victory
-at Nürburgring and Silverstone, 1996. We also
have his signed
-Indy 500 winning gloves and various prints,
-Ralf Schumacher, complete nosecone from the 1998 Jordan;
-Michael Schumacher, race uniform from the 2000 Japanese GP;
-Gilles Villeneuve, raceworn helmets used with Ferrari in 1979 & 1980
Objects such as these have found their way into the homes and
offices of private collectors, themed restaurants, and museums.
Recently, these items have received media attention as the
result of record breaking auction prices.
Some examples
(these do not include 15% buyer's premium
and any taxes):
-Sotheby's, Sept/97- Michael Schumacher's signed Ferrari helmet
-from his victory at the ‘96 Italian GP: sold
for US$41,500
-USGP Charity Sale, Dec/01 - Michael Schumacher's winning
helmet from the USGP sold for US$55 500
-Brooks, May/97- Ayrton Senna's helmet from the 1992 season:
-sold for US$42,000
-private, June/97- event poster from the 1994 Imola GP, signed
-by Senna (at his tragic final race) and
several others: US$12,500
-Some critics have attacked these auctions and predicted a downward
-spiral, similar to the one that killed the
baseball and sports market.
-However, we beg to differ. There are many
reasons why racing
-memorabilia differs from the rest of sports
ephemera:
1) Racing has
an international scope.
F1 & CART
races are held all over the world, and broadcast to
millions of fans. In fact, it is estimated that at least 700 million
people watched the F1 season finale at Jerez '97. That's 1/6 of the
world's population with a TV! The only other sport that can contend is
perhaps Soccer. What this means is that there are many more
buyers for any race artifact. This makes it easier to sell unique
and one of a kind items.
Few other
sports collectibles can boast this appeal. How many
Americans know the name Schumacher and Villeneuve and how
few Europeans have heard of Messier and Griffey, Jr.?
2) F1 & CART racing attracts a more affluent crowd.
With the
average F1 GP ticket costing over US$200, plus travel, hotel
and expenses, race organizers know they are attracting a fairly well-off
crowd. These same people don't mind spending extra on items that
serve to support their hobby. Just travelling to several races a year
means that you can afford to take the time and money necessary
to pursue your hobby. This disposable income will always be available for
memorabilia as well.
3) Prices are still reasonable.
As high as
prices for top items have gone, they are still rather low
in comparison to other hobbies/collectibles. Few racing artifacts
cost over US$50,000. To the average collector this is an exorbitant
amount of money. However, a 1939 Lou Gehrig uniform recently
sold for over US$300,000, and the infamous Mark McGwire home run ball
sold for $3 Million. Once again, how many people (worldwide,
not only in North America) have heard of Gehrig & McGwire, and how many
know the name Senna & Schumacher? Which do you think the better investment
would be? Did New York close down for 3 days when Gehrig passed away? Brazil
(with over 100 million citizens) did when their hero
Senna died.
To clarify here, we do not mean to criticize other collectibles but
rather to draw two points: First, there is no "real value" to a one-off.
Market values serve to dictate trends but special items (i.e., Jim
Clark's Indy 500 winning uniform) have little basis for comparison
to a passionate and financially capable collector. This is why
Schumacher's 2001 USGP win helmet sold for 50% over market value.
Many
Ferraristi felt this was one of Ferrari's most exciting GP victories.
So what is it really worth then? To the few people that took the bidding
up to the final US$55,500 selling price this was more than reasonable.
How many GP drivers will match Schumacher's record? These details highlight
this particular item and distinguish it from the others. They also help to
command the premium price.
"The best
things in life never come cheap.... ".
Second, it is
hard not to think of investment potential when you are
spending any amount of money on a hobby-type item. Obviously
these are not necessities, and only serve to feed our frivolous nature.
We know of very few collectors who resell items they purchase in
our gallery. However, it is important to be confident with your purchase.
The trend over the last few years is such that race memorabilia has
escalated in collector value.
Is this money
well spent? We think so, but don't overextend yourself.
People paying tens of thousands of dollars for artifacts aren't saving up.
They can afford these items along with their Rolexes, Ferraris and
Porsches. Smaller collectors need to be prudent to know that they
are paying a fair price for something that is not readily available.
If the item's value increases over time then, hey, that's an extra bonus.
Remember, at
the end of the day your hobby is supposed to make
you smile, so be cautious and shop carefully and you will never lose.
Buy items you appreciate that help you remember your favorite drivers,
teams, years and races. Collecting is fun, and while it (like everything
in life) may cost money it leads to personal enjoyment. Who said
money can't buy happiness?
Morry Barmak
president
CollectorStudio.com
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