We’re making a donation to a fund raiser this week. I just purchased a football which a well-known/successful NFL place kicker has offered to autograph. Does anyone have an idea as to what we should specify as an opening bid? I realize the value of memorabilia is very subjective/personal. I also realize that bidders at charitable auctions will bid up a price beyond actual value just for altruistic reasons. All that said, all opinions welcome.
Thanks.
It’s all in the details.
Who is it signed by? What year? A year the team did really well? Was it signed at a convention along with dozens of other balls?
I guess there’s no harm in being specific. The kicker is Nate Kaeding. He’s going to sign it just to help out with a fund raiser for the young victim of a crime.
Based upon the current market for Nate’s sig bumped up by what signed footballs go for I’d try an opening bid of maybe $100 - $150 since it’s for charity and the crowd is likely generous. I gotta tell you I wouldn’t pay more than $75 but this is a special circumstance. No offense to Mr. Kaeding.
I’m curious to see what others think.
If it’s an auction, what’s the problem with just starting the bidding anywhere fairly low?
With that said, excepting the charity angle, a signed football from Nate Kaeding (or any kicker) is not going to be valuable. That’s not to say he’s not a good player, but outside of QBs, RBs, and WRs, the demand for signed memorabilia is very low. I’d say $30-$40 or thereabouts, though again, I expect charity bidders to go higher.
Because if there are no rich football fans at the auction, it’s embarrassing for all concerned if the item only fetches $10, when people have gone out of their way to organise it. Setting a reserve price (which is different from a starting price, but it’s what I would do) avoids this - if the item does not reach its reserve price, it is unsold and can be re-used for another charity event, or perhaps raffled. On the other hand, if this is a one-time only event, maybe a reserve price isn’t the way to go - but you don’t want the auctioneer to start the bidding at $10 if there is no reserve, because if that is the only bid they get, again the item will be sold too cheaply.
As to the question in the OP, I have no idea, sorry for the hijack.
Well, I don’t think anyone’s suggesting starting it off at $10. I think starting at $50 is a fine place to start, and will garner at least one pity bid.
SanDiegoTim - I’m guessing this will be a silent auction? I don’t think anyone is going to be embarrassed if it sells for just $50 - you can’t rely on ebay prices at a private auction, because the audience is so small.
Is Kaeding a fan favorite in San Diego? (e.g. I’d bet a Phil Dawson ball would easily fetch $100-$200 in Cleveland.) Either way, I agree that $50 would be an absolute minimum. $100 is reasonable.