I've just been outmanoeuvred into winning a prize I didn't really want! (A signed Lionel Messi Barcelona shirt from the 2015/16 season.) The contest was simply based on the number of (online) hands played in a given period, and I was trying for the 2nd-place prize of £500 (c. $730), because, after some cursory online searching, I've not seen many offered for sale for much more than this (and some for much less!). As the timer ticked down to the end of the contest, I had ensured that the person in third place could not catch me, and had left enough time for the person in second place to overtake. It would appear, however, that he or she had done similar research to me, since they chose to sit on their hands. There was only a brief description of the prize, so I will have to wait and see if it has some particular value over and above what these things normally go for (e.g., if it was actually worn in a game). Whatever its current value, I suppose the main question is whether I should now hold onto it, in the hope that it appreciates in value, or sell it straight away? I'm open to advice (and indeed offers).
I am far from expert but I would think that its value would indeed exceed the $730. Not sure about waiting. You would think the value would go up when he retires. But on the other hand he seems to be giving away several of his item to charity e.g. shoes etc. So he is sort of diluting the value of his own stuff. If you have access to auctions in South America, it might be a good option.
Thanks for the reply. I hope you're right about the value, but I'm not so sure. As I said, I did some googling and couldn't find many being offered for much more than that price. It does seem odd that it would be offered as first prize, compared to a second prize of perhaps roughly equal value (£500); and for comparison, third prize was £200. So maybe there will be something unusual about this example.
Using Google.com (the US-version), I searched: Lionel Messi Barcelona shirt signed. I found these results. The highest price asked is just over $1000 for a shirt with only his signature. There is one with several other signatures and it is priced at $1700.
Thanks. The problem, wherever you look, is the range of prices being quoted for items whose descriptions seem, on the face of it, to be identical. I've found out the casino paid approximately £1000 ($1450) for the one I'm getting. Of course, it could be that they were simply overcharged, but assuming that is a fair price for this precise item, I wouldn't necessarily know how to advertise it in order to get that price for myself. That's why I was enquiring about the workings of the market in general. I managed to find a little info here - http://www.ebay.co.uk/gds/Your-Guid...gned-Football-Shirt-/10000000177590028/g.html - but it's not a huge amount of help. Maybe I should just keep it for a few decades in the hope it becomes a priceless artefact!
I don't know soccer/football like I do American football/hockey. If it's game-worn and has a COA for the specific game it was worn in (championships, personal or league statistic record-breaking event like first hat trick in hockey), that will change things as that makes it a one-of-a-kind. Otherwise, until you actually get it in hand, it's all pie-in-the-sky speculation by any of us. Here's hoping it has additional documentation to add to the value.
I've received it now. I'm afraid it seems to be one of a generic set from a signing session, and can be bought for £450 ($652) - http://www.a1sportingmemorabilia.co...nt-signed-barcelona-home-shirt-2014-2015.html It's not the advertised season, but those are available on the same site for £475.
The one advertised does not say it was worn by him. Actually you can buy up to 5 per order. So, it is a generic shirt signed by him in a signing session. So, I do not understand why the casino paid so much for it. Did you ask the casino if it could be refunded? If not, and it is generic, I would try to sell it sooner than later.
It's an online casino, and now that the item has been shipped to me, it's pretty clear that I am stuck with it. I was hoping that they might offer to top up the prize with some additional cash, but this does not seem likely. Rather than caveat emptor, this is more a case of caveat victor!
Well, that just sux in ways that I cannot begin to describe. I wish I knew someone who was into....wait...if you are serious about unloading it, I can see about posting on my FaceBook page. I do have several footie-fans and a few of them aren't even in the UK. But the ones I know who are fans are also smart enough to look up related values. Maybe eBay or similar would be a better 'bet'.
Thanks very much for the offer. But no; I think I'll hang on to it for a while and then try ebay or maybe an actual, physical auction. If it falls in value, then I can't lose more than the £450 it is currently worth, whereas I can dream of a potentially unlimited upside if the market should move the other way. It's not an investment I would have chosen to make, but now that I inadvertently have, I might as well let it ride.
Gotcha...and since I know nothing about soccer/footballers and their following, I'll return to my ice hockey and American football fandoms.
