Collectibles resonate for many reasons.
Some items become collectible simply because demand far exceeds supply. Others are deemed collectible because of who made them.
And then there are pieces of memorabilia that become collectible because of their story. In my last 20 years of collecting, the latter has filled up my drawers, cabinets and mindshare.
Things that often weren't collectible from the start became so because of what happened afterward. An autograph of Steve Jobs' writing "Go Change The World!" Well, he certainly did. A dollar bill from D.B. Cooper's stash. The presidential breakfast in Fort Worth, Texas, on the morning of Nov. 22, 1963.
Cllct is generally known for our media and journalism. However, we've expanded to help brands, leagues, teams and properties navigate the complex collectibles landscape and understand what makes collectors excited.
Additionally, high-net worth individuals, celebrities and agencies are reaching out to us looking for hard-to-find memorabilia and special collectibles — and when that happens, we hop into action — handling everything from private sales, negotiations, private auction bidding and the white-glove service that takes it all the way from packaging to insurance to delivery.
Those efforts also feature a growing gifting business. The reason? Targeted gift-giving is the only way to get something for someone who has everything.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson put out a video on Instagram this week from his recent birthday party. The video begins with him staring at his present: A ticket to the day in March 1984, when as an 11-year-old kid, he watched his father, Rocky, wrestle.
That moment 41 years ago was somehow caught by TV cameras, forever preserved for the time when Johnson eventually became one of the biggest celebrities in the world.
Johnson wiped away tears that were generated by the thoughtfulness of the gift — a graded ticket to the All-Star Wrestling event at Springfield Civic Center — as nostalgic feelings hit him hard.
Highlights from the event were cut into Johnson's Instagram video, and he revealed on that day, that was the happiest he'd ever seen his father. The Rock then hugged and kissed the gift-giver, his agent Brad Slater.
Slater prides himself on being a great gift-giver and has tasked cllct a couple times with securing items, including an authentic poster of when Johnson's grandfather, Peter Maivia, wrestled.
And we absolutely love to do this.
It proves the power of storytelling. It's not necessarily about the item. It's about the story the item tells, and emotions it elicit.
The collectible industry exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic not only because everyone was trapped inside with nothing to do. We had limited human interaction, and collectibles unlocked a happiness in our brains from the times gone by.
If you would like cllct's help to find the perfect collectible gift — it's not only sports — email us at biz@cllct.com.
Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct and one of the country's leading reporters on the collectibles market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network.