Anything Michael Jordan has worn, signed, touched - anythingbearing his image - is hot.
Believe it or not: Autographed jerseys for $999; baseballs for$299.
The memorabilia market has shot through the roof thanks toJordan's comeback. Fans are flocking to area stores and placinghundreds of phone orders.
'Anything with Michael Jordan is selling - whether it's frombasketball or baseball,' said Serge Fourmaux, of AU SportsMemorabilia in Skokie.
One buyer even went for 'dead material' - an old wooden placardwith an autographed photo of Michael Jordan, Fourmaux said.
Hottest of the hot are autographed jerseys - No. 23, of course -and signed baseballs, said Rich Bradley of Upper Deck Authenticated,a Carlsbad, Calif., company that has exclusive rights to autographedJordan memorabilia.
In the last week, the company has sold out of $1,600,hand-painted basketballs, also signed by Michael. They've sold 200since the fall.
Upper Deck alone has about 20 Jordan items for sale.
Yet, just last week, Jordan was on the 'cold list' at manycollector stores.
It was O.J. Simpson items that were hot, especially in the firstfew weeks of his trial.
Whether memorabilia dealers are selling jerseys, photographs,tickets or old game schedules, they all have this warning forwould-be customers: Beware of frauds!
'If you're buying something for enjoyment, fine. But if you'rebuying it for an investment, be careful,' said Joe Yalda, the ownerof Triple A Sports Collectibles in Chicago.
Ripoff artists abound.
Some experts estimate between 70 percent and 80 percent of'autographed' items are phony. The best way to get your money'sworth, is to know the dealers, or check their reputation.
If you're buying an 'authentic jersey' - one that was worn bythe player - look at the body length, for wear-and-tear, stretchmarks and a special Champion identification tag, Yalda said.
Buyers must be particularly careful when purchasing cards.'There's some good fakes out there,' Fourmaux said.
Also, customers should remember, prices vary depending on thehistory of the item. For example, trading cards can cost from 50cents to $1,000.
Here are some tips when buying memorabilia: Know who you are dealing with. Inspect all items carefully. With trading cards, check for blurryprinting, look at the fine print on the back of the card. Ask the dealer where the item came from. Prices and quality vary. Shop around. No. 23 jerseys might become collectors' items: Consider buying one.