How Much Are Signed Arsenal Shirts Worth?

It’s not just signed Arsenal shirts that command a lot of money. The world of sports memorabilia collecting has exploded in recent years with new highs being set for some of the rarest items. All of the big teams are being swept up in a huge wave; the era of the big whales, those who are looking to fill their collections against a backdrop of high inflation, looking for an alternative home for their money. So what is the best way to follow the trend so you don’t miss out?

Prices for the rarest items have gone through the roof with the highest prices being paid for those hard to get historical pieces from the club’s long and illustrious career. For a club that kicked off in 1886, that’s a lot of years to go at! The rarest are medals and England caps worn by Arsenal players, alongside highly coveted match worn shirts. High on the list is a 1970 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup medal from 1970 that sold for £7,500. This is a walk in the park compared to Herbert Chapman’s Arsenal contract from 1925 which went for £27,500 at auction. Arguably Arsenal’s greatest manager, Chapman held the reigns until his untimely death from pneumonia in January 1933. Famously, the job ad he responded to contained the following line: “Gentlemen whose sole ability to build up a good side depends on the payment of heavy and exorbitant transfer fees need not apply”! Maybe some of our current crop of managers should take note! Chapman was paid £2000 a year, an astonishing amount at the time!

Other items that have achieved high sums include Charlie George’s 1971 FA Cup Final shirt that went for £19,000 at auction. George scored one of Arsenal’s most iconic goals against Liverpool in the final. ‘Match worn’ adds a certain cachet to any item and is definitely something to look out for if you are considering buying memorabilia. It forms a magic, unbreakable bond with the collector. It’s that connection between the piece of memorabilia and that sporting moment that makes the item so special.

The highest item of signed arsenal memorabilia ever sold is a Tony Adams shirt from the 1998 Premier League title winning season, which went for an impressive £28,000 at auction. Other items go for high sums as well.  Programmes are a favourite with collectors, but of course many are printed and few mint copies survive from the early days. A 1930 one recently sold for £23,500, and a 1936 cup winner’s medal went for £19,000, so it’s worth rummaging around in the attic if your dad, or grandad was a fan!

We spoke with Peter Johnson who heads up memorabilia company Firma Stella for some advice on collecting. “The most important thing to establish is provenance – proof that the item is genuine. If you or a relative obtained an autograph in person, then maybe there’s a photo that records the moment. We obtain the majority of our signed items in person and always issue what’s called a ‘Certificate of Authenticity or COA. This is a holographic (the hologram on the item matches that on the certificate) document which gives a lifetime guarantee of authenticity for everything we sell, so if you are going to collect pieces of Arsenal memorabilia, then make sure you get one of these. Be careful where you buy your memorabilia as well. There are a lot of fakes around, mostly being sold in dodgy online auctions. My advice is to just be careful. You won’t be the first person to have been ripped off, and you definitely won’t be the last! Above all, buy stuff you are really into, and will enjoy owning. It’s like collecting art, buy something for a reason; that match, that player, that moment that connects you. If you do that then not only will you enjoy the item for years to come, but it will make for a sensible alternative home for your money as well!