The following is an excerpt from Bruce Watson | July 2, 2012 | Dailyfinance.com |
The Olympics are a magical time, when people from around the world gather to celebrate togetherness, fellowship and competition. And, amid the tidal wave of nationalism and internationalism, striving and admiring, Olympic watchers around the world will also join in another biennial ritual: the purchase of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of limited-edition, Olympic-branded pins, stuffed animals, T-shirts, medallions, and Wheaties boxes. Yes, that’s right: Olympics souvenir season is upon us.
In theory, at least, Olympic mementos seem like a good investment. After all, there will be only one 2012 London Olympics, and the special souvenirs created for the occasion will never be made again. But how much of this Olympic swag is truly limited edition, and more importantly, how much of it will actually increase in value over the years?
Not much, says Ingrid O’Neil, a California-based sports memorabilia dealer who specializes in Olympic collectibles. “If you are at the games, you want to get souvenirs,” she says. “But because so many are made, they’re not a good investment.”
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