Experts in the world of sports memorabilia have discovered something surprising …
Memorabilia for athletes who allegedly –or admittedly – used performance-enhancing drugs in their careers end up losing a lot of value.
For example, a cycling jersey signed by Lance Armstrong used to be worth $1,000. Then, he admitted to Oprah Winfrey that he used drugs to improve his performance. These days, that jersey is worth only $100.
Other athletes who have suffered in the marketplace include former New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, former San Francisco Giants left fielder Barry Bonds, and former St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Mark McGwire – each having lost 80% of their value thanks to their steroid and performance-enhancing drug use.
As a comparison, Tiger Woods cheated on his wife – and the value of his stuff didn’t drop as much.
And, game-worn jerseys from O.J. Simpson also dropped less than the steroid users, despite his alleged involvement in a double-murder. (MarketWatch)