Frequently Asked Questions

Sales Tax is calculated based on the shipping address. Sales tax of 7% is added to all orders that are delivered in the State of Indiana.

We typically do not purchase items from individual sellers however if you would like to create a ticket we can have a member of our team take a look at your items. Please provide images of your items, a brief description and your asking price. Our purchasing department will be look at your items to see if it is something that we would be interested in. They will respond within 2-3 business days.

The Collector Cave does not purchase autographed sports memorabilia from private collectors. We do this for your protection. We do not take a chance in purchasing from individuals that we do not know as we want to be able to guarantee our products 110%. All our products come direct from a private session with the athlete in which a reputable authentication company was present.

If you need to change or cancel your order please call or email us as soon as you can. Once we receive your order, it is quickly sent for processing. Depending on the items, orders may vary in length of processing time. However, once the item has been shipped you cannot cancel it.

If you have any questions please create a new ticket or give us a call (219) 718-1918.

The Collector Cave assures you that all our autographed memorabilia is 100% authentic. Making a purchase for a favorite autographed collectible can be one of the most beneficial investments you can make. At The Collector Cave, we take pride in knowing that the items that we are providing to the public are authentic. We do hundreds of autograph signings per year, which we are either there ourselves getting the signatures, or purchasing through one of our reputable vendors. We very rarely purchase autographed merchandise from individuals. The Collector Cave fully guarantees the authenticity of your hand signed sports item. All autographed items come with a Certificate of Authenticity from one of the leading authenticators PSA/DNA or JSA.

Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) is the largest and most trusted third-party grading and Authentication Company in the world. PSA is the preferred choice of collectors, dealers and auction houses worldwide. PSA/DNA is the world’s leading third-party authentication service for autographs and memorabilia.

JSA is one of the foremost autograph authentication companies in the world. JSA has the universal respect and approval of auctioneers, dealers, and collectors worldwide with their accurate authentication experience.

A COA is a “Certificate of Authenticity”. The main purpose of a COA is to provide a paper trail as to where the signature was obtained so that you know that the autograph is authentic and real.

A COA does NOT prove that an item is authentic, it simply proves that the item in question was handled by a company giving the COA at the time of the signing. A COA is only as good as the company which issues it, so be wary of the fly-by-night companies, or any company that you have a hard time contacting or visiting.

If you are collecting for yourself and have no plans for reselling the autograph, then a COA is not necessary. You have the memory of meeting the athlete and your autograph is a memento of that occasion. If you plan on reselling the item, or if you are hoping that the item will appreciate in value in the future, then a COA is a definite must for the item.

Some athletes will have special inscriptions that they add to the autograph, such as “SB XVII MVP” (Super Bowl 17 Most Valuable Player), “1971 AL MVP” (American League’s Most Valuable Player in 1971), and so forth. Not all players have these inscriptions, and not all correspond to an award. Some might be from a special play like Dwight Clark’s “The Catch” or the date of a pitcher’s perfect game or a career milestone such as their number of wins, strikeouts, etc. Some athletes charge extra for inscriptions, some do not. Most of the time, an inscription will add value to an autographed piece.

The authentic jerseys are as close to the real deal as you can get. The material is a thick, heavy fabric. The player’s name, number and decals are stitched on. The sleeve stripe is part of the material. These jerseys sell for $200 to $300 nationally and sometimes more.

The replica jerseys are made of a thinner fabric. They are authentic in design, but name, number, decals, and stripes are screen-printed or altered. These jerseys typically sell for $60 to $80 or more.

The lower-tier jerseys consist of the thinnest fabric. There is no authentic in design. No striping. The name, number, and decals are screen-printed or ironed on. These jerseys typically sell for less than $30 in discount stores.

This similar to the jersey question above. The authentic helmets are the exact same helmet that the NFL players wear on game day. The value of these helmets are higher than any other helmet because they are authentic. The replica helmets are just that. They look and feel like the authentic helmets, but they are replicas. The replica helmets are cheaper then the authentic helmets.

At The Collector Cave, we take copyright and trademark infringement very seriously. All of our photographs are licensed images. This protect both The Collector Cave, as well as you in the event that you decide to sell your image. By selling licensed images, the cost is a little bit more, but surely better than having the suits come knocking on your door!