Pope JPII.com News

American Memorabilia, a leading US auction house, is featuring one of the rarest autographs in the history of papal collecting: a baseball autographed by Pope John Paul II. The official Rawlings baseball was signed on the sweet spot in blue ink by the late Holy Father who signed with his full Latin name – “Joannes Paulus II.” This is the first time to my knowledge that a baseball signed by John Paul II has been publicly available for sale. As an avid collector and dealer in papal memorabilia (with a strong specialization in the autographs of John Paul II), I believe this autograph to be extremely scarce and possibly one of a very few – if not the only baseball – signed by Pope John Paul II with his full Latin name.  I have seen only one other  baseball signed by John Paul II with only his initials (“JPII”) that I was privileged to have obtained during the papacy of this remarkable Pontiff.

Having seen the signature I have no doubt in its authenticity.    My guess is given the historic significance and rarity of this autograph that bidding will be brisk.  The minimum bid is $5,000 and my guess is that the ball will easily bring in excess of $50,000 – perhaps more. I can’t imagine a more desirable autograph for collectors with the pockets to be able to afford what amounts to a real historical treasure and museum piece.  After all, its not too often a future Saint autographs a baseball.  I wish my budget would permit the purchase of this unbelievable piece – not only because it was touched by a Saint but also because its long-term value is likely to shoot up to the heavens.  For those interested or curious about how the auction goes, check out www.americanmemorabilia.com

Looking for an unforgettable gift for a wedding or for a friend or loved one celebrating a wedding anniversary? Get them a papal blessing from the Vatican on a beautiful parchment which memorializes an actual blessing of the married couple by Pope Benedict XVI. Check out our web site for information on how to place an order. I guarantee that your gift will be appreciated immensely and likely will become a family heir loom.

Photos autographed by Pope John Paul II are highly sought after and often sell at premium prices.  Right after the Pope’s death in 2005, a signed John Paul photograph  sold on Mastro Auctions for close to $25,000.  Two years ago at a fund-raising auction by Saint Michael the Archangel  Catholic Church in Leawood, Kansas, a genuine Pope John Paul II autographed photo displayed with special Vatican rosaries had a hammer price of $16,000.  Currently, autographed John Paul II photos sell for about $1,900 – $2,200.  Considering their scarcity along with the fact that – once sold they tend to remain in collector hands or are often donated to Churches and other institutions who hold them – signed John Paul II at current levels make investment sense.  The most desirable ones are those original 12″ x 8″ photos from the Vatican archives that were shot by long-time papal photographer, Arturo Mari.  To ensure authenticity, look for the raised papal seal  from the Segreteria Particolare di Sua Santita (at least for those signed in the last three years of JPII’s papacy) or purchase from a trust-worthy experienced dealer who guarantees authenticity.  In comparison to signed Marilyn Monroe and James Dean photos which sell in excess of $10,000, an investment of $2,000 in the autograph of a future Saint would seem like a wise choice.