By Michael Moore, PWTorch collectibles specialist

Responses to reader questions...

Q: I have an autographed photograph of Chris Benoit from 2004. What is it worth?

A: It’s very difficult to assign a value to an autographed item that isn’t certified by a reputable company. As it is, your photograph could probably fetch $20-$30. If you’re looking to one day sell the item, your best bet is to send it in to a company like Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA; www.psacard.com) for authentication. They’ll compare the autograph to other authenticated Benoit signatures and if it matches, certify it as authentic. PSA charges different fees for different athletes; in Benoit’s case, the fee is $30. Collectors will spend considerably more on an authenticated item. Keep in mind that Benoit’s certified autographed trading cards typically fetch about $80-$150.

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Q: I was wondering what you can tell me about a collection of small pewter figurines the WWF made in ‘93 or ‘94? I was told they were made for a role playing game that never caught on. I was just wondering if you knew anything about them and how much they sell for.

A: The figures you’re talking about are 1-1/2 inch pewter figurines produced by Whit Publications in 1994 that retailed for $6.95 each. They were a test line for a WWF role-playing game; they must not have sold well, because no future figurines were ever released. The wrestlers included in this set were The Undertaker, Razor Ramon, Paul Bearer, Bam Bam Bigelow, Doink the Clown and Randy Savage.

It’s hard to say what sort of value these figures command today; I searched various online auction sites and sites that offer wrestling collectibles, and couldn’t find any being sold. These figures don’t appear to have been mass produced, which is certainly good for their long-term value. In browsing a few message boards dedicated to wrestling figures, I noticed a few different collectors were looking to buy some of these figures that were still in the package. With rare items like this, your best bet is to keep an eye on eBay and see if any pop up, and track what they sell for.

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Q: I own a poster from ECW's first ever pay-per-view, Barely Legal, and it is signed by both Taz and Sabu (who are pictured on it). It was sold through the ECW store and I still have the original packaging it was mailed to me in. How much is it worth?

A: Unfortunately, some of the luster has worn off of ECW’s memory thanks to things like TNA’s invasion angle last year, WWE’s dismal reincarnation of the brand, and the number of wrestlers who died in recent years. However, of all things ECW, Barely Legal still has a soft spot in many fans’s hearts because it was ECW’s first pay-per-view event. Original posters of the event regularly pop up online and sell for about $7-$10. Posters from other pay-per-views that feature autographs from different wrestlers have been selling for about $20-$25. Given that yours is an authentic ECW piece and came with a certificate of authenticity, it would likely fetch $50, if not more.

Do you have a question about an item in your collection? Do you have a collectible or a collection you’d like to share with other wrestling fans? E-mail Michael Moore at michaelmoorewriter@gmail.com.

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