From Eddie Mathews & Michael Jordan to Ohtani & Wemby, Sports Illustrated collecting is exploding
In this story:
It’s an honor, and honestly, a bit poetic to be covering collectibles for Collecting OnSI, to now be introducing a new series focused on collecting Sports Illustrated itself.
From day one, our goal at Collecting OnSI has been simple: create a place where collectors can find genuine hobby insight, entertainment, education and a sense of community, all in one spot.
And what better way to live up to that mission than by spotlighting one of the hobby’s true icons? For decades, Sports Illustrated has been more than just a magazine. It’s been the storyteller of sports culture, and in the process, it’s become one of the most collectible pieces of that culture.
For over 70 years, SI hasn’t just reported on sports, it’s helped us memorialize moments that define the timelines of our lives as fans. Those covers we all remember aren’t merely photographs; they’re artifacts. They capture the athletes, the eras, and the energy that built both the modern sports world and the collectibles market that thrives around it.
This new series explores the covers, the stories, the athletes and the moments that have become cultural and collectible milestones across the covers and pages of this iconic magazine. We’ll look at collectability and value across categories, from the magazines themselves to cards, autographs, and game-used memorabilia tied to these covers and events.
So let’s start where every good collection begins, at the first issue that launched it all.
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Feature 1: The First Pitch, The Magazine That Launched an Industry
The Collectible: Sports Illustrated Vol. 1, No. 1 (August 16, 1954)
If you’re building a serious Sports Illustrated Magazine collection, there’s one place to start: issue number one. This isn’t just an old magazine; it’s the Action Comics #1 of sports publications, the piece that started everything. It redefined how sports were covered, and is the foundation of any serious SI Magazine collection.
Why It Matters: Rarity, Strategy, and History
The first issue, dated August 16, 1954, marked the moment sports coverage graduated from daily newspaper box scores to cultural moments. Time Inc. bet big on the idea that sports could be treated with the same journalistic depth and visual quality as politics or finance, and they turned out to be be right.
1. Market Vision and Innovation
Even in 1954, SI seemed to know potential readers were also collectors at heart. The debut issue featured the first of three early gatefold inserts showing Topps baseball cards, a brilliant bit of cross-pollination between the hobby and the media. That built-in synergy adds another layer to what makes this issue inherently collectible. Owning SI #1 is like holding the origin story of sports as mass-media entertainment.
2. The Cover: Eddie Mathews and the Braves’ Rise
The cover shot of Milwaukee Braves slugger Eddie Mathews mid-swing isn’t just a photo, it’s a snapshot of baseball’s golden era. Mathews, a future Hall of Famer and 500-home-run club member, embodied everything the magazine stood for: energy, optimism, and heroism in motion. The scene, vibrant colors, packed stands, pure action, perfectly introduced what SI set out to do.
3. The Rarity Factor
Here’s where things get interesting. Like early comic books, most issues were read, folded, and tossed. Surviving clean copies are scarce! In the mid 90's, Sports Illustrated came upon a previously unreleased stock of 1000 copies of the First Issue, which were offered to subscribers for $150-$299. This has definitely impacted the total number of high-grade copies available in the marketplace.
The Autograph Premium
Collectors are always chasing signed copies of SI, and issue #1 is no different. A clean issue signed by Eddie Mathews can hit five-figure territory, especially if it’s multi-signed by other names from the cover lineup. Add professional authentication and grading, and you’ve got a showpiece.
Market Insights: What It’s Worth and Why
Let’s talk numbers. Grading matters a lot. Just like trading cards, magazine condition is everything. CGC grading has been the standard for magazine grading, with PSA also recently entering the magazine and comic grading world.
Grade | Condition Notes | Estimated Value |
|---|---|---|
9.8 (Highest Graded, CGC POP 100) | Essentially flawless; museum quality; almost never seen. | $8,000 - $12,000 |
9.2 - 9.6 | Near Mint, minor wear | $500 - $2,000 |
8.0 - 8.5 | Excellent condition, clean with several minor defects | $250 - $500 |
Ungraded, lower grade | Well loved | $50 - $200 |
Prices fluctuate with market trends and provenance, but one thing’s consistent: collectors treat this issue as the bedrock of sports-media collecting.
The Takeaway
The Sports Illustrated Vol. 1, No. 1 isn’t just paper and ink, it’s the moment sports media became culture. For anyone building a portfolio at the intersection of sports, media, and memorabilia, this is where it starts.
Stay tuned for our next deep dive into Collecting SI. We have an endless number of covers, moments and athletes to explore.
Jeremy Aisenberg is co-founder of the Sports Cards Nonsense Media Network and has been active in the business of the hobby for more than two decades. Prior to launching the SCN Media Network, he spent the previous 18 years at Octagon, where he led the agency’s broadcast group and collectibles initiatives, advising the Topps Company and architecting Gary Vaynerchuk’s 2019 Topps partnership. Jeremy is an avid collector, with an extensive collection of vintage Red Sox hall of famers.