How A1 Sporting Memorabilia Shaped the Market
If you're shopping for signed memorabilia, you’ve probably come across A1 Sporting Memorabilia - one of the UK’s best-known names in the market. They’ve built a strong reputation over the years for framed football shirts, signed photos, and sports memorabilia collectibles.
Founded in 1995 by Terry and Freda Baker of A1 Sporting Speakers, A1 Sporting Memorabilia was born out of direct relationships with sports stars through after-dinner speaking events. In 2007, they expanded further by acquiring Bigbluetube.com, adding hundreds of authentic signed items to their range while maintaining strict quality standards. In 2015, A1 Sporting Memorabilia was purchased by Icons Shop Limited, forming at the time the world's largest football memorabilia company.
The founders of X Memorabilia were part of that journey from 2009 to 2024, helping to build A1’s ecommerce platform, operations, and trust with collectors — experience that now forms the backbone of X Memorabilia.
What Collectors Expect in 2025
In 2025, collectors expect more than just the promise of authentic signed memorabilia — they demand more. They want verified authenticity, digital traceability, real value, and a faster, more personal service. They want to know that the signature is real, that the certificate is unique and traceable, and that what they are buying today will stand up to scrutiny for years to come.
That’s where X Memorabilia comes in - a new kind of platform for buying signed memorabilia, built by the same people who originally created A1 Sporting Memorabilia’s online presence and growth. We understand the industry. We helped shape it. And now, we’re helping modernise it.
At X Memorabilia, we deliver what collectors expect:
- Authenticity they can verify
- Certificates that can’t be reused or faked
- Proof that matches the item, not just the event
- A wider range of memorabilia across football, boxing, darts, cricket, snooker, TV, film, and music
- A wider choice of memorabilia not just from one supplier
- Faster and more modern website and search
- Value for money and a more personal service
X Memorabilia offers collectors verified authenticity, digital proof tied to each item, and a wider choice of signed memorabilia from trusted suppliers. With faster search, better value, and personal service, we deliver a modern, secure way to collect — backed by tamper-proof certificates and full online traceability.
📖 Learn More:
Our experience spans over 15 years at the forefront of the signed memorabilia industry, including the growth of trusted names like A1 Sporting Memorabilia and Icons.com. From building eCommerce platforms to coordinating hundreds of private signing sessions with world-renowned athletes, our background has helped shape the modern standards for authenticity and trust.
X Memorabilia
and
CertAuthentic.comâ„¢
are the next step in raising those standards.
Find out more about our journey.
1. Curated Marketplace vs Traditional Retailer
A1 Sporting Memorabilia operates as a traditional single-brand retailer. They host private signings, create framed products, and fulfil orders in-house.
X Memorabilia takes a more modern approach. We’re a curated marketplace, partnering with a trusted network of hand-picked suppliers. But we’re not a peer-to-peer platform we:
- Stock every item ourselves
- Photograph and inspect each one
- Handle all fulfilment and customer support directly
This gives collectors:
- A wider range of unique memorabilia
- Confidence in the source of every product
- One place to shop, verify, and get help
2. We Don’t Replace Traditional Authentication - We Secure It
A1’s items are typically accompanied by a paper COA and often a signing photo especially for their own autograph signing sessions. These are valid forms of proof and part of what built trust in the memorabilia space.
X Memorabilia builds on that trust by securing the connection between the COA and the actual item being sold.
How our system works:
- We photograph the exact signature on your specific item when it’s packed for dispatch
- That image is securely linked to a unique certificate ID and QR code
- The certificate is stored digitally and is accessible at any time via CertAuthentic.comâ„¢
- You or any future buyer can instantly verify the item’s authenticity
Important: The product photo on the listing is for reference only. The signature photo taken at fulfilment is unique to your item and linked directly to its online digital COA issued by CertAuthentic.comâ„¢.
3. Feature Comparison
| Feature | X Memorabilia | A1 Sporting Memorabilia |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplace Model | Verified, individually vetted multi-supplier marketplace. Stocked and fulfilled in-house | Single retailer. Stocked and fulfilled in-house |
| Product Focus | Football, Boxing, TV, Film, and Music Memorabilia | Football, Boxing Memorabilia |
| Framing | Premium framing, lower pricing | Premium framing options |
| Certificate | PVC credit card certificate with individually numbered and paired holograms | Paper certificate with numbered holograms |
| Digital COA + QR Lookup | Yes – via CertAuthentic.com™ | No – Paper certificate only |
| Signature Image | Yes – exact signature photo on digital COA | No – generic image |
| Public Certificate Verification | Yes – digital ID, lookup page | No – no public verification |
| Payment Options | Google Pay, Apple Pay, PayPal, Card | Card, Google Pay, Apple Pay |
4. Our Framing Matches the Best - Without the Brand Premium
A1 is known for high-quality framing, especially for football shirts and photos.
We match that standard and beat them on price.
X Memorabilia offers:
- Professionally built framing using premium materials
- The same clean, modern finishes collectors expect
- Secure mounting designed for long-term preservation
- Framing options that cost less because we don’t inflate for branding
Whether it’s a signed shirt, glove, or display photo, you’ll get top-tier presentation without the markup.
5. Trusted Technology for Long-Term Value
Today’s collectors don’t just want an item to look good now they want it to retain value later.
X Memorabilia’s COA system is designed for exactly that:
- Buyers can verify an item years later via QR code
- The digital certificate remains accessible for resale
- Signature photos prevent fraud or COA reuse
This adds real resale confidence and long-term trust — for buyers, collectors, and future owners alike.
6. We’re Not eBay. We’re Not Drop-Shipping. We’re Accountable.
While X Memorabilia is a marketplace, we don’t let just anyone list products. This isn’t an open marketplace.
Instead:
- We approve every supplier ourselves
- We physically hold all inventory
- We photograph and verify every signature before it ships
That means no risk of misrepresentation, no last-minute sourcing, and no uncertainty. What you see is what you get and what you get is exactly what’s verified.
7. Built By the Same People Who Built A1 Sporting Memorabilia
X Memorabilia isn’t an outsider brand trying to break into the space.
It was founded by the same people who originally built A1 Sporting Memorabilia’s online presence, led its digital growth, and helped define what trustworthy memorabilia retail looked like.
We’ve worked directly with icons of sport and TV. We’ve organised hundreds of signings. We know the industry’s strengths and its weaknesses.
X Memorabilia is the next evolution:
- Same commitment to quality
- Same understanding of what collectors want
- With better tech, more transparency, and stronger security
8. Frequently Asked Questions
9. Final Thoughts: A Legacy Continued & System Upgraded
A1 Sporting Memorabilia played a key role in making signed memorabilia mainstream and trusted. That legacy is real and we respect it.
X Memorabilia builds on it.
We’ve taken the trust model that worked and strengthened it with:
- Modern certificate verification
- A signature-photo match system
- In-house fulfilment and quality control
- Competitive pricing, especially for framed items
- A broader marketplace of approved sellers
In short: the same integrity, with 2025 technology to back it up.
Ready to collect with more confidence?
Explore hand-signed memorabilia backed by the next generation of verification - signature-linked COAs, digital proof, and framing that looks the part.