Today we’d like to introduce you to Theo Chen.
Hi Theo, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I first started collecting baseball cards as a college kid in the 1980s. I eventually transitioned to collecting other sports cards, then autographed cards and memorabilia in the 1990s. My first real job was as an editor, then price guide editor for Beckett Baseball Card Monthly.
In 1997 I started first started selling mostly cards and autographs on eBay. In 1998 I left Beckett to become autographed product manager for Upper Deck Authenticated, which had an exclusive contract with Michael Jordan, among others. Around this time the dot com era began and I was lucky enough to register the domain name AutographsForSale.com.
By 1999 I decided to be my own boss, and with no real backup plan I launched my website AutographsForSale.com. 27 years later, after mostly ups and some downs, I’m still selling autographs and cards on AutographsForSale.com, eBay and Walmart. The autograph and card businesses have drastically changed during this time, but I’m still going strong. However, since I’m pushing 60, I’m definitely slowly winding down my business so I can semi retire here in San Diego.
My personal niche? The Sports Illustrated for Kids cards produced since their 1989 first issue. I have the world’s largest collection of autographed SI for Kids cards from my personal autograph chasing during the 1990s and 2000s, that I’ve now fully converted into business inventory. The better cards have been professionally authenticated and/or graded.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not. I’ve been through the Great Recession and the covid pandemic. Authentication and grading have become important for both autographs and cards. Both areas have had significant issues with counterfeits and forgeries and fraud.
Shipping costs and selling fees have risen dramatically. Search engine optimization is still a major battle I’m constantly fighting. Since I sell mostly the same products on 3 very different platforms, I am constantly dealing with listing optimization and keeping inventory and prices synced.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
In my younger days I spent countless hours chasing autographs in person at games, practices, golf tournaments, public and private events. Along the way I’ve “met” many of the world’s most famous athletes including Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali and Tiger Woods. In the celebrity realm, I’ve met Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Celine Dion, Harrison Ford, Denzel Washington, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Samuel L. Jackson and Keanu Reeves.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Finding the domain name AutographsForSale.com still available in 1997 literally changed my life. That was very lucky,
Contact Info:
- Website: https://AutographsForSale.com
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/AutographsForSale
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theo-chen-0725762a
