The Memorabilia Network – A Platform that Understands Collectors

When sports collectibles became a budding industry, it served the need of superfans to connect with their heroes. Every collector remembers their first card, their first signed item, their first buy, their first trade. And then, collectibles expanded into different industries such as entertainment, music, and history. One such passionate collector was Harlan Werner, who attended his first sports card show when he was only 13 years old.

That show also happened to be the very first National Sports Collectors Convention in Los Angeles in 1980. This experience led Harlan to a life of collecting and promoting shows that attracted prominent names such as Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Sandy Koufax, Pete Rose, Don Drysdale, Jim Brown, Joe Namath, and Muhammad Ali. But over the years, the collectibles industry started showing different colors. This prompted Harlan to embark on a venture with an important mission: To build The Memorabilia Network and save the collectibles industry from those who don’t understand what it’s really about.

With 40 years of experience as a show promoter and collector, Harlan has many stories to tell about legendary athletes such as Jim Brown, Roy Campanella, Don Drysdale and Mike Tyson. He even represented Muhammad Ali and his family for more than 20 years. In those years, Harlan built his own collection and started managing memorabilia for history’s most important people. Having dealt with shady “experts” that charge ridiculous prices for authentication and seeing dealers go on TV only to talk about themselves, Harlan decided there has to be an alternative that enables the collectors to be the hero of the story.

Recognized as one of the industry’s best platforms for authenticating, grading, buying, and selling collectible items, The Memorabilia Network is run by leaders in the collectibles industry. Harlan functions as its CEO and President, and he works side-by-side with its COO, Dan Nelles, who first ventured into memorabilia at 16 years old and now has 25 years of experience in the collectible industry; his Director of Appraisals, Mike Gutierrez, who is also the on-air appraiser for the prominent Antiques Roadshow; his Hollywood Department Head, David Elkouby, who has photographed hundreds of celebrities including Michael Jackson, Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor to name a few, and sold pictures to various publications including People, Time, The National Enquirer, and Rolling Stone; and finally on The Memorabilia Network’s corporate team, their Office Manager, Maria Parker, who has vast experience in media and broadcasting. Living true to its mission of bringing passionate collectors together, their Board of Directors also hold the most influential names in the industry.

In providing a safe space for collectors to tell their stories, The Memorabilia Network supports one’s unique and exciting journey with the items they hold. No longer will an expert override the true value of a collectible, just because some details “seem off” or “do not seem authentic.” With the effort in putting the collector’s stories out there through high-impact videos, The Memorabilia Network puts the fun back in collecting again.

The mission, to its core, is about serving the customers first. The Memorabilia Network’s white-glove service includes everything you might expect of a high-end auction house, but this time, you won’t feel like you’re being ripped off. They offer appraisal services that hold USPAP standards, as well as private sales services that allow you to have a global reach with high-end collectors around the world.

For an up-close view of The Memorabilia Network’s latest catalog, attend their upcoming Heroes, Icons, and Legends Auction on October 24, 2022. You’ll get an exciting glimpse on items, such as collectibles from Sandy Koufax and Kevin Costner, Muhammad Ali artwork, Mickey Mantle memorabilia, and much more. Read more by visiting The Memorabilia Network website.