England fans could be sitting on a goldmine regardless of the team's World Cup result tonight, as vintage Three Lions shirts are fetching serious money on the resale market. The top-priced England shirt on the popular Classic Football Shirts site yesterday, Tuesday, July 14, was advertised for an eye-watering £1,249.99.
Match-issued shirts command top prices
The key to attracting a top price is a link to a former player. The most expensive shirt is a 2002 World Cup home shirt issued to Michael Owen for a match against Sweden, bearing his name, the number ten, and the date of the fixture, June 2. Of the 12 most expensive England shirts on the site, all were either match-issued or match-worn.
But even standard replica shirts that would have been sold in sports shops nationwide over the years are being advertised for hundreds of pounds. An England home shirt from 1984 to 1987, still in its original packaging, was on sale for £499.99. A Euro '96 shirt with an Alan Shearer name and number set was up for £399.99.
Thriving cottage industry
Trading in vintage shirts is a thriving cottage industry, and a string of traders have taken advantage of the explosion of interest by setting up businesses. Last month, the BBC reported that Welsh teenager Eleri Williams had made more than £35,000 by reselling shirts and planned to graduate from university debt-free. "I've finished my A-levels now and get my results hopefully in September. I know I'm financially in the position to attend the university, academically it's just up to me now," she said.
You can see the full range of shirts over at ClassicFootballShirts.co.uk.
