i noticed that you ended your ebay auction - imo that was a smart move.

so what are your plans? before paying for the services of a "professional authenticator" i would suggest that you contact the chicago bears directly to see if there is someone within their organization that can speak authoritatively about your jersey. perhaps track someone down within the bears' organization that can actually compare, physically, your jersey with one they have archived. if you can swing this, and get the bears to issue a letter of authenticity on team letterhead, i think such documentation would dwarf anything a "pro" authenticator could provide and would certainly further enhance the value of your item. no doubt it would be worth the cost of a flight to chicago.

as far as the bonds thing is concerned, it sounds like you are worried that if you don't jump on a big offer something could surface to queer the deal. it also seems that you are worried about tax implications.

imo your jersey is nothing like the bonds sitch and patience on your part will only increase the amount you will eventually realize on the sale. contact the bears, get them to issue you a team letter and then list your jersey with a reputable sports memorabilia auction house after negotiating a reduced commission cut - keep in mind that your jersey will bring a tremendous amount of publicity and prestige to the house that lists it.

as far as taxes are concerned, i would recommend that you get used to the idea that you will owe capital gain taxes on the transaction. speak with a good tax accountant, pay the tax bill, and enjoy your profit without having to look over your shoulder for the rest of your life. ebay may not report such a sale to the irs but it would likely surface if you ever get audited down the road - penalties and interest, not to mention that not reporting it would most likely smack of tax evasion, is something i'm sure you will not like facing down the road. on the up side you will probably, and legally, be able to circumvent sales tax if the jersey is sold in a state where you do not reside.

keep us posted.


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