When sporting scandal breaks, it's not just the star's endorsement deals that take a hit. Spare a thought for the humble collector, whose memorabilia collection may have plummeted in value overnight too.
Tiger Woods: Memorabilia down 45% in value from 2009
What went wrong? Several affairs. The first of which came to wife Elin Nordegren's attention during Thanksgiving weekend in 2009. This prompted Nordegren to chase Woods out of their house with a nine-iron. Arguably golf's greatest ever player promptly crashed his car into a fire hydrant, knocking himself unconscious.
A Tiger Woods-signed rookie card, from the 2001 SP Authentic series, was worth around $4,500 in top condition, pre-scandal. Today they sell for $2,500. But that figure has risen by $1,000 since the height of Woods' infamy in 2009, when nobody, it seemed, wanted anything to do with him. Apart from Playboy models.
Why are prices beginning to return? Dan Wade of Paul Fraser Collectibles comments: "Woods' golfing abilities will endure in the memories of sports collectors more than the alleged 120 infidelities. Future generations will think 'Tiger Woods – golfer', not 'Tiger Woods – philanderer'."
Tiger Woods in 2007 - two years before the scandal broke
Woods is a notoriously reluctant autograph signer. Large Tiger Woods-signed photos will set you back around $350.
OJ Simpson: Down 50% from 1994
What went wrong? The Buffalo Bills star running back was charged but acquitted of the 1994 murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and waiter Ronald Goldman. A civil case later found him "liable" for the murders. Simpson served nine years in jail for armed robbery, after attempting to steal his own memorabilia from two dealers in 2007.
Fascination with Simpson, and particularly the murder trial, ensures there remains a market for his memorabilia. But values are considerably down on pre-1994 figures, when Simpson was known solely for his football career, and his appearances in Naked Gun.
Simpson's Heisman trophy (awarded to the star college player of the year) was estimated at $500,000 pre-killings. It was valued at $400,000 when the civil case verdict ordered him to pay $33.5 million to the families of his victims in 1997. It actually sold for $255,000, in 1999. That price is far below the Heisman record of $395,240, held by little remembered University of Minnesota running back Bruce P Smith’s 1941 trophy. That tells you everything.
Simpson in his playing days with the Buffalo Bills
Simpson's game-worn jerseys have dropped from $8,000 at their peak to just $4,000 today.
Want to grab yourself an inexpensive piece of "Juice" memorabilia? Signed photos are yours for around $30. He gave thousands away to fans during his career, which means there's a huge surplus today.
Michael Vick: Down 50% from peak
What went wrong? The retired NFL quarterback was imprisoned for 23 months in 2007 for dog fighting, and drowning dogs that underperformed.
While the repentant Michael Vick now campaigns against animal cruelty, sports collectors still view his memorabilia as severely tainted.
Before prison: Michael Vick with the Atlanta Falcons in 2007
It's why game worn jerseys that once commanded $2,000 are now worth $1,000.
Marion Jones: Down 66% from 2000
What went wrong? In 2007, after years of denials, the sprinter finally admitted to using steroids before the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where she won three gold medals.
Track and field memorabilia has never been particularly valuable – most people only take notice of it for one week every four years. Which means Jones' memorabilia hasn't had far to fall. But it's at rock bottom now.
Jones' three Olympic golds from Sydney are no longer hers
You can pick up a signed photo for around $10 – they were trading for $30 immediately after the 2000 Olympics.
Mark McGwire: Down 80% from 1998
What went wrong? McGwire, who broke the single-season home run record in 1998, admitted in 2010 to steroid use during his career.
At the height of his fame in 1998 McGwire game-used bats achieved around $5,000. That's fallen to around $1,000 today.
McGwire is still in baseball, despite his admissions
Cartoonist Todd McFarlane bought McGwire's 70th – and final – home run ball for $3 million in 1999. It's worth a lot less today.
Barry Bonds: Down 80% from peak
What went wrong? Barry Bonds holds the career and single season home run records but allegations of steroid abuse have followed him continually in recent years.
Signed baseballs once made $350. Now you can pick one up for around $75.
Are those muscles all his own work?
Back in 2007, the widespread rumours didn't stop Barry Bonds' 756th home run ball – the one that broke Hank Aaron's home run record – auctioning for $752,467. Without the suspicions that many of those home runs were drug-fuelled, the baseball would likely have achieved more than $1 million.
Alex Rodriguez: Down 80% from 2013
What went wrong? The three-time American League MVP was suspended for the 2014 season for taking performance-enhancing drugs.
Signed photographs that once commanded around $150 now achieve $60. His game-used bats have dropped from $1,000 to $200.
A-Rod eyes another hit
Lance Armstrong: Down 90% from 2013
What went wrong? After years of denials, in 2013 the seven-time Tour de France winner admitted to having taken performance-enhancing drugs.
You can buy Lance Armstrong-signed cycling jerseys for around $100 today. Before the scandal broke, that figure was $1,000.
Armstrong-signed photos still have some worth, if only for their infamy value. Expect to pay around $25.
Lance Armstrong was also stripped of his 2000 Olympic time trial bronze medal
"Performance enhancing drug use is worse than extra marital revelations or even homicide in collectors' eyes, because it casts doubt on that star's sporting achievements," explains Wade.
"Armstrong's memorabilia has fallen more than the baseball stars because so many people wanted to believe that the transformation from testicular cancer survivor to Tour de France record breaker was all his own work."
The first non drug-implicated finisher in the 1999 Tour – Armstrong's first win – was little heralded Daniele Nardello in seventh place, evidence of just how rife doping was in the peloton in those years. You can pick up Nardello's autograph today for around $5.
The exceptions
Aaron Hernandez: up 200% since 2012
What went wrong? In 2013, the New England Patriots tight-end murdered Odin Lloyd, the boyfriend of his fiancée's sister. Hernandez hanged himself in an apparent suicide in April 2017, while serving a life-sentence.
Ebay has seen a spike in memorabilia for sale in the wake of Hernandez's death, matched only by the clamour to own the NFL player's replica jerseys and autographs. Replica unsigned "Hernandez" Patriots jerseys that sold for $100 during his playing career have been achieving as much as $300 following news of his death. That's around the same price they were trading for in the days after he was arrested in 2013. Signed, they're making up to $1,000. Autographed photos too have grown in value, up from around $5 during his playing days to $30 today.
The boom for Hernandez' signature and memorabilia won't last forever
Hernandez' notoriety is clearly the biggest cause behind these figures. But expect to see values drop significantly as interest in the Hernandez story wanes over the coming years.
Rarity is also a factor. For example, the New England Patriots immediately stopped selling Hernandez jerseys following his arrest and even offered a free swap option. And Hernandez will only have signed a limited number of autographs during his short pro football career.
Oscar Pistorius: Memorabilia value stayed the same
What went wrong? Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp through a locked toilet door in his apartment, on Valentine's Day 2013.
Pistorius took on able bodied-athletes and won. He did more to change the public perception of athletes with disabilities than anyone before him. That's why his autograph routinely traded for around $100 before he killed Ms Steenkamp. Yet his actions on the night of Valentine's Day 2013 have not dampened demand or prices for his autographs.
Pistorius was one of the stars of London 2012
It seems the global notoriety that came with his trial - bringing his name to an audience beyond sports fans – has ensured that the value of his autograph has remained steady. Also, it's likely many investment-minded collectors are taking a punt that his notoriety will ensure a rise in value for his memorabilia over the coming years.
Tonya Harding: up in value since 1993 (but not valuable)
What went wrong? Figure skater Tonya Harding's then husband ordered an attack on Harding's compatriot and Olympic rival Nancy Kerrigan ahead of the 1994 Winter Olympics. Harding pleaded guilty to hindering the prosecution, but denied knowledge of the actual incident. Harding finished the 1994 Olympics eighth and in tears. Kerrigan picked up the silver.
Before a police baton was taken to her rival's knees, no one outside the world of figure skating had heard of Tonya Harding. Even fewer wanted her autograph.
The public and world's media descended on Harding's practice sessions in Oregon before the 1994 Olympics
Today her signatures sell for up to $30. That's nothing to do with her triple axel, and everything to do with the notoriety surrounding the hit.
The jury's out
Maria Sharapova
What went wrong? The five-time Grand Slam champion announced in March 2016 she had failed a drug test for meldonium at that year's Australian Open. The drug – used by many athletes to increase oxygen capacity – had only been placed on the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list at the beginning of the year. She returned to tennis in April 2017 after serving a 15-month ban.
Expect to pay around $50 for a Maria Sharapova signed photo. While there has been little sympathy for Sharapova's failed test from within the locker room, the tennis-watching public have been more forgiving. Many view this as a careless mistake than a deliberate attempt to cheat.
Did Maria Sharapova make an honest mistake?
Although Sharapova's autograph has never been valuable – she signs so many – it looks as though it will hold value, at least for the short term. A tennis dress Sharapova wore at the 2009 Wimbledon auctioned for $2,000 the same year.
In conclusion
Performance enhancing drug revelations affect a star's memorabilia more than recreational drugs, affairs or even homicide. Why? Because if a sports star only achieved their greatness through illicit means, they're not really that great. And who wants to own the memorabilia of an average athlete?
The figures quoted are based on Paul Fraser Collectibles' close monitoring of auction and dealer prices, in addition to expert opinion.
