Ken Goldin Has Made Millions Thanks to Sports Memorabilia

American businessman Ken Goldin tapped into the sports collectibles market because he knew there was such a high demand for an unmined market.

Memorabilia of any kind can appeal to a broad range of fans. Some people are eager to cash out to own a piece of something with sentimental value to them. Sports fans often work to grow their collection of rarer items related to their favorite teams or players.

Goldin's overwhelming success in the collectibles and memorabilia industry paid off so handsomely that Netflix released a limited series about him. So, who is Ken Goldin, and what's his net worth?

Goldin's interest in sports memorabilia and merchandise has been lifelong. At 13, Goldin kicked off his business by selling baseball trading cards. According to an interview with The U.S. Sun, Goldin was so successful in his youth that he paid for his college expenses. He and his father, Paul, used their shared love of professional athletics to form Score Board Inc. Score Board Inc. allowed them to create autograph contracts with players selling autographed trading cards.

Three years later, Goldin stepped away from Score Board Inc. a year before the company filed for bankruptcy. He continued to keep up with the world of memorabilia sales by appearing on television. He was able to recoup from the dip in market interest following the 2008 Recession, later founding Goldin Auctions in 2012. Goldin believed there was a renewed interest in selling alternative assets to turn a profit amid national financial strife.

It was claimed that Golden Auctions made $800,000 in sales during its first year of operation. Goldin saves 20 percent of each final sale for himself. By May 2021, he had earned $200 million, and an overwhelming majority of Goldin's earnings and net worth were generated by his heavy influence over the sports collectible auction world. According to reports, Goldin Auctions made $300 million in sales in 2022, a step up from its earnings of $101 million in 2020.

Goldin's prominence in the sports collectible market has been so impactful that his story caught Netflix's attention. On April 28, 2023, the streaming service launched a miniseries dedicated to Goldin Auctions and their hunting process for the rarest pieces of memorabilia on the market. King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch took a more detailed look at how the collectible business works and how the auction process earns Goldin so much in return.

King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch shares insight into how the auction house has made such a significant name for itself while dealing in rare collectibles, illustrating how Goldin and his team work together to maintain successful operations through his online marketplace. While there's much to dig into regarding Goldin's extensive expertise and the rise to power for Goldin Collectibles, Netflix tightly packages the six-episode series in bite-sized 30-minute increments.

The limited-run show features Goldin alongside Consignment Director Dave Amerman, Head of Vintage Consignment Steve Lucas, and Head of Private Sales Frank DiNote. All episodes of King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch are now streaming on Netflix.