After thousands of events, we know what works!

Autographed auction items consistently do well because of their popularity with attendees. Sports memorabilia, movie posters, sheet music, record albums, and more – signed by the biggest celebrities – never disappoint.

In the past, we have written articles on why these kinds of auction items excel.

(Check out this article about why Musician Autographed Memorabilia procure high bids!)

Today, rather than going through a big list of reasons in the abstract, let’s look at the top 6 highest-grossing movies of all time. We have autographed auction items for nearly each one! These items are on the list for the most popular stories of cinema history! Within each movie, we will look at why these stories are so impactful, so enticing to audiences… and therefore, so interesting as auction items for your next mobile, online, or in person auction event!

#6 “Jurassic World” (2015)

JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM

Signed by: Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pratt, Jeff Goldblum, Toby Jones, BD Wong and Rafe Spall

Starting off with #6, Jurassic World hit the theatres with a massive cult following after its previous movies in the series.

Movies transport us. This movie is no exception. We enjoy a story like this because it puts us right in the action of something possible, but larger than life.  Movies can take us to Urban Paris and the Tropical West Indies. They can take us to the hot sands of the Sahara or blistering cold of the Arctic in a matter of seconds. It can take us around the world to see things we have never seen before. It can also aggrandize things – the way our imagination did for us when we were kids.

Jurassic World  takes an idea and brings it to life. It transports us to another “possible world” in which scientists actually “recreated” dinosaurs.

This auction item transports us back to our memories of this movie as well as all the movies that come along with this story. Some of us grew up watching the cult classics. It’s for this reason why we shouldn’t be surprised at its Global box office revenue coming in at $1.671 billion and its Domestic box office revenue coming in at just over $652 million.

#5 “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018)

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR – VERSION B – LIMITED QUANTITY AVAILABLE

Signed by: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Elizabeth Olsen, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Bettany, Zoe Saldana, Danai Gurira, Chadwick Boseman, Tom Hiddleston, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Chris Evans, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, Don Cheadle, Peter Dinklage, Anthony Mackie, Benedict Cumberbatch and Stan Lee

Success is shared…and goodness does the Marvel Cinematic Universe showcase that truth! Even though Avengers: Infinity War comes in at #5 in our list, this is not the last Marvel Universe movie on our list!

Movies are shared successes. Movies are relate-able, collaborative, and good movies let the viewer join into a thriving community… a team.

Just like the Avengers themselves!

Shared success brings people together from different walks of life. A built community does not discount diversity; they celebrate it.

Just like a successful nonprofit event needs to be built on shared success, it is also true of successful movies. Movies need to be built on this community-based mindset, showcasing role models of such success themselves. There is nothing more exciting than going on an adventure with your friends on your team, watching your back!

The movie-goers get to join in on the adventures, broadening our experiences to things that are very much outside our familiar world.

Global box office: $2.048 billion

Domestic box office: $678 million

AVENGERS: ENDGAME – VERSION C – LIMITED QUANTITY AVAILABLE

This Item Comes Custom Designed With Avengers: Endgame Logo Double Laser Cut Into The Matting In Silver On The Black Background. – Museum Quality – Signed By: Robert Downey Jr. – “Iron Man”, Chris Hemsworth – “Thor”, Don Cheadle – “War Machine”, Brie Larson – “Captain Marvel”, Chris Evans – “Captain America”, Josh Brolin – “Thanos”, Jeremy Renner – “Hawkeye”, Paul Rudd – “Ant-Man”, Mark Ruffalo – “Hulk”, Bradley Cooper – “Rocket” and Scarlett Johansson – “Black Widow”

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR – VERSION A – LIMITED QUANTITY AVAILABLE

This Item Comes Custom Designed With The Avengers: Infinity War Logo Double Laser Cut Into The Matting In Gold On The Black Background. – Museum Quality – Signed by: Robert Downey Jr. (Ironman), ​Chris Hemsworth (Thor), ​Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), ​Chris Evans (Captain America), ​Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), ​Don Cheadle (War Machine), ​Josh Brolin (Thanos), ​Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Bradley Cooper (Rocket), ​Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), and ​Stan Lee (Creator – d. 11/12/2018)

#4 “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015)

12A – LIMITED EDITION – “STAR WARS: EPISODE VII THE FORCE AWAKENS”

11×14 Star Wars Limited Edition Photo – ***Extremely Rare Item*** Limited Edition and Individually Numbered to Only 10 Worldwide. Custom Framed With “Star Wars The Force Awakens” Logo Double Laser-Cut In The Matting of The Frame in Silver on Black Background. – Museum Quality – Signed by: Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (d. 12/27/2016) (Princess Leia), Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), Daisy Ridley (Rey), John Boyega (Finn), Domhnall Gleeson (General Hux), Andy Serkis (Supreme Leader Snoke), Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron), Gwendoline Christie (Captain Phasma), George Lucas (Creator) and J.J. Abrams (Director)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens just scratches the surface at the profound importance and impact this movie series has had on multiple generations!

Movies are time machines…Or really, space ships! Never mind going back to visit the Roaring Twenties or the Roman Empire at the turn of the first century! A movie can take you back to the dawn of civilization, tell the stories of your contemporaries, AND take you to a galaxy far far away!

All of these places give us a deeper understanding of the world around us.

Global box office: $2.068 billion

Domestic box office: $936 million

#3 “Titanic” (1997)

Signed by: Celine Dion, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet

I remember when some of my friends went to see this movie 7 times in the theatres.

Movies are captivating stories. Sometimes, movies take you to grand and awe-striking events. Sometimes, they pull back the curtain in someone’s life and you really feel like you are meeting that person! This movie did both!

Global box office: $2.187 billion

Domestic box office: $659 million

#2 “Avatar” (2009)

Avatar comes in as the second highest grossing movies of all time. Yet, not many people are still talking about it. Why?

Movies create other worlds…but we want to meet people wherever we go! This movie was amazing in its construction. The SGI was unprecedented at the time. The world-building was elaborate. But the story seemed lacking. Not many people fell in love with the characters and the story the way we have with the Marvel Universe or Star Wars.

This movie offers a good example of what it means to present something quality, but not interesting enough for your audience. A good auction item connects with your bidders, just like a good movie!

Global box office: $2.789 billion

Domestic box office: $760 million

And now, for the highest grossing movie of all time, to date…

Drum roll, please…

#1 “Avengers: Endgame” (2019)

AVENGERS: ENDGAME – VERSION A – LIMITED QUANTITY AVAILABLE

This Item Comes Custom Designed With Avengers: Endgame Logo Double Laser Cut Into The Matting In Blue On The Black Background. – Museum Quality – Signed by: Robert Downey Jr. – “Iron Man”, Chris Hemsworth – “Thor”, Don Cheadle – “War Machine”, Brie Larson – “Captain Marvel”, Chris Evans – “Captain America”, Josh Brolin – “Thanos”, Jeremy Renner – “Hawkeye”, Paul Rudd – “Ant-Man”, Mark Ruffalo – “Hulk”, Bradley Cooper – “Rocket” and Scarlett Johansson – “Black Widow”

The Marvel Cinematic Universe comes in at #1!

Movies bring us friends. Characters are brought to life through movies. We laugh with them; we cry; and we feel their joys and sufferings. Movies are more than a 2 or 3 hour one-time event in our lives. They are become a part of your life! That is why it isn’t surprising that the same movie-series shows up twice on this list. We were invested in the Avengers in the first and second movies. Since these movies are well made, retain their character arcs, and are just down-right fun, it makes sense that the audience will become more invested in the fourth movie more than we were for the third!

Global box office: $2.790 billion

Domestic box office: $854 million

AVENGERS: ENDGAME – VERSION B – LIMITED QUANTITY AVAILABLE

This Item Comes Custom Designed With Avengers: The End Game Logo Double Laser Cut Into The Matting In Red On The Black Background. – Museum Quality – Signed by: Robert Downey Jr. – “Iron Man”, Chris Hemsworth – “Thor”, Don Cheadle – “War Machine”, Brie Larson – “Captain Marvel”, Chris Evans – “Captain America”, Josh Brolin – “Thanos”, Jeremy Renner – “Hawkeye”, Paul Rudd – “Ant-Man”, Mark Ruffalo – “Hulk”, Bradley Cooper – “Rocket” and Scarlett Johansson – “Black Widow”

AVENGERS: ENDGAME – VERSION C – LIMITED QUANTITY AVAILABLE

This Item Comes Custom Designed With Avengers: Endgame Logo Double Laser Cut Into The Matting In Silver On The Black Background. – Museum Quality – Signed By: Robert Downey Jr. – “Iron Man”, Chris Hemsworth – “Thor”, Don Cheadle – “War Machine”, Brie Larson – “Captain Marvel”, Chris Evans – “Captain America”, Josh Brolin – “Thanos”, Jeremy Renner – “Hawkeye”, Paul Rudd – “Ant-Man”, Mark Ruffalo – “Hulk”, Bradley Cooper – “Rocket” and Scarlett Johansson – “Black Widow”

We hope you enjoyed looking over the 6 highest grossing movies of all time! Contact Charity Fundraising if you would like to auction any of these or our other autographed auction items at your next online or mobile event!

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On the day of the event, the pressure is on.

It feels everything is riding on this singular event.

And that is partly true!

Charity fundraising events and specifically selecting charity auction items) takes time to market and execute!

But all that stress and expectation concerning the outcome of the event can really spoil the actual event.

After alongside with hundreds of nonprofits and events, Charity Fundraising would like to offer some tips on how to NOT zap the fun out of your Charity Auction.

We have seen how disappointment may arise from having unrealistic expectations, short-term thinking, and overspending on the superfluous items. These mistakes can zap the life out of your team and make the event heavier.

We have also seen some simple but common blunders that make the event less fun for your guests! These blunders revolve around A/V team preparation, checkout efficiency, and auction item selections.

Don’t zap the fun for your TEAM

1. Unrealistic expectations

Setting unrealistic expectations for an event can dampen the spirits of the entire team. When you set the bar too high, even a successful event “won’t be good enough.”

If this is your organization’s inaugural auction, start small. Even though annual events are only one-time events, the consistency of such events builds on each other. You can’t expect to reach the goals of another charity that pulls in $175,000 at their 20^th annual auction.

That being said, there is another side – the first event does not always the smallest procurement rate. Often times, the first event ropes in a lot of people! The first annual event is new and exciting! The following year, some people might not make it or might not ask as many friends to come. The third year can be the most difficult. The enthusiasm of the new event is gone. Even for those loyal supporters, it’s easy to think “I’ve already been twice, and I’m just so busy this year – I’ll make it next year.”

Consult wise experts in the charity nonprofit world to make sure your organization has the right expectations for your auction! There are patterns to these annual events. Some years are just notorious for being slower years.

2. Short-term thinking

Slow years are not bad years! In other words, receiving less procurement on some events do not make the event irrelevant or a loss!

It is reported that 93% of attendees say the priority of a fundraiser is to have fun!

Events are to connect with old and new supporters. If raising funds was the primary reason for an event, then there would be no reason to get people together! (We could procure funds over digital media campaigns – Giving Tuesday takes place primarily on the web and that’s been proven to be a HUGE success.)

No, charity fundraising events procure funds, but they also connect people. The new guest who comes receives an experience. This experience teaches him or her about your organization and your cause! Though that guest may give only $100 that night, that connection may procure thousands of dollars over the course of that relationship.

Reaching out to donors and providing experience through a charity fundraising event takes a long-term focus.

Don’t get bogged down on the success of one night! Remember to look at the long-term patterns – are you making new donor relationships and maintaining old ones?

3. Overspending on superfluous items

In light of influx of great and slow years, and in light of the purpose of charity auction events, don’t overspend on superfluous items!

We see this most often with DJs and Bands. Though they can bring life to an event, they are not paramount! Sometimes, charities will forgo an auctioneer at a live auction or skimp of catering options to pay for a large and expensive live band. We don’t recommend this! Extravagant spending doesn’t usually pay off when it comes to music since music is by definition in the background.

What about for your guests? What do they need to have a fun and good time at your event?

Believe it or not, it’s the logistical issues that end up making an event a bummer for guests…

Don’t zap the fun for your GUESTS

1. Unprepared A/V team

Poor sound and lighting can ruin the experience. Unprepared A/V teams only adds to the problem. Most nonprofit – especially for the first few years of an annual event –  are so busy with setting up, managing catering, and figuring out the kinks with their event’s schedule that other things slide! Lighting and sound usually become secondary problems. In fact, these components really change an atmosphere! Loud and noisy venues with poor sound make it hard for guests to hear the live auctioneer. Poor lighting makes it hard to see and can make everything feel dingy. These poor conditions also strains people’s focus, which tires them out quicker.

2. Inefficient checkouts

Imagine this:

You are at a charity fundraising event. You had a great night. The venue was great, you enjoy some quality drinks, and you had a blast bidding for an auction item you won in the end. It’s late now. It is about 9:45pm. You didn’t realize how late the event would go and the adrenaline from bidding for your item has worn off. Now, you have to go checkout you auction item. It is the only thing standing in your way of your PJs and a relaxing night at home. The checkout takes 45 MINUTES.

It was mas havoc. The charity’s card systems were failing, volunteers lost your auction item for a short time, everyone was trying to checkout… it was a mess!

This scenario seems farfetched. But you’d be surprised at how often and easily this kind of situation occurs!

Do you think you would remember how fun of a night you had or that the ending of the night was a total pain?

Bad experiences tend to carry more weight for us than good experiences.

Don’t forget to plan well for efficient checkouts! You don’t want your guests leaving on a bad note!

3. Fun auction items!

Some nonprofits want to get as much bang for their buck as possible. They prefer to only have auction items in which they will receive 100% of the bid.

Consignment auction items, like vacation packages and celebrity and sports autographed auction items, bring a lot of excitement and energy to your event!

It’s important to weigh the benefits of an engaging and exciting auction items versus a free and pretty run-of-the-mill item.

Additionally, an organization can ask for auction item sponsors! If a local business (say an outdoor sports equipment shop) wants to become a sponsor, they can sponsor a ski-resort vacation package or a golf-pro autographed auction item! Then, your organization is guaranteed to receive all procurement from the bidding process at the event!

Charity fundraising goes a step farther! We offer our charity auction items at ZERO-RISK. Meaning, we ship you the auction items for FREE and take them back at no cost to you if they do not sell!

So why not give them a try?

We hope these tips will help your organization keep the fun in your next charity auction fundraising event! Contact Charity Fundraising for more information – we live to help nonprofits have enjoyably and profitable events!

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For those of us who are up in northern areas, the weather is dreary and snowfall makes the morning commute even worse.

For all of us (even those of us who have sunshine all year round) the winter season is busy and quite frankly, exhausting!

The holiday season comes in full force in the middle of the winter season with its parties, family obligations, recitals, charity events, last-minute shopping, traveling… the list goes on and on.

Sometimes, we just need a break.

But here is the problem with a break – if you leave for too long, you’ll drown in all of the backlog of work that piled up when you were away!

THIS is where weekend-getaways come in!

Charity Fundraising offers auction items particularly geared towards easy, stress free, and FUN experiences for your next live or silent auction….

“Weekend getaways” are easy and stress free!  

  Who doesn’t want to get away for a few nights? On the flip side, who wants to find acceptable airfare prices, find a hotel, book it, and figure out what and how you are going to spend your time that weekend? We are taking the work out of traveling for your donors! And the best part is, it’s for a good cause they want to support!

RELAX on the beach in an all inclusive resort under blue skies.

 TORTUGA BAY PUNTACANA JEWEL

Or maybe getaway with your friends at a #1 resort spa in SoCal for the weekend!

LA COSTA #1 RESORT SPA IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
3-Night Luxury Stay in a 2,500 sq. ft. 3-Bedroom Villa for up to 8

“weekend getaways” are FUN!

One of the hardest things about the winter months is the lack of reprieve from drudgery. Life can get into a kind of monotonous rut. Life could be great! But still, doing the same thing day in and day out can dull things down.

So why not offer some fun experiences for your donors?

Sometimes, we need a bit of excitement, energy, culture, and activity to get more pep in our step!

Our VIP Experience Packages and our Wine and Food Experience Packages are a great way to fill your soul (and stomach).

Are you a Sports Junkie?

Take a trip to see your favorite sports team play at home where the crowd’s energy is like no other! Or go watch your team make history at the next Superbowl!

ULTIMATE BOSTON RED SOX VIP EXPERIENCE
Green Monster Seats at Regular Season Game, Pre-Game Field Access,
Custom In-Game Scoreboard Message, Private Fenway Park VIP Tour, Fairmont 2-Night Stay for 2 

SUPER BOWL VIP EXPERIENCE
Tickets to the Super Bowl, 3-Night Stay with Airfare for 2

Are you a foodie? 

Experience New Orleans culture in all of its glory with the best Jazz bands and the best food options lined up and ready to go for you!

NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & DINING
Preservation Hall of Jazz, Commander’s Palace Jazz Brunch or
Dinner with Wine Pairing, 3-Night Stay with Airfare for 2

Or travel in the opposite direction and taste the wine and see the vineyards of California! Take a look at all of our Wine and Food Experience Packages to see what experiences would fit your audience’s preferences the best! These auction items are tailored to your guest’s needs and preferences. They are flexible options and there is a diversity of options!

CULT WINEMAKERS VIP ACCESS EXPERIENCE
Private VIP Tours & Tastings at 3 Winemakers’ Vineyards in Napa
Valley, Signed Barrel Head by all 3 Winemakers, Chauffeur, Westin Verasa
3-Night Stay with Airfare for 2

Why not travel up north and share your love for food and wine with other people who feel the same way?

NEWPORT MANSIONS WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL
Newport, Rhode Island Mansions Wine & Food Festival with Marriott
Resort 2-night stay for 2 (check in Friday; check out Sunday) in a standard
guest room at 4-star accommodations in Newport, RI

Do you love to go golf?

Who wouldn’t want to hit the links for a whole weekend? It’s where a lot of us clear our minds the best. And what better reason to go golfing for the entire weekend than to support charity? The genius of these kind of auction items is that they are symbiotic. Your guests want to support you, but they also want to bid on something that would genuinely excite and please them. Giving your guests auction items that are chalk full of experience and life while taking out the hassle of planning all the travel arrangements is the perfect way to give back to your donors as they so desperately want to give to you!

PINEHURST RESORT GOLF, DINING & SPA
Choice of golf rounds, daily breakfast & dinner,
Pinehurst Resort’s (North Carolina) Holly Inn 3-night
stay with airfare for 2

THE LINKS AT SPANISH BAY
Round of Golf at The Links at Spanish Bay
(Pebble Beach, CA), Golf Cart Rental, Hyatt Regency
Monterey 3-Night Stay with Airfare for 2

These are just a few of the Vacation Packages and VIP Experiences we have to offer as auction items for your nonprofit! Peruse around our dozens of options here and contact us for requesting more information about each auction item! We offer ZERO-RISK auction items. Meaning, we send you the auction displays for FREE and if your auction item doesn’t sell, we take it back FOR FREE, shipping back included!

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Intentional communication builds donor relationships, and never is that more needed or more true than in this particular time of life.

Intentional communication hits deeper during a time when we all crave meaningful interactions.

Hand Written Notes 

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We love the game. 

We love the players.

We love the art of it, the skill, and the competition.

All of these are reasons for why Sports Memorabilia procures high bids as Auction items at charity fundraising events.

Auction items that embody the loves of your audience are going to do well!

But it’s more than that.

And it’s something that we are just starting to recognize in a very real way thanks to the shift in the way that sports is now not a spectators sport.

The year 2020 has seen a drastic shift in the way sports take place…

Now, the rules haven’t changed.

Most of the players are still on the field (or court or rink or links)

The sport has the same amount of art, skill, and competition.

But what is missing? The spectators.

And we are starting to understand how is crucial that truly is!

A Fan’s Impact

An interesting article from the New York Times came out in August that asked, “With No Fans in the Seats, Do Sports Remain Must-Watch TV?”

The reporter stated, “Scores will be kept. Winners and losers will be declared. But without fans, the games might soon feel sterile.”

Why is this? I think it is for the same reason why autographed sports memorabilia procures such high bids across every kind of charity organization that use our consignment items.

The spectator really is a part of the event. We, as spectators, really get to share the moments of glory with our favorite teams and our favorite players.

We feel like we are in on the fight with them – our cheers matter. Our morale matters.

Otherwise, why would we care so much about having an autographed glove from Mohammed Ali?

Sure, we aren’t as amazing as these star athletes and we don’t pretend to be! We aren’t in the ring with them…but the crowd does play a part.

The NY Times reporter put it this way, “Sure, social media, gambling and fantasy leagues stir fan interest. U.F.C., NASCAR, golf, German soccer and some other sports are holding competitions without fans on hand…But without live spectators for an extended period, traditional games risk being reduced to mathematics with trading cards, especially once the novelty of sports’ return wears off.”

Is this reporter right that sports will lose some of its zest without the fans?

Is Bob Bradely, Manager of the Los Angeles F.C. right when he told reporters “A soccer game without fans ‘has no soul,’ even if it becomes necessary”?

The article goes on to ask its readers to see for themselves. They offer a video clip of Tiger Woods’s impossible chip shot on the 16th hole at the 2005 Masters.

The Test of Time

These questions are interesting to ask, but I think more interesting is what these questions reveal about us! We are more invested in the game than we may have originally realized.

The soul of the sport is found in the hearts of fans as well in the hearts of the players and in the rules of the game.

This truth will stand the test of time and the craziness of what the year 2020 unfolded.

The joy of sports is a beautiful thing.

It’s shared by many and that will continue to be so.

As Charity Fundraising, we love collaborating alongside charity organizations with autographed sports memorabilia charity auction items because it is so beneficial for the event attendees who are overjoyed during the auction.

It is also so beneficial for procuring high bids and making the event successful – what we all came here to do – support a good cause.

If your nonprofit is looking to raise the bar at your next virtual, online, live and/or silent auction fundraiser contact Charity Fundraising today!

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