50 Years of Manchester United Collecting Goes Under the Hammer in Lincoln
The James Leddie Manchester United Collection – more than 400 lots at Heritage Auctioneers & Valuers on Monday 28 September
A remarkable collection of Manchester United memorabilia assembled over more than 50 years is to be offered for auction in Lincoln later this month.
The James Leddie Manchester United Collection will be sold by Heritage Auctioneers & Valuers at its Teal Park saleroom on Monday 28 September 2026, starting at 10am.
James has supported Manchester United for more than half a century. His first match was an away game against Nottingham Forest on his birthday, 22 March 1975, when United won 1–0. From that early experience grew a collecting passion which has continued throughout the following five decades.
His three all-time favourite United players are George Best, Eric Cantona and Denis Irwin, but the collection reaches across many different generations of the club’s history.
Among its most striking elements are more than 300 Manchester United shirts, ranging from early styles and specially made replicas through to later shirts and signed examples. They are joined by an extraordinary variety of memorabilia including trading cards, books, action figures, figures and models, LEGO sets, pennants, prints, badges and other Manchester United collectibles.
The collection reflects the changing face of football merchandising and collecting over several decades. Earlier material sits alongside memorabilia associated with the hugely successful teams of the 1990s and 2000s, as well as more recent United players.
One particularly eye-catching section is an Action Man tribute to the Busby Babes, recreating the Manchester United line-up from their European Cup match against Red Star Belgrade — the final game played by the celebrated team before the Munich air disaster.
Other highlights include framed and signed shirts, Manchester United figures and character pieces, George Best memorabilia, commemorative items, collections of badges and pins, football cards – including graded examples featuring David Beckham and Ryan Giggs – and material relating to famous European matches.
The auction also demonstrates the enormous range of Manchester United merchandise produced over the years, from inexpensive souvenirs and toys through to substantial framed displays and signed memorabilia.
With more than 400 lots and estimates ranging from around £10–£20 through to £500–£1,000, Heritage Auctioneers says the sale has been catalogued to appeal to collectors at every level, rather than simply concentrating on the most expensive pieces.
For long-standing supporters, many of the lots provide an immediate reminder of particular eras of the club – from George Best and the great United sides of the 1960s, through Sir Alex Ferguson, Eric Cantona and the Class of ’92, to David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and the 1999 Treble-winning team.
For collectors, it is also a fascinating record of how Manchester United memorabilia itself has developed, encompassing everything from traditional pennants, badges and books to boxed figures, replica shirts, trading cards and modern collectibles.
Auction Details
The James Leddie Manchester United Collection
Monday 28 September 2026 – 10am
Part of the Heritage Auctioneers & Valuers three-day auction, 27–29 September 2026
Heritage Auctioneers & Valuers, Teal Park, Turnstone Road, Lincoln, LN6 3UA
For more details call 01522 690444
Click to view the lots at heritageauctioneers.co.uk
