When compared to Yankees fans, New York Mets fans haven’t really taken an active role of late in the memorabilia market. But rookie first baseman Ike Davis, who in a little more than a week in the majors is hitting .317, including a 450-foot home run blast, has Mets collectors buzzing again.

Source: steinersports.com Ike Davis Autographed Fielding 8x10 Photograph as seen on Steiner's website.

Pre-orders for autographs of the 23-year-old are brisk, according to Brandon Steiner, founder and chairman of Steiner Sports, which is selling autograph photos from $49.99 to $59.99 and baseballs for $59.99.

“It’s been a little low key over there in Queens,” Steiner said. “But when Mets fans see a young hot rookie who has come up through their organization, they tend to respond in a big way. You remember guys like Gregg Jefferies and it was obviously easy to get behind David Wright.”

Steiner says he never tells fans to buy autographs for the investment, but can’t help but mention that he sold Mariano Rivera’s autograph for $25 ten years ago. Signed Rivera balls now go for ten times that amount. In 1996, fans who paid for Derek Jeter’s first autograph signing paid $20.

“It’s one of the biggest pre-order responses we’ve had,” Steiner said. “It’s good for the industry.”

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