Value Of A Game-worn Home Run Jersey??

[gnishiyama]

Dear members,
I would like to hear opinions on how much a value of a game-worn jersey increases if that jersey can be attributed to being worn while hitting an "insignificant" (no game-winners, no milestones) home run in a regular season game. I'm talking about stars/superstar players only; not common players. Provenance would be limited to MLB authentication; which is not without its faults but more more solid than those questionable "home run" jerseys signed by players who know little to nothing about what their signing.

Thanks,
Goh Nishiyama

[dcgreg25]

Interesting question. For some power hitters, they probably hit a HR in many of the jerseys they wear regularly. The key is having proof and positioning it as such when you sell it or getting the player to sign with an inscription about the homerun.

I would think that if you had a photo match or MLB hologram with a matching date to a HR jersey you could get a 25-50% premium for a homerun jersey from a star player with pics. It may very well be more depending on the player and/or team as some people collect only specific players/teams. Hope this helps.

[allstarsplus]

I like them if they are confirmed by a MLB hologram or a player's own provenance with photo match.

With the ARod bat debacle like what Tony had, just having a HR inscription doesn't do much for me.

[pjbmd]

I've got a photomatched J Damon 2007 post-season homerun home jersey
He hit a 3 run HR in the bottom of the 5th of Game 3 ALDS to put the yanks ahead.
It's MLB aunthenticated, but only as a post-season jersey
I'ld like to think that its worth more than a regural season, non-HR jersey
pjb

[Vintagedeputy]

My 2007 Lastings Milledge Mets jersey adds a bit of specialness in my eyes. Not sure about added value though. Milledge wore the jersey for the first 2 HR game of his career. Now Milledge certainly isnt a star (yet) but he has the potential.

[suicide_squeeze]

Goh Nishiyama,

Any time a game used item can be attributed to a star player (with unquestionable proof), you have something.

Any time that item can be attributed to a special moment in the history of the game......it's worth more.

Typically, THE moment most recognized in MLB that brings the most interest is when the player hits a HOME RUN. That is recognized as the most significant personal achievement of a single player in a team sport, no matter how important to the outcome of the game. It's the ultimate act a baseball player can perform offensively, and the most damaging to the opposing player he faces. It's perfect, in nature.....something that can't be "bested".

So, if your hobby is to collect game used items, and you collect bats or jerseys (or anything else for that matter, but arguably those two are the most sought after by collectors in the game used categories), if you can pass the first and foremost rule.......making sure it's REAL......then you only improve your collection (upgrade, so to speak) by finding an item worn or used by the player who performed this ultimate personal unimprovable act at the time they donned the garment (or used the bat).

Significant home runs, or home runs hit at an opportune time.....home runs that were a milestone, or MAJOR milestone, game winners, etc., these all add to the value. And, of course, the bigger the star, the more the value.

Although this does not stand true for all collectors, and is merely my personal opinion, I believe that home runs hit during a regular season game are more valuable than post season homers in general. There are a few reasons why, and always exceptions (A walk-off homer to win the World Series would be a REAL NICE collectible, for example), but the main idea is if you have a GU item that can be identified with the act of hitting a specific home run, it counts in the players career totals, and that is a cool thing to own. It's an automatic conversation piece, and freezes in time a moment that you can appreciate (as a fan of his, the team he played on, the moment itself and what happened by his heroic homer, etc.) and, therefore, the perception of it's value can be substantially more than anything just simply "game used".

[OaklandAsFan]

My mother has the jersey Jack Cust was wearing when he hit the opposite field HR on 2007 off the Indians in I believe it was May. When he was on that streak of HR's he was hitting that finally put him in the spotlight.

There was a jersey off their backs auction that day and she won his jersey and I think it was Bobby Crosby's as well so that worked out great for her.

[PK]

Dear members,
I would like to hear opinions on how much a value of a game-worn jersey increases if that jersey can be attributed to being worn while hitting an "insignificant" (no game-winners, no milestones) home run in a regular season game. I'm talking about stars/superstar players only; not common players. Provenance would be limited to MLB authentication; which is not without its faults but more more solid than those questionable "home run" jerseys signed by players who know little to nothing about what their signing.

Thanks,
Goh Nishiyama


IMHO, None. Like you said, it's an Insignificant home run. What if he steals a base? To add value, it has to be a significant event or milestone

[gnishiyama]

Many thanks to everyone who took their time to reply. I, like suicide_squeeze feel that a home run is the single most recognizable moment in any sport, and any time there is rock-solid proof (MLB hologram attributed to that game, 100% photomatch) that a jersey was worn in that game I feel that it adds $$ value to that item. Sure depending on the moment, a sacrifice bunt/fly, a single, a steal may be more important for the team to win that game, but in my opinion, there is not a single more exciting moment in in any sport than a home run, significant or not. And I also agree with SQUEEZE that a regular season home run is more valuable than a post season home run unless its a very special moment in the DS, CS or a World Series simply for the fact that it is part of that players career stat.

Even with many teams selling off game jerseys, its still very difficult to find a rock solid home-run jersey unless its MLB authenticated. Without an MLB hologram, unless the jersey is a pinstriped, has distinguishable characteristics (loose thread, stain marks, irregularities) its very hard to positively identify a jersey to being used in that game. Players inscriptions almost means nothing to me now after the whole Arod, Bonds debacle unless I can photomatch the jersey myself.

Thanks to all!
Goh Nishiyama