Opinions on this Mark Prior jersey?

[twarman17]

Anyone have opinions on this Prior jersey? Neck tagging does not match the Alomar shown in the link below that included Cubs COA (which looks like the COAs the Cubs used to include with jerseys bought directly from the team at Cubs Convention). Appreciate any insight or thoughts. Thanks!

http://catalog.scpauctions.com/2002-MARK-PRIOR-CHICAGO-CUBS-(ROOKIE-YEAR)-GAME-WO-LOT29521.aspx

http://bidami.com/Auctions/AuctionItem?AuctionId=31624&t=&p=0

[ShaimOnYou]

Re: Opinions on this Mark Prior jersey?

My thoughts are that the jersey does not to appear to be put together with the same quality you'd find in a gamer. It would be my guess this was a replica, made in honor following Prior's rookie season based on the high expectations when he first joined the team.

The letters on the Alomar letters on the back of the jersey are positioned closer to the number, not the MLB insignia patch like the Prior, as is the case with Cubs home jerseys. The PRIOR letters seem to be sewn on with sub-standard quality of positioning (the "P" is a bit higher than the "R" next to it, and the last "R" is positioned high too. The arch in general appears off, and as mentioned, the whole positioning of the name is too high on the jersey.

I have a 2003 Sammy Sosa game used jersey and it follows the pattern of the Alomar. Additionally, the player #, size, year, and set # neck tagging strip font on mine matches the Alomar exactly. Your Prior example is done with a different style, a red flag out of the gate.

Personally, I wouldn't touch it without some form of documentation or photo-match proof accompanying it and showing it's good, because all indications are, it's not. Often you see a large collection from a well-known collector hit the auction block, and almost without exception a few of the jerseys turn out to be be "bad". Even the big wigs get taken to the cleaners when buying these pieces because, after all, not everyone is an "expert" on game used jerseys. I'm not claiming I know 100% that it's a bad jersey, I'm just sharing my 2 cents on why it might be.

This baby falls right in the backyard of the forum's Dave Miedema. Maybe he could shed his vast knowledge on it for you.

Good luck,

Chris

[twarman17]

Re: Opinions on this Mark Prior jersey?

My thoughts are that the jersey does not to appear to be put together with the same quality you'd find in a gamer. It would be my guess this was a replica, made in honor following Prior's rookie season based on the high expectations when he first joined the team.

The letters on the Alomar letters on the back of the jersey are positioned closer to the number, not the MLB insignia patch like the Prior, as is the case with Cubs home jerseys. The PRIOR letters seem to be sewn on with sub-standard quality of positioning (the "P" is a bit higher than the "R" next to it, and the last "R" is positioned high too. The arch in general appears off, and as mentioned, the whole positioning of the name is too high on the jersey.

I have a 2003 Sammy Sosa game used jersey and it follows the pattern of the Alomar. Additionally, the player #, size, year, and set # neck tagging strip font on mine matches the Alomar exactly. Your Prior example is done with a different style, a red flag out of the gate.

Personally, I wouldn't touch it without some form of documentation or photo-match proof accompanying it and showing it's good, because all indications are, it's not. Often you see a large collection from a well-known collector hit the auction block, and almost without exception a few of the jerseys turn out to be be "bad". Even the big wigs get taken to the cleaners when buying these pieces because, after all, not everyone is an "expert" on game used jerseys. I'm not claiming I know 100% that it's a bad jersey, I'm just sharing my 2 cents on why it might be.

This baby falls right in the backyard of the forum's Dave Miedema. Maybe he could shed his vast knowledge on it for you.

Good luck,

Chris

Thanks for the insight and opinion!

[D-Wedge]

Re: Opinions on this Mark Prior jersey?

The style of the strip tag on the Prior is bad. I would stay away.

[twarman17]

Re: Opinions on this Mark Prior jersey?

The style of the strip tag on the Prior is bad. I would stay away.

Thank you also

[sox83cubs84]

Re: Opinions on this Mark Prior jersey?

The style of the strip tag on the Prior is bad. I would stay away.

Agreed.

Dave Miedema

[twarman17]

Re: Opinions on this Mark Prior jersey?

Agreed.

Dave Miedema

Thanks Dave!

[Cubsfan4life]

Re: Opinions on this Mark Prior jersey?

Agreed.

Dave Miedema

In addition, I believe the Cubs switched to their current strip tag style/font in 2001, so any jersey from 2001 on with any other style tagging is most likely fake.