1983 to 2009 New Era Hat Tagging Primer

[Roady]

Not sure what to say but that this is a retail hat. there the main difference between a retail and on field caps is that the tag says "genuine merchandise" while the other says Authentic. The MLB authentication is for the signature not the game usage.

Yeah I know.
The way you see it is the way it came from MLB auctions.
The 23 inside was already there as well as the sweat stains.
A very strange hat indeed.

[joelsabi]

Updated. See first post for earlier tags

[hiramman]

Joel - the tags you are showing for 2010-2011 were worn in Atlanta during the 2012 season. I recently purchased 24 game used caps directly from the Braves and they assured me they were all from 2012 and some had writing inside with nicknames, etc. that verified they were from the 2012 season. Everyone, all 24 caps had your 2010-2011 tagging.

[rdeversole]

So if I encounter a hat purported to be from 2002 and it has what you picture as the 2005 Company Tag (without made in the usa) and the Taping is the white background as shown, then I should be confident the hat can only be a 2005?

[joelsabi]

So if I encounter a hat purported to be from 2002 and it has what you picture as the 2005 Company Tag (without made in the usa) and the Taping is the white background as shown, then I should be confident the hat can only be a 2005?

Sorry I did some quick research to get more samples. Thats one of the hard parts of keeping to my methodology (from first post, "i try to get exemplars of player hats of players who have played for a specific team for 2 or less seasons so that the taggging can be pinpointed for a specific year"). I think its too rigid and some great examples of player for have been with a team over two years were not taken into consideration. Adding these to the samples and also looking at the chronology history provided by New Era's website I have changed my position on these two periods

2001-2002 Made in USA
2003-2005 Globalization

New era opened other manufacturing places in 2003 and it makes sense using the additional examples and the history provided in website.

The error of extending the tag of the made in USA to 2004 was due to an exemplar with excellent provenance that most likely used old invertory.

There is an example of 2002 hat that had the Global Tag that was from the World Series so possibly the Global tag (without the made in USA tag)was introduced late 2002 but just haven't had time to valid it.

For me, it been awhile looking at hats, checking to see whether the primer holds true and sometime getting away and revisiting allows perception to be removed and/or refreshed.

If you have a example that does not fit the primer please post or email me.

rdeversole, please email me or post here. i did additional research because you are a long time member and wanted to make sure you did not pass an opportunity just because of the primer.

[rdeversole]

Email sent - thanks!

[Insomniac186]

I've noticed that sometimes changes on the tags happen late in the season. And the case with hiramman and the Braves caps, they are surely leftover team stock that was issued to those players for the season. It happens. I have a bunch of 2012 MiLB caps that have the older tags.

I just saw some 2013 Postseason Oakland A's caps had 2010-11 tags on them for sale at a local store. They were leftover factory stock that simply had the patches applied so that New Era could get the order filled faster. I wish I'd taken a picture. I wonder if the team issued caps are the same. Anyone get any from the recent MLB auctions?

Perhaps the primer should mention that the 2009 though 2011 Stars N' Stripes caps had white tags and sweatbands. Maybe just a note? They're the same tags, just white. Also, a note for 2013 tags; all 2013 caps that were made in China (the new BP/Spring Training caps, certain Turn Back The Clock caps) lack the "OFFICIAL ON-FIELD CAP" text underneath the Authentic Collection logo. I'll take some pictures when time allows.

[sox83cubs84]

I just got in a 2017 common player's Brewers cap. It is the same in tagging design as the Mark Salas White Sox cap I reference a few posts earlier. Compared to the 2012-13 label (the most recent I can find pictured in this thread), the tag, like 2016's, has no print under the New Era logo.

Dave M.

[sox83cubs84]

Updated. See first post for earlier tags

I got a 2014 BP cap from a Phillies coach a couple of weeks ago, and the tagging has only 1 difference from the 2012-13 version, that being the absence of the "OFFICIAL ON-FIELD CAP" line under the MLB logo.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

I received a team-issued 2014 4th of July cap from a White Sox coach today. Like the Phillies BP cap, it, too, lacks the "Official On-Field Cap" on the MLB logo tag.


Dave Miedema