1983 to 2009 New Era Hat Tagging Primer

[joelsabi]

Re: 1983 to 2009 New Era Hat Tagging Primer

The first team to switch to gray undersides were the Reds in the 1960s. The Giants were one of the next teams to switch, and then the White Sox and a few others. The last NL hold-out (I believe) was the Cubs, going gray in 1994. The Blue Jays, Twins, and Yankees held out until the 1995 season. The switch for all remaining teams with green to switch to gray in 1995 was insisted by New Era.

The Angels were the first team to change to black, around the late 90s. 2007 was when all teams changed to black.

underbills is another factor. To add to this, the Pirates were the first to use red in 2001.

[Insomniac186]

Re: 1983 to 2009 New Era Hat Tagging Primer

underbills is another factor. To add to this, the Pirates were the first to use red in 2001.

Yes indeed, it was for a short-lived alternate cap. I believe there were different colored undervisors for the "Turn Ahead The Clock" promotion back in 1999 as well. Minor League teams also had different colored undervisors, I have a Bakersfield Blaze cap from 2006 with orange.

All teams are now strictly using only black since 2007 for non-BP caps, with the exception of a few Minor League teams using leftover stock with gray undervisors in 2007. I also believe there are one or two players, one of which played (or still plays) for the Rangers that demands on using caps with gray undervisors. Also, most official team player photos have the players wearing caps with gray undervisors, even as recently as this year (Giants and A's, for example).

All of these changes are "innovations" by New Era. One wonders how much on-field caps would be different today if New Era had some competition.

[Roady]

Re: 1983 to 2009 New Era Hat Tagging Primer

What about this Mark Teixeira signed hat?
The MLB hologram # is BB063593 and is listed as a signed cap from Texas Rangers signing on May 29, 2006.
The hat clearly looks game worn. It is 100% wool.

New Era 50th anniversary was in 2004.

I figured it could be a 2005 hat and New Era sent some old stock to Texas in 2005. I would not think it would be sent 2 years later in 2006 but who knows.

Or could this be a hat from 2004 and Teixeira just cleaned out his locker for the signing?

Any ideas?

[Roady]

Re: 1983 to 2009 New Era Hat Tagging Primer

I should have stated that New Era's 59fifty hats anniversary was in 1994, not the company itself.

[Roady]

Re: 1983 to 2009 New Era Hat Tagging Primer

I meant in 2004 not 1994.

[joelsabi]

Re: 1983 to 2009 New Era Hat Tagging Primer

I meant in 2004 not 1994.

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.

[Roady]

Re: 1983 to 2009 New Era Hat Tagging Primer

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]

Re: 1983 to 2009 New Era Hat Tagging Primer

Updated. See first post for earlier tags

[hiramman]

Re: 1983 to 2009 New Era Hat Tagging Primer

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]

Re: 1983 to 2009 New Era Hat Tagging Primer

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]

Re: 1983 to 2009 New Era Hat Tagging Primer

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]

Re: 1983 to 2009 New Era Hat Tagging Primer

Email sent - thanks!

[Insomniac186]

Re: 1983 to 2009 New Era Hat Tagging Primer

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.

[joelsabi]

Re: 1983 to 2009 New Era Hat Tagging Primer

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.

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.

MILB hats have different tags so its not included in the findings.

from the original post: "this covers regular hats and not bp or and not special hats. adding bp hats to the research really confused the situation so i discounted them in my search"

[sox83cubs84]

Re: 1983 to 2009 New Era Hat Tagging Primer

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