SF Giants Selling Shirts off their Backs

[EurekaDave]

I guess everybody's doing it. Now the SF Giants have set up quite a game-used industry - balls, bats, jerseys right out of the oven of competition. Stuff used in the game is available right after. Starting price for a TBTC uni for secondary players is $500, with Melky Cabrera and Buster Posey likely priced off the charts.

I wonder what you think about collectible value. On one hand, for the price of a great used-car, you can own a piece of "history." On another, it won't hold value. But then neither would the car.

Thoughts????

Dave Silverbrand

[slab0meat]

The abundance of game worn/used items from MLB is getting crazier by the day... good for some, bad for others I suppose.

[ferrisfain41]

Come to Fl and the Rays and get GU jersies for $25, I have a Lance Cormier tagged 2009, whole bunches available fan day in feb for $25.00
Thast;s more like it

[benjoe55]

Flannel jersey era=pre-1960s cards era
pre-1980s knits eras=1960-1969 cards era
1980-1989 knits era= 1970-1985 cards era
1990 to present knits=1986 to present cards era (when over supply nearly killed the hobby)

[marzomarz]

The abundance of game worn/used items from MLB is getting crazier by the day... good for some, bad for others I suppose.

totally agree. You have to treat all of this like art. Collect what you like. If it happens to be in vogue in a few years by the masses then sell like crazy.

[legaleagle92481]

Flannel jersey era=pre-1960s cards era
pre-1980s knits eras=1960-1969 cards era
1980-1989 knits era= 1970-1985 cards era
1990 to present knits=1986 to present cards era (when over supply nearly killed the hobby)

I disagree with your timeline. Until the last four or five years there really was not a large supply of jerseys in the market. Definitely not back as far as the 90s. Unlike with cards more supply is great for collectors lower prices and chance to own stuff from guy your a fan of. Fans for generations never could get stuff of their favorite guys. I would have loved to own a Ewing 90s Knicks jersey or a 80s Islanders shirt. It sucks for the investors though but there are alot more lucrative things to invest in.

[slab0meat]

Come to Fl and the Rays and get GU jersies for $25, I have a Lance Cormier tagged 2009, whole bunches available fan day in feb for $25.00
Thast;s more like it

Any dark blues available for $25??

[emann]

I don't totally agree with the flood of MLB used stuff being quite the same as cards or having the same devastating affect on values. I think the fact a general fan can pickup a GU ball for $20 is pretty cool, maybe that will even attract future collectors.

I don't know if the Braves are moving the McCann or Kimbrel JR day jerseys at $4,000 and $3,000 respectively, but I'd be surprised. Same with baseballs from opening day @ $200... And I'm not trying to pick on the Braves, this seems to be alot of teams. At some point, they're going to figure out that GU isn't quite the revenue stream they assume it is and the flood will slow significantly. Look at all the meaningless lineup cards/bases/balls that Steiner has... For every Jeter's 3,000, they've got 1,000 items from games where nothing special happened. I think that's the stuff that will be relatively worthless.

I've never understood why the TBTC or pink bats command a huge premium anymore anyway, not like they play those games over and over again. It's not a one-time event. Give me a jersey or bat that was used in 30 games over one that was worn once any day.

In reference to this, I talked about this with a clubhouse contact a few weeks back and he told me that up until this season (which hasn't set a baseline yet), the majority of players still only got 2 home/road/alt. Sometimes the stars would get 3...

[legaleagle92481]

I don't totally agree with the flood of MLB used stuff being quite the same as cards or having the same devastating affect on values. I think the fact a general fan can pickup a GU ball for $20 is pretty cool, maybe that will even attract future collectors.

I don't know if the Braves are moving the McCann or Kimbrel JR day jerseys at $4,000 and $3,000 respectively, but I'd be surprised. Same with baseballs from opening day @ $200... And I'm not trying to pick on the Braves, this seems to be alot of teams. At some point, they're going to figure out that GU isn't quite the revenue stream they assume it is and the flood will slow significantly. Look at all the meaningless lineup cards/bases/balls that Steiner has... For every Jeter's 3,000, they've got 1,000 items from games where nothing special happened. I think that's the stuff that will be relatively worthless.

I've never understood why the TBTC or pink bats command a huge premium anymore anyway, not like they play those games over and over again. It's not a one-time event. Give me a jersey or bat that was used in 30 games over one that was worn once any day.

In reference to this, I talked about this with a clubhouse contact a few weeks back and he told me that up until this season (which hasn't set a baseline yet), the majority of players still only got 2 home/road/alt. Sometimes the stars would get 3...

I think people pay more for the throwback stuff because its unique looking. Although personally I agree with you and prefer the stuff thats used more than once.

[cubbs1232]

Any dark blues available for $25??

Lol. The Rays dont have any jerseys under 400.00, including spring training jerseys. The 25.00 jerseys hes referring to are some they sell at Fan fest in which theres a limited amount. Even then they start at 25 and go up from there depending on the player.