Game Used Bart Starr Lid?

[aeneas01]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Bart-Starr-Game-...QQcmdZViewItem

[mvandor]

Seen it; your comments? Seems like the shortened torn up front stripes might be photo matchable.

[gwh11]

I do not believe Starr wore this helmet in game action. I went through the Packers video highlights of the 1971 season, and checked the official Packers '72 yearbook as well as the '72 Sports Focus yearbook (both of which feature many photos from the '71 season, of course) looking at all Bart Starr images. He only appeared in the last four games of the season, and wore his customary single-bar facemask. In addition, a 1971 Packers helmet should have the player's number stenciled on the back.
Guy

[aeneas01]

I do not believe Starr wore this helmet in game action. I went through the Packers video highlights of the 1971 season, and checked the official Packers '72 yearbook as well as the '72 Sports Focus yearbook (both of which feature many photos from the '71 season, of course) looking at all Bart Starr images. He only appeared in the last four games of the season, and wore his customary single-bar facemask. In addition, a 1971 Packers helmet should have the player's number stenciled on the back.
Guy

i agree - there are a few details about this helmet that wouldn't exactly leave me with a warm and fuzzy feeling if i were the buyer. for example the lack of numbers on the back, as you mentioned, although i believe the packers had replaced their classic military stenciling with decals by 1971.

as far as as the shortened stripes are concerned, this is most likely the result of using a wildcat bumper, which starr did use for at least one game in 1971. rather than remove the wildcat bumper to replace worn stripes, the equipment manager probably just ran the stripes to the top of the bumper - or ran them long enough to tuck under the bumper.

one thing i do find very interesting about this lid is that it's a "true" wildcat suspension helmet - interesting because, as far as i know, riddell didn't start producing these until 1973. a "true" wildcat suspension helmet doesn't have a leather sweatband covering the front section of the crown webbing nor is it equipped with a rubber nose snubber because the wildcat bumper serves both functions.

the first picture shows the listed "starr" helmet - the red circle indicates the lack of a rubber nose snubber and the other red area indicates the lack of a leather sweatband covering the front section of the crown webbing.

the second photo shows a classic suspension helmet with both the leather sweatband attached to the front of the crown webbing and the rubber nose snubber.

the third photo shows a "true" wildcat suspension helmet with the wildcat bumper in place and no leather sweatband on the webbing.

of course, given the ingenuity of equipment managers, it's not uncommon to see variations - for example, it's not uncommon to see a wildcat bumper on a suspension helmet that has a leather sweatband attached to the suspension webbing...

i've asked the seller for the helmet's interior date stamp - this information would answer some questions. as of yet, i haven't received a response...

[aeneas01]

apparently the seller of the "starr" helmet has received more than a few emails questioning the helmet's autenticity - or perhaps a forum member has pointed the seller to this thread. whatever the case, the seller has added the following to the item description...

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On Aug-08-07 at 09:37:34 PDT, seller added the following information:

I have received emails from a Ebayer who believes this helmet is not authentic. I do not wish to defraud anyone. I do not personally know this Ebayer or if his conclusions have any valididy, but if when you inspect the photos of the helmet that I've provided and don't believe the helmet to be authentic, do not bid on it. But, if you are like me and perfer to believe Bart Starr (who I believe is one of the most honest Christians who ever played the game) who inscribed the year and that it was his final season as a player on the helmet. What would be Mr. Starr reason for inscribing this helmet in this fashion for a charity auction if it were not true? Again, please do not bid if you have any reservations, I have a spotless record on Ebay and have no intentions on defrauding anyone.

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for the record, i've contacted the seller on three separate occasions during the last few days with the same simple question: what does the manufacturer's date stamp, located inside of the helmet above the earhole, indicate? and for the record, the seller has chosen not reply despite the fact, given the above quotation, that he/she has obviously been reading emails...

further, given that the seller refuses to answer my simple question (because of obvious reasons imo), i find it ironic and rather deplorable that he/she would have the audacity to bring up starr's christianity in such a self-serving manner.

anyway, here's a photo of the type of date stamp that should be present on the inside of the seller's helmet (a post-1969 riddell tk). this photo is from a riddell tk helmet manufactured in 1973 - needless to say, if the date stamp on the seller's helmet is 1972 or later it would be rather difficult to explain how starr's could have worn it in 1971, his final season...

[aeneas01]

fwiw - my email exchange with the seller spanning the last week; the seller who likes to state: "... I do not wish to defraud anyone."

me:

great helmet - i'm sure you've been getting quite a few questions. i'm wondering if you could you please let me know what the date stamp on the helmet indicates - it can be found by looking inside of the helmet, above one of the ear holes. it's a round, embossed circle about the size of a quarter - it has the numbers 1-12 forming the circle with a large number in the center. kinda looks like a clock. thanks very much.

seller:

no response

me:

hello again: was wondering if you received my last email regarding the manufacturer date of the helmet - when you get a moment could you please let me know what the date stamp (date clock) reads?

seller:

no response

me:

any information regarding the date stamp would be appreciated.

seller:

no response but edits ebay listing description by adding that she doesn't want to defraud anyone, has been contacted by another ebayer that has questioned the helmets authenticity, points to starr's christianity and requests that interested parties not bid if harboring any reservations.

me:

hello: first, it's my hope that you were not referring to me in your edited item description given that i don't believe i ever stated that your helmet wasn't authentic. second, i thought your amendment was very well done and well stated.

i remain very interested in your helmet and, as i've mentioned several times in my previous emails, am very interested in knowing what the date stamp of your helmet is - can you please provide me with this information?

seller:

no response:

me:

hello again: is there a reason why you have chosen not to respond to my question regarding the helmet's date stamp? is it because the date stamp indicates a manufacturing date later than 1971, starr's final season?

and to answer the question you posed in your listing - there are many perfectly honest reasons why bart starr might have signed "1971 final season" on a helmet he didn't wear (or for that matter a jersey or football) - for example, if a fan had asked him to sign it in such a manner. the bottom line is that you have a very nice piece of authentic football memorabilia (authentic vintage green bay packers helmet) which has been signed by one of football's all-time greats - this alone would make your item very valuable.

as such, if your helmet has a manufacturer date later than 1971 i think you should mention this in your listing - it's the only honest thing to do.

seller:

Sorry I haven't replied sooner. Because ther is so much controversy over this helmet I had it looked at by two different memorabilia dealers, the first one said that it was indeed a game used Packer helmet but it was from 1975, he also said that the autograph was genuine and estimated the value between $3000 and $5000. The second said that he believed it to be a genuine 1971 helmet based on thhe sticker size, the #15 on the inside of the helmet and the autograph which he also said was genuine and estimated the value between $5000 and $10000. I do not wish to defraud anyone, you decide which you wish to believe and bid or don't bid accordingly.

me:

thank you for finally responding but you still didn't answer my simple question: what does the manufacturer's date stamp found on the interior of your helmet, above the earhole, indicate? is there any particular reason why you haven't, or don't want to, answer this question?

here is an example of what a date stamp looks like:



once again, would you please be kind enough to let me know what the date stamp on your helmet indicates?

seller:

no response - it's been 3 days...

[mvandor]

Anyone else disagree with the value assessments seller cites? Even if it's a 75 legit Packer helmet signed by Starr - with an incorrect citation given the true date - my feeling is that the easily provable falsehood of the Starr reference to his 71 season REDUCES value, not enhances same.

[aeneas01]

Anyone else disagree with the value assessments seller cites? Even if it's a 75 legit Packer helmet signed by Starr - with an incorrect citation given the true date - my feeling is that the easily provable falsehood of the Starr reference to his 71 season REDUCES value, not enhances same.

what never ceases to amaze me is the apparently large number of collectors, dealers and auction houses that don't seem to be aware of date stamps inside of helmets - for example, mastro was genuinely surprised when i asked them to check the date stamp in the butkus helmet. so much so that upon discovering it and discovering that it jived so well with their claims, they edited their listing in order to trumpet the fact.

as far as the the "starr" helmet is concerned, i think it's pretty clear that the date stamp doesn't jive with starr's final season - if it did, the seller would have done exactly what mastro did and used the information as a major selling point. further, if the date stamp doesn't jive then there are two things that strike me as quite apparent: 1. the seller is obviously not very honest and knows that revealing the real date would queer a big deal and 2. the number "15" written in the helmet was put there in order to misrepresent the item.

fwiw, i would suspect that an authentic game used starr helmet would go for around $25k-$35k while a vintage authentic game used packers helmet with starr's sig would fetch around $2k-$3k.

[mvandor]

fwiw, i would suspect that an authentic game used starr helmet would go for around $25k-$35k while a vintage authentic game used packers helmet with starr's sig would fetch around $2k-$3k.

Ah, but a Starr helmet with a misrepresentation in the inscription? To a knowing collector? Less I would think.

[mvandor]

Out of principle, I emailed seller asking about the date stamp as well.

Doesn't look like it'll break the reserve and seller's dreams of cashing in a big payday with their misdirection effort.