What do you think about the Olympic GU prices??

[skinsfan0521]

Obviously a ton of people aren't interested in this topic, but I just need to post the Crosby jersey auction. It ended yesterday and it ended for... ready for this.... $34,000!!! (crazy auction here)

This is NOT the gold medal jersey, it's the jersey from when Canada played Switzerland in the 2nd game!! He did score the winning goal in a shootout, but it was only the 2nd game.

I just don't see how this is even close to reasonable. You could probably pay for a meet and greet with him and have him give you a full uniform from the Stanley Cup for that price! haha

Anyway, just needed to post that because of how crazy the price ended up getting!!

[skinsfan0521]

Sorry for the 2nd post, but the game used puck from the OT period in the Gold medal game vs USA (not the winning puck) went for $12k + (here)

I must just be underestimating Canada's insane love for hockey... or these people are crazy and have tons of money. One or the other...

[gingi79]

It's not just Canada. Sami Salo's one game worn jersey was at $1500 plus US as of yesterday. I could buy 3 full price jerseys worn for either every single home or away game for an entire NHL season plus any playoff games up to and including the Western Conference Finals for LESS than that. If I wait for the 50% off sale during the summer, I could own 7 shirts!

Also, the last time they were sold after the 2006 Olympics, it was $750 for a 2 game worn shirt. On the secondary market, it couldn't sell at $700 2 years ago.

The hobby of NHL shirts is just like the late 80's early 90's baseball card market. Part of the reason why Mickey Mantle's cards are worth so much is because everyone's mom threw them away. Sidney Crosby wears a conservative estimate of 15 shirts a season. If he plays 20 seasons, thats at least 300 jerseys. Add in All Star games, one game wonders, Olympics, WC, that's over 350 jerseys. How many Mario jerseys are there? They sell for $6,000. Sid's great but I'd take 6 MeiGray registered Lemieux's over a one game wonder Olympic Crosby every day.

[skinsfan0521]

gingi79 - Thanks for the input. I completely agree with what you're saying about the saturation. And I completely understand the Crosby jersey going for more than reasonable because it's an Olympics jersey and he was the olympic hero (even if it wasn't in this jersey), but to me, $34k is just out of this world for a jersey that barely has any more significance than any other jersey.

I don't know... it just astonishes me that somebody would pay $34k for that jersey. I could even almost see some deep pockets bidding up to that much for the Gold Medal winning jersey, but for a jersey that was just used in the 2nd game in the Olympics, I don't see it.

[ivo610]

I dont follow or collect hockey items but is there any hockey items that have gone close to these prices for game worn items?

[skinsfan0521]

I dont follow or collect hockey items but is there any hockey items that have gone close to these prices for game worn items?

I don't know since I'm not a hockey collector either... but I've gotta imagine that if there are any hockey items that are sold for that much would be much older and most likely more "rare" (in the terms of mine and gingi79's definition).

Again, I'm just dumbfounded by the price for such a "common" item... but to each their own. I'm sure to whoever bought this, the $34k is like me spending $1k on something (decent amount, but not a crazy, ridiculous amount)

[gingi79]

I dont follow or collect hockey items but is there any hockey items that have gone close to these prices for game worn items?

$34,000 is not unheard of but it is high. Looking strictly at Classic Auctions, here are some of the higher end players and their recent sales:

A Bobby Orr Bruins jersey from 1969/70 sold for $82k+
Photomatched jersey Bobby Orr wore when he won the 1972 Cup sold for $120k+.
A 1954 Gordie Howe with missing Emblem sold for $23k+
Gretzky Kings game worn sold for $18K+
Photomatched Gretzky Rookie jersey sold for $126k+
83/84 Gretzky game worn sold for $39k+

To put things in perspective:
Wayne Gretzky's 1981 Canada Cup jersey sold recently for $16,000.
Rookie Sidney Crosby sold for $23K
Most other Crosby's sell for between 5 and 10K.
A Photomatched Crosby worn in the two Stocolm opening games last season sold for $7k+ (this is also a SCF winning season which helps prices)

I think the real measuring stick would be a 1972 Summit Series jersey worn by Paul Henderson or Bobby Orr or Miracle on Ice 1980 USA Olympic jerseys of Jim Craig or Mike Eruzione. I cannot find any recent sales of these however. (Craig has his Russia and Gold Medal jerseys I believe and the Henderson is part of the HHOF collection as I saw it at the last MeiGray expo.) Speaking of which, Barry Meisel's opinion would be valid on this topic as well.

Now, in my somewhat informed but incredibly fanatic sports collectible point of view, a jersey worn during one game selling for $34,000 is excessive. However, a hockey Gold for Canada, played in Canada is the epitome of a perfect storm. Hell, I'd have loved the throwback Ryan Kesler Team USA jersey they wore when they beat Canada but those prices are nuts as well, $2K already.

Far be it for me to ever question a collectors purchase but anyone collecting this generations superstars for monetary gain is fooling themselves. Unless you have a jersey that changes the sport forever, you have what will amount to the 1989 Upper Deck Baseball set. Hot for a few years until everyone figures out that anyone who wants it, has it, as they were overproduced by millions

[skinsfan0521]

Yeah, I expected to see some of the vintage/classic jerseys sell for that much, but I can't believe that anything "new" (within 10 years) has even come close.

Also, I completely agree that the hockey gold by Canada in Canada would drive up prices to crazy levels. The only difference is that I would expect to see that on the jersey he won the Gold medal in, a jersey he wore for several games, etc.... not just one game that has little meaning in the whole scheme of things. That's the part that I don't understand.

But, like you said, far be it for me to question another collector's purchase, because I'm sure many people would look at my collection and say "why??". haha But, again, I completely agree with your point about it being like 80's & 90's sports cards. Tons of jerseys out there and I don't see how this one is any more special than that 1989 Griffey RC -- looks great now, but in 10 years, you're going to be saying "wow... I overpaid by a LOT for this".

But as long as the collector is happy with what they paid, then that's all that matters.

[skinsfan0521]

So, I was unsuccessful in my attempt to add an Olympic item to my collection. I was trying to win the competition worn bib from Hannah Teter's Silver medal snowboarding performance. My high bid was around $500 and it went for over $800. Was under $350 until 8 seconds left.... then, as usual, skyrocketed.

She had everything (ceremony worn stuff, shoes, clothes, jackets, socks, pins, etc) from the Olympics up for auction to raise money for her many charities. Her uniform (Jacket & snowpants) that she wore for the event went for over $2k, which was a bit surprising. I wasn't expecting that her stuff would go for quite so much, but I guess the whole Olympic thing pushed them up pretty high.

I would've really loved to get that bib, but I decided that if I paid more than $500 for it, every time I'd look at it on my wall, I'd say "why did I spend so much money for that? I shouldn't have."

Oh well...

[sugarpam]

So, I was unsuccessful in my attempt to add an Olympic item to my collection. I was trying to win the competition worn bib from Hannah Teter's Silver medal snowboarding performance. My high bid was around $500 and it went for over $800. Was under $350 until 8 seconds left.... then, as usual, skyrocketed.

She had everything (ceremony worn stuff, shoes, clothes, jackets, socks, pins, etc) from the Olympics up for auction to raise money for her many charities. Her uniform (Jacket & snowpants) that she wore for the event went for over $2k, which was a bit surprising. I wasn't expecting that her stuff would go for quite so much, but I guess the whole Olympic thing pushed them up pretty high.

I would've really loved to get that bib, but I decided that if I paid more than $500 for it, every time I'd look at it on my wall, I'd say "why did I spend so much money for that? I shouldn't have."

Oh well...

Wow, another sign that these Olympic items are going for ridiculous prices! I can't believe a snowboarder's items went for so much, sorry you didn't get the bib you were looking for.

I was hoping the Olympics would be out of people's minds by now as VanOc eBay auctions listed a set of white Canadian Women's National Team jerseys. As I mentioned, I won Sarah Vaillancourt's red game worn jersey for $660, I just won her white game worn jersey for $950!!! I was hoping the white jerseys would sell for less this long after the games, not more.

But I didn't spend $34K, so I guess I got a good deal

-Pam