The New England Patriots game used thread

[MichaelofSF]

Re: The New England Patriots game used thread

Dave Meggett 1996 season/1997 Pro Bowl game used AFC practice jersey (personally obtained)

This is my very first game used football piece. I was in high school and when Meggett (my favorite player growing up) was selected to the Pro Bowl, my parents were nice enough to take me to Honolulu to see the game. This was pre Stubhub so you had to get tickets through brokers.

Anyway, the day before the game at Aloha Stadium, after the AFC practice ended, Dave Meggett came straight over to the only guy who was wearing a Dave Meggett jersey (me) and also holding up one for him to sign. Curtis Martin was also heading over to sign autographs at the time, but I held my position for Meggett instead of going over to Curtis. Meggett called for my jersey to sign and signed it. Then he took of his practice jersey and threw it to me. It was the coolest thing for me at the time (Mean Joe Greene moment). Dave had/has his problems with treating women, but I will never forget his act for a fan. It's also probably a reason why I collect game used stuff.

[MichaelofSF]

So I have started a few other focus threads and I think they have been a great resource for learning and spreading knowledge, but also to network with fellow like minded collectors.

This one is for the New England Patriots. I would hope that this thread is used for Patriots collectors to share pickups, spread knowledge and learn from others. We no longer have Jeff C around (Mulligans), but I know there are other Pats collectors out there that have some really great items in their collections (Steve B, Eric A, Tobey H, Nick C, Chris J, etc).

I'll start the thread off with a recent pickup of mine...

1995 Curtis Martin rookie game used helmet (Tim Brown LOA)
I was recently able to pick up this Curtis Martin helmet from the Tim Brown collection. The helmet was not marketed with a year of use. Before purchasing it I figured it was from a year that Martin and Brown both went to the Pro Bowl, where they would likely exchange equipment. Martin's 1996 season is in the Pro Football HOF so I knew it wasn't likely from 1996. 1997 wasn't a good year for Martin, so I figured I would start by researching 1995, Martin's ROY season. There were a few things about the helmet that were pretty easy to match up. Around the first Jets game that year in the Meadowlands, Martin had a big gash/indent on his left side of the helmet that extended from the bottom rear of the flying elvis logo. This gash is present through the end of the season through the Pro Bowl that year. Over the course of the season the chin strap and mouthguard that Martin wore changed, but the current chin strap is easily verified by photographs from the later part of the season (definitely at Pitt). The chinstrap that is on the helmet currently has wearing away of the "id" in "Riddell" on Martin's right side and a diagonal wearing away on Martin's left side of the "Ri" from "Riddell." Lastly there are two hit marks/indents on the right side of the helmet that are still seen on the helmet but show up well in the Buffalo road game.

Martin has signed the helmet to Tim Brown, but the signature is a bit faded and I may completely remove the inscription to Brown one day. The facemask clips are all from 1995 except one from 1994. The mouthguard string is still attached to the helmet, but thte guard itself is not intact. The screws to hold the facemask in place changed during the season from a darker color to a more silver color as well in different locations. As Martin received damage to the flying elvis decals they were replaced.

I look forward to seeing the pickups, meeting some Pats collectors and learning from you all