The Fall 2012 offering at Classic Auctions in nearing it's curtain call. You only have until October 30th to get your bids in.

Bidding will get fast and furious in the remaining days, and nowhere will that be more obvious than in the Wayne Gretzky/Edmonton Oilers collection. The Great One remains the most sought after hockey player in the memorabilia market. Yet there appears to be a number of real bargains available this time around.

 



The most sought after item is Wayne Gretzky's game-used stick from the 1984 Canada Cup....

There is no more personal connection to hockey history than literally owning a piece of it. Sticks are always popular, but nothing is more cherished than a game-worn jersey. To have such an intimate keepsake - the identifying sweater complete with blood, sweat and maybe even tears - of your favorite player from a truly special night is about as special as it gets.

Classic Auctions has no shortage of game-worn sweaters and jerseys available...

A few months back we traveled to Prague in a quest for quality consignments from the Czech Republic.  Sitting in our hotel lobby, I was patiently and anxiously looking forward to our meeting with Frantisek Tikal.  When he arrived it was all I could do to contain myself in the hope that what he brought was exactly what I hoped it would be.

Frantisek sat down and told me the story of his grandfather with passion, not to mention the help of a translator! He explained to me in detail how his family managed to keep this prized jersey in his possession. I couldn’t wait to see it but that would have to wait a bit more as it remained in a plastic bag until Frantisek had told his tale.  When the time finally came, it was more than worth the wait. As soon as I laid eyes on this vintage beauty I knew it would be an amazing feature in our spring auction.

The time was now appropriate for Frantisek and his family to offer this beautiful international game-worn jersey to the collecting world.  And Classic Auctions was the auction house he trusted to promote it.

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The number 9 is a strong number.

On top of being considered a good number, number 9 is a highly symbolic one in the Chinese culture. Ancient Egypt, the European culture, the Greek Mythology, the Japanese Culture and many others all have their special relationship with the number 9 all for different reasons.

In baseball, it is the number of innings in a regulation, non-tied game.  It is also the number of players on the field including the pitcher.  Number 9 jerseys were retired in honor of Ted Williams, Roger Maris, Reggie Jackson and a few others.

There is no need to defend the fact that the number 9 is also symbolic in the hockey culture and we all know why.  Johnny Bucyk, Lanny McDonald, Bobby Hull, Glen Anderson, Clark Gillies, Andy Bathgate, Adam Graves, Ted Kennedy, Charlie Conacher, Maurice Richard and Gordie Howe ...

Some jerseys transcend the sport for whatever reason.



A SYMBOL

A jersey is more than just a piece of clothing that has the player’s name and team logo on it. It represents the identity of a franchise and a city and in many instances jerseys are symbols of civic pride and success. Much to my surprise, on a recent vacation in Cuba I met a Cuban wearing a Canadiens’ jersey. Stunned by the fact, I asked him if he was a fan and he said ‘’yes’’.  He said that his cousin lives in Montreal and had brought him the jersey. He went on to explain that he had watched hockey in the 60’s and 70’s and that a Canadiens’ jersey represented a winning tradition for him.

For Canadians, the 1972 Paul Henderson jersey is more than just a jersey as it represents so many things like winning, joy and pride. For Americans, the cold war certainly brings up the...

So you are eyeing that special game-worn jersey, but what are you really buying? Whether you have a $300 or a $3000 budget, here are the first 4 things you should consider before buying a game-worn jersey.

1. Authentication  

When you first start collecting game-worn jerseys things like Letter of Authenticity (LOA) and Certificate of authenticity (COA) can give a collector a sense of relief knowing the item is authentic. In a sense, a LOA or COA can legitimize a jersey proving its provenance and the jerseys’ history. Collectors still need to be careful when buying a game-worn jersey with a LOA or COA.  Make sure that the entity issuing the letter or certificate is legitimate and a trusted source in the hobby.  Letters directly from professional teams, letters from well renowned collectors, third-party authenticators or even from major auction houses are usually...