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View Full Version : Gossage Jersey In Vintage Authentics



Eric
09-04-2008, 05:14 PM
Hey everyone-

Got an email this morning that vintage authentics' new auction is up. I noticed

Lot 37: Goose Gossage 1989 Game Used Jersey GU8
http://www.vintageauthentics.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=97664125&prmenbr=57735959&aunbr=98010835

Few things to note about this jersey. I actually won this jersey in the May 8, 2008 Vintage Authentics Auction when it was listed as

Lot 48: Goose Gossage 1989 Game Used Jersey GU8
http://auction.mlb.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=93503134&prmenbr=5773595

When I received the jersey, the first thing I noticed was 2 missing buttons. I hadn't realized the jersey was missing buttons.

There was no mention of it in the auction description or the letter written by hobby expert Lou Lampson.

I went back to the auction photos and did notice then that the front shot of the jersey did not show two buttons. BUT, shouldn't it have been noted somewhere?

I then turned the jersey inside out to look at the stitching and noticed the bottom button had stitching inconsistent with the rest of the jersey. It was sloppily done. It looked like an amateur had done it.

There was no mention of this stitching in the auction description of the letter written by hobby expert Lou Lampson.

I started wondering how much time hobby expert Lou Lampson actually spent on this jersey seeing that he failed to note two details I saw within 2 minutes. Made me ask myself "Did he miss anything else?"

I contacted Steve Jensen at Vintage and told him of my concerns. I said I'd like to send it to a San Francisco Giants expert and if he thought it was ok, I'd keep it. If he had issues with the jersey, I'd like to get my money back. Steve agreed to those terms, but assured me this was a good piece.

I sent the jersey to Lon Lewis, who was kind enough to help me out. Lon noted the following

"As I dig deeper into this jersey, the more inconsistencies pop up starting with the Rawlings tag having 2 breaks in the sewing (suggesting that the set tag was added) the NOB plate material is of a smaller size (3 3/4" in height vs 4" +) than normal for a McAdam plate, the amount of thread fading on the black portion of the numbers vs the black portion of the name, and a bunch of others. The numbers weren't sewn with a stitching pattern that was consistent with the McAdams made jerseys. It suggests someone may have taken a 1990 jersey that was lettered with # 54 and added a Gossage plate and switched the tags to 1989. Old loose plates were available on occasion from Dick Dobbins and in some cases McAdams"

Lon suggested that a look behind the nameplate would have revealed to him if it was a doctored piece and if it was consistent with a specific person who doctors Giants jerseys. Vintage was not interested in letting us open up the nameplate.

I sent Steve at Vintage Authentics Lon's concerns and said I would be returning the jersey for a refund.

After following up, I received all of my money back, which I appreciate.

Anyway, on to today's news, the Gossage jersey is listed in the current Vintage Authentics auction with no mention of the missing buttons, the stitching issue or the specific notes pointed out by an actual Giants jersey expert Lon Lewis. It is also being sold with the same grade even though problems were pointed out.
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Here is the current auction description:

Gray road Rawlings size 48 San Francisco Giants jersey used by 2008 Hall of Fame inductee Goose Gossage during his 31 game appearance with SFG in 1989. The jersey features 2-color sewn identifiers, NOB sewn to nameplate, black collar and button path piping, and 3-color stretch ribbed knit sleeve cuffs. It is appropriately tagged on inner tail with Rawlings wash label containing size ID and flagged for "Set 1 1989" ID. Overall it exhibits medium consistent pitcher game use throughout leading to a final authentic grade of 8 on this soon-to-be HOF representation.

http://www.vintageauthentics.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=97664125&prmenbr=57735959&aunbr=98010835 (http://www.vintageauthentics.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=97664125&prmenbr=57735959&aunbr=98010835)
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Here is the auction description from May 8, 2008

Description:

Gray road Rawlings size 48 San Francisco Giants jersey used by 2008 Hall of Fame inductee Goose Gossage during his 31 game appearance with SFG in 1989. The jersey features 2-color sewn identifiers, NOB sewn to nameplate, black collar and button path piping, and 3-color stretch ribbed knit sleeve cuffs. It is appropriately tagged on inner tail with Rawlings wash label containing size ID and flagged for "Set 1 1989" ID. Overall it exhibits medium consistent pitcher game use throughout leading to a final authentic grade of 8 on this soon-to-be HOF representation.
http://auction.mlb.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=93503134&prmenbr=57735959&aunbr=93849844 (http://auction.mlb.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=93503134&prmenbr=57735959&aunbr=93849844)
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I guess they dismissed the information given to them, but were willing to give a refund.
Just throwing it out there...
Eric

bigtruck260
09-05-2008, 09:26 AM
Eric -

This is a testament to GU Forums. I had been collecting bats for a while before I knew this forum existed- and was thinking about adding jerseys.

However, stuff like this is enough to keep me away from them. Period.

Unscrupulous people unfortunately outnumber the reliables - and I have zero time at this point to try and discern the two. I just know that seeing stuff like this out there justifies my decision to hold off on jerseys until I have the time and resources to "authenticate" them myself.

Good job - and thanks for sharing.

cjmedina1
09-05-2008, 10:34 AM
Bigtruck260

I just started in this hobby almost 3 years ago. Even though my collection is one player (Mark Mcgwire) I've learned alot from members on this site.. Mike S-Howard Wolf-Jeff Birdbats just to name a few. I'm in the same boat as you in the jersey business. I really don't have the time to learn on what to look for in a jersey...... We all are Luckey to have members on this site that's willing to share information and offer opinions.

Carlie Medina III
Carliemedinaiii@sbcglobal.net

Eric
09-05-2008, 03:44 PM
Vintage Authentics has changed the auction description to include

"The jersey is actually missing the first and fifth button counting from the top down."