Hines Ward GU Superbowl Helmet in HA

[jhunt28]

I was just checking out the new Heritage auction...they have some high priced helmets up for auction. I have already stated earlier that some people are skeptical these days when they see a "JO Sports Co LOA". I'm not saying they are automatically bad, but people seem to do EXTRA research when they see the name.

I might be missing something with the Hines Ward GU Superbowl XLIII helmet, but without doing much research, it has the wrong chinstrap and wrong side clips. Would anyone be able to explain these discrepancies? It seems hard for me to think that Hines would be unscrewing the upper snaps, changing the chinstrap, screwing the snaps back on, then taking off his side clips, and changing them with others?

70895


70896

[hrvatwill]

What I immediately found unusual about this and the jersey from the game is that neither is annotated as "game used" by Ward, which he has done in the past when he actually used items.

As far as the comparative pictures are concerned, in addition to the items pointed out by jhunt28, the spacing below the "6" on the front of the helmet appears to be bigger in the game photo than on the auction photo, although the different angles make it difficult to say so definitely.

Putting the two together, I would venture to say that it sounds like there may have been a misunderstanding somewhere along the line.

Just my thoughts.

[genius]

You have to be careful when judging a helmet by identifiers because they can change, be removed and put back, etc. I've dismissed a lot of Steeler helmets that turned out to be good because the stickers were off for example, but the stickers had only been replaced. This one is interesting though because it was obviously the last game of the season. Could have been used in 2009 and then "restored" to Super Bowl graphics. Still, wouldn't be surprised if...

[jhunt28]

I'm very aware that decals are replaced throughout the year, as they get torn, ripped, etc. But when you tell me a players helmet is from the Superbowl, and still has the Superbowl XLIII decal on the rear of the helmet, I'm going to assume I'm being made to believe this was worn in the Superbowl. And when what that player wore is completely different from the helmet being sold (different chinstrap and sideclips), I'm just saying that it makes me skeptical.

[steelbella]

I don't see how it can be the same helmet and the jersey doesn't match either. pretty sure the shirt is a backup.

[COWBOYS4EVR]

If you look at the photo jhunt posted, the seam on the left shoulder of the jersey goes in between the 2 black stripes and into the white.
In this photo, you can see the seam goes into the yellow under the black line. Not worth the 3500 its at even with auto.
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[perlman9]

Could this possibly be the helmet and got a misleading inscription that JO sold as more than it really was? Seems more like just an inscription like you would get from a World Series winner on a baseball than authentication of game it was worn.

http://th03.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/f/2012/192/a/a/aa9c1b9fb79a94fca8347b408bc15c26-d516x14.jpg

[perlman9]

shoot, "possibly be this helmet" not "the helmet"

[bgakladd]

Here is a photo from the game and the photo of the back of the helmet that is in the auction. Warning label is way off in my opinion for starters. American flag is not in the same location.

[jhunt28]

Could this possibly be the helmet and got a misleading inscription that JO sold as more than it really was? Seems more like just an inscription like you would get from a World Series winner on a baseball than authentication of game it was worn.

http://th03.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/f/2012/192/a/a/aa9c1b9fb79a94fca8347b408bc15c26-d516x14.jpg

This pic has been massively photoshopped...They took out the upper snaps that secure his chinstrap in this card photo. Also the chinstrap is the Adams gel like he wore in the Superbowl, not the Adams foam cup like in the Heritage Auction. Also the clips in the card photo are the same that he wore in the Superbowl, but they have been tampered with a bit in the air brushed card version.

At least that's what it looks like to me...I'm ready to move on though. I clearly won't be spending my money on this...hopefully whoever does enjoys the helmet.

[bgakladd]

If the photos are magnified and zoomed in on the facemask clips they show a code date of 86 in the circle. From what I am familiar with is that would indicate the year of 1986. They do look like the style used back in the 80's.

[bgakladd]

If the photos are magnified and zoomed in on the facemask clips they show a code date of 86 in the circle. From what I am familiar with is that would indicate the year of 1986. They do look like the style used back in the 80's.

Forgot to mention that I was referring to the helmet listed in the auction. Use their zoom magnification and it will show what I mean.

[tom1315]

Great thread and discussion. As stated earlier always do your homework…rear warning decal and side clips are wrong…maybe a back-up or one worn by him still yet the SB decal applied?

Tom

Go Pack! NC State 1981 alumni

[helmets]

If the photos are magnified and zoomed in on the facemask clips they show a code date of 86 in the circle. From what I am familiar with is that would indicate the year of 1986. They do look like the style used back in the 80's.

Two things that I noticed in looking at this helmet.
The rear padding of this VSR4 is older - from the late 90's. If you look at the rear bumper on the outside of the helmet, you'll notice there is no "ridge" at the bottom of the bumper. Riddell changed this design in roughly 1998 or so due to the rear bumper curling back towards the inside of the helmet. Ward's SB helmet had the ridge, as most every VSR4 helmet did by 2009.
There Is a "99" on the Adams chinstrap on the right side lower strap. Adams used to put the year on their chinstraps as well as their name. The names were removed from both sides of this chinstrap, but not the "99" from the right side. I find it hard to believe that he would be wearing a chinstrap from 10 years earlier, however it provides another match opportunity.

IMO the helmet could be a Steelers gamer - perhaps even belonging to Ward at one point. However, the older clips, chinstrap, and most importantly the rear bumper of the helmet clearly indicate that this helmet is from much earlier than 2009.

[bgakladd]

Great thread and discussion. As stated earlier always do your homework…rear warning decal and side clips are wrong…maybe a back-up or one worn by him still yet the SB decal applied?

Tom

Go Pack! NC State 1981 alumni

.....still yet the SB decal applied. Good question, the #92 James Harrison Steelers SuperBowl XLIII helmet that sold for astronomical numbers had black trim around the SuperBowl decal, this Hines Ward helmet does not have the black trim, it is white on the edges. Still strange that those decals don't even line up.

[bgakladd]

The Hines Ward helmet was pulled out of the auction.

[1yountfan]

Looks like the jersey has been pulled too.