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View Full Version : How to authenticate an NFL Game Worn Helmet?



Britt in VA
06-07-2016, 01:29 PM
Hi, I'm a casual member of the board, mainly a lurker on and off for a couple of years.

I have what I believe to be an autographed and inscribed 2001 Game Worn Michael Strahan New York Giants helmet that I'm thinking of selling to pursue other interests.

It shows a lot of notable use, but I haven't been able to photomatch it. I just haven't been able to find enough photos to go through on Getty. The helmet is autographed and inscribed "NYG 22.5 Sacks Single Season Record 1/6/02". The story I was told when I bought this helmet in 2003 is that there is a tradition at the Pro Bowl where players exchange helmets with one another after the game. The player Strahan exchanged this with anonymously put it up for auction due to creditors. It's been with me ever since. Sometime around 2005 or 2006 I had an email exchange with Joe Skiba, the Giants equipment manager, who said the helmet appeared to be authentic due to certain writing/marking inside the helmet under the earpad, although that exchange is long gone (I never really planned on selling it, it was for my peace of mind).

Since I can't photomatch it (unless anybody has any other methods besides Getty I may be able to try), I was looking to have it authenticated the best I can so that whomever I sell it to can have their own peace of mind rather than having to take my word for it.

Some photos are available in this thread from back in 2014 when Strahan got inducted into the hall of fame, post #138:

http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=53168

helmets
06-08-2016, 12:33 PM
I am afraid that if you can not photo match it, then it is tough to authenticate it. Giants helmets from this era are tough. Players were issued multiple helmets and most players were issued a new helmet mid way through the season. I own many. I have found that as a general rule - not always - but generally, if the helmet comes with a chinstrap, then it was used at the end of the year. If the helmet does not have a chinstrap - which many Giants gamers do not have, then it was used early in the season and the chinstrap was reused with the new helmet. Additionally, the Giants cleaned their helmets very well after each game and replaced worn masks and damaged logos/striping often - making it even more difficult to photomatch.

Additionally, there seems to be fifty million Strahan gamers floating around out there. Look back at past auction house auctions over the last 15 years and you will see loads of them. Being an all-pro most seasons and arguably the most popular Giant - along with the fact that Skiba and others within the Giant organization made up "gamers" for displays, charity auctions, events, and for players, there seems to be many Strahans floating around that never saw the field. I collect HOF player's helmets and would love to own a "real" Strahan helmet. I have passed on every one that I have seen in recent years.

As for Pro-Bowl exchanges and the helmet's "story." Many times the helmet that the player brings to the Probowl is not the helmet that he wore that season - knowing that he will trade it or give it away. Often times it is a back-up helmet or even made up by the equipment staff just for that game. Players will even bring additional helmets to the ProBowl just to trade one or give one away. This trend is increasing but was also popular in the 90's and early 2000's. Additionally, player's helmets are often "made pretty" for the Probowl - new decals/mask - etc making it even tougher to photo-match it to the season.

If your helmet was traded in the Probowl, I would suggest trying to match it to that game.

Britt in VA
06-08-2016, 01:02 PM
I am afraid that if you can not photo match it, then it is tough to authenticate it. Giants helmets from this era are tough. Players were issued multiple helmets and most players were issued a new helmet mid way through the season. I own many. I have found that as a general rule - not always - but generally, if the helmet comes with a chinstrap, then it was used at the end of the year. If the helmet does not have a chinstrap - which many Giants gamers do not have, then it was used early in the season and the chinstrap was reused with the new helmet. Additionally, the Giants cleaned their helmets very well after each game and replaced worn masks and damaged logos/striping often - making it even more difficult to photomatch.

Additionally, there seems to be fifty million Strahan gamers floating around out there. Look back at past auction house auctions over the last 15 years and you will see loads of them. Being an all-pro most seasons and arguably the most popular Giant - along with the fact that Skiba and others within the Giant organization made up "gamers" for displays, charity auctions, events, and for players, there seems to be many Strahans floating around that never saw the field. I collect HOF player's helmets and would love to own a "real" Strahan helmet. I have passed on every one that I have seen in recent years.

As for Pro-Bowl exchanges and the helmet's "story." Many times the helmet that the player brings to the Probowl is not the helmet that he wore that season - knowing that he will trade it or give it away. Often times it is a back-up helmet or even made up by the equipment staff just for that game. Players will even bring additional helmets to the ProBowl just to trade one or give one away. This trend is increasing but was also popular in the 90's and early 2000's. Additionally, player's helmets are often "made pretty" for the Probowl - new decals/mask - etc making it even tougher to photo-match it to the season.

If your helmet was traded in the Probowl, I would suggest trying to match it to that game.

Thank you very much for taking the time to respond. Do you know of any sources to try for photomatches besides Getty? It seems there are so few photos that I can find of him from the 2001 season that aren't of the Green Bay game where he broke the record. The helmet did come with a chin strap.

If you were to sell it, would you just put it up on Ebay then, with basically a similar disclaimer to you posted above? Would you consider that to be a fair warning? Buy at your own risk, do your homework sort of thing? I'm thinking of just putting it on Ebay and starting it low with that sort of disclaimer and whatever it sells for, it sells for. I don't want to be dishonest here, at all. I want to do right by the buyer, as well as myself.

Thanks again for your time.

Britt in VA
06-08-2016, 01:24 PM
I guess long answer short, if you wanted to sell this helmet based on that information you just gave, how would you proceed to be the most fair and up front as possible?

helmets
06-08-2016, 01:32 PM
One thing that I did notice on your helmet - from the limited photos from the previous post that you posted the link to--

Your helmet is a Pro AiR II - in what looks to be a size medium. Can you verify this? Strahan wore a Pro AiR II early in his career in a size large and then switched to the AiR Advantage - in which he went to an XL helmet.

Britt in VA
06-08-2016, 01:41 PM
One thing that I did notice on your helmet - from the limited photos from the previous post that you posted the link to--

Your helmet is a Pro AiR II - in what looks to be a size medium. Can you verify this? Strahan wore a Pro AiR II early in his career in a size large and then switched to the AiR Advantage - in which he went to an XL helmet.

Should there be a marking somewhere inside that lets me know the size? I'm at work now, but I've looked for a size marking a bunch of times and haven't found one. Is there a tell tale sign to look for?

Britt in VA
06-08-2016, 02:19 PM
I will take detailed photos of the inside of the helmet and post them tonight later tonight, if possible.

Thanks for all the help.

helmets
06-08-2016, 02:54 PM
A couple of other things that I noticed. It is difficult as the photos of your helmet are a bit limited - so please confirm.

Your helmet has an Armor Guard Carbon Steel mask. The only time Strahan wore a carbon steel mask - that I can find in the 2001 season was in the preseason - and it was the thinner wire style with the Vinyl Guard coating. During the regular season, he wore a Titanium facemask.

Your helmet appears to have regular standard side facemask clips. Strahan and the Giants wore stabilizer clips in 2001.

Your helmet has gold facemask screws. Strahan and the Giants wore gray-black phosphate screws in 2001.

The straps on the chinstrap extend way too far past the clips - both as a result of not being trimmed - but also due to the more narrow width of a medium sized shell.

Again, if it was traded at the ProBowl and obtained from a ProBowl player - my belief is that it was an extra helmet that Strahan took with the purpose of trading or giving it away. However - even then it would exhibit the same style and components as a 2001 Giants gamer.

Without seeing the helmet or better photos, I would say that it is a helmet that someone made up to look like something that Strahan would have worn.

Jags Fan Dan
06-08-2016, 05:32 PM
This is the biggest issue with modern day helmets. Anybody can buy the correct components and make an endless supply of correct-style helmets of any player they want to. Which is why I own 0 GU helmets. It sucks.

Phil316
06-08-2016, 08:26 PM
Does it have a Steiner sticker ? If so do you have the COA ?

Britt in VA
06-10-2016, 07:15 AM
Does it have a Steiner sticker ? If so do you have the COA ?

No, there is no COA or Steiner sticker.

Britt in VA
06-10-2016, 07:19 AM
A couple of other things that I noticed. It is difficult as the photos of your helmet are a bit limited - so please confirm.

Your helmet has an Armor Guard Carbon Steel mask. The only time Strahan wore a carbon steel mask - that I can find in the 2001 season was in the preseason - and it was the thinner wire style with the Vinyl Guard coating. During the regular season, he wore a Titanium facemask.

Your helmet appears to have regular standard side facemask clips. Strahan and the Giants wore stabilizer clips in 2001.

Your helmet has gold facemask screws. Strahan and the Giants wore gray-black phosphate screws in 2001.

The straps on the chinstrap extend way too far past the clips - both as a result of not being trimmed - but also due to the more narrow width of a medium sized shell.

Again, if it was traded at the ProBowl and obtained from a ProBowl player - my belief is that it was an extra helmet that Strahan took with the purpose of trading or giving it away. However - even then it would exhibit the same style and components as a 2001 Giants gamer.

Without seeing the helmet or better photos, I would say that it is a helmet that someone made up to look like something that Strahan would have worn.

I'm sorry I left you hanging on this topic, I just got really busy at work and home and haven't had a chance to revisit it, or take pictures. I hope to do that later this weekend.

I've often felt that this helmet seemed a little small, and you thinking that it's a medium size would validate that, but there are no markings of size inside the helmet. That's a bummer. The faceamask is the vinyl coated style facemask.

helmets
06-10-2016, 09:54 AM
The red valve on the air bladder tells me that it is a medium helmet. This coupled with the thicker jawpads shown in your helmet results in a helmet to fit a head size of 7 or smaller.