Ryan Howard Game Used and signed Phillies Batting Helmet

[guDon]

http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Phillies-Ryan-Howard-Game-Used-auto-Rookie-Helmet_W0QQitemZ220136232789QQihZ012QQcategoryZ501 17QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The seller with the Hank Aaron 1974 Game Used bat is also selling a Ryan Howard Rookie Game Used helmet with a "Gamer" inscription. The Buy it Now seems high. What do you guys think the helmet is worth?

[hblakewolf]

The helmet in question has all of the interior padding pulled out and an extremely light autograph. The size tag is also marred/torn. The seller is seeking over $4,000 for it. This same helmet has been offered twice on ebay over the last 18 months. If memory serves correct, it was offered for less than half of the current asking price.

I've purchased and sold my share of Phillies helmets, including a mid 1980's Schmidt that was uncracked, with the padding and showing nice use. I sold it a few years ago for $3,000.

In my book the lack of padding is like having a game jersey that has the nameplate removed. Although you can restore it, it greatly lowers the value.

The lack of padding is a huge negative. I would value this at a few hundred dollars.

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

[guDon]

Howard, while I value your opinion, the seller has found a Pujols helmet that sold for over $4000. A batting helmet which is game used by Ryan Howard from his rookie season and signed is surely worth well over $1000 I would think. A few hundred dollars sounds very low. What did the helmet sell for on ebay last time you saw it?

[hblakewolf]

Howard, while I value your opinion, the seller has found a Pujols helmet that sold for over $4000. A batting helmet which is game used by Ryan Howard from his rookie season and signed is surely worth well over $1000 I would think. A few hundred dollars sounds very low. What did the helmet sell for on ebay last time you saw it?

guDon-
The Pujols had the padding intact, and also the tagging inside, correct? It was a "perfect" example and a great collectible.

The Howard has serious flaws in the fact that the padding and tagging are gone.

If you value the helmet at over $1,000, make the seller an offer and try to buy it for less than the asking price.

Based on my experience with Phillies helmets, and helmets that are in this type of less than original condition, I value this particular helmet at a few hundred dollars.

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

[hblakewolf]

The opening bid has now been greatly reduced to $1,600-as of this post, no bids have been placed.

As noted, the seller can't expect this to bring huge $$$, considering all of the padding has been removed and the size sticker is scraped out of the interior. I'd be extremely shocked if it sells for over a few hundred dollars.

guDon-appears the sellers comparison to the $4,000 Pujols helmet is just a little bit off base!

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

[hblakewolf]

Here is the current link to Ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Phillies-Ryan-Howard-Game-Used-auto-Helmet-PSA-DNA_W0QQitemZ220138441810QQihZ012QQcategoryZ50117Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

[guDon]

The opening bid has now been greatly reduced to $1,600-as of this post, no bids have been placed.

As noted, the seller can't expect this to bring huge $$$, considering all of the padding has been removed and the size sticker is scraped out of the interior. I'd be extremely shocked if it sells for over a few hundred dollars.

guDon-appears the sellers comparison to the $4,000 Pujols helmet is just a little bit off base!

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

Howard, be prepared to be extremely shocked. It looks like the seller reduced his starting bid to $9.99 with a $999 reserve and it did meet the reserve already. I guess the helmet is worth over $1000 to someone. If I had the $1000, I would buy it.

Don

[hblakewolf]

Don-
Interesting......

The current bid is $999.99

How do you know the reserve is/was $999.00?

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

[guDon]

Don-
Interesting......

The current bid is $999.99

How do you know the reserve is/was $999.00?

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

You are right Howard...i read it wrong. The bid/reserve is at 999.99. I know that is the reserve because the bids went from $200 something to 999.99 so that must mean the reserve was set there in order for the bid to jump that high.

[guDon]

The opening bid has now been greatly reduced to $1,600-as of this post, no bids have been placed.

As noted, the seller can't expect this to bring huge $$$, considering all of the padding has been removed and the size sticker is scraped out of the interior. I'd be extremely shocked if it sells for over a few hundred dollars.

guDon-appears the sellers comparison to the $4,000 Pujols helmet is just a little bit off base!

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

Howard, it appears you may be a little out of touch with the current Ryan Howard game used helmet market. The helmet sold for $2195.55 after shipping and the seller has already left the buyer feedback with a note that the buyer has already paid. If you look at the buyers feedback for past transactions, it appears he collects game used items with "game used" or "gamer" inscriptions.

Thankfully for the seller, your comments above about the helmet and the sellers price were pretty far from what actually occured once the bidding started. It appears this Howard helmet was almost as valuable to someone as your Mike Schmidt helmet was.

howard, if you come across any Ryan Howard game worn helmets you want to sell for what you value at "a few hundred dollars," I will pay that all day. Find me as many as you can. Being the Phillies expert, surely you must know where some more are for sale in the "few hundred dollar" range.

[guDon]

Feedback:

http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/icon/iconPos_16x16.gifPaid for this $2000+ game used helmet within 24 hours of the winning bid. A++aimgauctions (http://myworld.ebay.com/aimgauctions) ( 1023 (http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=aimgauctions)http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/icon/iconRedStar_25x25.gif)
Aug-11-07 12:16 2005 Phillies Ryan Howard Game Used auto Helmet PSA/DNA (#220138441810)--View Item (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220138441810)

Howard, I am just giving you a hard time. I am sure you are the best Phillies expert. It does appear that Ryan Howard stuff is getting up there in value so you may need to adjust your estimates. 58 HR's in one year is not something that happens every day. You may need to throw out all your past sales and estimated values out the door because Ryan Howard is on another level.

It's kind of like cardinals bats. Just because no Cardinals bat from the 1970's or 1980's (other than maybe a few) sells for over $1000, it doesn't mean that Pujols bats are then only worth less than $1000. When a great player comes along, past prices for other Phillies and Cardinals can't be compared with prices that Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols stuff will sell for.

For the record, I do think the buyer got a good deal because this is a Ryan Howard signed rookie year game used helmet. If I had $2500, I would have tried to outbid that guy.