Collectible of the Week: 1990 Topps Coins

1990 Topps Coins Tom Herr

A lot of times I end up featuring higher-end items as the "Collectible of the Week", but there are many fun, low cost pieces of Phillies memorabilia out there, too.  The 1990 Topps Coins set marked the fourth year (1987-1990) for this "throwback" product.  The coins in this year's edition were designed with a nod to the sets issued during the 1960s and featured three subsets distinguished by their pink, gold and silver colored rims.  Among the 60 players featured were Hall of Famers like Nolan Ryan, Robin Yount and Ryne Sandberg, stars of the day such as Dale Murphy and of course, two Phillies, Von Hayes and Tom Herr.

1990 Topps Coins Von Hayes

I like both Phillies coins in the set, in fact, the inclusion of Herr is the main reason I decided to talk about it.  Though he only played a season and a half in Philadelphia he stands out in my mind when I think back to Phillies baseball during this period.  Herr was a local guy coming home, and a slick switch-hitter that added credibility to the lineup.  Because of his relatively short stay in town there are very few pieces of Phillies-themed, Tom Herr memorabilia - but, his cards in maroon pinstripes are classics (not a loser in the lot).

The bottom line on these coins is that they offer a bit of nostalgia at a low price.  Because of their shape and size, they are not easily mixed in with your cards from 1990 (maybe part of the reason they only lasted four years).  Both the Herr and Hayes coins, or the entire set could be bought online for a few dollars...

Back of the Herr and Hayes coins

Online review of the set from 85% Sports
Previous Collectible of the Week posts

My Favorite Cards: Gregg Jefferies

Gregg Jefferies is probably remembered as a number of things:  a can't miss prospect with the Mets during the late 1980's, a double's machine and of course, a Phillie from 1995-1998.  There are few memorable moments for either Jefferies or the entire Phillies organization during his tenure.  He played fairly well with a truly terrible team, but never fully met the expectations that were placed on him as a minor league prospect (or high paid free-agent).  Despite the lackluster results, Jefferies was always someone I enjoyed "watch hit".  Here are a few of my favorite Gregg Jefferies cards:

1996 Pinnacle Aficionado #89

Comments: The 1990's birthed many new card products.  Pinnacle Aficionado was a relatively small set (200 cards) with interesting card images.  I like this card because of the overall design - a sepia tone batting image overlapped with a black and white profile picture.

Gregg Jefferies - 1996 Pinnacle Aficionado

1998 Fleer Tradition Vintage # 113

Comments: I mentioned my appreciation for "the Jefferies swing", and this card is a great example.  Bonus points for great card design.

Note: Check out more on this set from 14K Phillies card (2/12/12)

Gregg Jefferies 1998 Fleer Vintage

1996 Donruss Diamond Kings #17

Comments: Here is one from my wish-list.  I did not steadily collect cards for a long period, and have a lot of holes in the late 1990's.  I am a big fan of Dick Perez's work and would like to add this Diamond Kings card sometime in the future.

Gregg Jefferies 1996 Diamond Kings

Weather Postpones a Trio of Signings

Carlos Ruiz Signing Postponed

Today's storms washed out both the Phillies game and three scheduled autograph signings.  Carlos Ruiz, Ty Wigginton and Erik Kratz planned to spend their off-day making personal appearances tomorrow, but all three were put on hold after today's game was postponed.  So far, only Wigginton's signing at Carl's Cards has been rescheduled (for Monday, September 24th).  Others are still TBD...

Keep an eye on the upcoming signing schedule for new dates.

UPDATE (9/20):
All three signings have now been rescheduled.  Reliever, Jeremy Horst has been added to the Carlos Ruiz signing at Oxford Valley Mall, check their site for pricing information.  Unfortunately, Erik Kratz will now be a private signing.  Get items to George's by 9/25 (Tuesday) if you want to have them signed.

Collectible of the Week: Roy Halladay Print

Roy Halladay - Dick Perez Print

In recent years the Phillies have rewarded full plan, season ticket holders with a limited edition Dick Perez print for paying their ticket fees early.  Because the prints are produced in extremely limited quantities with top quality paper stock and signed/numbered by Perez in pencil - they can demand high prices on the secondary market.  One of the most popular in the series is this week's feature, the 2011 Roy Halladay no-hitter print.

Since being distributed I have seen these prints show up on various online auction sites ranging from $75 to $150 in price.  While it looks nice in the online photos, I was blown away when I saw a few in-person at this season's Phillies Phestival.  I was impressed (and jealous).  Needless to say, if you have the wall space and means to spend somewhere around $100 - this print is worth the money!

Vital Stats:

Subject - Roy Halladay, 2010 NLDS no-hitter
Artist - Dick Perez
Measurement: 18"x 24"
Year Distributed - 2011 (reward for paying 2011 season tickets in-full early)
# Distributed - 1,250

Note: Image from active eBay auction - Link to auction

Related posts:
2010 Early Bird Print
Other Collectible of the Week posts

Phillies Oddballs: 1952 Berk Ross Cards

Berk Ross was a startup sports card set in 1951, setting out to challenge market leaders, Bowman and Topps.  The '51 offering featured two cards on a single panel with athletes from various professional sports.  For the second (and final) 72-card issue, Berk Ross only included baseball players on slightly larger (2"x3"), single cards.  There are three Phillies in the 1952 set: Richie Ashburn, Del Ennis and Robin Roberts.

The overall card design is fairly plain, mimicking Bowman's clean layout.  Card fronts feature retouched photos with muted colors and white borders - no name, team or position.  Backs carry the title, "Hit Parade of Champions" and include player measurements and a single line of statistics from the 1951 season.  If you are looking at the cards posted on this page and thinking - "These look familiar" - you are probably right.  The Ashburn and Ennis photos are used in both the 1951 and 1952 sets (just feature different coloring and slightly different cropping).  The Robin Roberts card uses the picture from Robbie's 1951 Bowman card.

Phillies Team Checklist:

• Richie Ashburn
• Del Ennis
• Robin Roberts

Full 72-card set Checklist (via Dean's Cards)

Auction Watch: September Hunt Auctions Internet Auction

The Hunt Auctions, September Internet auction ends on Wednesday (September 5th) night.  I have sat out of the action over the last several months, but feel like the time might be right to add a new piece to the collection.  There are many lots related to the Phillies this month, but the highlight has to be the inclusion of items belonging to Hall of Fame broadcaster, Harry Kalas.

This is not the first time Kalas "personal" items have reached the auction block, but it may be the largest collection to date to go up at one time.  In all, 24 lots are being billed as "The Harry Kalas Collection".  Some very personal, others are just some pieces of memorabilia owned by the late announcer.

Lot # 79 - 2006 Working Notebook

Harry Kalas Notebook (via huntauctions.com)

Cool notebook used by Harry during the 2006 season.  Always want to have something that is personally tied to the athlete (or announcer, in this case) and the game.  Bidding on the book is currently at $220, with an estimated ending bid between $500-$1000.

Update (8/6): Surprisingly, bids for the notebooks never approached the pre-auction estimates.  Final bid amount for them was $348.  Cool items for collectors of Harry or the Phillies - only problem I have with them is that it might be hard to display.

Lot #81 - Harry Kalas First Pitch Tie

Harry Kalas Tie (via huntauctions.com)

I think this was from the 2008 NLDS first pitch (let me know if you can confirm).  Awesome piece to display with the Wall of Fame card.  Bidding on the tie might get out of hand.  With three days of bidding left, it is already within the bidding estimate of $150-300 (at $165).

Update (8/6): I received a few comments that the first pitch pictures may have been from the April 2009 ring ceremony game.  Either event obviously makes this tie a special piece.  Having the photographic provenance makes it special and will set up the owner with a great display opportunity.  Final bid was $344 (over the pre-auction estimate).

Update (8/6): I bid on two lots in this month's auction - a set of World Series press pins (that included two from the 1993 Series) and a pair of cleats worn by former Phillies outfielder, Wally Post during his time in Philly.

Post cleats (via huntauctions.com)

Comments: I have some pieces in my collection from the 1950's - mostly related to the 1950 Whiz Kids.  I marked this lot in my auction preview guide the day it came.  The cleats would be a great addition to any Phillies collection - especially since they have been associated with Post's time with the team.  I bid up to $115 - it ended at $124.  No regrets on not winning - got to set to the limits you have or risk overbidding.

1993 World Series Press Pins (via huntauctions.com)

Comments: Everyone knows I collect the 1993 NL Champions and to date, I do not have a press pin from the World Series.  I liked this lot because it included both the Philadelphia and Toronto pins and would help me complete the set in one purchase.  Again, tried to measure the true value for the set, and avoid overpaying (very easy to do in an online auction).  My top bid of $65 was not enough - they sold for a few dollars more - $73.  

Site Updates

I have been working on a few updates to the site this weekend.  Here is a quick overview:

• Phillies Collectors Forum - Thought it was time to create a forum to share thoughts, tips, our collections, etc.  I put a few topics out there to get started - please join in the conversation and contribute to them or create new ones.  A link to the forum is now on the menu bar, replacing the "TTM Mailbag". 

• Share and Subscribe buttons - I have put my Twitter page link out here before, but figured I would add a permanent links to both it and the Phillies Collector Facebook page.  Also, added share buttons to the posts - share, follow or like if you want!

Collectible of the Week: Phyllis by Ted Key

Ted Key's book - Phyllis

Thought I would change it up a little with this week's featured collectible.  The book, "Phyllis" by cartoonist Ted Key was published by E.P. Dutton in 1957.  It is an easy to read story of a sparrow who built her nest in the tall grass of left field at Connie Mack Stadium during a Phillies road trip.  The team, urged by the fans to not disturb the nesting mother bird builds a temporary chicken wire fence in the outfield and Phyllis becomes a local celebrity.

While not necessarily your typical collectible, the book is an interesting look back at baseball in the late 1950's and worthy of a place in your Phillies collection.  Many illustrations depict Phyllis and the Phillies players in or around Connie Mack Stadium and opposing teams include the long defunct Brooklyn Dodgers.  I bought a copy on eBay about a year ago, never previously seeing or hearing of the story.  And, during Alumni Weekend I noticed there was a copy of the book in the Hall of Fame section as part of a Connie Mack Stadium display - which I thought was pretty cool.  Copies are available online for a fairly low price (between $5-10).  

Illustration from "Phyllis"

Ted Key's Wikipedia page

Images taken from this eBay auction.

Phillies Oddballs: 1975 Mengler Baseball's Best

I have seen a few Mengler Baseball's Best "postcards" online over the past two years, but never stopped to find out what they were until today.  A few short Google searches later I had some answers and figured I would share them:

According to the 2010 Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards the set was one of the first card sets to have production stopped by the threat of legal action from the Major League Players Association.  Before the plug was pulled Clarence Mengler created a five series, 125-card set of 3"x5" index cards meant to be used as an autograph medium.  There are six Phillies included in the set (complete Phillies checklist below).The card fronts feature a drawing by Keith Peterson and the player's name in block type print.  Backs are blank, though some feature a red stamped "Mengler-Peterson 1975".  The printing on the back is inconsistent, and I have not found a definitive reason why some have it, and others do not.

A source from a collecting message board claims to have spoken with Mengler about the set.  According to him, Mengler said he "probably sold 25 complete sets.  I think around 200 or so were printed for the first three series, and around 100 of the final two."  The thread also notes that the cards came back into circulation after Mengler started selling his inventory online.  Despite the relative scarcity of the cards in the set, value for most hover around a dollar or two.  You won't make a lot of money collecting them, but you may get some cards your fellow collectors do not have!

Five, 20-card Series' (A-E) - 125 cards in the complete set

Note: Cards are unnumbered, but listed in alphabetical order

Phillies Set Checklist:

Series A

#20 Mike Schmidt

Series B

#27 Larry Bowa

#28 Steve Carlton

Series C

#59 Greg Luzinski

Series D

#91 Tug McGraw

Series E

#104 Bob Boone

Guest Contributor: My Hall of Fame Plaque Postcard Collection

Jim Bunning Signed HOF Plaque

Please enjoy this guest contributor by regular reader, and Twitter follower Jim (@philschamps2008).

I collect autographed Hall of Fame plaque postcards. In total I have 36, including five Phillies legends.  The collection began in 1995 when my family made the trek up to Cooperstown to see Whitey and Schmidt get inducted into the Hall of Fame. We caught wind of a special autograph session for kids 12 and under, for which I just barely qualified.  200 randomly selected kids who attended the Museum would have the opportunity to meet 12 Hall of Famers for a private autograph session on Induction Morning. After a few times through the admission line, I got lucky and had a ticket to meet baseball legends! 

When I showed up the next morning, there were two lists of Hall of Famers to choose from. The first list had Mike Schmidt on it while the second had Richie Ashburn, Steve Carlton and Robin Roberts. I decided to pick the second list because it contained more Phillies. In the end, I was able to get Richie Ashburn, Robin Roberts, Mike Schmidt (they gave this to everyone as a freebie) but Steve Carlton didn’t sign my card despite all my Phillies gear. That was a slight disappointment. My family ended up returning the next two years, and I was once again was in pursuit of the Hall of Fame autograph giveaway. I was drew a lucky admission ticket both times and finally, on the third trip up and the third time getting a ticket, I was able to get Steve Carlton on his plaque postcard. 

Steve Carlton Signed HOF Plaque

Despite the fact that Jim Bunning was inducted in 1996 I was unable to get his postcard signed during those last two trips. It wasn’t until 2011when I finally crossed paths with him at Carl’s Cards in Pennsylvania and got him on his postcard plaque. Then last Christmas, I sent a plaque postcard away to former-GM, Pat Gillick and I received a nicely signed my present in the mail a few days later. So, now I have 5 Phillies members on their plaque postcards. 

Pat Gillick Signed HOF Plaque

Unfortunately they do not make plaques for announcers. But, I was able to meet Harry before he passed away and he signed my 2002 Phillies game day program that states “Call from the Hall.” I have debated over the years if I should get Ferguson Jenkins or Ryne Sandberg - but while they served some time with the team, neither are Phillies legends. So until more make it I can call this collection complete!

Collectible of the Week: Tommy Greene No-Hitter Jersey

Tommy Green No-Hitter Celebration

This week the Phillies celebrated 1991 with "90's Retro Night" which featured both them and the Cincinnati Reds wearing uniforms matching those worn 21 years ago.  As noted in my previous entry, despite their sub-.500 record, there were several memorable on-field moments that summer - none bigger than Tommy Greene's No-Hitter on May 23rd.  I remember watching this game after school and telling my dad all about it when he got home.  It's a day that in many ways has made a post-career, career for Tommy Greene and sticks with many fans my age.

I wanted something representative of the 1991 season to present for this week's "Collectible", and it just made sense to relate it to the no-hitter.  One of most unique items I was able to find online (i.e. - I do not own this) was the gray road jersey Greene wore the day he throw his gem.  Paragon Auctions (paragonauctionsite.com) put the item up for bid last September.  It sold after 14 bids for a whopping $2,100!

Tommy Greene No-Hitter GU Jersey

Tagging on T. Greene No-Hitter GU Jersey

I am not a big collector of game used jerseys, but have picked up a few at the Phillies Holiday Sales over the years.  Buying from the Phillies gives me a lot of confidence in the jersey's authenticity (whether game used or issued).  If/when I purchase outside  have to rely on the information I have available to me.  One of the best resources I can recommend for anyone interested in collecting game used jerseys is the Phillies Game Worn Guide.  When researching this item, I referenced my copy of the guide and identified the uniform tagging used during the 1991 season:

Example of Phillies 1991 Jersey Tagging

From the example in the guide, I can reasonable conclude that the item in the auction lot is a gamer from the 1991 season.  The rest is a leap of faith.  Of course, I would feel better if it was being sold by or had a COA from either Greene or the Phillies - but, that was unfortunately not the case in this situation.  Still, if you have trust in either the dealer or auction house, and believe they have done their due diligence to authenticate the jersey definitely don't let a piece of Phillies history like this get away!

Phillies Retro Night - 1991 Promo Schedule

The Phillies turned back the clock to 1991 Wednesday night with retro uniforms and (continued) lackluster play in the field.  Though that season did not result in a postseason appearance, there were several memorable events: Randy Ready's Triple Play, Tommy Greene's No-Hitter and the incredible 13-game win streak late in the season.  If not for Dykstra's late night car accident and later, his injury in Cincinnati, the team may have ended up above .500.

Anyway, enough of "what ifs"...Thought it would be interesting to take a look back at some of the promotions the team held during the 1991 season.  I couldn't remember any particular SGA from the season except the "Dr. Dirt and Mr. Clean" poster that was handed out on Opening Night so I pulled out the 1991 Yearbook to take a look.  Here is what I found:

1991 Phillies Promotional Schedule

The list jogged my memory a little as I realized some of the "no so high-end" pieces of my collection originated in 1991 (I'm looking at you Wallet Watch).  Not an overall great promotional lineup by any means - but, pretty standard for the day.  Some of the events - like Camera Night, Kid's Opening Day and Phanatic's Birthday are still present on the 2012 calendar.  I am not sure what the "Donruss Cardbook" was - but, if you know (or have a picture) let me know.

Phillies TTM: Week of 8/20/12

Building up to Alumni Weekend I usually slow down the outflow of mail to make sure I have all my current team projects available in case I run into someone I need.  With that said, there hasn't been too much to report over the past few weeks - but, I'll be getting back out there soon...

This week brought one nice return - Tony Gonzalez on a 1964 Bulletin picture.

I bought a partial set of the newspaper cutouts at a flea market a few years ago.  I held onto them for about a year until I figured a partial set wasn't doing me any good - and decided to start sending them out to have autographed.  I have collected fifteen so far.

I sent my original newspaper version of this picture to Mr. Gonzalez during the summer of 2010 with $5 and never received it back.  It was one of those rare situations when you follow all the "rules" and it doesn't work out.  I was lucky enough to find some of the full sized pictures and am now starting to fill in the holes in my collection by having additional 5"x7" photos signed.  This time around I received the picture and an additional "Diamond Signatures" card back.

Hoping to add Rick Wise and Frank Thomas soon...

Alumni Night Wrap-up

Former Phillies C Ozzie Virgil at Alumni Night

Alumni Night 2012 was a mixed bag.  Some successes, some real disappointments.  My brother and I started the day at Bucks County Tech HS for the Poppel.com show.  Gotta admit, compared to the past 3 or 4 years, the signing lineup was a little weak, and it showed.  The place was pretty empty - lacking both vendors and buyers.  There were nice initial crowds for most of the signers, but no one sustained any kind of presence after 30 minutes.  For me it was a good opportunity to get some "cheaper" autographs of guys I needed on a few continuing projects.  Here is what I got:

Tony Taylor - 1964 Bulletin picture

Tony Taylor 1964 Bulletin Photo

Bobby Wine - 1960 Sports Illustrated
- I am really close to having all living roster members on this.  Coach Wine wanted me to know he joined late in the season, and missed the 23 game losing streak!

1960 Sports Illustrated Cover

Del Unser and Bob Boone - 1980 team poster

Bob Boone - 1976 team ball
- Mr. Boone commented on how he was impressed he could read all the signatures, then lamented "kids today..."

1976 Phillies Team Ball

Marty Bystrom - 1983 team picture and ball

1983 Phillies Team Ball

My brother and I had bought tickets for the Hall of Fame section.  While there is some availability to the alumni over the weekend, being up in this area is really the best way to have a chance at getting an autograph.  For the night I had packed nine team balls, and a few individual pictures and magazines I would like to have signed.  A partial list of alumni attendees had been posted on Phillies.com, so I had a little idea of who I might run into up there.  It seemed a lot more crowded than it has been in previous years - at times the crowd was two or three people deep outside the alumni suite.  That made it a little more difficult to manage.  Still, came out with a couple targeted autographs:

Garry Maddox, Bob Boone and Greg Luzinski - 1980 team picture
- Nice to add three new, "free" signatures on here.

Boone and Maddox on 1980 Team Picture

Maddox - both my 1983 team ball and team picture
- Mr. Maddox signed a couple different things for me.  His signing for free each year is a great thing for collectors of the first Golden Era in Phillies baseball.

Garry Maddox on 1983 Team Picture

Ricky Bottalico - 2002 program insert photo at the WIP tent
- He laughed when he saw this picture - "I am so young here!"  I was always a big fan of Ricky's, especially the second time around.

Ricky Bottalico 2002 Program Insert

Ricky Jordan - 1989 team ball
- Caught him in the HOF section early in the night.  Good add to the '89 team ball.

Larry Bowa - 1980 team poster
- Bo came out and signed a lot late in the night.  Getting him on the poster (pictured above) really made me feel better about the night.

Bobby Wine - 1983 team picture
- Good to add a third coach to the project.  His quote regarding 1983: "Good season.  Awful Series."

Pat Burrell - 2008 team ball
- Obviously the highlight of my night.  I was in pursuit all night.  Luckily he signed a few on his way into the suite during the middle innings.  Got lucky on this one - really excited to add it to the ball.

Pat Burrell on 2008 Phillies Team Ball

Von Hayes - 1983 team ball
- He signed the ball walking through the hall.  Another difference this year was the presence of security with the alumni.  Von had two guys with him, but still signed as he walked by.

It should be noted that I did not see either Steve Carlton or Mike Schmidt in the HOF section at all this season.  Some of the other bigger names like McCarver, Curt Simmons, Dick Allen and Mike Lieberthal, while very polite, refused to sign.  I was also a little disappointed to not get Art Mahaffey on the 1960 Sports Illustrated cover.  Looks like I will need to send that one back up to Allentown...

All in all it was still a good night - pulling Burrell and Bowa late in the evening salvaged it for us.  I enjoyed meeting a couple "internet friends" at both the show and later at CBP.  It is always great to meet other collectors and see what they are working on.

My Favorite Cards: Curt Simmons

It's no secret I am a collector of the 1950 Whiz Kids.  Though I was born almost 30 years after the magical season, I have been raised on stories of their run to the World Series.  As a kid my dad took me to card shows to meet some of the guys from the team and I have always had an affinity for them.  Curt Simmons was a key contributor for the Phillies throughout the 1950's, and has cards in many legendary sets from that era.  Here are a few that I treasure in my collection:

1959 Topps #382

Comments: My dad bought me many of the cards he remembered having as a kid - specifically those from the 1959 Topps set.  Richie Ashburn from that set was my first '59 Phillie and remains my favorite card of his.  This Curt Simmons was bought at the same time and provides a lot of good memories.




1956 Topps #290

Comments: I've always had an affinity for horizontal cards.  The mix of action and headshot along with the classic "painted" effect make this a must have card.




1952 Topps #203

Comments: As with the '56 Topps card, the artistic nature of this card make it stand out.  Granted, the entire set is awesome - but something about the way the "P" on Curt's hat, and his uniform (which does not necessarily match the actual one worn at the time) always gets me looking at this one.  Also like the nickname - "Fightin' Phillies" on the card front.




1955 Red Man #24

Comments: Growing up I always thought of this as an "expensive" card.  Luckily the internet has knocked down a lot of the walls that limited the span of my search for reasonable vintage card prices.  Once of the more recent additions to my collection, it's also one of my favorites.

Phillies Alumni Weeked 2012

Mike Lieberthal Wall of Fame Induction Print

Back in the Spring I posted the Phillies' best promotions of the 2012 season - and right at the top is Alumni Weekend.  I have been coming to the alumni events since I was a kid.  At the Vet in the 80's and 90's the Phillies hosted Old Timer's Games and reunions of key teams like the 1950 Whiz Kids, 1980 World Champions or the star-crossed 1964 squad.  Those games were a lot of fun because it put the guys who I had only previously seen on my dad's baseball cards into 3-D.  Going to them introduced me to a whole new era of Phillies baseball.

Since moving to Citizens Bank Park the Phillies have strayed away from the Old Timers Game.  For a few years they had a batting challenge, but for the most part Alumni Weekend has consisted of two big events - Wall of Fame Night and Alumni Night.  The team generally does a good job of organizing events for the fans to meet some of their favorite alums.  In the past I have "met" guys like Mitch Williams and Ricky Jordan at the gates, and been able to get signatures from Tony Taylor and this year's WOF inductee, Mike Lieberthal at the Majestic Store.  Of course, there is always the BBQ street festival which features booths from two members of the 1980 team - Garry Maddox and Greg Luzinski and you can easily get either one of these two to sign your memorabilia there.

As I write, I am getting prepared for this year's Alumni Night - packing my book bag with a full supply of team balls, pictures and programs.  Historically, this has been a night where I can really add to my team projects.  For example, last year I was lucky enough to have Tony Taylor, Bobby Wine and Rick Wise sign my 1964 team ball.  I am not bringing that ball this year, instead I will be focused on a few other projects:

• Pat Burrell on the 2008 Team Ball - This is my top priority.  IT WILL HAPPEN!
• John Kruk on the 1993 Team Poster - Kruk will definitely sign; just hate carrying the poster around.
• 1983 and 1976 Team Balls - the list of alums include several of the players from these two great teams.  A big get would be Carlton on either and McCarver on the '76 ball.
• 1980 team picture - this is the miniature version of the poster that was handed out for the 10 year reunion.  Still need a couple big guys - targeting Larry Bowa, anyone else is gravy.

Anyway, if you're going - good luck!  I'll keep everyone posted on Twitter tonight, and write a wrap-up for the blog next week.

Collectible of the Week: Mike Lieberthal SGA Lunch Box

Phillies 2000 SGA Mike Lieberthal Lunchbox

The 2000 Phillies lost 97 games, traded Curt Schilling to Arizona and generally failed to energize the fan base.  Though there were several promising players like Bobby Abreu, Scott Rolen and Mike Lieberthal, the team lacked pitching depth, relying on Randy Wolf and Robert Person to anchor the starting staff and finished fifth in the division.  During these late-90's, early-00's seasons the promotional staff earned their money, creating a number of memorable giveaways to lure in the fans.  One of my all-time favorites from this era is the Phillie Phanatic/Mike Lieberthal metal lunch box.

The lunch box is heavy duty - a throwback to the 1970-80s style containers many of us used to bring our lunches to school (Note: I had Return of the Jedi).  It is square with rounded edges, metal and contains pictures of catcher Mike Lieberthal on one side and the Phillie Phanatic on the other.  Side panels contain the 2000 Phillies logo ("Bring It On") and sponsor (Oreos) images.  Intended for children, as a 14-under Sunday giveaway, this piece was the first of several "back-to-school" promotions to feature metal lunch boxes.  Value for this item has seemed to stay consistent over the years.  While I have not seen many on the secondary market, I would expect to spend about $10 to buy one today.

Hidden Gems: PSA Pro Bat Facts

Dick Allen Bat Sample from PSA's ProBatFacts.com

Last week Beckett News published a post on PSA's newest online collector's resource: PSA ProBatFacts.   ProBatFacts provides users with detailed pictures and information on game used bats from a variety of Hall of Famers and notable players from Major League history.  While the collection, which includes several Phillies, is fairly small at this point (73 Hall of Famers and 34 stars), PSA is dedicated to adding to the repository in the future.

In general, a game used bat is just that – a professional model bat that was used by a player during a Major League Game.  Game used bats are created to a specific players requirements and are generally identified by a stamp of the player’s signature, the name stamped in bold block letters or by a uniform number written on the handle.  Measuring the amount of use a particular bat had can be found in the wear on the bat – a lot of pine tar, or cleat marks lets the collector know that the bat had been used for an extended time during the season.  

PSA's ProBatFacts is particularly good at helping collectors identify the "personal characteristics" associated with a given player's bat.  For example, they provide samples of Pete Rose's unique handle taping technique or how Mike Schmidt would use red duct tape to recreate the "Adirondack ring" on his Rawlings bats.  As a collector, unless you get it from the player on the field, it is important to be familiar with these extra details in order to (try to) determine the legitimacy of a bat...especially if you are considering a large purchase.

My Collecting Story: Phillies Phestival Wrap-up

The 2012 Phillies Phestival was held on Thursday, July 26th - which means I am a little more than a week behind in publishing this post.  I really enjoyed this season's event - but, for some different reasons than I would have listed in previous years.  Of course, I got some great autographs from my favorite current Phillies, but this was the first season I took my (almost four year old) son to join in the fun.  The combination of these two factors resulted in a truly satisfying night.

The Autographs:

• I started with tickets for six autograph booths: Nix/Mayberry, Fontenot/Billmeyer, Pierre/Mackanin, Kendrick/Perlozzo, Roy Halladay and Jimmy Rollins.  Based on some of the draws I saw reported on Twitter after the event, my booths were middle of the road, at best.  I was extremely happy to pull the Halladay and Rollins booths - so, I won't complain.
• Halladay signed an OMLB and a cover of Sports Illustrated from the 2010 season.
• Rollins signed my 2008 Phillies team baseball and 2009 World Series Lithograph
• Everyone else, except Pete Mackanin, signed a 2012 team baseball.  Mackanin signed the 1979 team ball I have been working on.
• Purchased the Larry Andersen/Gary Matthews booth for $10
• They signed both the 1983 Phillies team baseball and team photo project.

Roy Halladay SS OMLB

Roy Halladay signed Sports Illustrated

2008 Phillies Team Signed Ball w. Rollins added

1983 Team Picture Project

1979 Phillies Team Ball w. new Pete Mackanin

Grab Bags:

Leading up to the Phestival, a lot of people asked me if the grab bags were worth $20.  In general, I have never had great success with them - getting a couple nondescript signed balls, a bobble head here and there and programs/yearbooks.  This season I let my son pick two bags since I figured all that stuff would be right up his alley and wasn't disappointed in the results.  He ended up getting an autographed Mitch Williams ball, and the 2012 Charlie Manuel group leader bobble head - both of which immediately made their way up to his dresser.  Note: My brother got a Halladay signed hat.

2012 Charlie Manuel Group Leader Bobble Head

Overall, a fun night capped off by a 15-minute session at the Phanatic play area...