What is the stupidest piece of memorabilia that has shown up repeatedly in auctions..

[Runscott]

...over the last 20 years?

The item I am thinking of is round.

[Shoeless Moe]

Babe Ruth Locker tags?

[Gary Dunaier]

Define "stupid."

Remember, to a lot of the general public the whole idea of collecting baseball cards and sports memorabilia is stupid, and when we're talking about game-used items we're basically talking about used sporting goods. To those people, the only reason such items are worthy of having is because they're worth money. A casual baseball fan might not care about Pete Alonso's 52nd home run baseball, but tell them it sold for over $27,000 and they'll take notice.

We here at Net 54, of course, know otherwise. We appreciate the intangible "aura" of a game-used piece.

For my part, I like to be silly and point out ordinary items used in a ballpark that, if slapped with a MLB authentication sticker, officially become pieces of game-used sports memorabilia. Perfect example: this ordinary HDX Sprayer bottle, presumably used by a Citi Field grounds crew man prior to the 7/15/18 Mets v. Nationals game. (I say "presumably" because I didn't actually see it being used; it was just sitting there when I got there, but it's reasonable to presume that it wasn't put there for display purposes.)



Yeah, I'm just having some fun with it. But there may be someone out there who'd think it's a cool item to have... you never know.

I don't think anything can really be "stupid." Silly, yes, as in the example just described, but not "stupid."

[Runscott]

Just a discussion - if definitions of 'stupid' I wasn't counting on pop up, that will just make it more interesting. If this thread gains any traction I'll be more specific.

[mrmopar]

I seem to recall a story about a used napkin that someone saw a former player had used and grabbed it out of the trash. I want to say it was Jerry Rice, but can't recall now. That may have some sort of meaning to a few I suppose, but it probably seems pretty silly to most.

[Jim65]

Teams selling champagne corks has to be high up on the stupid scale.

[Econteachert205]

On deck circle batting donuts?

[Snapolit1]

Sort of cards sort of memorabilia ....

In some of the modern sets being released they have bs vintage cards of Ruth, Gehrig, etc . with some fake gemstone thing embedded in the card .... some fake ruby looking piece of crap... obviously a worthless trinket like you would see in some little child’s make believe play set that has not conceivable connection to the player ..... but they pass it off like a collectible. I just cannot understand the logic of someone who thinks that it worth paying for.

[edtiques]

Someone paying $10,000 for a piece of Luis Gonzales chewed Bazooka gum seems a little out there to me.

[ooo-ribay]

Note “repeatedly” in OP’s title....

[jerseygary]

I'm with Paul on this - definitely those Babe Ruth locker tags

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by jerseygary

I'm with Paul on this - definitely those Babe Ruth locker tags

Was wondering about the Charlie Sheen one recent sold for I think 3k.

[perezfan]

Perhaps not the stupidest, but I always cringe when a box of those Ted Williams Condoms goes up for sale.

Another one is those game-used "Sawdust" Bat Cards. I guess that after they blasphemously sawed up some star player's bat, they figured it was better to market the dust particles than to just sweep them up/throw it away.

And how would anyone ever prove it's legit?

[batsballsbases]

Originally Posted by perezfan

Perhaps not the stupidest, but I always cringe when a box of those Ted Williams Condoms goes up for sale.

Another one is those game-used "Sawdust" Bat Cards. I guess that after they blasphemously sawed up some star player's bat, they figured it was better to market the dust particles than to just sweep them up/throw it away.

And how would anyone ever prove it's legit?

Mark,
Have PSA slab it so you know it has to be good!

[perezfan]

Originally Posted by batsballsbases

Mark,
Have PSA slab it so you know it has to be good!

Oh yes... case closed!

[conor912]

There was a ball signed by Derek Jeter’s little league team that came up a few years ago. There it was...Derek’s “auto” in crappy 9 year old handwriting. It went for huge money if I remember correctly.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Shoeless Moe

Babe Ruth Locker tags?

BAMMMM. See, this was easy?

[JackW]

But Lelands just sold one for $4,700!?

Free shipping?

https://auction.lelands.com/bids/bidplace?itemid=96264

[packs]

Baseballs used in milestone games that aren't the milestone baseball. I've seen so many "Derek Jeter 3,000 hit game used baseball" auctions for baseballs not associated with his hit or even a Jeter at bat lately. To each their own but enough already.

[drcy]

Baseball bat sawdust cards get my vote.

Don't know if it qualifies as "dumb," but ARod's autographed game-used jockstrap qualifies as #1 in some category.

But, of course, what matters is how much you pay for it. It may be dumb, but nothing wrong buying a sawdust card for 50 cents.

[mcgwirecom]

I've seen several athletic supporters / jock straps sold over the years. LOL

[justrun7]

The Topps Tier One cards with the pen embedded in them that was used for signings.

[ctownboy]

I thought all of the Babe Ruth locker tags were fake?

David

[jerseygary]

The more people spend money on it the more real they become, unfortunately.

[Robbie]

Body parts!

Ty Cobb's teeth!....
Bill Veeck's leg!.....
What's next? Bill Buckner's knee caps?

[BeanTown]

Originally Posted by Robbie

Body parts!

Ty Cobb's teeth!....
Bill Veeck's leg!.....
What's next? Bill Buckner's knee caps?

Wait.. Ty Cobb's teeth? Must have missed that one

[Robbie]

Originally Posted by BeanTown

Wait.. Ty Cobb's teeth? Must have missed that one

That's right. Ty Cobb's teeth... purchased for $7,475 at Sotheby's 1999 auction of the Barry Halper collection. Cobb's teeth were even on display at the Hall of Fame for a while!

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Ty Cobb's teeth...fairly certain those originated from Al Stump, no? If so...not his dentures.

The silliest thing I ever saw goes back at least fifteen years. A pack of Duracell alkaline batteries signed by Al Kaline. Wait--it gets more ludicrous. After having the pack signed, the original collector ran out of batteries and opened the pack, replacing the fresh Duracells with the dead ones before taping the package back up and offering on eBay for $7.99.

[Jim65]

Originally Posted by mcgwirecom

I've seen several athletic supporters / jock straps sold over the years. LOL

I remember one or 2 being auctioned off. I place all items like this in the "too disgusting to even consider" class: shoes, pants, socks, underwear, cups, etc.

[Republicaninmass]

This thread delivers! Thanks for posting


The hoopla around the Jackie uniform springs to mind, but the piece was important, not to the scale they had built it up to. You have thought they DID find the Holy Grail!

[Duluth Eskimo]

http://www.citypages.com/news/viking...a-wall-6538500

[999Tony]

I definitely would pay $7.99 for the alkaline signature!

Is there a Christmas star ornament with Bart Starr’s signature? A photo of roses with Pete’s sig (probably fifty of these)? a corn cob with ty’s sig would be the grail.

[Huysmans]

Originally Posted by Robbie

That's right. Ty Cobb's teeth... purchased for $7,475 at Sotheby's 1999 auction of the Barry Halper collection. Cobb's teeth were even on display at the Hall of Fame for a while!

I'd take Cobb's "teeth" over ANY modern graded rookie card....