Team Issued = Game Used ?

[Ribbens]

Does a certified team issued jersey mean it is a game-used jersey? This is a baseball jersey with a Steiner COA from the Yankees.

[drcy]

Not always, but can be. Same with MLB authentication.

MLB only authenticates stuff as they directly witness for themselves with their own eyes (Saw the player take the jersey off his back, as opposed to found it in a pile in the lockerroom after the game). Thus, if a jersey is authenticated as team issued it may have been game worn. And I know of numersous cases where a photo-identified game-worn jersey got the team issued COA. But many team issued jerseys were just team issued and not used.

You will need other evidence-- wear/usage, photo id, other.

[Ribbens]

Thanks very much, this information is helpful. I have a lead on purchasing a team issued jersey and debating the purchase/expense.

[ooo-ribay]

I know you’re asking about a jersey, but with bats, game issued almost always means NOT game used.

[icollectDCsports]

Originally Posted by ooo-ribay

I know you’re asking about a jersey, but with bats, game issued almost always means NOT game used.

That's right. Almost anyone who can make a claim that something is game used is going to use that term rather than game issued. An exception, as pointed out above, is the MLB authentication program, which has strict guidelines on how the "game used" label can be applied in their system. Not sure how Steiner used that term, however, so may be worth asking them directly.

[Gary Dunaier]

Here's how MLB describes "Team Issued," as per their website:

Team Issued is a designation by an independent third-party authenticator who attests that the item was issued by the Club to its clubhouse. This designation is not intended to determine use of the item in any capacity.

Basically, that means the team can put a brand new, unused jersey in a player's locker in the clubhouse, and even if the player never wears it, never even has any physical contact with it, it still qualifies as a team issued jersey.

(At least, that's how I interpret it.)

[icollectDCsports]

Originally Posted by Gary Dunaier

Here's how MLB describes "Team Issued," as per their website:

Team Issued is a designation by an independent third-party authenticator who attests that the item was issued by the Club to its clubhouse. This designation is not intended to determine use of the item in any capacity.

Basically, that means the team can put a brand new, unused jersey in a player's locker in the clubhouse, and even if the player never wears it, never even has any physical contact with it, it still qualifies as a team issued jersey.

(At least, that's how I interpret it.)

I'm not sure it even has to make it into an actual locker, and it may suffice if it made it into the possession of the equipment managers. Outside of the MLB authentication program, which at least has some standards, "team issued" and "game issued" are often used very loosely by sellers to hype game model items that were likely never even in possession of the team. Not saying that's the case of the item in question in the OP here.

[Gary Dunaier]

Originally Posted by icollectDCsports

I'm not sure it even has to make it into an actual locker, and it may suffice if it made it into the possession of the equipment managers.

It could very well be. It all depends on exactly what MLB means when they say "the item was issued by the Club to its clubhouse," with "to its clubhouse" being the operative words here.

[bgar3]

I am just questing, but I think the bat in question is most likely from the 1950’s, not a more recent bat that would be MLB stamped etc. I would expect the number of bats issued to teams or clubhouses during that time period was just a fraction of what occurs today. Assuming the bat is from the 50’s would all the opinions be the same?

[bgar3]

Sorry, wrong bat thread, thought I was replying to to the other one.