Your single most prized history of hockey possession?

[Habsfan18]

For collectors and hockey historians, what is your favorite single piece of memorabilia? Could be anything you have acquired or collected over the years.

Mine would definitely be this signed 1960-1961 Habs team photo (missing only one signature, I believe). Signatures are included from the likes of Jean Beliveau, Jacques Plante, Doug Harvey, Dickie Moore, Bernie Geoffrion, Henri Richard, Ralph Backstrom, Toe Blake and Frank Selke among others. The Stanley Cup being in the picture is a bit confusing, but they were the reigning champs going into that season. Looks like I missed The Rocket by one season..

Click to read more...

 

[Voight]

Hockey Stick signed by the entire 1967 Leafs Stanley Cup Team. For free too, didn't have to buy raffle tickets/go to an auction etc.

My father is a site supervisor for low-rise buildings and for a couple years he was up in Wasaga Beach (90 mins north of Toronto). Kent Douglas, who played on the 67 Leafs bought one of the townhouses and was one of the first to move in, while the other ones were being finished. My father took his birthday of one year, but had to go in last minute because of a few different issues. Ended up chatting with Douglas, who found out he was working on his birthday and Douglas basically said "That really sucks, I have a nice present for you.." and gave him the stick.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=1417

 

[Killion]

Notice of New Rule:

^^^ Thats awesome guys, but c'mon here, the real interesting part of collectables is where
you found these items, came to own them. The "Story That Goes With" must be included.

New Rule.

 

[Habsfan18]

^^^ Thats awesome guys, but c'mon here, the real interesting part of collectables is where
you found these items, came to own them. The "Story That Goes With" must be included.

New Rule.

That's fair.

In my case, I actually came across this at a local thrift shop, believe it or not. They were donated a bunch of old Habs memorabilia - must have been in a storage locker or something beforehand. I figured there's no way it was legit with what they were asking, which was like $40 I believe. So I bought it and figured I'd look into it. After doing thorough research, it appears there was a limited amount of copies made back in 1960, some of which I found online through auction sites. Comparing those with mine, I noticed differences in the others such as missing autographs, different color pens, signatures in different spots etc.. Everything I've read and seen leads me to believe it is 100% legitimate. I guess the only way to make it official official, is to send it off and have professionals look at it, but I'm a little worried about sending it off.

 

[Killion]

In my case, I actually came across this at a local thrift shop, believe it or not....

Very interesting, and while Im not an expert, certainly looks legit to me. Great find (and price)!.... Personally I dont have any collectables, equipment, memorabilia, cards or photographs etc but I love checking that stuff out and often the stories behind them as fascinating as the item itself.

 

[Voight]

^^^ Thats awesome guys, but c'mon here, the real interesting part of collectables is where
you found these items, came to own them. The "Story That Goes With" must be included.

New Rule.

Fixed mine for ya

 

[Sens Rule]

I bought a Sports Illustrated #1 at a garage sale for 10 cents... With the cards (1952 Topps) inserts still in it. I later traded it for a bunch of silver age comic books. I was maybe 13 or 14.

I was with my Aunt and Uncle who I often wentnto Kingston Canadians and later Frontenacs with. We were in Downtown Kingston at the Waterfront/Town Hall/ Central Square... In the afternoon on a weekend I guess. Bobby Orr was at a table signing autographs. I think it was sponsored by GM? There was no line... Or maybe 3 or 4 people. He was signing for free on colour 11x14 Photos of him scoring the goal in the air. So I have a personalized autographed photo of Bobby Orr. It was probably 1985 86 maybe?

I got a personalized auto of Bobby Hull on on of the only Ottawa National programs every made. He was on the cover. I found it at a bookmarket for 33 cents months before and he was signing at an Ottawa Card show. 1987.. Personalized. Bobby Hull was very gregarious and nice.

Got Rocket and Henri Richard to both sign a Montreal Export Stubby Label that had a small circle Habs logo in the corner at a card show. Back then you paid like $3 or $5 to get in the card show and all autographs had no further charge. Rocket was quiet... Just signed the auto and didn't say anything. I was like 14 or something and thought it was kinda ridiculous that this great old man was here signing autographs and not enjoying it. And why would he really? Rocket likely had better things to do but probably needed the few hundred bucks he got paid for the day. That kinda made me not care much to get autographs after that. And I wouldn't really pay for it.

I could tell Hull would sign autographs all day and love it. I have friends that raised cattle and they had met Hull several times at cattle shows and heard stories about him. He raises cattle. Bobby Hull loves to be Bobby Hull and talk to fans... Let them buy him a beer!

I guess watching Rocket sign autos... Made me realize the absurdness of getting autographs. He seemed so sad doing it.

 

[Killion]

... Ended up chatting with Douglas, who found out he was working on his birthday and Douglas basically said "That really sucks, I have a nice present for you.." and gave him the stick.

Wow. Thats awesome. I was watching an old retro game recently & Kent Douglas was the studio guest. Mustve been shot sometime in the 90's or 00's I guess. LeafsTV. But sure, I remember him well as a player. Won the Cup & Calder in 63. First Defenceman to ever do so. Lengthy, well traveled career.

CCM or Northlands or what?

 

[Killion]

I guess watching Rocket sign autos... Made me realize the absurdness of getting autographs. He seemed so sad doing it.

Oh dear..... but yes, some guys did or still do it grudgingly as a way to make a few extra bucks while others like Hull & Orr genuinely enjoy it. I was never one to care about it as a kid, getting someones autograph. Never crossed my mind really. Ive met, known plenty of NHL'rs over the years. Seem kinda weird, asking them for that.

 

[Sens Rule]

Oh dear..... but yes, some guys did or still do it grudgingly as a way to make a few extra bucks while others like Hull & Orr genuinely enjoy it. I was never one to care about it as a kid, getting someones autograph. Never crossed my mind really. Ive met, known plenty of NHL'rs over the years. Seem kinda weird, asking them for that.

At least now if the old guys need the money... They would get paid a lot more to sign autographs. But you can't beat randomly falling upon Bobby Orr!

I remember I was younger... Maybe 9. 1984... We probably went to a Jays game... And ended up at a huge food show at The CNE. Got John Anderson and Rick Vaive's autographs on photos they supplied. I don't think it meant that much to me then. I was a huge Expos fan, listened to the games on the radio all summer. Nothing like a short wave radio... Remember getting games from all across the continent from Our campsite at Bon Echo park. Kansas City, Detroit... I could get home games for half of the teams in baseball I think! I could get radio stations playing ball games from all over the mid west after dark. Before the internet it felt so cool to be able to do that.

I wasn't into hockey then much... Except the OHL Kingston Canadians. But a few years later when I was a Leafs fan it was cool to have their autographed pictures. They had pinholes from being posted on my bedroom wall. I think Vaive was traded before I really was a big Leafs fan.. But I knew he was a great from my hockey cards... All those 50 goal years!

Glad I read this thread and remembered those old times!

 

[Killion]

... campsite at Bon Echo park. Kansas City, Detroit... I could get home games for half of the teams in baseball I think! I could get radio stations playing ball games from all over the mid west after dark. Before the internet it felt so cool to be able to do that.

Oh yes, north of Kingston near Cloyne Ontario. Very nice country up through there. Surprising your
shortwave was able to pick up all of those signals so sure, bit of a revelation pre-internet days.

 

[iamjs]

I have a Slap Shot poster signed by 15 members of the cast. It's not the typical US A or B version of the poster, but an original UK poster that most of the cast had never seen, although I also have the B version signed by the Hansons. I probably have eight version of the poster (three signed), but I've put my collection on hold for now since I have a few things coming up in the next year.

How did it happen? There was a cast reunion in Johnstown in the early 2000s. Since I was helpful with one of the guys who helped organize (we did a much of emails back and forth about locations in the movie), he got me through the signing lines "a little quicker than usual" and invited me to a post-game cast party.

 

[Pominville Knows]

I have a friend that found a $1.50 stick at a second hand shop here in Sweden a few years back. He came to me with it and i found out it was a 1981 World Championships game-used Lanny MacDonald stick.

 

[Pominville Knows]

I guess watching Rocket sign autos... Made me realize the absurdness of getting autographs. He seemed so sad doing it.

Absurd? Not for everyone perhaps.

 

[alko]

I have a friend that found a $1.50 stick at a second hand shop here in Sweden a few years back. He came to me with it and i found out it was a 1981 World Championships game-used Lanny MacDonald stick.

How did you find it out?

 

[Pominville Knows]

How did you find it out?

Good question. I was more into such things back then but i believe i simply remembered the look of it and went to work, sticks was more personal back then with the tape. (Showed later to have been on some article on HHOF.com) I saw that it was a north american stick with a blurred out auto so the 1981 WHC was the first place i went to becouse it was played here in Gothenburg. Lanny MacDonald was on the roster and the stick the showed to match others online.. Of course, one cant be certain it was actually game-used, but the autograph probably points to it. In these cases one needs not worry much about faked items, although one can never be 100 percent sure i guess.

 

[Voight]

Wow. Thats awesome. I was watching an old retro game recently & Kent Douglas was the studio guest. Mustve been shot sometime in the 90's or 00's I guess. LeafsTV. But sure, I remember him well as a player. Won the Cup & Calder in 63. First Defenceman to ever do so. Lengthy, well traveled career.

CCM or Northlands or what?

CCM, and it was TNML branding all over it.

He was a super nice guy. Realistically speaking there can't be many of those sticks around, especially considering it was given to my father just around the 40th anniversary mark for the team, meaning many of the players had already passed away at that point. But luckily the stick had the entire team, including staff and front office.

 

[Gunnersaurus Rex]

Mark Messier hockey stick signed by all the Oilers players from the 1990 Stanley Cup.

 

[mbhhofr]

Although I have a few prized possessions, I would have to say my most is:

My WIFE!

She was working for the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the WHA and I was a Linesman when we met. We've been married for 39 years.

 

[FrozenJagrt]

I have a set of coffee table coasters that I made using material from the original dasher boards at the Air Canada Center.

As far as the story, simple enough. I make arena equipment (boards, nets etc) for the NHL. When we did the Leafs' new boards, they sent the old ones back.

 

[Habsfan18]

Awesome stuff guys! Pics would be cool if you have any too.

 

[Habsfan18]

Although I have a few prized possessions, I would have to say my most is:

My WIFE!

She was working for the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the WHA and I was a Linesman when we met. We've been married for 39 years.

That's fantastic!

 

[member 83027]

In better shape than it looks. It's in a soft plastic sleeve inside a hard plastic sleeve.

 

[fish7]

I have my father's Blues Season ticket holder ID Card From the 1968 playoffs and the 68-69 season the playoff one is signed by Sid Salomon (team owner) and the the other one is a stamped signature

 

[alko]

Now lets say, you want to sell your possessions. How much would you ask for it?

mbhhofr - yeah, your wife is untouchable. Or?