Chris Nerat recently authored a piece for Sports Collectors Digest (SCD) that I found to be both hard hitting and well researched, in my opinion quite a departure from what I have been accustomed to seeing in SCD. The topic was on problematic Brett Favre jerseys on the market. The story has certainly garnered a lot of attention both inside and outside the hobby. I wish I could report that we were surprised at all of this, but sad to say I am not. In our Bat and Jersey Census, available to MEARS Members, we have over a half dozen examples of problematic Favre jerseys that were evaluated between May of 2006 and March of 2008, with the majority having been evaluated in 2006 and 2007.
Of those found to be problematic, roughly 43% display an autograph with a “game used” inscription. I point this for a number of reasons. First to shed light on a problem that we feel has existed in the hobby for some time and hopefully has been noticed by MEARS Members. Secondly to remind folks that simply having a player sign a jersey as “game used” or “game worn” is not an automatic qualifier as provenance or points on our grading scale.
In order to help others see what we have seen with respect to problematic Favre jerseys over the years, now that is seems to have any number of peoples attention, these are the jerseys I have referred to. I have provided the Certification or hologram number since we sometimes see MEARS evaluated products that, while the hologram is present, the worksheet or final Letter of Opinion has “become lost” for some reason.
Once again, hats off to Chris Nerat as well as MEARS contributor Guy Hankel for a job well done.
Problematic Favre Jerseys
1993 Home Jersey
Cert # 306330: MEARS is unable to grade this jersey due to the following inconsistencies: 1) Lack of wear; 2) game photos and footage show Favre wearing jerseys with NOB sized nameplates, not shoulder-to-shoulder nameplates as this jersey has.
1993 Road Jersey
Cert #100012: Numbers were applied via applique by the Packers in 1993, not single tackle twill as on this jersey. Manufacturer tag is not present on left front tail. Year tag (box) also missing from left front tail. Swatch tag in neck font not consistent with exemplars. Evidence of removal of retail size tag in neck.
NOTE: Autographed “93 Game Used”
1995 Home Jersey
Cert #100011: Incorrect font on back number. Incorrect yoke sheen. Missing manufacturer tag on front tail. Missing “Ripon Athletic” flag tag on inside seam. Swatch tag in neck font not consistent with exemplars. Evidence of removal of retail size tag in neck.
NOTE: Autographed “1995 MVP Game Used”
1996 Home Jersey
Cert #100009: Size does not match tagged size. Missing manufacturer tag on tail. Missing “Ripon Athletic” flag tag on inside seam. Swatch tag in neck font not consistent with exemplars. Evidence of removal of retail size tag in neck.
1996 Home Jersey
Cert #100010: Size does not match tagged size. Missing size flag tag on manufacturer tag. Missing “Ripon Athletic” flag tag on inside seam. Swatch tag in neck font not consistent with exemplars. Evidence of removal of retail size tag in neck.
NOTE: Autographed “96 Game Used”
1996 Road Jersey
Cert #309340: This jersey was a retail version that has had the retail tag removed from the neck. The outline of the removed tag is still visible upon inspection on a light table. The ’96’ box year tag found on the tail of this jersey should be in the collar. A size flag tag should be present on the right side of the Starter manufacturer’s tag on the tail. The font used for the letter ‘R’ in Favre has the incorrect style of font for 1996 Packers jerseys.
2000 Home Jersey
Cert #305694: MEARS is unable to authenticate this jersey due to the following inconsistencies: 1) simulated, inconsistent wear — satin fabric exhibits wear, mesh fabric does not; 2) sleeve cut not consistent with exemplars.
MEARS Auth, LLC
For questions or comments on this article, please feel to drop me a line at DaveGrob1@aol.com