1994 Wayne Gretzky-signed Game-issued Hockey Stick
GUEST: I'm a sports fan. I'm a baseball fan primarily, but I do love hockey and I love Wayne Gretzky. He was at a sports show right after he broke the record, and he signed it for my dad for me. This is a stick signed by Wayne Gretzky. It was after he broke the goal record in '94.
APPRAISER: Mm-hmm.
GUEST: So he signed it with an 802. My dad gave it to me when I was 12. My dad worked for Easton Sporting Goods and they used to do super shows every year. He became well-acquainted with Wayne Gretzky.
APPRAISER: So, yes, what we have here is a Easton game-issued stick for Wayne Gretzky. I think most people will agree, Wayne Gretzky is the greatest hockey player of all time.
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: He's the Babe Ruth of hockey.
GUEST: Yeah.
APPRAISER: March 23, 1994.
GUEST: Yes.
APPRAISER: He surpasses Gordie Howe...
GUEST: Mm-hmm....
APPRAISER: with his 802nd goal. It was a huge deal. Yeah. It was one of the biggest moments in NHL history. Now, he didn't play with this stick...
GUEST: Correct.
APPRAISER: ...but it was made for him with his specifications and everything else.
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: And how we know that-- it has that stamp, right there.
GUEST: Yes.
APPRAISER: You have a beautiful Wayne Gretzky signature. I mean, that's like an A-plus-plus signature.
GUEST: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: And he added the 802. So we know definitively when it's from. It's from one of the peaks of his career...
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: And it's just a beautiful stick. Now, the other great thing is this photograph.
GUEST: Yeah. (chuckles)
APPRAISER: And it's a great picture of your dad with the Great One himself, and he's holding the stick.
GUEST: Yeah.
APPRAISER: For collectors, to have that kind of provenance is, is just the best.
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: You can't ask for better than that. You might notice in the photograph, the stick looks gold.
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: But that's because there's a mylar film that goes over the aluminum.
GUEST: Yeah.
APPRAISER: And the light, the way it hit it, made it look gold.
GUEST: Yeah, that makes sense. (chuckles)
APPRAISER: Game issued-sticks aren't as desirable as a game-used stick, obviously.
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: But this is a different kind of animal altogether.
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: Because of the autograph, because of the provenance, and it's just a good-looking stick.
GUEST: Yeah.
APPRAISER: So, I think, at an auction, I would estimate this between $2,000 and $3,000.
GUEST: (exhales, chuckles)
APPRAISER: And I would insure it for no less than $5,000.
GUEST: Wow. Yeah, that's... entirely over what I thought. (laughs) It was-- it's never going anywhere, and it's not going back in the closet. (laughing): I will, I will take care of it properly now.
APPRAISER: This is as good as it gets for a game-issued stick, without question.
GUEST: Wow, that's incredible.
$2,000 Auction
$5,000 Insurance
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Understanding Our Appraisals
Executive producer Marsha Bemko shares her tips for getting the most out of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW.
Value can change: The value of an item is dependent upon many things, including the condition of the object itself, trends in the market for that kind of object, and the location where the item will be sold. These are just some of the reasons why the answer to the question "What's it worth?" is so often "It depends."
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