Press Pins, Phantom Merchandise, and the Collectibles Nobody Knows About
Press pins are small lapel pins given to journalists covering the World Series and All-Star Game. They are produced in limited quantities, never sold to the public, and among the most valuable items in the memorabilia market.
Press pins are small lapel pins given to journalists covering the World Series and the All-Star Game. They are produced in limited quantities, often fewer than a thousand per event, and they are not sold to the public. They are among the most valuable and least known items in the memorabilia market.
Pre-war World Series press pins, particularly from the 1910s and 1920s, can sell for $5,000 to $20,000 or more depending on the year, the team, and the condition. A 1911 World Series press pin from the Philadelphia Athletics or New York Giants is a genuinely rare object. Even post-war pins from the 1950s and 1960s can command hundreds of dollars. The market is small and specialized, which means prices are set by a relatively narrow group of collectors, but the rarity is real.
"Phantom" merchandise occupies an even stranger corner of the market. Before every World Series, manufacturers produce championship gear for both potential winners. T-shirts, hats, pennants, and other items are printed in advance so that the winning team's merchandise can be distributed immediately after the final out. The losing team's merchandise is supposed to be destroyed.
Sometimes it isn't. Phantom championship gear has surfaced in charity donations, overseas shipments, and secondary markets. A "2016 World Series Champion Cleveland Indians" t-shirt, from a universe in which the Cubs didn't come back from a 3-1 deficit, is a piece of alternate history. These items are rare, unofficial, and fascinating, and they command premiums among collectors who appreciate the absurdity.
Other overlooked categories include game-used lineup cards (submitted to the umpire before each game and often recovered afterward), stadium giveaway items from the 1960s and 1970s (bat day bats, glove day gloves), and promotional items produced by local sponsors (regional soda bottles, bank premiums, and cereal box cards). The market for these items is small but active, and the prices are often surprisingly affordable.