Should I get this PSA/DNA Authenticated? 1987-88 Boston Celtics Team T-Shirt (Larry Bird+)

jeffcbay

Long story short, my Mom's friend heard that I'm into sportscards and memorabilia, and she wanted to know if I was interested in buying or helping her sell her deceased son's collection. Her son passed away in 2000 of cancer... he was about 40 years old. Her son worked at the Richfield Coliseum near Cleveland, Ohio. He worked there from about 1980 until it closed in 1994 when they built the Gund Arena in Cleveland. This is where the Cleveland Cavaliers played, so he acquired a ton of cool items over the years, including NBA memorabilia and cool concert items like backstage pass patches and guitar pics.

I agreed to help her sell this stuff, on consignment. I don't want to buy anything from her, I just want to help her get the most out of his collection, she said that's what he would have wanted. I've only just begun to dig through his collection. I've only seen what she can carry, I haven't been to her house yet. She said he has several boxes of cards. I'm expecting the worst, because it usually is. lol

So she brings me this t-shirt, which is signed by most of the 1987-88 Boston Celtics roster. Well, everyone on this shirt is from 1987-88 with the exception of Bill Walton. I think he retired the previous year.

My question is, should I pay to have this PSA/DNA Authenticated? According to the PSA/DNA website, it would cost me $100 to have this authenticated, since Larry Bird is the primary, and it has 14 signatures. Not the prettiest signatures either.

Here is the list of names I have identified:

Mark Acres
Danny Ainge
Larry Bird
Artis Gilmore
Dennis Johnson
K.C. Jones (head coach)
Reggie Lewis
Brad Lohaus
Kevin McHale
Dirk Minniefield
Robert Parish
Jim Paxson
Fred Roberts
Bill Walton (retired)

Boston's Best Six Pack T-Shirt:


Here are the names with the signatures. Do you agree? Do I have any wrong?:


Should I sell it as-is, or spend $100 plus shipping to have it authenticated? Thanks for reading!

byronscott4ever

<< <i>Long story short, my Mom's friend heard that I'm into sportscards and memorabilia, and she wanted to know if I was interested in buying or helping her sell her deceased son's collection. Her son passed away in 2000 of cancer... he was about 40 years old. Her son worked at the Richfield Coliseum near Cleveland, Ohio. He worked there from about 1980 until it closed in 1994 when they built the Gund Arena in Cleveland. This is where the Cleveland Cavaliers played, so he acquired a ton of cool items over the years, including NBA memorabilia and cool concert items like backstage pass patches and guitar pics.

I agreed to help her sell this stuff, on consignment. I don't want to buy anything from her, I just want to help her get the most out of his collection, she said that's what he would have wanted. I've only just begun to dig through his collection. I've only seen what she can carry, I haven't been to her house yet. She said he has several boxes of cards. I'm expecting the worst, because it usually is. lol

So she brings me this t-shirt, which is signed by most of the 1987-88 Boston Celtics roster. Well, everyone on this shirt is from 1987-88 with the exception of Bill Walton. I think he retired the previous year.

My question is, should I pay to have this PSA/DNA Authenticated? According to the PSA/DNA website, it would cost me $100 to have this authenticated, since Larry Bird is the primary, and it has 14 signatures. Not the prettiest signatures either.

Here is the list of names I have identified:

Mark Acres
Danny Ainge
Larry Bird
Artis Gilmore
Dennis Johnson
K.C. Jones (head coach)
Reggie Lewis
Brad Lohaus
Kevin McHale
Dirk Minniefield
Robert Parish
Jim Paxson
Fred Roberts
Bill Walton (retired)

Boston's Best Six Pack T-Shirt:


Here are the names with the signatures. Do you agree? Do I have any wrong?:


Should I sell it as-is, or spend $100 plus shipping to have it authenticated? Thanks for reading! >>



I think as is but sell it for a solid price. What if a scrub doesn't pass and it taints it?

byronscott4ever

Hate the Celtics but love the shirt--I say sell as is. What if some scrub doesn't pass?

BostonAmericans

I remember that t-shirt! The cartoonist was Larry Johnson - used to do cartoons for the Boston Globe.

Awesome find!

bounce

i think it's a tough call

i don't see the "scrubs" being the issue here, it's the stars

Reggie Lewis and Dennis Johnson are gonna be tough authentications, but if they get through it takes the value WAY up

IMO, i don't think this will pass without really good provenance of when/how it was signed, and even then could be tough

on the flip side, without the authentication i'd say you will have trouble getting anything near what it's probably worth

yankeesman

I remember that t-shirt as well! Awesome piece. I loved that t-shirt!

baseballfan

I had that shirt

nice piece

LarkinCollector

<< <i>I had that shirt

nice piece >>


OK, now I have a bizarre image in my head of John Wayne wearing that shirt...