Know What You're Buying

There's no doubt that the framed Teemu Selanne jersey shown to the left would look good in any hockey fan's collection of memorabilia. Selanne was, after all, one of the best goal scorers in NHL history, and his time in Winnipeg has left him a legend in that city. Any memorabilia that has Selanne's autograph on it goes for big bucks, and it seems that someone in Winnipeg - I won't mention who - is attempting to capitalize on the want for Selanne stuff by posting this framed jersey for sale. I can tell you right now that I'm already annoyed by this posting because the framed collection of items is not only wrong, but someone will likely get caught up in the idea of owning an autographed Selanne jersey that they'll overpay for something that legitimately is overpriced and egregiously wrong.

The ad for this sale is found on Kijiji where the "caveat emptor" rule is in full effect. "Buyer beware" means that one needs to be fairly learned when looking at memorabilia like this, and I often wonder why people try to sell stuff like this when the frame is worth more than the stuff contained inside it. Nonetheless, let's take a look at why this is a bad buy for anyone in the memorabilia game.

The seller, as seen in the image to the right, has this framed Selanne jersey that comes with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) posted for the cool price of $1999.99. Immediately, this sounds like an impressive piece of memorabilia that has been certified by an authority to ensure its genuine and authentic. We need to pump the breaks here, though, because the COA confirms that the signature on the number shown is an authentic Teemu Selanne scrawl. The number has the sticker on the number that will allow the buyer to confirm the authenticity on the certifier's website, so the COA passes the smell test with regards to this being a real and authentic Teemu Selanne signature as far as the visual checks and balances are concerned.

Where I immediately threw my hands up was the jersey to which the number is affixed. I've circled the problems in red, but this number is affixed to a replica NHL All-Star Game jersey, not an authentic jersey. There's no double-reinforced elbows stitched into this jersey, and the screen-printed CCM logo at the bottom is a clear giveaway that this is a replica jersey. All NHL authentics from 1994 had stitched CCM logos on the bottom hem. And while the picture covers the area where it should be, I can guarantee you that there is no fight strap sewn inside this jersey either. In other words, you're paying top dollar for low-quality jersey that Teemu Selanne never wore in any game, let alone the 1994 NHL All-Star Game.

Speaking of the 1994 NHL All-Star Game, this is Teemu Selanne coming out of the tunnel at Madison Square Garden during his introduction. Notice anything different about the jersey he's wearing and the one being sold? If you noticed the shoulder patches, that would be the first thing that's egregiously missing from the jersey in the frame. The NHL likes to put patches all over All-Star Game jerseys, and the game in New York City was no different as the NHL had the All-Star Game logo on both shoulders above the sleeve numbers worn by every player in this game. That's kind of an easy thing to look up in today's internet age, so this takes this "memorabilia" down another notch.

Perhaps the most egregious error, though, is the number on the framed jersey because Selanne didn't wear #8 in New York City. As you can see in the screenshot above, Selanne wore #13 in the New York All-Star Game. There was no #8 that played for the Western Conference that season, so why would the seller include two of the New York All-Star Game patches in the frame with the jersey? This jersey wasn't worn in that game and it's pretty clear that Selanne didn't wear the framed number in the game, so this is another serious oversight that takes this "memorabilia" down another few notches in its authenticity.

Knowing that you're buying a couple of random NHL patches, a replica NHL All-Star Game jersey, an image of Teemu Selanne from the 2007 NHL All-Star Game in Dallas, and a certified Teemu Selanne autograph on a twill #8, would you really pay $2000 CDN for this "memorabilia" when it's worth about $150 without the frame?

If you want to spend your hard-earned dollars on this flawed memorabilia, you're more than welcome to do so. However, for $2000, you likely could find memorabilia that hits the mark a little more accurately. This offer on Kijiji is embarrassing with the number of errors seen for the price being demanded, so it really does pay to know what you're buying.

Or, as the Romans would tell you, caveat emptor.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!