Any "The Shirt" collectors out there?

[RyCo1983]

I have a question...now I'm not a "Shirt" collector by any means.
But my parents came across an old green ND shirt at a thrift store in central Pennsylvania where we all live...and bought it for a quarter. It turns out that it's an original "The Shirt" from 1990, the green one. One of 9000 produced.

It's in pretty good shape too. Very little aging has occurred.
I have seen others for sale from 200-400 dollars....which sounds ridiculous.

Is it actually worth that much?

 

[JadeBrecks]

I have some questions...now I'm not a "Shirt" collector by any means.
But my parents came across an old green ND shirt at a thrift store in central Pennsylvania where we all live...and bought it for a quarter. It turns out that it's an original "The Shirt" from 1990, the green one.

It's in pretty good shape too. Very little aging has occurred.
I have seen others for sale from 200-400 dollars....which sounds ridiculous.

Is it actually worth that much?

My dad will be able to tell you shortly. He has been checking out thrift stores for awhile and has found allot of the shirts for cheap.

 

[RyCo1983]

My dad will be able to tell you shortly. He has been checking out thrift stores for awhile and has found allot of the shirts for cheap.

Thanks man.
I took some advice and listed it on eBay. I'm curious to see what happens.

 

[tussin]

Can you link the listing? Not bidding, but I'll be curious to follow the auction.

 

[RyCo1983]

Can you link the listing? Not bidding, but I'll be curious to follow the auction.

I'll PM it to you.
A seller who has a sweatshirt version of this shirt at a Buy It Now price of $400 suggested to not sell it for anything less than $125...so that's the minimum...
And within 10 minutes of posting it, I got a message asking if I'd do $125 Buy it Now and he'd pay immediately. I'm curious now, time to let it ride! haha

No bids on it yet, but clearly someone is willing to do that much on it without a second thought.

 

[tussin]

Thanks... that shirt is pretty awesome. Any part of you tempted to keep it?

 

[RyCo1983]

Thanks... that shirt is pretty awesome. Any part of you tempted to keep it?

Yeah, but I know I'd wear it often and wear it out. It's something another person would be delighted to have and keep, where I'd just leave sweat and beer stains all over it.

It's kind of like old old old guitars, I don't want any priceless 50's Les Pauls or Telecasters...I'd play them hard and play them out, and do a good bit of damage to their value.

Stuff is made to be used. If I'd feel guilty or wasteful using something that people place a lot of value in, then I don't want to have it.

 

[Classic Irish]

I have an original Catholic vs. Convicts shirt that I've had since my freshman year at ND (1988). I think I've only worn it once. I wonder what it would go for on ebay.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Any "The Shirt" collectors out there?

I saw on Craigslist last year a collection that was every shirt since the first one, all never worn. Dude wanted something outrageous for it, a few thousand IIRC.

EDIT: just looked, here's a guy with 15 years worth for sale:

http://southbend.craigslist.org/clt/4589582459.html

 

[RyCo1983]

I have an original Catholic vs. Convicts shirt that I've had since my freshman year at ND (1988). I think I've only worn it once. I wonder what it would go for on ebay.

The white one that says "unfinished business" on the back?
15-20 dollars is what they are listed at on eBay. They must have printed a lot of them.

 

[Classic Irish]

The white one that says "unfinished business" on the back?
15-20 dollars is what they are listed at on eBay. They must have printed a lot of them.

Those are knock-offs currently made by CafePress. I suppose if you can have knock-offs printed, there's no point in having an original.

 

[RyCo1983]

Those are knock-offs currently made by CafePress. I suppose if you can have knock-offs printed, there's no point in having an original.

Oh, right on.
I'd love to see what an original would go for too. Weird stuff.
Since when do t shirts have this kind of value?

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Any "The Shirt" collectors out there?

Those are knock-offs currently made by CafePress. I suppose if you can have knock-offs printed, there's no point in having an original.

That's where the problem lies with independently printed shirts. Those awesome "I Hate LA" shirts Celtics fans wore in the 80s sold for hundreds on eBay years ago, but now have no value because somebody realized they can make money printing a few thousand new ones.

Vintage concert shirts are where the money is. Most sports fans just want something cool to wear on gameday, but music fans want that unique piece of history from a band's particular era.

 

[RyCo1983]

Someone has in fact bid $125 on it. 4 days and 21 hours to go.
Anyone wanna vGamble on what the final sale price is?

 

[RyCo1983]

That's where the problem lies with independently printed shirts. Those awesome "I Hate LA" shirts Celtics fans wore in the 80s sold for hundreds on eBay years ago, but now have no value because somebody realized they can make money printing a few thousand new ones.

Vintage concert shirts are where the money is. Most sports fans just want something cool to wear on gameday, but music fans want that unique piece of history from a band's particular era.

I happen to have a well worn vintage 1988 Metallica "...And Justice For All" t shirt.

 

[Jackalope1977]

I just checked out your auction and that is a sweet t shirt. I'm going to some thrift stores tomorrow. Good luck with the auction.

 

[RyCo1983]

I just checked out your auction and that is a sweet t shirt. I'm going to some thrift stores tomorrow. Good luck with the auction.

Thanks,
I'm not really concerned with making money off of it, but I'm very curious to see what it is worth to the niche collector out there.

 

[Irish#1]

Thanks,
I'm not really concerned with making money off of it, but I'm very curious to see what it is worth to the niche collector out there.

I would have to go back and check how many I have, but I've bought one every year for the past 13 years? I usually wear them for opening game and then hang them up.

I saw the original one posted on EBay a couple of weeks ago. I think it sold for close to $100.

 

[PANDFAN]

i have this that i bought because i thought it might be worth something for like 10 bucks and is almost mint condition and have seen them go for like 50.00 but man you already got 125.00 for the shirt..that's awesome!!

 

[ulukinatme]

I've got just about every The Shirt going back to '96 or '97. There's a few that I didn't really care for, odd colors and such, and I ended up Goodwilling them or just pitching them, but I've kept 90-95% of the shirts. Not sure if that makes me a collector though.

 

[Irish#1]

i have this that i bought because i thought it might be worth something for like 10 bucks and is almost mint condition and have seen them go for like 50.00 but man you already got 125.00 for the shirt..that's awesome!!

I bought one of these jackets new back in the early 80's. I wore it in the movie Hoosiers as an extra when we stormed the floor. I wore the crap out of it, but still have it.

I've got just about every The Shirt going back to '96 or '97. There's a few that I didn't really care for, odd colors and such, and I ended up Goodwilling them or just pitching them, but I've kept 90-95% of the shirts. Not sure if that makes me a collector though.

I guess you're still a collector, but I wouldn't get rid of some just because you don't like the design or color.

 

[GowerND11]

i have this that i bought because i thought it might be worth something for like 10 bucks and is almost mint condition and have seen them go for like 50.00 but man you already got 125.00 for the shirt..that's awesome!!

My uncle had that jacket. He wore it all the time. There wasn't a time he was out and about that he didn't have it on. When he passed, he was buried in it. Part of me is upset, because I'd love to have it (Not to wear but possess), and the other part is glad it's with him.

 

[IrishLion]

There's an old sports memorabilia store in Gatlinburg, TN that sells outdated sports apparel. I'm not sure if it's by design, or if they just get their hands on old, now-unlicensed stuff and don't bother ordering new stuff until they need to... having said that, I picked up two snapback ND hats that had 1989 price tags on them still. Pretty sure both were mainstays of what Lou would wear on the sidelines.

I've also got a '92 Metallic Local Crew shirt that I cherish for no reason. That's the extent of my clothing collectibles.

 

[Irish#1]

I bought one of these jackets new back in the early 80's. I wore it in the movie Hoosiers as an extra when we stormed the floor. I wore the crap out of it, but still have it.

My uncle had that jacket. He wore it all the time. There wasn't a time he was out and about that he didn't have it on. When he passed, he was buried in it. Part of me is upset, because I'd love to have it (Not to wear but possess), and the other part is glad it's with him.

You uncle and I shared a common trait, good taste!

 

[ulukinatme]

I guess you're still a collector, but I wouldn't get rid of some just because you don't like the design or color.

Eh, this was probably several years ago. I found a bunch of The Shirts in my wardrobe that I never wore. One of them was that kind of bluish grey shirt from way back. I never saw myself wearing it, so it went out the door. I suppose if I had known then that people actually collect these I might have hung onto it. I guess now I know

 

[RyCo1983]

So the auction ended and I promptly received a paypal transfer of $187.50. Nice.

My parents paid a quarter for it.

Keep your eyes out for the original shirt!

 

[Irish#1]

So the auction ended and I promptly received a paypal transfer of $187.50. Nice.

My parents paid a quarter for it.

Keep your eyes out for the original shirt!

Good for you. That's a hell of an investment.

 

[RyCo1983]

Good for you. That's a hell of an investment.

Thank you sir!
I'll just chuck that into the ring fund.

 

[phork]

I got the Florida St shirt when they came to Southbend. Tradition Conquers the polls!

 

[IrishSteelhead]

I got the Florida St shirt when they came to Southbend. Tradition Conquers the polls!

The back of that shirt was AWESOME!!!!!!