Jersey Swaps Good & Bad

Good morning, Collectors.

LA is still reeling from the fires, but seeing the community step up and rally around those impacted has been uplifting and encouraging.

A special shoutout to good friend of Mantel, Jay Moslehi (aka MojoSports), for his WhatNot stream last night, which raised $5K+ for charities supporting the recovery effort. When bad things happen, good people always step up.

Wemby, CP3 Sign Game-Used Jerseys for Redick Kids

Lakers coach JJ Redick was one of thousands of Angelenos who lost their homes in the fires. On Monday night, the San Antonio Spurs came to town and star players Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul stepped up to deliver a surprise for Redick’s basketball-obsessed sons- signed, game-worn jerseys. After the game, Redick explained why the gesture was so special: “I ran a podcast out of my home for two years and all the players would come through and they would get either their jersey or a card signed. They had a collection and jerseys and cards and they lost all of that. So it was nice of them to do it.”

USA Today has the full, heart-warming story.

Jersey Meant for Kid Turns into $$ for Dad

Sticking with Wemby unis, you might remember how back in December, a young boy in the stands held up a sign asking the Spurs center for a jersey swap. The ensuing photo of Wemby holding a pint-sized Spurs jersey quickly went viral. Unfortunately that photo is back in the news, but this time for less adorable reasons: the boy’s father quickly shopped the jersey around to auction houses, and it is hitting the block on January 22nd with a $10K opening bid.

Will this scare stars off from giving kids their game-used gear?

A Heist Straight Out of the Movies

No short synopsis will do this story justice, so if you have 30 minutes, we recommend reading this fascinating article from The Atlantic about Tommy Trotta, a man who led a series of daring sports memorabilia heists, including stealing Yogi Berra’s World Series rings, MVP plaques, and other priceless items. His crew targeted low-security museums across the U.S., pilfering trophies and artifacts tied to iconic athletes. Some treasures were melted down, others sold on the black market. The article delves into the audacious crimes, Trotta’s motivations, and the broader implications for sports history.

Head to The Atlantic to read the full article.

The US Marshals’ Watch Collection

Want collectibles seized by the government without having to commit a crime? You’re in luck, because tomorrow Gaston & Sheehan Auctions will be wrapping up their US Marshal luxury watch sale, boasting everything from a Richard Mille RM11-03 to a Rolex Rainbow Daytona. The highest bid at press time was for a Patek Philippe Tiffany Dial Nautilus, already north of $1M with a few hours to go.

You can check out the full auction details here.