Grail stories

[Zeshy25]

What's your grail story? What jersey, how long have you been searching? Were you successful and if so, where did you find it? 

Curious to know how long ppl have searched and what truly rare jerseys are people after. 

 

I have been searching for the 2003-2004 New York Rangers authentic vintage blue jersey since I started collecting like 3-4 years ago and have only seen one retail version ever even sold or offered. 

No one even has a lead on the stupid jersey. There was a GW Mironov jersey on ebay for awhile but, didn't want to strip such a rare gw and it ended up being sold eventually.

[mdwsta4]

The term 'grail' has been ruined for me by reddit. I have jerseys I want or jerseys I have, but don't think I'd ever consider something a 'grail'. Could a Patrick Kane 2010 game winning goal qualify? Sure, but I'll never spend however much that jersey is worth. My TI version of that jersey is good enough for me. Same goes for the 2019 Blackhawks WC jersey. It was expensive as hell and I love the design and the fact I have one of only a handful of jerseys made, but it's just part of the collection.

 

So I have jerseys I want, but nothing I'd ever call a grail. It's just a jersey I really like.

[mfitz804]

1 hour ago, mdwsta4 said:

So I have jerseys I want, but nothing I'd ever call a grail. It's just a jersey I really like.

Agree totally. And I hate the term as well. 

[Zeshy25]

Fair enough. I guess betwen reddit and fb i see it everywhere so I've just accepted it. Sounds like a job for the jersey dictionary author -a term for that ridiculously hard to find jersey for your collection.

If not grail, then what was the one rare jersey you needed/wanted for your collection that you either just couldn't find for the life of you or are still searching for?

[mdwsta4]

I would like a reverse tomahawk Blackhawks jersey because of the rarity and the fact that they used the pinhead crest. I'd also like a Moosejaw 50th anniversary jersey which I didn't know even existed at the time gamers were sold. Lastly a Scott Stevens Capitals jersey which I have found a handful of times, but never want to spend the money the seller was asking. I have search alerts set for each jersey in case they come up, but chances are I'll never get them and that's okay.

 

Other jerseys I love, but will likely never have in my collection are the Wild Wing, Storm jersey, or Pooh Bear. Love the designs and it reminds me of my youth, but they don't fit into my collection so I always pass on them. Had a Burger King and sold it after I left LA since I knew I'd never wear it again.

 

But to answer your actual question of 'what was the one jersey you needed/wanted', the answer is none. I don't NEED anymore jerseys. The ones I've really wanted I've had in my collection at one time or another. I've slimmed down my collection significantly over the last year or so and even at 3 dozen, or however many I have now, they're all jerseys I really like and can wear. The harder question is which ones I'd keep if I could only keep a couple.

[lankyman01]

As a UK based collector, my time watching NHL games live is limited!  I've currently seen 3 games, NYR Vs VAN @ MSG in 2015, and own 2 Rangers (Moore, Hayes) and 3 Canucks (Vey, Vrbata, Stanton) jerseys from that game.  The other 2 games were the London NHL Premier games in 2007, ANA Vs LAK.  In 11 years of searching for jerseys from those 2 games nothing, when 2 fell into my lap at the end of last year after a chance online conversation with a Kings collector.....and his buddy!  Jonathan Bernier's NHL debut from the 1st game, and Brad Stuart's from the 2nd.  2 games 2 sets, the NHL way!  And some gained understanding of Kings game worn tagging!

So that's everything ticked off apart from a Ducks from the London games...…07/08 White Set 1.  Found an advertising video from Beckett years ago, no separate set, reg season set, same jerseys used in both games and 1st month or so of season.  Clearly they were auctioned, but never saw them, despite checking repeatedly.  Still looking for one 12 years later now! Patience.....

[thebiggoalie]

Every time someone uses the term “grail”, the Flyers need to find another starting goalie.  

[mfitz804]

24 minutes ago, thebiggoalie said:

Every time someone uses the term “grail”, the Flyers need to find another starting goalie.  

This explains a lot. 

[mfitz804]

3 hours ago, Dr_Puck said:

My famous "nail" (near grail) story involves spending two years trying to track down a jersey from the Williamsport Outlaws, a team that played their games outdoors in a baseball stadium for 2/3 of a season in the Federal Hockey League. I called multiple Williamsport city offices, begged league execs and a couple of players, asked some of my friends to look out for them locally in Williamsport. Finally I tracked down a player who had no idea what PayPal was, so I had to visit two grocery stores to find a Western Union, coordinate with him to find a local grocery store in the middle of Ohio to accept the money. Sent him off a couple of hundred bucks with no assurances he'd send me the agreed upon jersey.

Two weeks later, I received a package with not one but two of his Williamsport gamers-- and they both had the captain's C. To this day, these are still the only Williamsport Outlaws jerseys in the hobby. No one else has them.

I always enjoy your borderline stalking stories. Pretty cool to have those jerseys. 

 

[AlereFlammam]

6 hours ago, Dr_Puck said:

My famous "nail" (near grail) story involves spending two years trying to track down a jersey from the Williamsport Outlaws, a team that played their games outdoors in a baseball stadium for 2/3 of a season in the Federal Hockey League. I called multiple Williamsport city offices, begged league execs and a couple of players, asked some of my friends to look out for them locally in Williamsport. Finally I tracked down a player who had no idea what PayPal was, so I had to visit two grocery stores to find a Western Union, coordinate with him to find a local grocery store in the middle of Ohio to accept the money. Sent him off a couple of hundred bucks with no assurances he'd send me the agreed upon jersey.

Two weeks later, I received a package with not one but two of his Williamsport gamers-- and they both had the captain's C. To this day, these are still the only Williamsport Outlaws jerseys in the hobby. No one else has them.

Pics or it didn’t happen

Edited March 27, 2019 by AlereFlammam

[Brilliant!]

I have one. Years back, I had tracked a grail down after a fairly lengthy search. I even had a family member and some strange woman helping me out with the whole thing. We had it pinpointed to a Middle Eastern country of all places. Just to the east of Istanbul, Turkey. But, it turned out that some fascists found it first and made me do three tasks to prove my worthiness. I passed them all but then some dumb blonde dropped it into a chasm. It all worked out though because she fell in too. Vindication!

Oh yeah and I definitely wasn't named after the dog.

[Hockey Bob]

Mike = Doktoh Jones? 

Note to self: do not send Mike a box of snakes 

[TMLFAN]

11 hours ago, Brilliant! said:

I have one. Years back, I had tracked a grail down after a fairly lengthy search. I even had a family member and some strange woman helping me out with the whole thing. We had it pinpointed to a Middle Eastern country of all places. Just to the east of Istanbul, Turkey. But, it turned out that some fascists found it first and made me do three tasks to prove my worthiness. I passed them all but then some dumb blonde dropped it into a chasm. It all worked out though because she fell in too. Vindication!

Oh yeah and I definitely wasn't named after the dog.

Best movie evaaaaaar.

[jsh139]

In the Latin alphabet, Jehovah begins with an “I”. 

[TMLFAN]

He chose.........poorly.

[Devilsguy]

If you are a Scottish lord then I am Mickey Mouse!

[jsh139]

That’s it. I just put it on the TV.  

[Brilliant!]