Mears A5 "Game Worn" Jersey Grade

MallcopKJ · 02-19-2017, 08:15 PM

How do you guys feel about these? I see a lot of auction houses list NFL jersey's as game used with the Mears A5 grade. Looks like people have very different takes on whether or not they trust that grade as being game worn.

devo · 02-19-2017, 08:19 PM

No bueno. I wouldn't touch a Mears jersey unless it's A10. Unless it's a vintage baseball jersey, then it would just depend.

ajtilley72 · 02-20-2017, 12:02 AM

I used to work for MEARS about 5-6 years back, for a span of a few years. Not all MEARS A5 jerseys can be considered the same as you have to remember that the grade considers both jersey examples and also considers the condition of the jersey. (Please remember that game used jerseys are not made for people to collect, but rather for a player to wear.)

That said, the MEARS A5 base grade means that the jersey has all of the appropriate characteristics of a team issued jersey, but nothing else. What you will also want to look at on the paperwork is consideration for Customizations and Wear. Both of these characteristics can add in additional points, up to 3. (Typically jerseys of Stars, no matter the wear, are not awarded additional points without Provenance of some sort.). Counterfeiters, etc. typically do not add customizations, but they may add wear. That said you will also want to try and bump the jersey up against Getty Images or some other type of stock photo site to see if the player has any customizations, i.e. sleeve cut, neck cut, jersey shortening, etc. These characteristics can help you determine if the jersey you are looking at are more likely than not authentic or just a team issued jersey that someone mocked up to look like a true 'gamer'.

Hopefully that helped a bit, the most important thing to do with Game Used jerseys is to do your research before buying. Do NOT buy strictly off of grade as that's when you will regret the purchase down the road.

ajtilley72 · 02-20-2017, 12:03 AM

Also, just to be clear, the MEARS A5 base grade does not indicate that the jersey is in fact 'Game Worn' or 'Game Used'. It just means that the jersey is consistent with other examples from the team, etc.

hairyangryfella · 02-20-2017, 12:05 AM

Mears A5 means 'we've looked at pictures and this sorta looks like what it's supposed to' - DO NOT take it as any verification of its legitimacy at all.

MallcopKJ · 02-20-2017, 02:16 AM

So what do you guys make of an auction house selling a jersey as game used with just the Mears grade? Does an A5 necessarily stand for not game used?

ajtilley72 · 02-20-2017, 02:24 AM

It does not stand for game used or non-game used. If an auction house is selling an A5, it's a professional model jersey. This means the jersey has traits that are consistent with other examples of the player and/or team characteristics.

If you were interested in the jersey, I would recommend asking for the paperwork as the auction house should have it available to see. Look in the additional comments section. It should provide more relevant information.

At the end of the day, you should do your due diligence on the jersey. You shouldn't take any persons word for it. Research it and if you are comfortable, bid on it. Do not solely rely on a piece of paper to make your decision; due diligence and research this is even more crucial with game used items.

-Andrew

Grid · 02-20-2017, 09:09 AM

ajtilley72 nailed it. Nearly every auction house will still call an A5 "Game Used" and link the letter from Mears as "proof". Its very misleading. You see them touting a Game Used Jersey and you see a COA from Mears and assume you are good.

Even the Mears COA can be misleading since they will usually say "some" in regards to use or wear for a game issued. That wear is just age in reality.

I had to educate myself as a Walter Payton collector. Turns out that Wilson (Who made Bears jersey during Payton's era) made game model jerseys for every Sportmart and sporting goods type store to display. Plus a ton of Salesman samples and even Game Model jerseys that were sold by catalog during the 84 & 85 seasons.

So a size 44 Walter Payton "Game Issued" jersey is nothing rare. It was never issued to him, but it is the type of jerseys that would have been issued to him. You will see most of these with a Mears COA as an A5.

02-19-2017, 08:15 PM	#1
MallcopKJ Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 1,189	Mears A5 "Game Worn" Jersey Grade How do you guys feel about these? I see a lot of auction houses list NFL jersey's as game used with the Mears A5 grade. Looks like people have very different takes on whether or not they trust that grade as being game worn.

02-19-2017, 08:19 PM	#2
devo Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: California Posts: 1,585	No bueno. I wouldn't touch a Mears jersey unless it's A10. Unless it's a vintage baseball jersey, then it would just depend. __________________ "You know who I am. I am a Yankee." - Nelson Mandela, 1990

02-20-2017, 12:02 AM	#3
ajtilley72 Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 3,243 capital_sports_wi ajtilley72	I used to work for MEARS about 5-6 years back, for a span of a few years. Not all MEARS A5 jerseys can be considered the same as you have to remember that the grade considers both jersey examples and also considers the condition of the jersey. (Please remember that game used jerseys are not made for people to collect, but rather for a player to wear.) That said, the MEARS A5 base grade means that the jersey has all of the appropriate characteristics of a team issued jersey, but nothing else. What you will also want to look at on the paperwork is consideration for Customizations and Wear. Both of these characteristics can add in additional points, up to 3. (Typically jerseys of Stars, no matter the wear, are not awarded additional points without Provenance of some sort.). Counterfeiters, etc. typically do not add customizations, but they may add wear. That said you will also want to try and bump the jersey up against Getty Images or some other type of stock photo site to see if the player has any customizations, i.e. sleeve cut, neck cut, jersey shortening, etc. These characteristics can help you determine if the jersey you are looking at are more likely than not authentic or just a team issued jersey that someone mocked up to look like a true 'gamer'. Hopefully that helped a bit, the most important thing to do with Game Used jerseys is to do your research before buying. Do NOT buy strictly off of grade as that's when you will regret the purchase down the road. __________________ *Blowout's Resident - Milwaukee Brewers Chrome SuperCollector* *Base & Parallels Only - 4,600+ Unique Cards - 294 1/1s!!! - 75.0%+ of Non 1/1s!* NOW WORKING ON 2017 TOPPS DIAMOND ICONS AUTOGRAPH PATCH SET. SEEKING: 2003 Skybox LE Brett Favre Rare Form Jersey Numbers Jersey Card (#'d to 4)

02-20-2017, 12:03 AM	#4
ajtilley72 Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 3,243 capital_sports_wi ajtilley72	Also, just to be clear, the MEARS A5 base grade does not indicate that the jersey is in fact 'Game Worn' or 'Game Used'. It just means that the jersey is consistent with other examples from the team, etc. __________________ *Blowout's Resident - Milwaukee Brewers Chrome SuperCollector* *Base & Parallels Only - 4,600+ Unique Cards - 294 1/1s!!! - 75.0%+ of Non 1/1s!* NOW WORKING ON 2017 TOPPS DIAMOND ICONS AUTOGRAPH PATCH SET. SEEKING: 2003 Skybox LE Brett Favre Rare Form Jersey Numbers Jersey Card (#'d to 4)

02-20-2017, 02:24 AM	#7
ajtilley72 Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 3,243 capital_sports_wi ajtilley72	It does not stand for game used or non-game used. If an auction house is selling an A5, it's a professional model jersey. This means the jersey has traits that are consistent with other examples of the player and/or team characteristics. If you were interested in the jersey, I would recommend asking for the paperwork as the auction house should have it available to see. Look in the additional comments section. It should provide more relevant information. At the end of the day, you should do your due diligence on the jersey. You shouldn't take any persons word for it. Research it and if you are comfortable, bid on it. Do not solely rely on a piece of paper to make your decision; due diligence and research this is even more crucial with game used items. -Andrew __________________ *Blowout's Resident - Milwaukee Brewers Chrome SuperCollector* *Base & Parallels Only - 4,600+ Unique Cards - 294 1/1s!!! - 75.0%+ of Non 1/1s!* NOW WORKING ON 2017 TOPPS DIAMOND ICONS AUTOGRAPH PATCH SET. SEEKING: 2003 Skybox LE Brett Favre Rare Form Jersey Numbers Jersey Card (#'d to 4)

02-20-2017, 12:05 AM	#5
hairyangryfella Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New Zealand Posts: 13,219	Mears A5 means 'we've looked at pictures and this sorta looks like what it's supposed to' - DO NOT take it as any verification of its legitimacy at all.

02-20-2017, 02:16 AM	#6
MallcopKJ Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 1,189	So what do you guys make of an auction house selling a jersey as game used with just the Mears grade? Does an A5 necessarily stand for not game used?

02-20-2017, 09:09 AM	#8
Grid Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Chicago Posts: 13,135 Gridiron-Gladiators	ajtilley72 nailed it. Nearly every auction house will still call an A5 "Game Used" and link the letter from Mears as "proof". Its very misleading. You see them touting a Game Used Jersey and you see a COA from Mears and assume you are good. Even the Mears COA can be misleading since they will usually say "some" in regards to use or wear for a game issued. That wear is just age in reality. I had to educate myself as a Walter Payton collector. Turns out that Wilson (Who made Bears jersey during Payton's era) made game model jerseys for every Sportmart and sporting goods type store to display. Plus a ton of Salesman samples and even Game Model jerseys that were sold by catalog during the 84 & 85 seasons. So a size 44 Walter Payton "Game Issued" jersey is nothing rare. It was never issued to him, but it is the type of jerseys that would have been issued to him. You will see most of these with a Mears COA as an A5.