Looks like the same background but slightly different pose. I'm leaning toward legit. Very interesting.

In the small one, it looks like PI is visible. In the others, it’s only the P.

Also appears to me that the head and bat angles are slightly different. A cool discovery if this is a variation on an already super desirable item.

Sure would like to a better picture!

This is the best I can do so far. I’m trying to get him to email me a better photo. The photo on this version does seem different. The head is more turned and the hands align with the Pirate team name differently.

Thanks, Mike. Here's a side by side. Do we know of other players shown in different poses?

FWIW - the small pin still doesn't lokk "right" to me. Maybe it's because we don't (as of yet) have a better picture?

A photo of the back would also be helpful.

I agree, I would vote relatively recently made knock off. It is cool that it has a different pose.

Same pose as shown in post 55 of this thread.

You are absolutely correct Clint.

...which makes me think someone could "bootleg" it.

Could be. I do think a photo of the back would be helpful in figuring this out.

Yeah, the Badge-A-Minit. logo would definitely be a red flag. :p

Here are more photos. No matter the consensus of opinion we can now confirm that it was issued in two sizes. Member ballpark Frank got these photos for me and I want to recognize his time and effort. Thanks Frank!

Yes, thanks Frank!

The “two sizes” are 3” and 3”, yes? And the smaller one would be a fantasy piece (based on the back)?

The Brewers are smaller than 3”, someone might have given the size in an earlier post. ETA, the Brewers are 2.25” according to Tom Hansen in an earlier post.

Another small version of the Clemente pin just surfaced within another collection. I’ve requested and hopefully will receive better photos.

The owner of the second small pin just sent these two photos. He says it’s 2”.

Good sleuthing and thanks for tracking these down.

Proofs no longer. Here are pics of Bench and Rose

could this possibly be a modern repo?

Glad to see this thread resurrected.

I’m holding off on changing my “checklist” until Mike verifies his Reds.

I’m still on the hunt for a Gaylord Perry Giants….which is only rumored to exist.

These are not mine. They are on a Facebook page. I will reach out to the poster.

It looks like maybe Bill was talking about the Clemente…my bad…but more info on the Reds would be good, regardless.

Wow! They look good on the front but the backs would be the proof. The photos on the Bench and Rose pins look very clear and not like laser copies.

I think they are legit. I am unable to show pics at the moment but the facsimile signature on the Bench proof on the first page is in a different location than on the Bench pin, I think if someone made a bootleg pin from the Bench proof pic the facsimile signature would be in the same exact location as the proof pic.

Great observation.... I agree. A couple of Holy Grails there.... thanks to Mike for finding and posting!

Hi Mike Just my 2 cents but I dont thing that pin is real. Looks like a very modern repro... I wouldnt buy it...

Do you know the size of the Rose and Bench, Mike? I’m dubious if they’re 2”.

There’s a Bernie Carbo and Tony Perez as well. Mike if you search that same Facebook page you’ll find pictures of them. They were shown about a year ago along with I believe the Rose proof.

Here are pics of the 1971 Johnny Bench pin proof and the 1971 Johnny Bench pin for comparision, if someone used the proof pic to make a bootleg Johnny Bench pin then the facsimile signature would be identical on both but the facsimile signature is in a much different (and better) position on the pin.

The owner of the pins has submitted a request to join Net54 and join in on this discussion. He has been waiting for a confirmation email much of the day. In the meantime he told me to post these for him. He is a Cincinnati Reds collector since 1970. This is what he told me in the course of our chat. He purchased the Bench for $750 and obtained the Rose in a large trade. He has the Rose proof and a friend has the Bench proof. He found pictures of Perez and a Carbo examples from this set. He has never found them but is searching for them. Clint the Perez and Carbo photos may be the ones you were referring to. Nonetheless this gives me hope for more Pirates examples from whatever constitutes this set.

Fantastic! If there's a Bernie Carbo then it's very possible there is a Lee May, Tommy Helms, Dave Concepcion, Gary Nolan, or a Don Gullett.

These damn pins are so simple yet so cool. It's amazing how much of a mystery their origin continues to be.

Great finds, Mike! Makes me think maybe their is a Gaylord Perry Giants out there.

New list:

Hall of Famers have been bolded.

A's - Blue

Brewers - Bristol, Harper, Hogan, Joss, Koslo, Lockwood, May, Pattin, Roof, Saunders, Walton.

Cubs - Banks, Beckert, Callison, Hands, Hundley, Jenkins, Kessinger, Ortiz, Pappas, Pepitone, Popovich, Santo, Williams.

Dodgers - Allen, Wills.

Giants - Mays (incl. Friars Club variations), Perry(?).

Mets - Seaver.

Orioles - Palmer, Powell, B. Robinson, F. Robinson.

Pirates - Clemente (Hernandez and Oceak photo proofs seen, but not actual pins).

Reds - Bench, Carbo, Perez, Rose.

Red Sox - Aparicio, B. Conigliaro, Culp, Griffin, Josephson, Kennedy, Petrocelli, Scott, Siebert, Yaz.

Senators - McClain, Howard.

White Sox - Andrews, Bradley, Hermann, Horlen, John, Melton, Reichardt, Richard

Looks like 58 known, with Perry rumored. Size, pose, finish and/or whether they have the facsimile autograph can vary.

Ugh! The mere image of that Perez Pin is killing me.

just when I give up on these pins we discover more of them. I can't believe the only Mets pin is the Seaver . . .

Perry
 

I am pretty sure I had/have the Perry. If I still have it - I just don't know where it is burried!!

You gotta find it! The not knowing is killing me!

Looking for a reason to bump this thread I came across a very recent sale of the Clemente version.

holy grail right there. also it seems like these pins are getting MUCH HARDER to find these days . . .

I saw that. It was originally offered with an opening bid of $300 and was sold for $800, hours later. I figured a high end pin and/or Clemente collector just had to have it and didn’t want to f**k around. Actually, I thought it might be you! :p

I’m the very definition of a low end Clemente collector

Thought I’d share a recent pick-up related to these elusive pin-backs. This negative is obviously from the same photo shoot. There are subtle differences between the Clemente pin-back from this series and the photo discussed in posts #55 and #80. I purchased this negative from a dealer in Ohio. The color image is my own crude attempt to digitally manipulate the image of the negative to provide an idea what the print would look like.

Please. If you’re low end, I’m below grade. :p

Cool piece Mike, thanks for sharing!

Wow! Very cool posts, Mike!

I’m always excited to see an addition to this thread. These are all very cool, but the Clemente is just amazing.

If anyone has a spare Pappas or Horlen, I would be interested....:cool:

Boog and Frank…let me know if anyone selling their pins!
 

Email me at charles.strite@yahoo.com

Happy to negotiate a deal for those 1970s Pins of Frank and Boog!