Pinback date question....
 

I jus picked up this framed piece of the M&M Boys and was wondering if anyone knew the dating of the pinbacks in the frame. Still waiting to receive it, but had been told the pins are original.

Thanks,
James

I could be wrong but I think they are both "fantasy" pins. Mike

Agree, they are fantasy.

by fantasy, do you mean they are "homemade"? Not a pin guy...

A "fantasy" pin is a pin manufactured many years after the player in question (e.g., Mantle) played. That pin of Mantle was most likely made in the 1980s. The image of Mantle never appeared on a pin of him during his playing years.

The Maris pin is also a fantasy, but it has a more complex history. The image of Maris on this pin derived from an original vintage pin of him from the 1960s. But over the years the image has been cropped and reproduced in pins of different diameters compared to the original diameters. Long story short, while the copy of Life magazine appears to be original from 1961, the pins of the two players are much more recent. If you are a MM fan, enjoy your framed exhibit that celebrates these two players.

Perfect explanation. thank you!