The Rushmore of Toronto Maple Leafs Playoff Memorabilia
The Leafs begin their road to the Stanley Cup tonight, and if you follow us on Instagram or Twitter you may have noticed that we're pretty excited about it. Memorabilia as a whole is about nostalgia - remembering a moment worth remembering. For the Leafs, those moments were mostly before their last Stanley Cup victory on May 2nd, 1967. Every playoff run since has ended prematurely, which means less fans are looking to reminisce on those memories with collectible items. Let's look at the Rushmore of Leafs playoff memorabilia - the four best collectible items.
Stanley Cup Rings
If you can get your hands on a Stanley Cup Ring from any of the Leafs' 13 championships, never let go. Depending on who it was originally awarded to, they can be worth anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000, and maybe more! And what an item to show off to your friends considering how hard they've been to come by since the '60s (woof).
1967 Clinch Game Tickets
You may have seen one of these tickets and not even known it, as they aren't particularly obvious at first glance. The 1967 Game 6 Stanley Cup clinch ticket doesn't have a date on it, but "Playoff Game X" - so dig through your dad's old ticket collection and see if you see that big X in there, because that might be your golden ticket!
Bill Barilko Signed Memorabilia
On August 26, 1951, one of the most tragic incidents in hockey history took place when Leafs defenseman Bill Barilko went missing during a fishing trip in Northern Ontario. Barilko had just scored the game-winning goal in overtime against the Montreal Canadiens to help the Leafs win the Stanley Cup. It wasn't until 11 years later that his body was discovered when a helicopter pilot spotted the wreckage of Barilko's small plane in a remote area. Because of his sudden passing and his connection with the 1951 Stanley Cup (his fourth victory), Barilko-signed memorabilia is extremely sought after by advanced hockey collectors.
Pre-1967 Game-Used Jerseys
Game worn jerseys from this era typically don't display particularly well to the untrained eye - they're often dirty, ripped up, visibly repaired and shrunken. But to an advanced collector who likes to tell a story, these jerseys are beautiful, and good as gold. These old raggedy shirts have been known to go for more than $100,000 USD when photo-matched to a Stanley Cup game.
So there we have our Rushmore of Leafs playoff memorabilia. They might all cost a pretty penny, but any serious collector would love to get their hands on them. And keep in mind that almost anything from the playoffs in that era has some value! Programs, promotions, even store-bought replica jerseys from the Doug Laurie store hold significant value. With some luck, tonight will be the beginning of a collectable run for the ages and we'll have something to cheer for in June for once! Go Leafs Go!