Authentic vs. replica
Critical to today’s lesson here at “Hockey Jersey U” is one item in particular. I would like to remind everyone (place into context) per my initial post, I only deal in pre-RBK jerseys. That is, I only deal in CCM, KOHO, Pro Player, Starter, Bauer, etc… RBK jerseys are paper-thin, low-quality, poorly constructed pieces of garbage, PERIOD! RBK jerseys are for bandwagon jumpers and children. No self respecting old school fan would be caught dead wearing a Reebok rag. You would be better off buying an Asian sweatshop counterfeit. Now that the introductory rant is out of the way, let us get down to business.
Believe it or not, there are those among us who do not know, or cannot tell the difference between a replica NHL sweater and an authentic on ice game jersey, thus the subject of today’s lesson. As I like to use the counterfeit-ridden cesspool that is FeeBay as a teaching tool, I will continue to do so for this class as well. One thing that makes me laugh is when I see a listing for a hockey jersey that says “Authentic Replica”… There is no such thing as an authentic replica, period. A hockey jersey (sweater) is either an authentic, or it is a replica. It is not, and cannot be both. Today we will discuss some of the differences between the two.
Authentic On Ice Game Jerseys
Authentic On Ice Game Jerseys are identical in every way to the jerseys players actually wore on the ice (I use past tense as I only deal in pre RBK garbage, remember…???).
Jerseys in which I specialize, i.e. up to and including the 2003-04 NHL season, will be used as today’s example.
There are several common characteristics that all authentic jerseys share, and a few they do not. The ones they do not share are largely due to the year of manufacturing, and the different brands, which we will discuss shortly.
Let us start with the shared characteristics… First, virtually all on ice game jerseys have the following: Double-layered shoulders, double-layered elbows, double-stitched seams, 2 inch hem, a tie-down strap (aka a “fight strap”), and the manufacturer’s logo and / or NHL Shield embroidered all of the way through the material of the rear hem. There is one exception to the latter; The NHL Shield was not place on the hem next to the manufacturer’s logo until the 1990-91 season. Just to be clear, before the 90-91 season, the only thing on the hems of authentic jerseys was the manufacturer’s logo. As Authentic jerseys are concerned, that is one easy method to identify the age grouping of your jersey. Most will also include a tag inside of the collar area that says “Authentic On Ice Game Jersey” or “Authentic Collection” if the jersey was made after 1990. Before 1990, there was usually only a single manufacturer’s tag with a handwritten numerical size on it.
Not all teams wore the same type of jersey either. For example, in the early 1990’s some teams wore Heavyweight Ultrafil jerseys (a collectors favorite kind), and some teams wore Air-Knit jerseys.
Montreal was the last team to give up their Ultrafils, as they wore theirs into the early 2000’s until the switch to RBK. Some teams like the Chicago Blackhawks, wore Ultrafil jerseys through the 1992-93 season, then switched to Air Knit. Yet other teams like the Sharks, who entered the league at the start of the 1991-92 season went straight to Air-knit jerseys, even though Ultrafil jerseys were still widely available and in use. Whether we are talking about Air-Knit or Ultrafil, virtually all of the characteristics that allow one to identify an “Authentic On Ice Game
Jersey are the same.” Two differences regarding the NHL Shield and manufacturer’s logo on the hem took place for the 1999-00 season, and again for the 2000-01 season.
While many teams in the league opted for the use of “Pro Player” brand jerseys, there were still some teams that stayed with the CCM brand. Regardless the brand, the start of the 1999-00 NHL season brought with it a new NHL Shield. Next to the manufacturer’s logo would now be a silver and black NHL Shield, which replaced the traditional orange and black one. The 1999-00 season would also be the ONLY season that the new NHL shield would share space with the manufacturer’s logo on the hems on NHL jerseys. Beginning with the 2000-01 NHL season (to the present), the new silver and black NHL shield would stand alone on the hems of NHL jerseys. The manufacturer’s logos are no longer present. (See examples below).
All of the manufacturers that made Authentic On Ice Game Jerseys for the NHL also made replica versions so fans could have a less expensive alternative to the real thing. It is important to note that some replica manufacturers really went out of their way to make their replicas as close to authentic as possible. For example, Starter and Pro Player brand jerseys incorporated double elbows, official “Authentic On Ice” size logos (cresting), and heavyweight construction into their replicas, giving them an “On Ice” look and feel. However, no manufacturer incorporated fight straps into their replicas. (I personally feel that Pro Player jerseys are by far the best replica jerseys ever made). With the exception of today’s RBK replicas, and the multitude of CCM Vintage Series counterfeits on the market (Feebay), replicas do not have fight straps, or an NHL Shield on the hem. Replicas will usually have a manufacturer’s logo on the hem, along with one of a variety of other logos, i.e. a puck logo or small team crest. In addition, excluding early 1990’s replicas, virtually all replicas were made of Air-Knit, and were just a lighter weight than their “Authentic On Ice” cousins.
Sizing
Keep in mind that there are scumbags out there (mostly on Feebay) that doctor up replicas to make them look like authentic jerseys so they can sell them to unsuspecting customers. In fact, there are several sellers in the
Vancouver B.C. area that make a living faking jerseys and selling them on Feebay. Just remember, adding a fight strap and / or some patches and logos does not magically turn a jersey into an authentic. Remember this, authentic jerseys are sized numerically, i.e. 48, 52, 56… The two-digit number refers to the chest size. Replica jerseys are sized as follows: M, L, XL, XXL, etc… (Some hoaxers will incorporate numerical size tags into their fakes though, so be careful). If you are ever unsure of what you are buying, contact me through this blog and I will be happy to take a look at the item for you. As a collector of 20 years, I have seen every type of counterfeit and fake there is.
