1960 Casey Stengel "Fifty Years in Baseball" Pin

Sold For:

$415

Year:

1960

Auction:

2013 Spring

Lot #:

1409

Category:

Historical/Political/Pop Culture/Americana

Extremely rare large (3.5 inches in diameter) celluloid pinback commemorating Casey Stengel's fifty years in baseball. The pin features a bust-length image of the "Old Professor" as manager of the Yankees, with the caption above reading "1910 - Fifty Years In Baseball - 1960." Printed vertically, on either side of his image, is his managerial record with the New York Yankees: "N.Y. 12 Years/N.Y. 10 Pennants." Stengel's name appears directly below his image. The fact that this pin references his ten pennants with the club indicates that it most likely dates to 1961, since his tenth pennant with the Yankees came in 1960. If so, then this pin was issued after Stengel's departure from the Yankees (incredibly, he was fired on October 31, 1960, after the club lost the World Series). It may have been a souvenir "stadium pin" that was simply not popular with kids (who we imagine would have rather had a pin of Roger Maris or Mickey Mantle as a souvenir of a big trip to Yankee Stadium). Or it may have been issued at a one-day event held in celebration of Stengel's golden anniversary in baseball. That might also explain its great rarity. In all our forty-plus years of being particularly interested in baseball pinbacks, we have seen only a handful (literally only five or six examples). The pin displays a small rim indentation (possibly as made) along the perimeter at about two o'clock and a tiny area of red discoloration at both five o'clock and nine o'clock; however, the flaws are very minor (really of no consequence) and the pin displays as Excellent to Mint. Reserve $100. Estimate $300+.

SOLD FOR $414.75