An old Chicago Blackhawks jersey passed down from its former owner enjoyed some time in the spotlight during a recent "Antiques Roadshow" broadcast.
According to its owner, the jersey was once worn by Virgil Johnson, a member of the Chicago Blackhawks when the club won the 1938 Stanley Cup championship. Johnson had told his family that the jersey was worn during that Stanley Cup series.
According to Antiques Roadshow, that story holds up. And not only is it a rare find -- the jersey is all-wool -- it's one of very few to have survived from that time period.
"We're used to seeing baseball jerseys from this era," the appraiser tells the owner, who is the wife of Johnson's grandson. "I've never seen a hockey jersey from this era."
The appraiser goes on to estimate that the jersey could fetch anywhere from $7,000 to $10,000 at auction. But it only takes a couple crazy Blackhawks fans to jack that price well beyond its projected market value.
Despite being game-worn and more than 75 years old, the jersey is termed "museum-quality," having just a few minor scuffs and evidence of use. But to a hockey fan, "authentic game-worn" trumps "pristine" any time.
