Bobblehead Q & A

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Bobblehead Questions and Answers

"Baseball is like church. Many attend, but few understand"--Wes Westrum, former major league catcher.
"There's one word that describes baseball: 'You never know.'"--Joaquin Andujar, former major league pitcher.
"You can observe a lot by watching"--Yogi Berra, Hall-of-Fame catcher
(Quotes from the highly recommended book Watching Baseball Smarter by Zack Hample)

At TwinsBobbleheads.com "Helpful Information and Great Service" is our motto. TwinsBobbleheads.com gets questions now and then about bobbleheads. On this page we will publish your questions and do our best to answer them. If we don't know the answer we will do our best to find someone who does. If not answered on this page, please don't hesitate to e-mail us your question. I (Dick) am not a collector of bobbleheads, so will probably have to refer most of your questions to my bobblehead expert, Ben. Answers will be signed by one of us, so you know who to blame or thank for the answer!

NOTE: Some information and pictures are given to us by collectors and we very much appreciate that. Please do not ask us for names or e-mail addresses as we will not give those out. We respect the privacy of all contributors to this web site.

Answers below are our best opinion as of the date of the question, which is noted at the end of the question. Obviously prices, bobblehead popularity, demand etc. change with time, so please take that into account when reading our answers.

Questions:
Q1: What is the difference between the 2006 Torii Hunter GG and SGAR bobbleheads? [9/29/2007]

Q2: Does a "crooked" head decrease the value of a bobblehead? [9/29/2007]

Q3: How many known Twins prototypes are there? Do you know where I could find some? [9/30/2007]

Q4: How come you don't put bobbleheads other than SGA and ST on your site? [10/2/2007]

Q5: Where do you get the prices in your price list? [10/02/2007]

Q6: Question about Katrina/SGA 65 Heroes COAs and prices. [12/22/2007]

Q7: Where can I see and buy Twins bobbleheads? [3/2/2008]

Q8: What do ST and SGA stand for? [4/3/2008] (A: Season Ticket Holders only and Stadium Giveaway)

Q9: Can you give me information on xyz generic bobbleheads? [4/4/2008]

Q10: For insurance purposes, how much is my bobblehead collection worth? [4/28/2008]

Q11: Are you selling any of those bobbleheads in that big section of them [Bobblehead Gallery]? [7/23/08]

Q12: Does an autograph increase the value of a bobblehead? [8/18/2008]

Q13: Do you buy bobbleheads? Where can I sell my bobbleheads? [8/18/2008] [Updated 8/3/2010]

Q14: If the Twins only give out 10,000 bobbleheads, why is my COA number higher than 10,000? [8/19/2008]

Q15: How can I tell if my bobblehead is genuine or a fake? [9/5/2008]

Q16: How much is a complete set of 10 of the '65 Heroes bobbleheads worth? [5/4/2009]

Q17: How many sets of the 1987 world series team bobbleheads were there and how much would they be worth? [5/4/2009]

Q18: What's the deal with the Twins only giving out two bobbleheads this season [2009]. Are they planning to add two more late in the season?

Q19: Do ST bobbleheads come with COAs? [9/4/2009] (A: No)

Q20: What happens to the value of the bobblehead if it does not come with the SGA card [COA] or game ticket? [2/25/2010]

Q 21: What glue do I use to glue on a bobblehead head? [8/1/2010]

Q22: Do you know if there was a COA and if so, what the COA looked like for the 1987 World Series set of 25. [8/18/2010]

Q23: Does the Puckett HOF bobblehead have a black base bottom? [9-2-2010]

Q24: What is the number and value of Carl Pohlad bobbleheads? [9-19-2010]

Q25: Do you have any information on the Matt Lawton bobblehead (year, value)? [2-10-2011]

Q26: Question about Puckett World Series Hero Bobblehead and price trends of bobbleheads in general [10-2-2011]

Q27: Touching up bobblehead paint defects [4-23-2013]

Q28: Did the Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau combination bobble SGA from 2013 come with a coa card? [2-16-2015] (A: no)

A: The simple answer to your overall question is "no". I think we are seeing an increased incidence in "turned head" syndrome, if you will allow me to call it that. Whether this is a result of a change in manufacturing process or a further deterioration in QC standards is fodder for speculation. My personal best guess is that the spring is heated to soften the hot glue and the head turns in the process of the spring cooling (almost all turned heads seem to be facing to the left when viewed from the front). It has always been a bit of a chore to find a given bobblehead with it's head on perfectly - and it seems to be becoming more of a challenge. I just got done going through 9 Cuddyers to find one with a straight head, no paint issues, level base, etc. and am not completely happy yet - I am, however, perhaps a bit fussier than most collectors. [I recently went through 6 Dan Gladden bobbleheads and did not find a single one I would call acceptable. Mostly the painting and molding of the base was horrible. Also the Northwest Airlines logo was put on crooked on most of them.--Dick--]

I think that a slightly cocked head should be viewed as par for the course, with no impact on value, and that finding lots of them on e-Bay is an indication only that there are lots of them "out there". Sellers, I suppose, would tend to send off the more pronounced examples first and retain the "better" ones for their more loyal customers and personal collections. I also have no quarrel with sellers using the word "mint" unless the piece has obvious issues aside from a turned head (the ones with the chin resting on the chest, for example). Please be advised that it is ALWAYS a good idea to ask questions of the seller if you wish to maximize your chances of getting an "issue free" bobblehead. Honest sellers will have no problem getting back to you quickly with as candid an answer as they can. Sellers who do not answer or are evasive, or do not address your questions completely should be avoided - there are simply too many reliable sellers out there to deal with the other kind.

The heads can be straightened, by the way. Just turn it a bit at a time - not enough to loosen it - until you get it where you want it. Many collectors will simply remove the head, carefully, scrape out the existing glue, and re-glue. It's not nearly as much trouble as you might think. But why bother? Unless the head is really on crooked, that's the way heads are!

Q3: How many known Twins prototypes are there? Do you know where I could find some? --Brad--

Brad --Thanks for the question. Probably only the Twins know how many prototypes exist, if they even kept track. There would be at least one prototype for each bobblehead produced and in at least some cases perhaps several before final approval was obtained. For instance, one well known story has Winfield refusing, perhaps jokingly, to approve any bobblehead of him that was not at least one inch taller than the existing Puckett bobblehead (to account for their disparity in height). I imagine some players may have been quite fussy about how they were to be honored, and there are a lot of variables involved in detail, uniform, etc. And, presumably, there are many prototypes somewhere of players who were not done or under consideration - the Twins are silent on this point. The Twins claim that a well known collector has been given several prototypes in thanks for the use of his collection in displays, but that the lion's share go to the player being honored. What happens after that is conjecture - the prototypes that wind up on the market had to get there somehow.

We have been thinking about establishing a section on this site for prototypes, special editions, commemorative sets, etc. but are a long ways away from making a decision on the idea. The only prototype we have a picture of is one of Guzman. We would welcome any further information and/or pictures visitors may be able to offer.

--Ben--

A: Brad mentioned that he is a prototype collector and has 20 prototypes (not all Twins of course)! He supplied this picture of a prototype Puckett SGA. Thanks Brad.

--Dick--

Q4: [This was feedback to our site, not specifically a question]. It would be cool to see all the Twins Retails catalog'd. Like the Rainbow Foods promotions and other rare ones like Carl Pohlad. And Protos.

I know you guys are into the SGA's, but not everyone knows what the SGA obsession is about. I know I'd like to see the bobbles out there that aren't on your website.

Thanks! Joe.

A: Joe --Thanks for your input. Our intention has always been to provide as much information as possible in regard to Twins promo bobbleheads. By this we mean the bobbleheads that the Minnesota Twins distribute free of charge, by various means, to their fans. This, pretty much by definition, limits our scope to SGA and ST bobbleheads. Please be aware that the lion's share of Twins bobblehead collectors, we believe, also limit their collections to these items. Please also be aware that what we have done so far has entailed a considerable amount of time and effort. Thus far we have limited ourselves to including new features (including this new Q & A section) rather than expanding our scope. We have considered including known prototypes and limited edition Twins bobbleheads, as well as special (and essentially retail) sets, and may well expand into those areas at some point in time. The notion of getting into retails and/or Twins related minor league bobbleheads is well over the horizon at present. For now, however, we hope you can appreciate the efforts we have made and that you are able to enjoy them. Thanks.

--Ben--

Q5: Where do you get the average, high and low prices for recent sales?

A: Thanks for the question. All data comes from eBay sales. Spreadsheets are maintained in such a manner that the most recent 10 - 15 sales of any given item are tracked. The bobbleheads must include COAs where appropriate but not necessarily game tickets, and be listed by sellers with reasonable reputation/feedback. Prices recorded do not include freight but are adjusted to reflect a shipping cost of $8.00. From there it is just a matter of number crunching. We make no claims as to accuracy and are well aware that we may not "catch" all sales. Slower moving items may have their values impacted by a lack of recent data. We update the tables as often as practical but the information is not always as fresh as possible. Overall, however, we feel that the numbers you see provide a reasonably accurate snapshot of value.

---Ben---

Q6: Just wondering if you folks can clear up the confusion of the 1965 Hero's collection. I have seen complete sets of 10 with one COA certificate for all 10 and "Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund" written on it. Now I also see individual 1965 Hero's with individual COA's like those that come with the SGA's. I am 2 individual SGA's and 1965 Hero's set away from completing my 9 year old sons complete SGA collection. Just wondering which ones are which and what ones are you giving prices for on your website. Any info on this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Lindy

A: Thanks for your e-mail. The 1965 Katrina Heros set was a set of 10 bobbleheads sold by the Twins with some of the profits going to the hurricane Katrina relief fund. They came with one COA for the entire set. The SGA 1965 Heros were the same players given out as stadium giveaways. They were slightly different in design than the Katrina set. You got a random one of the ten if you were lucky enough to make it through the gates before they were all gone. I have been to all the bobblehead giveaways and that is the only one I did not get even though I was as far up in the line as I have ever been. Many think there were nowhere near 10,000 given out. Anyway, those were given out just like any other bobblehead giveaway except you did not know which one you would get. They came with COAs. To complete that set you had to trade for or buy the ones you needed on e-bay or elsewhere. The prices we list in our price guidelines are for the SGA bobbleheads, not the Katrina ones.

---Dick---

Q7: Was at a card show in Bloomington to check on bobbleheads. I did not see any of them there. Might you have some idea where one can see them at what type of show and where?

The Twins Fest was the last one I could buy them at. --Greg

A: Probably the best place to both see and buy Twins bobbleheads is e-bay. Also, the pictures of all the SGA and ST bobbleheads are on TwinsBobbleheads.com along with much information about the bobbleheads. Check our gallery pages. As bobbleheads are given away they are for sale on TwinsBobbleheads.com, but sell out very quickly. If you want to see them in "person" you probably need to go to TwinsFest. The Twins Pro Shops also have a few bobbleheads, but the supply and selection is very limited.

---Dick---

A: ST stands for "season ticket". Season ticket holders get special bobbleheads as a reward for buying season tickets. These bobbleheads usually have a red base with the player's name on it and no sponsor. SGA stands for "stadium give away" and are the bobbleheads given away to the first 10,000 fans at the bobblehead give away games. These bobbleheads have green bases and a sponsor's name on them.

Q9: I was wondering if you can answer a question. I just bought a 2002 Twins bobble head and it's from the Memory Company. It is a generic Twin's player but it is on a wooden stand and has the official logo of the MLB. It is 1/3000. Can you tell me about this?

Q10: I have the entire series of SGA bobbleheads, dating back to 2000. I purchased the set of 10 Katrina bobbleheads with one COA. For insurance purposes, what kind of value should I place on my collections?

A: That is an excellent question Rick and you are wise to be thinking about insuring your collection. We maintain bobblehead price guidelines on our site. If you haven't seen them, you can go directly there by clicking on this link: http://www.twinsbobbleheads.com/BobbleheadGallery.htm . Scroll down the page to find the guidelines. The prices are based on e-bay sales.

Assuming you have all 10 of the SGA 1965 heroes, the average price from our guideline would be $1755 for your complete set of SGA bobbleheads. Unfortunately the Katrina set never was very popular and does not have a great value. $200 would be a great price for that. So, considering you have the whole complete set of bobbleheads, I would think they would be worth $2000 average price. We also have the minimum and maximum prices listed, but I would think insurance companies would be more interested in the average prices. Feel free to print that page and this answer as documentation if you wish.

Thanks for your kind words about our site!

---Dick---

Q11: Hey I was wondering if you are selling any of those bobbleheads in that big section of them?

A: I assume you mean the bobbleheads shown in our Bobblehead Gallery of Pictures and Information. No, TwinsBobbleheads.com does not have those bobbleheads for sale, but select bobbleheads may be available from the page contributor. Click here to go to his page to check availability.

Anything TwinsBobbleheads.com has for sale can be found on the Home page under "Twins Stuff for Sale". There you will find links to three pages: Bobbleheads/Statues, Posters, Misc. We have all the bobblehead and statue giveaways for sale, but we have very limited quantities of those and they sell out within a day or two of the giveaway.

Thank you very much for your time and have a nice day, Shannon :)

A: I have asked around on that one a few times. There is a feeling that some to perhaps many collectors like (or would like) to have the bobbleheads in their collections signed but that signatures have a negative impact on marketability. One issue, of course, is authenticity or certification. A person who takes a bobblehead to a signing and then adds it to his/her collection is one thing - a person buying a signed bobblehead on the open market is another. Bottom line, resellers tend to not want signed bobbleheads and pure collectors need to be aware that signatures may, ultimately, decrease the value of their collection.

---Ben---

Q13: We get a fair number of e-mails asking if we buy bobbleheads, or where is the best place to sell them.

A: Ordinarily we do not buy bobbleheads or other Twins stuff. Almost all of the bobbleheads and other Twins items for sale on the site we get from stadium giveaways. About the only place you can sell bobbleheads is on e-bay. You should check our price guide to get an idea of what your bobblehead is worth before listing it on e-bay.

---Dick---

As to marketing --- your best bet is always eBay for reaching the maximum number of people who might be interested. Your local craigslist (under "collectibles") is also a great place (and free).

--Ben--

Q14: If the Twins only give out 10,000 bobbleheads, why is my COA number higher than 10,000? --Julie--

A: They apparently order that many. I have heard that they always get as many as 5,000 "extra" of any given bobblehead and, I suppose, they get as many extra COAs as well. You would think that they would get 10,000, period, to go with the 10,000 bobbleheads to be given away at the game but such seems to be not the case. Notice that you got COAs with your "guaranteed giveaway" bobbleheads. [Sold to season ticket holders only.]Are those bobbleheads part of the 10,000? If they are part of the 10,000 then they could not really be giving away 10,000 on game day, could they? And, if they are not a part of that 10,000 then how many were really distributed? This why I call 10,000 the "stated issue". eBay sellers who advertise "only 10,000 given away" or "only 10,000 produced" are lying (or at least very naïve) - there are always a great many more that went to players, VIPs, team employees, sponsors, vendors, the press, etc., etc. Nobody knows what the Twins are really up to and just try asking them for a straight answer.

I have seen COAs numbered beyond 10,000 handed out at the season ticket gate while people at the cheap seats are getting cards in the low one to two thousands. If you win a bobblehead at a raffle you probably will not get a COA because you did not attend the appropriate game! So, it's all a mystery. Collectors, by the way, endeavor to obtain a COA within the stated issue for their personal collection. I have been known to buy a bobblehead just to get the COA!

---Ben---

A: I also received this answer from the Twins: "We give away 10,000 bobbleheads at the gate with another amount going to the sponsor."

---Dick---

Q15: Hi, I bought two 2000 sga bobblehead a while back on ebay, Killebrew and Puckett. Lucky for me, I bought the Killebrew with a COA.

I was able to sell the Killebrew with no problem. I tried to sell the Puckett but the buyer returned it to me saying it was a fake.

Can you please give me some details on how I can tell the Kirby bobblehead is fake or real.

thanks, JAMES

A: [We get a lot of e-mail from fans who have bought bobbleheads on e-bay and then want to know if they are genuine. It is difficult to know without seeing them. The time to ask questions is before you buy. Ask questions until you get all the answers you need. If a seller is vague or won't answer your questions, run don't walk away from the deal; don't even consider buying it. Also, I would never buy a bobblehead without a COA. See Ben's comment about COAs below. ---Dick---]

The fake bobbleheads:

--- do not have a small, gold oval sticker on the bottom which reads "Made in China"

--- are several ounces lighter than their SGA counterpart - if you have one of each the difference is obvious - this is the "dead" giveaway

--- are a bit smaller overall (hence the weight)

--- have a smooth, shiny black base underside - the authentic ones have a dull, flat black, slightly striated finish

--- the boxes are slightly outsized and have a "too new" look to them

Fake Puckett in specific:

--- usually the head is mounted too high above the shoulders giving it a sort of goofy look

--- the pin striping on the pants is not carried through in the area between the top of the belt and the jersey (same for Killer)

The fakes do not come with a COA, unless one has been added. No COA should ring the alarm bell and cause the prospective buyer to ask questions. No COA does not, however, mean it is for sure fake (people lose them, etc.)

Below are pictures of 3 fakes. Compare these with the real bobbleheads pictured in our Bobblehead Gallery.

---Ben---

Q16: Hi I had a question on how much the 1965 SGA complete set would be worth. Having all 10 bobbleheads is pretty rare since there was a huge dispute over it. Thanks. Caleb

A: Since there supposedly were only 1000 of each of the 1965 Heroes in the 2005 SGA, these bobbleheads are more rare than the regular ones where 10,000 are given out. All 10 of these bobbleheads are listed in the price guideline on our web site at http://www.twinsbobbleheads.com/BobbleheadGallery.htm. Look under 2005 SGAs. Adding them up (as of 5/4/2009) the average selling price of the set of the 10 is $718. Would they be worth more as a complete set? That's a tough question. You'd like to think so, but I honestly doubt it. Why? Because no one is going to plunk down over $700 all at once to buy bobbleheads, let alone more than that. In fact the set might be worth less than if you sold them individually. Of course this assumes that by "worth" you mean what you could sell them for. They might well be worth much more than that to the collector who has no intention of selling them.

---Dick---

Figures [prices in our price guidelines] for the 1965 bobbleheads are based on very slow sales taking place over a long period of time and may not be a great indicator of current value - obviously, faster moving pieces have more "current" average values. This is why I think the high and low values need to be looked at closely as well.

---Ben---

Q17: Also had another question if you don't mind. I was curious how many sets of the 1987 world series team there were and how much that would be worth. Thanks

Caleb

A: Thanks for the question. The stated issue on the 1987 World Series set was 500 units. This is the number of sets the Twins claimed they would be selling as per their retail offer at the time. There are, no doubt, many more sets "out there" that were distributed to team members, VIPs, employees, etc. as usual. As to value, my spreadsheets indicate an average sales value of about $390 for the original 25 piece set and about $445 for a set which includes the replacement "correct handed" Gagne bobblehead (these figures do not include S & H). Bear in mind that averages are just that and that these sets seldom appear in open market listings. For instance, a 26 piece set sold just recently for $335 - well below the average.

Please do not hesitate to contact TwinsBobbleheads.com with any further questions or information you require.

---Ben---

Q18: Do you know if the Twins are planning to add two more bobblehead giveaways this season. They usually give out four, but only two are listed on the promotional schedule for the 2009 season. Thanks. --Judy--

A: Thanks for the question. I think we have all been wondering that. We finally have information from a reliable source at the Twins that there will be no more bobblehead giveaways this season. Not only that, but we may have seen the last of the bobblehead giveaways. This is information we received from the Twins:

"There are no additional bobblehead giveaways in 2009. Despite our best efforts, we could not locate a sponsor the dolls [sic]. We opted to subsidize two dolls in hopes that a partner would materialize for another two. Unfortunately, none did. Bobbleheads are among our most expensive giveaways and we couldn't justify subsidizing all four, especially since we also opted to pay for kids jerseys and other giveaways that didn't have sponsors.

Please keep in mind that promotions are designed to incent fans to purchase tickets and to serve as platforms for corporate partners... The Twins offer more giveaways than most teams in the league. The team's most loyal fans enjoy the giveaways but come out and support the team whether or not there is a premium item at the gates.

I cannot tell you what the future holds for bobbleheads once the Twins move to Target Field but much will be predicated on our ability to locate a sponsor for them. Should you know of a company that may have an interest, we'd love to speak with them."

If I might be allowed to editorialize on this subject, I believe that the lack of sponsors is a very lame excuse for not giving the fans what they have come to expect, and in my opinion, deserve. The Twins certainly CAN afford to subsidize two more bobbleheads. Saying they cannot is baloney! The revenue from Target Field next year will be HUGE. What does a bobblehead giveaway cost the Twins? I have no idea, but a reasonable guess might be $10 per bobblehead maximum, including design, manufacture and delivery of 10,000+ bobbleheads. OK, that's $100,000, a lot of money, but they probably make more than that on beer sales at one lousy game! The Twins are being cheap and cheating the very fans who are keeping them in business. If you feel strongly about this e-mail the Twins and express your opinion.

--Dick--

Q19: Hello, I was just wondering, Do the COA's usually come with a season ticket holder bobblehead? I have seen several ST bobbleheads and some sellers say they have the COA and others say they do not and that they do not come with COA's. Can you shed some light on this. The ones I have in question are the Puckett ST's. I have the red base Hall of Fame with no COA and I am looking at the other one and it has no COA. Thanks for your time! --Brian --

A: Twins ST bobbleheads have never come with COAs - at least not that I have ever heard of.

The problem here probably stems from the fact that a lot of sellers (and buyers for that matter) often don't seem to know what they are talking about. In the case of the early Puckett bobbleheads the confusion may arise from the base colors. The '01 ST is on a green base (like the '00 SGA) which sometimes throws people since all the other STs are on red bases. The difference between the two Pucks is that the '00 SGA is depicted in a home uniform with "Mountain Dew" (sponsor) on the front of the base while the '01 ST is depicted in a road uniform with "Puckett" on the front of the base. The HOF Puck is a different animal. I think this is all covered pretty well in the gallery notes.

--Ben--

Q20: What happens to the value of the bobblehead if it does not come with the SGA card [COA] or game ticket?

A: Lack of a COA can, and often does, have a big impact on the value of the piece, accounting for as much as half (or even more) of it's value. For instance, I once bought a '00 Killer bobble [2000 Killebrew bobblehead] without a COA, added an extra COA I had, and resold it for $90 more than I had paid. Collectors generally have little interest in bobbleheads without COAs unless they have an "extra" COA or know where to find one. Collectors like to get the game tickets as well but are less fussy about them - on the open market a bobblehead with a ticket included will garner more interest than one without. A pocket schedule listing the promo is also desirable. No biggie, but a lot of collectors do go that far. The most desirable situation for collectors is a bobblehead in it's original box and packing with ticket, schedule and COA (numbered inside the stated issue) included. For purposes of establishing the values published on the site I only consider pieces which include box, packing, and COA, but not necessarily ticket. [Contact us if you need a particular COA. We have a few extras for sale]

--Ben--

Q21: I need to re-glue the head back onto a bobblehead--what should I use for glue? --Lyn--

A: Lyn --- Thank-you for the question, and for your interest in TwinsBobbleheads.com

AGP uses a hot glue for attaching the heads and I would do the same. The alternate choice would be two-part epoxy (be careful about gooping it anywhere it is not needed). Reattaching heads is really a very simple procedure that most collectors need to perform from time to time.

--Ben--

I would not recommended that you remove and reattach heads just to make them straighter however, unless they are extremely crooked. See question #2 above.

--Dick--

Q22: Dick and Ben, Do you know if there was a COA and if so, what the COA looked like for the 1987 World Series set of 25. Thanks---Lindy

A: Here is a picture of the COA that came with the 1987 set:

--Dick--

Q23: I am a big fan of your website and had a question about the Puckett HOF bobblehead. I recently purchased one and was wondering if the bobblehead is black on the underside of the base because I have looked at the others from the 2001 set and noticed that they have the regular green color like the others. So if you have any info please let me know. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Dylan

A: Thanks for the kind words about our site and thanks for asking this question. This was a new one on us! Here is Ben's answer:

Something new every day. I did not check all my '01 bobbleheads - but the Carew is green on the bottom and the Puck is black, just like the '00 ones. I can only guess that it is a simple matter of that's just how they did them.

--Ben--

Q24: How many Carl Pohlad bobbleheads were made? Any idea what they're worth? Thanks. Steve

A: My information, from two reliable sources, is that only fifty of the Pohlad bobbleheads were produced. The story is that they were handed out at a birthday "roast" of Pohlad attended by top Twins brass and close friends/family/associates only. If one appeared on eBay I would expect it to fetch somewhere between $300 and $400, perhaps higher - even much higher - if a couple of collectors got to fighting over it. The highest sales amount I am aware of is a deal I, myself, brokered for $550.

--Ben--

Q25: Do you have any information on the Matt Lawton bobblehead (year, value)? Thanks!

A: Lawton was a Pro Shop / Souvenir Stand retail along with Radtke (also Gardenhire & TC but those are less often seen) starting in 2001. The Twins were trying to cash in on the bobblehead frenzy they had started, not realizing that the frenzy was for FREE (SGA & ST) bobbleheads. They are very good quality AGP pieces, just like the SGA & ST pieces, and came in the same plain white boxes but with a MLB logo on them. They were pretty much a miserable failure as a money making venture and the Twins banished huge quantities to the trash after a year or two. They show up on e-bay quite often - most of them having been, quite literally, rescued from the team dumpster. People who add them to their collections usually do so for no more than a very few dollars.

--Ben--

Q26: What the deal with the Kirby Puckett World Series Hero Bobblehead with the green base (it seems to be numbered also)? Is it a good time to sell my collection, are prices increasing or decreasing, what type of future do they have? --Bill--

A: Bill, thanks for your questions and interest in TwinsBobbleheads.com.

I am assuming you are referring to the Puckett bobblehead with the "fist pumping" pose which has the legend "World Series Hero" across the front of the base. That one is a commercial/retail piece that has been around for several years. There were lots of them changing hands shortly after Puckett's death. If you have the original box/packaging you probably know more about it than I do since I have no interest in retails.

The best time to sell your collection (assuming we are talking about Twins promo pieces) is when interest in the team is at it's highest. If I was looking to sell I would be thinking about listing once next season gets going and the team is doing well. There is never a "bad" time relatively but now is not the best time for sure. [This was written early Oct. 2011].

Values of bobbleheads, and interest in them, has been declining for some time as happens with all collectibles of this sort (think Beanie Babies). A full set of Twins pieces is not worth appreciably more today than it was three or four years ago, even though there have been pieces added in the meantime. And, the Twins are pretty much working at killing off remaining interest by discontinuing the classic pose series and handing out mostly junk. That said, there is no reason not to appreciate your collection for what it is.

Please get back to me any further questions you may have.

--Ben--

Q27: Hi My name is Jon and I was wondering if you receive sga bobbleheads is it a good idea to touch it up like I recently received a stadium giveaway bobblehead and there are noticeable marks on the face and the top of the bill of the hat had a glob of clay on it almost the size of a dime and it was painted the same as the color of the rest of the hat but it is really bugging me is it a good idea to said it down and repaint it and there are chips at the corners of both sides of the mouth is there a way to fill it in and paint it or just paint it to make it look better?
What kind of paint do they use, fyi I live in CA and attend Angels games.
Do all MLB bobblehead giveaways have the same kind of paint on them.
Thank you for you time and I hope to hear from you soon. --Jon--

A: Thanks for writing to us Jon. That is a very good question. I have tried several times to touch up small paint chips in bobbleheads and have never been successful. It seems nearly impossible to match the paint colors, and even if you come close to the color, the gloss is not right, usually too flat. And of course the color and gloss change when the paint dries. All of my attempts have ended up with a touch up looking worse than if I had left it alone. I imagine the paint color varies by bobblehead and between companies that make the bobbleheads. I think it is futile to attempt to touch up bobbles. If you were successful, I don't think it would detract from the value; on the contrary it would probably make the bobblehead worth more than a marred one.

It you received the bobblehead at an Angels game, then you should ask the Angels to replace it. I know the Twins will replace any defective bobbleheads, and I imagine all the rest of the teams would be very accommodating in that respect also. They always make quite a few extras for that reason. You should be able to find a Contact email and/or phone number on the Angels web site. Good luck and let me know how it turns out for you.

--Dick--

Q28: Did the Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau combination bobble SGA from 2013 come with a coa card?

A: No. The last bobbleheads to include COAs were the LOTD bobbleheads (Hrbek & Puckett) in 2009.

---Ben---