Ty Cobb Professional Model Bat, ca. 1925
$75,000 Auction
$125,000 Insurance
Shortly after Grant Zahajko delivered this appraisal in Urbandale, IA, in June 2024, he notified ROADSHOW that the owner sent the bat to MEARS Authentication LLC for further research and evaluation. On July 5, 2024, the bat was successfully authenticated, receiving a final grade of A9, just one tier below their highest grading level of A10. According to the MEARS website, “A bat being graded A9 matches known factory production details, exhibits significant signs of player use, and may have provenance or documented player-specific traits." During the appraisal, Zahajko estimated the bat to have been manufactured between 1916 and 1928. In his email to ROADSHOW, however, he stated that, "MEARS, who has more access to Louisville Slugger records, puts the bat at 1921-1931."
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Living History Farms, Hour 1
ROADSHOW visits Living History Farms for treasures and a top $75,000 to $125,000 find.
20th Century
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Understanding Our Appraisals
Executive producer Marsha Bemko shares her tips for getting the most out of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW.
Value can change: The value of an item is dependent upon many things, including the condition of the object itself, trends in the market for that kind of object, and the location where the item will be sold. These are just some of the reasons why the answer to the question "What's it worth?" is so often "It depends."
Note the date: Take note of the date the appraisal was recorded. This information appears in the upper left corner of the page, with the label "Appraised On." Values change over time according to market forces, so the current value of the item could be higher, lower, or the same as when our expert first appraised it.
Context is key: Listen carefully. Most of our experts will give appraisal values in context. For example, you'll often hear them say what an item is worth "at auction," or "retail," or "for insurance purposes" (replacement value). Retail prices are different from wholesale prices. Often an auctioneer will talk about what she knows best: the auction market. A shop owner will usually talk about what he knows best: the retail price he'd place on the object in his shop. And though there are no hard and fast rules, an object's auction price can often be half its retail value; yet for other objects, an auction price could be higher than retail. As a rule, however, retail and insurance/replacement values are about the same.
Verbal approximations: The values given by the experts on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW are considered "verbal approximations of value." Technically, an "appraisal" is a legal document, generally for insurance purposes, written by a qualified expert and paid for by the owner of the item. An appraisal usually involves an extensive amount of research to establish authenticity, provenance, composition, method of construction, and other important attributes of a particular object.
Opinion of value: As with all appraisals, the verbal approximations of value given at ROADSHOW events are our experts' opinions formed from their knowledge of antiques and collectibles, market trends, and other factors. Although our valuations are based on research and experience, opinions can, and sometimes do, vary among experts.
Appraiser affiliations: Finally, the affiliation of the appraiser may have changed since the appraisal was recorded. To see current contact information for an appraiser in the ROADSHOW Archive, click on the link below the appraiser's picture. Our Appraiser Index also contains a complete list of active ROADSHOW appraisers and their contact details and biographies.
