Christmas Shopping

That time of year has arrived, when we wish for things, sometimes for things that we may not be able to have, like that fourth Super Bowl Championship. Here is a list of Redskins memorabilia some of us would wish for:

1. Redskins Cards. Two cards I would put high on the wish list are a nice Sammy Baugh Rookie card from 1948, and a dual signed autograph card of two of the greatest and toughest Redskins running backs of all-time, John Riggins and Clinton Portis. Donruss Card Company made the 2004 Leaf Limited card of these two greats. The card has Portis on one side with a jersey swatch and an autograph, and Riggins on the other side with the same. It is numbered out of only 25 cards. Good luck finding that one, but it pops up every once in a while. If you are lucky, the dual signed card can be had for around $100, and the Baugh rookie can range from $75 to $200, depending on the condition.

2. Redskins Programs. Once in a blue moon, the 1937 Championship program from Soldier Field against the Bears becomes available. Get your checkbook ready, because one should expect to pay $1,500 for one in decent condition. This game represents the culmination of the Redskins’ first year in Washington, and the rookie year of the great Sammy Baugh, who would play 14 more years with the Redskins. A much less expensiv e alternative program is from last Sunday’s game against the Giants. These sold out like hotcakes, as it was a special tribute edition to the late Sean Taylor. His smiling face adorns the cover, and inside are at least 15 full page color photographs of him. It might be the nicest program the Redskins have ever made. Expect to pay around $25 for this on eBay.

3. Redskins Game Used Jerseys. Sure it would be nice to get a Baugh or a Jurgensen, but realistically now, current star players are wearing a new jersey in every game, so they have become much more accessible. It used to be that if you got a Charles Mann jersey, he may have worn it for two or three complete seasons, and one can see the wear and number of repairs on such jerseys. Nonetheless, a nice Portis gamer, even one with minimal use, would look good on the wall. He has been the ultimate warrior this year in particular. One can expect to pay about $1,200 to $2,000 for such a jersey.

4. How about some nice artwork? I would suggest the LeRoy Neiman lithographs of Larry Brown, Doug Williams or Clinton Portis. These are really striking. The Portis litho came out one or two years ago and was priced around $4,000. The other two are slightly less expensive on the secondary market, but they are tougher to find.

5. Here’s a crowd pleaser that is a bit more affordable . . . the new Chris Cooley bobble head. He’s sporting a full head of hair in the true spirit of Captain Chaos!

Whatever you get for your loved one, remember they love the Redskins even when they’re down in the dumps. Perhaps if the Redskins beat Baltimore this Sunday, we can start dreaming about Super Bowl XLIII Memorabilia! Perhaps we will get some better memorabilia out of Tampa Bay than we did in 1984 at Super Bowl XVIII.

Samu Qureshi is the leading Redskins memorabilia collector. His column appears Tuesdays on WarpathInsiders.com and monthly in Warpath magazine.

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