NFL hall of famer Joe Montana is offering nearly 100 pieces of personal memorabilia—including a red San Francisco 49ers jersey he wore during the Super Bowls XIX and XXIII–for sale at Goldin Auctions.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit The Four Rings Montana Family Foundation, which supports economically disadvantaged youth. Online bidding will start on Friday and last through March 1.
Montana, widely regarded as one of the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks, began his professional football career in 1979 with the 49ers, for which he played 14 seasons and won four Super Bowls. He was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993, where he played for his last two seasons.
Montana earned the nickname “Joe Cool” for his ability to stay calm at crucial moments, and “Comeback Kid” for his history of rallying come-from-behind victories. In the 1981 NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys, Montana completed a game-winning touchdown pass with 58 seconds left on the clock, which would become known as “The Catch.” In the Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals in 1989, he threw another game-winning touchdown pass with only 36 seconds left.
1992 Montana last touchdown ball
Courtesy of Goldin Auctions
“I have been fortunate to have some incredible moments in my career, but these weren’t just individual moments. They were moments celebrated with an entire fanbase of people,” Montana, 66, said in a statement through Goldin Auctions.
“I have amassed a lot of memorabilia over the course of my career, and I am excited to share these parts of my collection for fans to enjoy and continue to relive the memories,” Montana said.
The 98-lot collection he is offering for sale spans his entire football career, from a jersey worn at Ringgold High School in Pennsylvania, a helmet he used at the University of Notre Dame, to a jacket he donned for his induction into Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
READ MORE: Kobe Bryant’s Lakers Jersey Could Fetch a Record $7 Million at Sotheby’s
Headlining the sale is a red San Francisco 49ers jersey Montana wore at the Super Bowl XXIII, which he also wore during the Super Bowl XIX in 1985 against the Miami Dolphins, according to Goldin.
This jersey comes with a signed letter of authentication from Montana, stating that he wore this jersey for the two Super Bowls, and authentications from the MeiGray Group and Sports Investors Authentication, who have photo matched this jersey to Super Bowl’s XIX and XIII.
The mesh jersey, which features Montana’s famed number “16” on both the chest and sleeves in white applique, and “MONTANA” in white screen print on the back, has a starting bid of US$250,000.
A white jersey Montana wore in Super Bowl XXIV against the Denver Broncos at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans on Jan. 28, 1990, is offered with a minimum bid of US$100,000.
Further highlights include a signed and inscribed game ball from Montana’s last touchdown pass as a 49er, when the team played against the Detroit Lions on Dec. 28, 1992, which has a starting bid of US$1,000; His two-button jacket for the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame induction, estimated at US$2,500; and a gold helmet he wore for his final game at Notre Dame against the Houston Cougars in the 1979 Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
Credit: marketwatch.com