Jim Thome Danbury Mint Figurine

What's old is new again. Across the Delaware Valley in the Spring of 2003, Phillies fans were clamoring for all things Jim Thome. The all-star first baseman signed as a free-agent during the offseason, and many people expected him to finally get the young team into the post-season. Opportunistic companies rushed to produce #25 shirsey's and posters. Beyond that, Thome quickly began appearing on bobble heads and various figurines that spring...a trend that did not end until he left. During his original stint with the team, one figurine stood out above the rest, it was produced in 2004 by The Danbury Mint.

Jim Thome became the second Phillie to be honored by The Danbury Mint, following Mike Schmidt whose figurine was originally sold the year earlier. The statue stands 8" high, and is mounted on a nice wood base. Compared to some of the other products sold at the time, the statue is very detailed and actually looks like the future Hall of Famer. It features him mid-stride at the plate where you can imagine him hitting a gapper to left-center field.

Over the years since Thome was traded to the White Sox, I have seen this statue available online for as little as $40, which always annoyed me a little since I bought it at retail price in 2004. With him back in red pinstripes for the 2012 season, local interest in the big man has been rekindled. And it's not surprising The Danbury Mint has recently relisted the statue on their site...at a premium of $87.

To purchase the statue from The Danbury Mint (use the following link): Thome Figurine