Another year in the books... 2014 marks the 10th Phillies Holiday Sale I've attended - some good, some not so good. This year's sale fell somewhere in the lower-middle.

The best way to describe the Holiday Sale is to use these three words/phrases: Game-Used, Autographs and Dead Stock. With so much variety, I have established an approach for the sale: Find one "nice" addition to my collection. This methodology has kept me from buying second-tier player jerseys or stretching for autographs several times. Here are a few highlights...

Game Used

Last year I finally found a alternate home batting helmet, and this year I was lucky to come across a small group of 2009 game-used hats. Most were no-names, but one home-alternate hat was inscribed "46" - linking it to Ryan Madson. For $20, this was a no-brainer...

Like a lot of what I saw, the game-used base I bought base was likely pulled from deep in storage - dating to the mid-2000s before the Phillies starting using the MLB Authentication Program. There are four script logo jewels (one on each side) on it, and writing on the bottom to instruct groundskeepers how to position it in relation to the other bases. It's the first base in my collection...

Autographs

As usual, the team rolled out an assortment of autographed balls, hats, bats and cards for sale. I picked up a "starter-ball" with Roy Halladay, Ryan Madson and Joe Blanton for $40... Just need to go back and start filling in the rest. I also bought a red hat autographed by Charlie Manuel and a couple packs of signed team photo cards for my son. The photo cards are a great deal - $2 for five autographed cards, one of which is a "name" player. The top-guys in my packs included Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth and Billy Wagner.

Dead Stock

There are also a lot of things that they just want to get rid of - turning into deals for fans. $5 t-shirts and hats; $1 Media Publications (yearbooks, programs, media guides; photo card sets); and $10 bobble heads were just some of the good buys available this year.

For $10 collectors could get either the 2013 or 2014 Group Leader bobble head. They also had the 2014 Stitch N' Pitch bobble head available for $10. I only bought enough to cover my personal needs, but got a laugh seeing dealers wheel out cases of each for sale on eBay. However, I got my glutton on with a pile of old programs, DVDs and photo cards...

Saturday was the annual Phillies Holiday Sale at Citizens Bank Park. Billed as an "all-day shopping event", the Sale is good opportunity to buy some cheap holiday gifts. I've been going with my brother since the Phillies moved to CBP in 2004, but from talking to some of the more senior collectors in line, it is a tradition that reaches back to the mid-1980s.

It was another less-than-desirable list of game used jersey options, but I didn't let that get me down. Here is the quick rundown of my purchases:

Jim Thome Signed Photo Frame

Thought this was a cool item - plastic frame that is perfect to hold either the photo card I have in there now, or a 4"x6" photo. On the bottom is an autograph in blue Sharpie. From reading online, frames signed by Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley were available later in the day. Each were $5.

Placido Polanco Game-Used Alternate Helmet

I have a few red helmets, but for some reason, they never seem to put out the alternate ones. For the past three years I have said, 'My day will be made if f I get an alternate helmet." Well, needless to say, my day was made with this purchase. It has a lot of evident game use, and unlike my red helmets, still has the padding intact.

Placido Polanco "Game-Used" TBTC Hat

No, I'm not some Placido Polanco super-fan, just someone who can't pass up a good deal. This hat was from the Phillies 2011 Turn Back the Clock game when they dressed in 1984 style uniforms. Though the MLB Authentication listing classifies this as game-used, P.P. did not play in the game - so, I'll call it "kinda game used." It is also autographed. For $20, it was a decent pickup...

Programs, etc.

Some of the best stuff available at the sale is found in the media room. Here is the abbreviated version:

Bought one of each 2013 program. For $1 each, this are a low-guilt purchase.
Autographed photo cards. There was less variety (and notability) than in the selection offered last season - nothing too special to report.
One of the more interesting things I got were the 12"x18" vinyl flags of various players (pictured left). Thought I would keep them as possible autograph pieces in the future. $1 and $2 each.

"Cliff Lee"? Game Issued Shoes

When we go in for the Sale, my brother and I always remind each other to "look for the unusual." Shoes fit squarely in that category. This season there was a whole table full of 'em. I leapt when the ballgirl reading through the numbers written on the shoes said, "33." Authentication only specifies game issued - so, no "official" link to Cliff Lee, but it's fun to imagine they were his, anyway...

2014 Phillies Holiday Sale Recap