Collectible of the Week: Stitch N' Pitch Phanatic

Last week the Phillies teamed with The National NeedleArts Association to present "Stitch N' Pitch, 2014."  The annual celebration of all things needle again presented Phillies collectors with a Phanatic-themed bobble head... and a night of crocheting, knitting and stuff like that.  The mini-bobble is very similar to the one that was given out during the 2010 theme night (8/10/10) - but, there are some variations between the two.  This week we take a look at them both:

What's the same?

Almost everything!  The bobble heads from both seasons stand 4" tall and both depict the Phanatic knitting a red/blue scarf - which he is wearing around his neck.  The base is a baseball-shaped knitting basket with the "Stitch N' Pitch Program" logo on the front.  

What's different?

One of the biggest concerns for anyone who owned the 2010 version was their bobble head losing value. They figured the measure of supply/demand would shift if the market was suddenly flooded with more Phanatics that could be passed off as the original.  Well, those guys can breathe easier since there are at least two variances between the 2010 and 2014 Stitch N' Pitch bobble head:

  1. The hat.  As pointed out by @DrBobblesWorld, the hats on the two figurines are different.  The 2010 bobble has a smooth hat with decal "P"; the 2014 is rougher - with stitch lines and an elevated, handpainted "P."  
  2. The label.  At first glance the gold sticker on the bottom of the basket base looks identical on both versions - neither defines a production year (which would have made all of this very easy).  Instead, you need to pay attention to the "For Children..." warning. On the original, the sticker lists the bobble suitable for "Children Age 9 and above," while the new one states it is for "Children Age 14 and above."

Stitch N' Pitch Phanatic labels (L - 2014, R - 2010) and hat (L - 2014, R - 2010) variations

Prices:

I've been keeping track of sales for the new version on ebay - which seem to range between $50 - 75.  With a lot of listings currently posted, we could see this decrease.  We will take a wait-and-see approach with the 2010 Phanatic.  Final bids for ones that have been auctioned could be expected to top $200.  But, it looks like a few owners got nervous once the 2014 event was posted, and unloaded a few which ultimately sold in the $90-100 range.  With the knowledge that there are true variations between the two - this price should somewhat rebound in the future.