Consign Your Best Items with Lelands. We Also Pay Cash on the Spot! Learn More Here.
Rare 1999 Walter Payton Twice-Signed Chicago Bears Full Sized Helmet with Exact Proof of Signing! (PSA)
Anyone who had the privilege of watching Walter Payton in his prime knows just how fitting was his nickname of "Sweetness". The running back played his entire pro career with the Chicago Bears (1975-87), and former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka held nothing back in his praise of Payton when Ditka said, "He is the best player I have ever seen." Payton utilized a graceful, yet powerful, style to bedevil opposing defenses to the tune of a once-record 16,726 rushing yards, still second all-time behind Emmitt Smith, while being named to both the NFL's 75th and 100th Anniversary Teams. Sweetness was versatile as well. When he retired, he had the record for most pass receptions of any non-receiver (492). He could even pass, having thrown an NFL career eight touchdown passes. He also helped the Chicago Bears to the Super Bowl Championship in 1986. Payton passed away at age 45, but his legacy lives on. The Walter Payton Award is annually given to the most outstanding offensive player in the NCAA Division 1 Championship Subdivision, and the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award is given each year to an NFL player to honor his commitment to philanthropy and community impact as well as his excellence on the field. Full sized helmets of this type are extremely scarce. The helmet has a size "L" tag, and it is unused. What makes this helmet so extremely rare is that Walter Payton has SIGNED BOTH SIDES of the helmet. There is a fascinating back story, related to us in a recent email from the consignor, of how this helmet came to be signed on both sides. The consignor was attending a Super Bowl party for Super Bowl XXXIII on January 31, 1999, at the El San Juan Hotel and Casino in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Walter Payton was there to host the party. The consignor asked Payton to sign the helmet on both sides, and Walter asked, "Why do you want me to sign the helmet on both sides? No one has ever asked me that before." The consignor replied that he had a mirror in his display case, and he wanted the second signature to be visible in the mirror. Payton graciously signed the consignor's helmet, and a similar helmet for the consignor's friend, both signed on each side. The signatures on this offered helmet are both above the Chicago Bears' "C" logo, and each signature is boldly written in gold Sharpie. Payton added his number "34," also in gold Sharpie, with each signature. The Tuesday after Payton signed this helmet, he announced that he was suffering from a rare liver disease, and he passed away from that illness on Nov. 1, 1999. What makes this helmet so very special is that we believe that that the aforementioned two Walter Payton double signed helmets are the only Walter Payton twice-signed ones in the world. A full PSA Letter of Authenticity is included.
Past Sports Card, Memorabilia, Non-Sports Card and Collecitble Auction Items
Other past auction items that may be of interest to you.
1891 Football Noseguard
Turn of the Century "Melon" Football
1964 NFL Champion Cleveland Browns Signed Team Photo
1999-2000 Baltimore Ravens Game Worn Jerseys (11)
Late 1960’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Signed Letterhead
1999 CFL Grey Cup Trophy
1969 Minnesota Vikings Championship Ring
