COLLECTIBLES COLUMN 5 COUNT: Podcasters Talk Wrestling Memorabilia

What’s your favorite piece of wrestling memorabilia?

For hardcore collectors, it might be an autograph, a rare action figure, or a piece of ring-worn memorabilia. For long-time fans, it could be a photograph, a program, or a rare VHS tape.

About a dozen wrestling podcasters were contacted and asked to share their favorite pieces of wrestling memorabilia. Five of those podcasters’ responses are featured in this week’s PWTorch.com Collectibles Column. More responses will be shared in an upcoming column.

1. Brian Breaker, Baker and Bayn’s Power Hour: “I don’t have a ton of memorabilia that I have kept, but one thing I do have is a 2012 Royal Rumble chair, and a big reason I have it is because that weekend was the last time I was an extra from WWE before being signed. And another fun fact: It is the chair that I sit in while I record the podcast.
2. Matt Koon, Total Engagement with Matt Koon: “I’ve started to accumulate more collectibles than I ever thought I would. I can’t really say it’s mine, because it’s my son’s as well. Since I’ve been involved with Starrcast from the jump, I do have a bit of Starrcast/AEW merch and shwag; most I paid for, some was gifted. This includes a piece of the mat from all in framed and signed by the (Young) Bucks and Cody, and a Double or Nothing that I was lucky enough to get Cody, Kenny (Omega), and Dustin (Rhodes) to sign. But the coolest piece of merch we own is something I lucked into in an auction. There was an episode of Raw a couple years back that had a segment that had (Mick) Foley wearing the world’s ugliest Christmas sweater, (Chris) Jericho, (Kevin) Owens, and a shark cage. We own that sweater Foley wore in that segment. It is a weird, prized possession.”
3. Mike Mills, Booking the Territory Pro Wrestling Podcast: “My most prized possessions are probably the library of video I have accumulated because of BTT. Thanks to long-time listener and BTT hall of fame member Tim, I have tons of complete libraries of content: Mid-South, NWA Worldwide from ‘84 on through ‘89, WCCW, Memphis, SMW, Saturday night on TBS, etc.; it’s impossible for me to list it all. I could go on and on. I’ll never be able to watch it all until I retire one day. … Acquiring the Mid-South stuff is most sentimental. There’s nothing like watching those old shows and thinking back to a simpler time as a kid watching Mid-South. What I love about doing BTT is tied into tapes and content. Reliving those mid-80s shows on our Saturday Night shows and reliving those Mid-South shows on my Mid-South show with Brian Last just reminds me of those simple times when we watched wrestling to enjoy and weren’t so worried about the booking or star ratings.”
4. Bruce Mitchell, Pro Wrestling Torch. “Gary Hart autobiography complete with unwanted pencil graffiti from WCW announcer Chris Cruise. Autographed manuscript-style copy of Lou Thesz’s autobiography, ‘Hooker.’ An inadvertent photo in the hardcover Ric Flair autobiography. My high school senior class president appearing on (Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling) studio show as one of new U.S. Champion Greg Valentine’s valets. The Green Lantern Four Horseman variant cover. I collect DVDs of bootleg footage mostly and books. And last year I bought a selfie with Duke ‘the Dumpster’ Droese and I was wearing a Duke (University) shirt. I never buy those, but …”
5. Scott Toon, The Fully Poseable Wrestling Figure Podcast: “My favorite piece of wrestling memorabilia is actually a collection of items that Jef, my brother and host of The Fully Poseable Wrestling Figure Podcast, purchased from Kevin Steen for me back in Christmas 2012. The knee brace and shirt were both worn by Kevin Steen (Owens) at Final Battle 2010 against El Generico; the shirt is signed by both of them, while the knee brace is signed by Kevin Steen. He threw in the signed picture as a bonus, and even left a personal message on it. He also threw in a few T-shirts for us. I had it framed a few months after I received it, and it hangs in my hallway upstairs so I can see it every day. Kevin Steen is easily one of the nicest wrestlers in the business today, and constantly goes out of his way for his fans – this set is proof of that”

NOW CHECK OUT THE PRIOR COLUMN: COLLECTIBLES COLUMN 5 COUNT: Allen & Ginter Wrestling Cards

What is your favorite piece of wrestling memorabilia? Join in the conversation by contacting PWTorch Collectibles Specialist Michael Moore on Twitter @MMooreWriter, or contact him at michaelmoorewriter@gmail.com.