Friday, January 23, 2026

TwinsFest Rant and Vintage Bobbleheads

Before I post the latest additions to my vintage bobblehead collection, I need to vent about TwinsFest. TwinsFest used to be a HUGE deal for my family.  We'd go all three days, and spend 90% of the time getting autographs.  There would be tables with 3-5 current players or a similar number of alumni for $10 - $20.  Stars for $20-$35, and Hall of Famers for $35 to $50.  Later, the HOF costs went up depending on the item being signed.  We got to meet a good portion of the current team and the minor league teams.  I had Killebrew sign his rookie card, Carew sign a bobblehead, and Molitor sign a bat.  Those were the days.

Now, it's just one day (Saturday).  A table with both Carew and Oliva is $200!  Are you kidding me?  That's not a FanFest/Charity event price.  That's a premium price.  I recently mailed Carew's rookie card to be signed at a Tom Orr signing for $65.  Who is paying these TwinsFest prices?

Molitor and Morris: $150.  Crazy.  

Mauer is $75 which really isn't too bad, especially if he'll sign a premium item for that price, but I'm not sure what the restrictions are, if any.  

Pablo Lopez: $50!

Anyway, needless to say, I won't be going and TwinsFest is a shell of its former self.

Between the four of us (me, my two sons, and my wife), we used to get well over 100 autographs.  At the end of the weekend we would put everything out on the dining room table to take a picture.  This one is from 2009, when my boys were 10 and 12 years old.


Anyway, I got around to photographing the latest additions to my vintage bobblehead collection.  I added one more mini in the form of a Yankees version, and one more football nodder with a Bears addition.


I added another oddball bobblehead with an inexpensive jockey.

And several more baseball versions.  A couple of these are duplicates/upgrades, but I couldn't resist them at the prices I got.





This Dodgers bobblehead came with its original box.


My bobblehead buying has slowed down because my collection is growing and it's becoming tougher to find some I don't have at a price I'm willing to pay.

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