Green Jacket Auctions Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

Augusta National sues to stop auction of champion’s green jacket

Golf Digest Middle East — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 05:37:09 +0000

By Joel Beall
Augusta National Inc., the company that owns Augusta National Golf Club and Masters tournament, filed a federal lawsuit on Monday to stop a memorabilia company from auctioning off three green jackets, including one owned by two-time champion Byron Nelson that was reported to be given to him by the club in 1966.

In their motion, Augusta National says Nelson’s jacket was supposed to be in a storage room at the club, as stated by a physical inventory. However, it was recently discovered the jacket, which is not intended to leave the grounds, missing. Another green jacket, one owned by John R. Butler, Jr., is on the block. According to Butler, he has never taken his jacket outside Augusta National, and did not permit Green Jacket Auctions — the company in charge of the sale — to put it on the market.

The lawsuit also seeks to stop other auctions with Augusta National paraphernalia, some of which isn’t officially licensed.

In an email to the AP, Green Jacket Auctions co-owner Ryan Carey challenges the case.

“It appears that Augusta National Golf Club is attempting to assert ownership claims to every green jacket ever produced, regardless of who currently owns or possesses the jackets,” Carey said. “Obviously we at Green Jacket Auctions dispute such claims, and will litigate the matter, if necessary.”

GJA has long been a peddler of all things Augusta, including green jackets, clubs, trophies and entrance signs.

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Want an authentic Augusta National green jacket? One is up for auction

Golf Digest Middle East — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 06:25:22 +0000

Gaining entry into Augusta National Golf Club and therefore having one of the club’s coveted green jackets to wear is nearly impossible. However if you have enough disposable cash on hand, you might be able to walk into the grillroom at your course wearing an authentic Augusta National green jacket.

The jacket is up for sale at GreenJacketAuctions.com and according to the company is expected to fetch in the neighbourhood of $50,000 (the current high bid is $10,717). The jacket was discovered in 1994 after being found in a consignment shop in Toronto with a price tag of just $5 by an avid golfer who immediately knew what they had stumbled upon.

Adding to the lore of the jacket, the owner’s name had been cut out, however Augusta National did confirm the authenticity of it (while declining to offer any information as to the original owner). The internal tagging from Cullum’s department store provides enough of a club to where it can be determined the jacket is from the early 1950s. Whether it belonged to a past champion or a member is unclear.

According to Green Jacket Auctions, the jacket is almost identical in style to the one presented retrospectively to Horton Smith (Masters champion in 1934 and 1936), which fetched $682,229 in 2013.

The sale, which ends April 8, has other items as well, including Sam Snead’s Masters Tournament Winner’s Trophy from his 1954 triumph. – By E. Michael Johnson

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