Who are we? Spivack & Kraut, Inc. was formed in 1990 by combining two sports memorabilia entities, one owned by David Spivack and one owned by Alan Kraut. We both shared a passion for high quality collectibles and that was the basis of our individual companies. Years of selling to and buying from each other forged a friendship that led to the creation of Spivack & Kraut, Inc.

Our company has gone through many changes over the years. We began our business by dealing primarily in ultra high-grade sports cards. We bought and sold many high grade examples of T-206 Wagner’s, 1952 Mantle’s, Goudey Ruth’s & Cracker Jack Cobb’s, etc. Our company further expanded to include major sports memorabilia phone auctions that were run on a quarterly basis from our corporate office. It was during these auctions that we were “exposed” to the section of the hobby that thirsted for game used items. A chance encounter at a Pittsburgh show at Robert Morris College in the early 90’s sealed our fate. It was there that we ran into Milton Byron and his display of game worn hockey jerseys. A decade long friendship has since developed from that encounter. On a bumpy plane ride home from Pittsburgh, we laid the foundation that has become our primary focus ever since; to buy and sell the finest game used hockey items this hobby has to offer.

Both of us are lifelong hockey fans. David, having grown up in the Philadelphia area, had the pleasure of watching the formation of the Broad Street Bullies teams of the 1970’s. The leadership of Clarke, the goaltending of Parent and the never give up attitude of those clubs won him over. Two cup winning teams in addition to four other trips to the Stanley Cup Finals capped an incredible run as a Flyer fan thru the 1970’s and 1980’s.

Alan grew up in New York and was at first a young Rangers fan. A family move from Queens to Long Island in 1972 coincided with the NHL awarding a new franchise called the Islanders. As season ticket holders from inception through the mid 1980’s, Alan had the great fortune to watch hockey’s worst ever team turn into a hockey dynasty up close and personal. Alan attended nearly every home game and many “local area” road games during this time period. Watching the formation of a sports dynasty that culminated in winning four consecutive Stanley Cups is something that is the ultimate experience for a hockey fan.

Spivack & Kraut, Inc. has had numerous dealings with both NHL and Minor League teams and their representatives. We have helped numerous former players and league officials find a home for their prized collectibles and we remain dedicated to continuing to do so.

What you can expect from our company, today and always, is quality and professionalism. When you phone our offices you will speak directly to an owner. When you send us an e-mail you will receive a reply from an owner. We are dedicated to bringing you the very best that this great hobby has to offer. We take pride in the fact that so many of you have turned to us to help you build your own cherished collections. Some of you have sought investment advice with respect to your collections. We are proud to have made a difference making our investment minded clients significant profits over the years. The game used collections we have helped build have far outperformed other monetary investments. What could be better than profiting from something you love? With the limited supply and significant demand for the game used items that we handle, we continue to believe in both their short and long term viability. We welcome you to contact us to discuss your collecting or investment needs.

It is important to realize, as with every big dollar collectible field, that there are going to be non-authentic items that will try to find their way into the collectors’ hands. We take this issue very seriously and fight it at all costs. It is important that you know that the majority of our inventory has been paid for by us. Unlike many of our competitors, our company is not run largely on consignments. While we have, and still do accept consignments, we will usually first attempt to purchase the items that are offered. We feel that this is an important point. With our own money on the line, in addition to our reputation, the utmost care is taken when evaluating a new addition, before it becomes a part of our inventory. Before a jersey will be offered for sale, it is examined thoroughly by, at the very least, David Spivack and Alan Kraut.

What do we use to help us authenticate an item? In addition to our extensive personal experience, having seen thousands upon thousands of game worn jerseys, we have a vast array of research material to aid us. We have a video library of well over 1000 complete hockey games spanning from the 60’s thru present day. We have built an enormous photographic and reference library that is being added to constantly. Our goal is to have at least two sets of eyes view each of the jerseys that we offer for sale. Nobody is perfect, this we all know. With at least two experienced hobbyists looking at every item prior to it being offered for sale, we feel we are going the extra mile towards eliminating the possibility for mistakes. There have been, and still are, times when we feel we want more than just our own eyes, or our own information, to assist in authenticating a particular item. We have contacts all around the US and Canada, who have their own regional specialties, that we have often called upon as we seek out information. It is here that we owe a big thank you to the many of you that have, and still do, lend us a hand. We deeply appreciate it. This is clearly one of the things that helps keep this hobby great. Lastly, if we aren’t confident in an items authenticity, you can rest assured that you will not see it as part of our inventory.

Our Letter of Authenticity will accompany every game used item that we sell. This letter will serve to secure the future worth of the collectible that you have acquired. To help prevent fraud, each and every item that we sell will be photographed in great detail and logged into our database. There will also be any important photos of your item directly on our Letter of Authenticity. Therefore, in the future, we will always be able to verify that a letter of authenticity and a game used item belong together as a pair.

We believe that collecting game used hockey memorabilia should be an enjoyable experience for everyone. We promise to do all the behind the scenes legwork involved in bringing these Hall of Fame worthy items to market. This sense of security will allow you to concentrate on what is most important to you, building your very own Hall of Fame collection.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. We hope to hear from you soon.

Happy collecting,

David Spivack
Alan Kraut