A field guide to thrifted sport
Secondhand Archive
Vol. 80s · New York Giants · #56 Taylor

Vintage 1980s Giants

jerseys.

Vintage 1980s New York Giants jerseys, from the LT years (1981–1989). Parcells, Simms and Lawrence Taylor. A 14–2 season and Super Bowl XXI, with Simms 22 of 25.

What dates a piece to the 1980s: Starter satin and pullover jackets, Champion and Russell jerseys, mostly USA-made, LA Raiders and Indianapolis Colts city names. The logo tells the era: lowercase ny is 1961-74 or 2000 on, the uppercase NY is 1975 only, and the italic GIANTS wordmark was the 1976-99 primary. We don't keep a market snapshot for this collection, so check listings against the list below and ask the seller for photos of the tag and the measurements.

NO. · · 1980S GIANTS JERSEYS, BY THE NUMBERS
Years
1980–89
Garment
jersey
Rough value
$87+
56
Taylor · #56
56
80s · Jerseys
vol. 80s
NO. 01 · ON EBAY NOW

We don't keep a market snapshot for this collection. The live eBay search shows everything listed right now; use the checklist below to judge what you find.

Search eBay →
LOW · $87
TYPICAL · $194
HIGH · $485

rough guide, not an appraisal

price check

a fair price for a fair shirt

NO. 02 · WHAT TO LOOK FOR
  • Starter jackets: satin team jackets and pullover jackets with Starter's logo embroidered on the sleeve.
  • Made in USA tags are expected. Offshore-made labels became common from the mid-1990s.
  • City names: Los Angeles Raiders (1982-94), Indianapolis Colts (from 1984) and Phoenix Cardinals (1988-93). Baltimore Colts and St. Louis Cardinals gear predates those moves.
  • Match the maker to the years. A Reebok jersey dates to 2001 or later, while Starter, Russell and Champion NFL jerseys are generally 2000 or earlier.
  • Confirm the player's years with that team. A jersey for a season he never played there is a later product or a custom.
the 80s giants
56
worn by · Taylor
the

LT

era, 1981–1989

Parcells, Simms and Lawrence Taylor. A 14–2 season and Super Bowl XXI, with Simms 22 of 25.

NO. 03 · IN THE DESIGN ARCHIVE

Looking for one specific design? The archive files every Giants design we found on eBay, one page each, with all its past examples.

New York Giants · 41 designs →

NO. 04 · RELATED COLLECTIONS
NO. 05 · FIELD NOTES

How can I tell a 1980s Giants jersey is original and not a modern reissue?

Start with the tag: the maker and the country of manufacture should fit the 1980s, and a licensed piece usually names the NFL or the team on a label. Then check that the logo, wordmark and colors match what the Giants used in those years. Modern retro and throwback lines copy old graphics but use current tags, so a tag photo settles most questions.

Why does this page mention Taylor?

Taylor wore #56 in the LT years (1981–1989). Parcells, Simms and Lawrence Taylor. A 14–2 season and Super Bowl XXI, with Simms 22 of 25. Player numbers and names from a team's best-known years are the ones most often printed and sewn on fan gear, so they turn up most in secondhand listings.

How does a vintage jersey fit?

Jersey cuts changed over the decades and sizing varies by maker; some jerseys, including many throwbacks, use numeric sizes (such as 44 or 48) rather than S to XL. Ignore the tag and compare the seller's pit-to-pit and length measurements with a jersey you own.

Read the full buying guide →