Antiques Roadshow

HOST

Our first stop today is the Massachusetts home of an Olympian, figure skater Nancy Kerrigan.

GUEST

Good girl. (chuckles) I grew up about ten minutes away. I began skating when I was six, and there just happened to be a rink at the bottom of the hill from where I grew up. And I just loved it immediately. I love getting on the ice and feeling that power that you sort of can create your own wind, if you can go fast enough. So, I always thought that was super-fun, feeling that power. I got more competitive when I was, like, 15, and started making my first national championships. But it wasn't until 1991, where I competed at the World Championships, and was third in the world with the U.S. sweep. It was super-exciting. And going into '92, I was really excited, thinking, you know, "I'm third in the world. I got a good shot to maybe getting an Olympic medal." And I did go get a third at the Olympics, and that experience was amazing, to be able to represent the United States. The best part of all of it was marching in the opening ceremonies with all the athletes. It just, coming from an individual sport, I felt like I was really part of a team. And I'm so lucky I had that experience, because in '94, some of you might remember, it was a bit more chaotic. And I was so lucky to get a silver medal after being injured and having been attacked, because it was physically and mentally super-challenging getting ready. I felt support not just from my community here in New England, but also the whole United States, and frankly, the world. Can high-five? Can you give me high five? Come on. Good job.

HOST

ROADSHOW expert Simeon Lipman jumped at the chance to look at Nancy's treasures.

GUEST

Hey,

Simeon. Welcome. APPRAISER

Thank you. Nancy, it's very nice to meet you.

HOST

Including this torch from the 1996 Summer Olympics.

GUEST

I got to run in 1996 for the Summer Olympics, which was the first time I was a part of the Summer Games in any way. I was part of the marathon route here in Boston, and I remember it getting a little heavy as you're running, like, and holding something. And then it gets lower, and then the fire's near my ponytail, swinging around. I was a little, like,

trying to run like this. APPRAISER

(laughs)

GUEST

It was a little bit of a challenge and a little intimidating.

APPRAISER

Yeah, it's got some heft to it, doesn't it?

GUEST

Yeah,

a little bit. APPRAISER

It's an iconic torch, as you said, 1996. And it was actually designed by a very famous graphic designer named Malcolm Grear. And he developed it with 22 aluminum reeds. And those actually represent all the past

games. GUEST

Oh, cool.

APPRAISER

So there's 22 names around that gold band.

Right. APPRAISER

That's gold-plated, of course. The handle there is Georgia hardwood, for the Atlanta Games.

Wow. APPRAISER

So it's a, it's a great torch and people really, really love them. And in particular, this year-- '96 was very important. You had

Muhammad Ali lighting the torch in Atlanta. GUEST

Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER

Over 12,000 people actually carried torches.

GUEST

Wow!

APPRAISER

And 2,000 of those people were former Olympians and Olympic officials. So how did you obtain this one, in particular?

GUEST

Well, when you run in the, in the relay, they offer you the opportunity to buy it.

APPRAISER

Do you remember what it cost?

GUEST

I think around $300.

APPRAISER

Well, I think you made a great investment. If it had nothing to do with you, if it was just a torch that somebody else ran with...

Mm-hmm. APPRAISER

And obviously, there are a lot of people who did-- it would be worth between $2,000, $3,000.

Cool. APPRAISER

Which is pretty cool, right?

GUEST

Yeah,

that's good investment. APPRAISER

But, but see, but you carried it. And as a renowned Olympian, that adds a premium to your torch. Because you ran with this torch, I would estimate that at auction between $5,000 and $7,000.

Cool. APPRAISER

Yeah, and if I were going to insure

it... GUEST

Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER

...I'd insure it for $10,000.

GUEST

Wow. I had no idea it's... We've just

been having it in our living room. (laughing)

And I had no idea. I just thought it was sentimental

value to me. HOST

More memorable items from Nancy's career

on ice are coming up later. APPRAISER

So we set some of your goodies

out. GUEST

Yes.

APPRAISER

Tell me a little bit about this one, it's very familiar.

GUEST

Yeah, well, it's, like, a replica of what Michael Jackson wore in the "Thriller" video, and I wore that in "Halloween on Ice." I had pallbearers carrying me out onto the ice in a coffin, and I lay there for ten minutes before the music started, creepy, and start, you know, that creak of, sound of the coffin opening up. And then I came out and did a whole production number. It was so much fun. It was the start of "Halloween on Ice," which I've done for over 20 years now, and allowed me to do something other than competition skating, and be a character in something really different.

APPRAISER

Over the years, it's deteriorated a little bit.

Yeah. APPRAISER

That happens with costumes. They're

not meant to maintain for all these years. GUEST

Right.

APPRAISER

But it's pretty classic, and people collect figure skating costumes. But the condition

is a factor. GUEST

Yeah.

APPRAISER

So if I were to estimate this in an auction, I'd probably put an estimate of maybe $500 to $700 on it. And, if I were to insure it, I'd insure it for about $1,000.

Okay. APPRAISER

Now, this one I recognize.

Yeah. APPRAISER

Instantly. So you wore this in

1992 at Albertville. GUEST

Yes.

APPRAISER

This was the long-form dress, the wedding dress that got all the attention.

GUEST

(laughs)

APPRAISER

Tell me a little bit about it.

GUEST

It's a Vera Wang. Vera Wang actually was a skater herself, and she skated in Lake Placid with my coaches. And so, Mary Scotvold, one of my coaches, called her and said, "Hey, would you mind doing a dress for a skater?" And so she did. This was a challenge for me. It's beautiful and it fit really nice. But it didn't stretch enough, so I never got that triple lutz in the competition wearing it, so that was a little frustrating. But it got so much attention. It was on the cover of "Life" magazine at the year end, which was pretty cool, because Kristi Yamaguchi won the Olympics-- I was third. So I think I was on the cover because of the dress. It's so beautiful and classic, and not so "figure skating looking," which I,

I really liked. APPRAISER

What makes this really exciting is, obviously, it got a lot of attention at the time. It's also kind of credited for ushering in a,

a new kind of fashion couture... GUEST

Yes.

APPRAISER

...into figure skating,

very much... GUEST

This was a big deal to not have seams on the shoulder. Like, that was, for some reason, they made such a huge deal of that, because the structure was more difficult, I guess.

APPRAISER

That's right. It's not only sports memorabilia, it's, it's fashion history. It's probably one of the most famous figure skating outfits, if not the most famous figure skating

outfit... GUEST

Yeah.

APPRAISER

...in the world. So it's pretty good. If I were to estimate it in an auction, I'd probably estimate it somewhere in the $20,000 to $30,000 range.

GUEST (laughing)

Seriously?

APPRAISER

Yeah. Yeah.

Wow. That's crazy. APPRAISER

And if I were to insure it, I wouldn't insure it for anything less than $50,000. Nancy, this is a museum piece.

GUEST

Wow!

APPRAISER

Just as a piece of fashion.

Wow. APPRAISER

And history

Amazing. APPRAISER

So it's really cool.

Great. APPRAISER

You've kept it very nice, it's

beautiful. GUEST

I mean, it's important to me, but I

didn't realize it would be... APPRAISER

Yeah.

GUEST

...worth

so much. APPRAISER

Oh, yeah, it's a, it's a great

piece. GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

And speaking of great pieces... We've got these.

GUEST

This is from 1992 when I got the bronze medal in Albertville, France. And the middle, from what I understand, is Lalique crystal, which is from France, and this is from 1994 in Lillehammer, Norway. It was just an amazing thing to be able to represent the U.S. at the Olympics. I feel very,

very grateful. APPRAISER

Well, and I think America was very grateful to you, as well. And obviously, your story is incredible, and here is a tangible thing that kind of tells your story. Olympic medals are the apex of Olympic collectibles. To the person, the athletes who dedicate their entire lives to the sports, they mean everything and are totally priceless. But there are collectors who collect this stuff. The bronze, it's a very high-profile medal because of the dress, because of you. It's beautiful, it really is. The Lalique is beautiful. Some medals are nicer-looking than others. I would estimate that at auction $30,000 to $40,000.

GUEST

Wow.

APPRAISER

I would, I would insure it for $50,000. It's a very important medal.

GUEST

(exhales)

APPRAISER

Your '94 medal, again, because of everything that happened and your triumph in getting there and doing it, and everything about it, I would estimate it at $50,000 to $70,000. And I would, I would insure it for at least $80,000.

GUEST

Wow!

APPRAISER

Yeah. All these things are, are really... They're powerful pieces, and I know that, that when people are watching this now, they're, like, "Wow, I remember that," you know?

GUEST

Yeah.

APPRAISER

And,

and that's important. GUEST

It means something to me because I felt people behind me, people rooting for me. From locally, and my own team getting me there, and helping me through a tough situation, to my community as a figure skater. But the world, like, sending me letters by the bucketful day after day. I just feel so thankful that I had that support. It really... It helped me to do it.

GUEST

Kristi Yamaguchi was my roommate in '92, and we used to keep candles to stay relaxed in our room. And so we had a lighter to light the candles, and Christopher Bowman wanted it, and I knew he had the flag. It was right behind him when he was asking me. I'm, like, "Hm. Let's see if I can make a trade for this." So we traded the lighter for the flag, and I almost gave it back and everyone told me, "Don't do it. Don't do it." It makes for a great story now, and it's nice to go down in the basement and see it hanging there, where my kids work out, and hopefully it inspires them a little. Now that I've got this information, I definitely think I need to make some plans on preserving my costumes a lot better. And it's so pretty to see these medals on display like this, because I don't typically do that. It brings back so many memories for me. So it's really nice to have had this opportunity to share with everybody, um, my, my journey.