They symbolise undying glory and sporting immortality. For every athlete, they are the greatest lure. Which trophies are among the most valuable in the world, and why?
Desire at the start, the coveted sports trophy at the end. A dream for which even the best of the best are willing to spend hundreds of hours on the training ground, sacrifice time with their loved ones and family, and subordinate everything possible and impossible just to make it come true. Believe it or not, sports trophies have their own specifics too. You’ll also find trophies among our accessories, with a huge choice available.
The FIFA World Cup Trophy
Thanks to its popularity, it is one of the best-known sports trophies in the world. The “Golden Nike” is 36.5 cm tall, weighs more than 6 kilograms and is plated with 18-carat gold. Although its exclusive owner (FIFA) values it at more than ten million dollars, its sporting value is practically incalculable. The base of the trophy has two layers of malachite, and engraved on the underside is the year and the name of every World Cup winner since 1974 in Germany. Interestingly, only players of the current world champions may touch it! In 2010, during its world tour, it also visited Slovakia.
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is the oldest trophy in the history of professional North American competitions. It has been awarded to the winner of the NHL play-offs in the USA and Canada since 1892. It is named after Lord Stanley of Preston.
It is a tradition that no player touches the Stanley Cup before actually winning it. Every player on the championship team is entitled to one day with the cup. This tradition began in 1995 and since then players have got up to all sorts with the cup – they’ve eaten cereal out of it, used it as a drinks cooler at parties and Slovak hockey player Martin Cibák ate halušky out of it in Liptov! The Stanley Cup is insured for 1.5 million dollars, weighs more than 15 kg and is exactly 90 cm tall.
Wanamaker Trophy
The trophy for the winner of the prestigious PGA Championship golf tournament, which has been held since 1916. It weighs “only” 13 kg and is just under 70 cm tall. Yet it still earns a place in our imaginary ranking. Why? Winning the PGA Championship all but guarantees golfing immortality and many golfers consider winning this trophy the pinnacle of their career. Another interesting fact is that the trophy was lost for a while and replaced with a replica!
Commissioner’s Trophy
The magnificent Commissioner’s Trophy is awarded to the best Major League Baseball team, which manages to win the prestigious World Series. The silver trophy, 61 centimetres tall and weighing approximately 14 kilograms, features gold-plated flags of all thirty Major League teams. Historically, the New York Yankees have the most titles, but they won their last one back in 2009. The original trophy was designed by Balfour Jewelers of Attleboro, but in 1999 and 2000 it was redesigned by Tiffany & Co.
Borg-Warner Trophy
A stunning trophy also awaits the winner of the race at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the world’s oldest car race, the Indianapolis 500. Legendary driver Louis Meyer said of it: “Winning the Borg-Warner Trophy is like winning an Olympic medal!”
The trophy is decorated with an imaginary chessboard showing the names of all previous winners, the year they won the title and the average speed of the race car. Interestingly, the trophy also features a likeness of Tony Hulman, owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The trophy is more than 160 centimetres tall and weighs more than 65 kilograms! However, the actual main trophy is not handed to the winner, but remains in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.
