There have been plenty of World Series rings for sale online over the years, but they’re still very rare pieces of sports memorabilia.
Championship awards in Major League Baseball have a long and varied history. We once thought the first one was presented in 1924 when the New York Giants distributed them. However, the recent discovery of a 1914 ring presented to Johnny Evers has disproved that. Some teams throughout the first half of baseball’s pro history were too cheap to present their players with an award while others chose something else like cuff links, tie bars or pocket watches. However, some sort of World Series ring has generally been created for most seasons, one way or another.
For the last few decades the World Series ring has been a staple; the ultimate award, regularly presented to winning teams, including those in and around the organization.
The age of the ring, its condition and the original owner are factors that all help determine value. Most World Series rings, however, are valued at $10,000 and up—even those from the last several years, which often include a large quotient of diamonds.
Earl Weaver’s 1966 Orioles World Series ring recently sold for $29,700—but it had some wear and tear as well as a replacement diamond. A 2008 Phillies ring presented to Hall of Famer Robin Roberts, with multiple diamonds, sold around the same time for $42,981. Clearly, like baseball cards, condition is important.
At times, rings presented to staff members don’t contain as many diamonds or gold as those given to the players, coaches and high-level executives. They’re still popular with collectors, though…and the variances in adornments are not universal.
Fans and collectors are fascinated by World Series rings. They are unique, colorful and something you can even wear yourself if you wish. Game worn jerseys and equipment carry the same type of attraction, but a World Series ring represents the player, coach and organization at the pinnacle of their career.
