Wednesday, February 2, 2011

One Ring to Rule Them All - 1967 (Super Bowl II)

When Vince Lombardi's Packers won Super Bowl II, this is the ring that was issued to the coaches and players. It's a bit flashier than the relatively simple design issued after Super Bowl I, and an indication of the increasingly-vibrant ring designs to come.

The three diamonds signify the three World Championships in a row - 1965, 1966 (Super Bowl I) and 1967 (Super Bowl II). These four pictures are from a salesman sample which was auctioned off last November:

(photo credit: Heritage Auctions)

The three-diamond set gives the ring a very high profile:

(photo credit: Heritage Auctions)

Five flags for five World Championships won under Lombardi's leadership. Two crowns for the two Super Bowls. Truly the team of the 1960s.

(photo credit: Heritage Auctions)

There's the Lombardi family crest crown again. The banner above the crown would have featured the owner's name, as seen in this Bart Starr salesman sample auctioned off at the Packers Hall of Fame in 2001:

Just weeks after winning Super Bowl II, Vince Lombardi stepped down as coach to focus on the general manager job. A year later, he was back on the sidelines, but for the Washington Redskins. The record on the ring's shank—five World Championships—would remain frozen in time, a visual record of the Packers' decade of dominance.

No comments: