Understanding Jewelry Making And Care

3 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Borrowing Money For A Super Bowl Championship Ring

Have you stumbled across a Super Bowl Championship ring at a jewelry or pawn shop? Do you know that the number of these rings handed out is limited? Are you wondering if you should jump at the opportunity to purchase it, even if you have to take out a loan? To answer your question, a Super Bowl Championship ring might be a great investment, but here are 3 questions you need to ask yourself before taking the plunge.

Is It A Big Ring?

The NFL pays for 150 rings for the winning team -- this number is far greater than the actual number of players on the field during a Super Bowl. Where do all the extra rings go? They go to family, friends, trainers, team staff members, and sometimes even fans. 

Your first big clue as to whether or not the ring you've found belonged to a real Super Bowl winner who actually played in the game is its size. NFL players are big guys with big finger circumferences. The average ring size of a professional football player is 13 and one former player topped the charts with a ring size of 23. To put this in perspective, the average man has a ring size of 11 and the average woman has a rings size of 7. 

Ask the shop owner if you can try on the Super bowl ring they're selling. If it fits you or comes close to fitting you, there's a good chance it didn't belong to a former Super Bowl Championship winner.

Is It A Winning Team's Ring?

The two teams that make it to the Super Bowl do so by winning the AFC (American Football Conference) and the NFC (National Football Conference) games. While the winners of the Super Bowl get fancier, more valuable rings, the losers of the Super Bowl also take home rings as winners of the AFC or NFC Games. Since the NFL strongly suggests that both the Super Bowl Championship rings and the AFC or NFC Championship rings be stamped with the Super Bowl logo, it can be difficult to tell whether the ring you've found belonged to a Super Bowl-winning team or not.

You'll need to do a little research. Super Bowl Championship rings are usually stamped with a team name and roman numerals indicating the Super Bowl number for which the rings were issued. Check ESPN's website to determine whether or not the team name printed on the ring you've found coincides with the winning team for the Super Bowl indicated on the ring. 

Is It A Replica?

Replica rings are inexpensive knock-offs of real Super Bowl Championship rings. They're usually manufactured in China and can be purchased for as little as $50 to $150. Where real Super Bowl Championship rings are made of white or yellow gold and diamonds, replica rings are merely gold plated and studded with cubic zirconia.

The most accurate method for determining whether or not the ring you've found is solid gold or gold-plated is to have it appraised by a professional. However, since that's not always possible, toss a magnet in your purse or pocket before you visit the jewelry shop again. Hold the magnet up to the ring and if it sticks, it's probably a replica -- real gold is not magnetic.

While a Super Bowl Championship ring that once belonged to an actual Super Bowl-winning team member can be very valuable, there are all kinds of non-player rings, second place rings, and replicas that you need to be wary of. Before taking out a loan to buy the Super Bowl ring you've found, ask yourself the above 3 questions. If you're looking to get a loan to purchase the ring, contact a company like Sol's Jewelry & Loan.


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