1922 New York Giants World Series Ring - The First World Series Ring Ever!!!

Sold For:

$58,750

Year:

1922

Auction:

2009 Spring

Lot #:

1127

Category:

Post-1900 Baseball Memorabilia

Extremely rare example of a 1922 New York Giants World Series ring: the first World Series ring ever produced! The next World Series ring presented by a team was for the 1927 Yankees. By the 1930s the World Series ring became the standard award issued to honor members of championship teams. The long-standing tradition began with this ring in 1922. The offered ring was presented to outfielder Ralph Shinners and features his name ornately engraved on the interior band. The 14k gold ring, manufactured by Dieges & Clust, displays a baseball-diamond motif on the top, upon the center of which is mounted a single diamond. (The diamond is chipped, but could easily be replaced if so desired.) The left shank features a design consisting of crossed bats, a ball, and glove, as well as a scroll bearing the words "Giants Worlds." The left shank features a scroll reading "Champions," below which is the year, "1922." All of the lettering on each shank is done in raised relief. The ring shows very little wear, which is remarkable given the fact that the raised-letter design makes it especially prone to various handling flaws. The other examples we have seen were so badly worn that the words and year in the design were barely legible. We believe the offered ring is by far the finest of the few examples known. Its extreme rarity and significance as the first World Series ring ever produced make this a particularly noteworthy championship award and one of the most significant of all baseball jewelry items. Excellent condition. Size: Approximately 11.25. Reserve $2,500. Estimate $5,000/$7,500+. SOLD FOR $58,750