The FIFA World Cup Trophy

Every four years FIFA holds its famous world cup. The winner of this event is presented with the FIFA World Cup. This cup has been awarded since 1974. Prior to 1974 the winner was given the Rimet World Cup. This trophy was awarded from 1930 until 1970. It had organically been called “Victory” but the name was changed to honor Jules Rimet the former President of FIFA.

The Rimet trophy was made of lapis lazuli and gold plated sterling silver. The trophy was of the goddess Nike, who is known as the winged goddess of victory. It had to be replaced after Brazil won it for the third time in 1970,  since according to FIFA any team that won the trophy three times would win the trophy outright. Sadly, the trophy was stolen in 1983 while it was on display in the Brazilian Football Confederation Headquarters. Although four men were convicted of the theft, the trophy was never recovered. In 1984 a replica of the trophy was made and presented to the President of Brazil.

The new trophy which was first awarded in 1974 depicts two humans holding up the world. The base of the trophy is made out of 11lbs of  18k gold. It is 14.4 inches tall and has two layers of malachite. The trophy was designed by Silvio Gazzaniga. He competed for the honor of creating the trophy against 52 other artists.

Stanley Cup

The Stanley Cup is awarded each year in the NHL. The Cup is also known as the Holy Grail, The Cup or Lord Stanley’s Mug. The Cup was donated to the league by Lord Stanley of Preston, who was the Governor General of Canada from 1988 to 1983. The bowl was made by London Silversmith G.R. Collins and Company in Sheffield England. He purchased the bowl for 10 guineas, which would be about $48.5 US dollars.

When Lord Stanley donated the cup, he d so with certain provisions. He declared that the cup should be a challenge cup, meaning that no team would own it outright but it would be returned in good condition to the trustees and then awarded to the next winning team. The winning team could have its name and player’s names engraved on a silver ring that could be fitted on the cup. He also declared that the trustees would have absolute authority over the cup and the final say in any disputes or arguments regarding it.

The original portion of the cup was a silver bowl that is 11.42 inches in diameter. The Stanley Cup is different from many other sports trophies in that it is returned to the league by the winning team each year and then presented to the new winner. The cup is also unique in that the names of the players, coaches and management are engraved on the cup itself. This yearly engraving means that every couple of years a new segment has to be added to the cup.

The Vince Lombardi Trophy

The Vince Lombardi Trophy is awarded to the best team in the NFL. The trophy was first awarded in 1967. It was renamed the Vince Lombardi Trophy in 1970 as a tribute to head coach Vince Lombardi who had died suddenly from cancer. He and his Green Bay Packers had won the first two Super Bowls.

Each year a new trophy is made for the winning team. The trophy is made by Tiffany and Co. and costs about $25 000. The trophy stands 22 inches high and has a regulation sized football on the top. The trophy is made of sterling silver and weighs 7 lbs. After the Super Bowl the trophy is sent back to Tiffany’s to be engraved with the name of the winning team, the score and the date.