The first Toronto Raptors NBA championship rings to be offered for sale is now on the auction block. Sporting somewhere in the neighborhood of 320 diamonds, you’d be the talk of the grocery store if you won it and broke out of quarantine.
Believe it or not, that’s the “B” level ring, not the exact one handed out to Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam and company earlier this season. The ring that’s part of Heritage Auctions’ Spring catalog belonged to a member of the Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment management team, a group that oversees not only the Raptors, but also the Maple Leafs and the CFL’s Argonauts. It’s expected to sell for $30,000 or more when bidding concludes next month.
The Raptors brought a major pro sports title to Canada for the first time in 26 years when they held off the Golden State Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals. The club then got to work creating what Heritage calls “one of the most outrageous rings ever delivered to a sports champion, a truly massive and dazzling showpiece with enough gold and diamonds to make a rapper blush.”
There are 74 diamonds on the face alone, which showcases the Larry O’Brien trophy and the Toronto skyline along with the word “North” on the club’s logo.
The bezel of the ring includes player jersey numbers, separated by rubies, with another layer of diamonds below.
On the left shank are the words “World Champions 2019,” while the right shank features a diamond-studded Maple Leaf amidst “Toronto, Toronto Raptors” text. The interior band is engraved with the result of each playoff round with a ruby-dotted Maple Leaf and “Champions” text.
The band is a size 10 ½.
Created by Baron Championship Rings, a Canadian jeweler, the ring weighs 105 grams and the lot includes the wooden presentation box.
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