Fuzzy Thurston Super Bowl I ring sets auction record, but for how long?

Another auction, another historic price paid for a Green Bay Packers Super Bowl I ring.

Former offensive lineman Fuzzy Thurston’s ring was expected to reach six figures during Heritage Auctions’ fall sports event this past weekend.

When the final number came in, it also made history.

Thurston’s ring sold for $216,000, easily setting a record for a Packers Super Bowl I ring that had been set in August when Pro Football Hall of Famer Dave Robinson’s went for $174,000.

That doesn’t mean there weren’t some nerve-wracking moments in the final minutes of the auction.

The man who owned Thurston’s ring, which he acquired through a private sale, required that it sell for at least $100,000. If it went below that mark, Heritage would have returned it to him.

The ring didn’t hit that magical mark until about 10 minutes before the auction closed Friday night, although the bidding got crazy soon after it did.

There have been only five original Super Bowl I rings from the Packers that have been made available in the last 55 years.

Along with Thurston and Robinson, the rings of former offensive lineman Steve Wright ($73,409 in 2011) and Jerry Kramer ($125,475 in 2016) also have been auctioned, while linebacker Ray Nitschke’s sold privately for an unknown amount.

“I mean, the result really speaks for itself,” Heritage sports consignment director Chris Nerat said. “Any time there is a world record for a particular item set, it’s an exciting and neat event. The ring started off very slowly. … We were definitely assuming that it would get bids before the final bell, and it did.

“One can’t ever predict a world record, but I wasn’t totally surprised by that. It’s an amazing piece. Highly significant. It’s eye-appealing. It’s from one of the most notable Packers of all time. So, I wasn’t totally surprised. It was a win-win all around.”

Each time a Packers Super Bowl I ring has been auctioned, it has set a record price. Which means the record might last about three more weeks.

The Nitschke ring that was sold privately years ago is being auctioned by Classic Auctions as part of its winter event that ends Dec. 13.

Classic Auctions is based out of Canada and is considered the largest auction house of hockey memorabilia in the world, although it will be a football item that brings in big money.

One bid already has been placed on the ring for $25,000, but this likely is considered the most coveted of the five Super Bowl I rings because of Nitschke’s profile as one of the biggest stars of a Packers team he helped lead to five NFL championships in the 1960s.  

Whether Thurston’s mark is topped, there is little question it’s a good time to be an owner of a Super Bowl I ring.

“When one is sold, it sets a new world record,” Nerat said. “It’s pretty cool that anybody who has ever bought one knows that it’s now worth more money. Every year that goes by, they have went up in value.

“If the trend continues, the next one that sells would sell for more than the last one and it would be another world record. I could see that happening.”

Tiger Woods golf ball goes for big money

Tiger Woods’ hole-in-one ball from his professional debut at the Greater Milwaukee Open in 1996 was sold for $186,000 during the Heritage auction.

That should make Bob Gustin a happy man.

The Nekoosa resident came up with the ball when Woods tossed it into the crowd after his big shot on the 14th hole at Brown Deer Park Golf Course.

He also got Woods to autograph the ball that day with the help of tournament director Tom Strong.

“Everyone knew that was a special piece,” Nerat said. “How do you put a value on something like that?

“It’s such a unique piece. He only had three hole-in-ones during his PGA career, and this was the first one in his pro debut. It’s a museum-caliber piece that is one of those once-in-a-generation. It’s never happened in the auction world that a golf ball has sold for that price. It was a special piece and got a special price, and we were very happy with the result.”