No football trophy comes close to matching the sheer extravagance of the Fiesta Bowl Trophy. Yes, it even beats the Super Bowl silverware hands down in terms of exuberance.
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Towering at 46 inches tall and weighing well over 200 pounds, the Fiesta Bowl silverware is crafted from 18-karat gold and encrusted with 2,187 diamonds. Its estimated value is approximately $2.5 million.
In terms of raw materials and craftsmanship alone, it far surpasses the NFL’s iconic Lombardi Trophy. That contrast becomes even more striking when the Super Bowl trophy’s actual value is taken into consideration.
While the Lombardi Trophy costs roughly $50,000 to manufacture, the value of the silver alone is estimated to be worth around $10,000. Of course, its true value is symbolic rather than its cost in dollars.
Winning the Super Bowl carries a prestige that can’t be quantified. Designed and produced by Tiffany & Co. since the league’s inception, the Lombardi Trophy has become one of the most recognizable symbols in all of sports.
The original design was famously sketched on a napkin in 1966 by Tiffany & Co. vice president Oscar Riedener for NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle. The trophy was not officially named after legendary coach Vince Lombardi until 1970, but it has been awarded to every Super Bowl champion since the beginning. That’s from 1967 to be exact, when the Green Bay Packers hoisted the, what was then called, the World Professional Football Championship Trophy.
Standing 20.75 inches tall and weighing seven pounds, the trophy is made of sterling silver, with the football on top molded to the exact dimensions of a regulation NFL football. During production, the silver is heated to 1,000 degrees before being shaped by hand.
In comparison, the Fiesta Bowl Trophy exists in an entirely different category. Commissioned in 2002 by the Fiesta Bowl’s Board of Directors, it was designed not just as a trophy, but as a showpiece of luxury and craftsmanship. Created by Molina Fine Jewelers, the hardware reflects the highest level of custom jewelry design ever applied to sports memorabilia.
At the center of the trophy is an ornate football adorned with thousands of diamonds set into 18-karat gold and sterling silver. The ornate football alone is estimated to be worth more than $1 million. Supporting it is a marble base engraved with a compass rose, symbolizing the journey teams take through the season to reach the Fiesta Bowl.
Eight sterling silver player figurines surround the base. And modern LED lighting adds a dramatic visual effect that makes the trophy glow.
The trophy weighs approximately 285 pounds, making it heavier than many NFL defensive linemen and far too massive for a standard display case. Transporting it typically requires eight staff members. Due to its immense value, the trophy requires constant security monitoring. With 50 carats of diamonds, hand-carved marble, precious metals, and cutting-edge lighting, it is as much a museum-grade art piece as it is a championship prize.
Of course, the Lombardi Trophy remains the most coveted symbol in professional football. However, the Fiesta Bowl Trophy stands alone in terms of its stunning design and, not to mention, its material value.
