The Toronto Maple Leafs did not reward their players with Stanley Cup Rings until 1947, when the team that included Turk Broda, Syl Apps, Ted Kennedy and Bill Barilko won hockey’s greatest prize. Earlier champions (1932,1924 and 1945) were awarded various other gifts, including a choice of a sterling silver
tea set or a sterling silver smoking set.
When the World Championship rings were created for the Maple Leafs in 1947, management found themselves creating four rings in the next five years, only missing the Stanley Cup Championship in 1950.
The gold rings, originally created by Henry Birks and Sons, but manufactured in a limited run by a small manufacturer in Ajax Ontario,feature a Maple Leaf-blue horseshoe (for good luck and because team owner Conn Smythe’s love of horse racing) surrounding a maple leaf, with a diamond set in the centre. The Blue Enamelled horseshoe read: Maple Leafs World Champions. The year of the Stanley Cup victory is below the maple leaf. On one shoulder, the year of the win would have been engraved while the opposite side would have the player and/or executive’s name engraved on that shoulder. Since these rings were the original prototypes, there is no engraving on the shoulders.These rings are an incredible keepsakes and are extremely rare and quite valuable. The team did not award a new ring with each of the four Stanley cup championships, but instead, increased the size of the diamond in the rings belonging to repeat winners.These rings are on display at Ringleader Fine Jewellers and available for purchase….what would they be worth to you? We are entertaining serious enquiries only, because who knows the next time you’ll see one of these rings, on one of the Toronto Maple Leafs again?
tea set or a sterling silver smoking set.
When the World Championship rings were created for the Maple Leafs in 1947, management found themselves creating four rings in the next five years, only missing the Stanley Cup Championship in 1950.
The gold rings, originally created by Henry Birks and Sons, but manufactured in a limited run by a small manufacturer in Ajax Ontario,feature a Maple Leaf-blue horseshoe (for good luck and because team owner Conn Smythe’s love of horse racing) surrounding a maple leaf, with a diamond set in the centre. The Blue Enamelled horseshoe read: Maple Leafs World Champions. The year of the Stanley Cup victory is below the maple leaf. On one shoulder, the year of the win would have been engraved while the opposite side would have the player and/or executive’s name engraved on that shoulder. Since these rings were the original prototypes, there is no engraving on the shoulders.These rings are an incredible keepsakes and are extremely rare and quite valuable. The team did not award a new ring with each of the four Stanley cup championships, but instead, increased the size of the diamond in the rings belonging to repeat winners.These rings are on display at Ringleader Fine Jewellers and available for purchase….what would they be worth to you? We are entertaining serious enquiries only, because who knows the next time you’ll see one of these rings, on one of the Toronto Maple Leafs again?
Special thanks to Kevin Shea for your diligent research with respect to these rare artifacts.
