Hockey rings, pins are hard to find collectibles
BY ROBERT WIMMER
Usually most ads and articles deal with baseball and Super Bowl pins and rings, but there are hockey ones, too.
Recently I received a 1942-43 Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup ring. Unlike the big diamond-studded rings of today, the 1942-43 ring was a pinkie ring with the inscription reversed.
The story behind this ring was after the Wings won the Cup, the general manager, Jack Adams, asked the team if they wanted a cash bonus or a ring. The players voted to take the cash.
After the money was paid, the NHL President, Frank Calder, told the Wings they must give the players a ring, too.
Adams was furious. To get back at the league, he had the pinkie rings made with the inscription backwards, such as a signet ring. There were only about 20 made and none of the office staff received one.
As for the press pins, there are two types All-Star Games and Stanley Cup finals. As for the AD-Star games, I have three in my collection - two of them; the 1981 game at Los Angeles and the 1974 game at Chicago are in the shape of a skate, while the 1980 game at Detroit is in the shape of an oval.
The Stanley cup pins are in the shape of the Stanley Cup. The older ones I have are the 1971 and '73. These have a dull gray finish. The 1980, '81, '83 Cup pins have a shiny finish.
As to the price of the pins, I contacted SCD advertiser Daniel Lovegrove of Recollectics. Daniel specializes in baseball, football, hockey and all sorts of pins.
His market value on the Stanley Cup pins is in the $150 range, while the All-Star pins go for about $200 each.
Lovegrove can be reached at (203) 655-7463; or P.O. Box 1011, Darien, Conn. 06820-1011. His fax number is (203) 656-3825.
I would like to hear from other collectors regarding other hockey rings and press pins or hockey awards. Write to me at the address listed at the top of this column.
Sports Collectors Digest - April 14, 1995.
Reprinted with permission from Krause Publications, Inc. (c) 1995 Krause Publications, Inc.