It’s not unusual to see championship rings hit the market in estate sales or decades after a title, but auction house Leland’s has one that’s a lot more recent: A 2016 Chicago Cubs World Series ring.
You could spend $50,000 on this Cubs World Series ring and only end up with $1
Be careful if you bid.
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
The ring is currently fetching a price of $36,629, with 18 days remaining on the auction. It’s expected to fetch over $50,000, according to ESPN. Leland’s doesn’t say who the ring belonged to, but noted that it came from a scout. The left side of the ring, shown blurred out in the picture above, would have the name of the seller.
Buyer beware though, because there’s one very major catch.
The Chicago Sun Times reported in April that the Cubs made everyone who received a ring sign a contract stating that the team had the right to buy back the ring at a value of $1, should anyone attempt to sell them without the permission of the Cubs.
It’s unclear whether the scout selling the ring obtained permission from the organization, or how things would proceed if someone bought the rings for thousands of dollars only to have the Cubs invoke their legal right and purchase it for $1, but the Cubs are investigating the listing and questioning whether the ring is an authentic.
