The 2007 NFL season seemed like a fairy tale for the New England Patriots. They stormed through the regular season with a 16-0 record and won their next two playoff games to set the stage for a historic season of perfection in Super Bowl XLII. Only the New York Giants stood in their path at University of Phoenix Stadium, a team that struggles to make the playoffs at 10-6 and had to fight their way to Glendale, AZ with three road wins. It was David vs. Goliath, if a team from New York could ever be thought of as David. And THAT’S why they play the game. League MVP Tom Brady faced enormous pressure from the Giants’ relentless front line all night, and the Pats’ arsenal of weapons, from Randy Moss to Wes Welker, were contained enough to keep the G-Men close. On the game’s final drive, shortly after a miraculous catch by David Tyree, Eli Manning found Plaxico Burress for the game-winning touchdown pass and the Giants pulled off the upset, 17-14. There would be no 19-0 season for the Patriots. The ’72 Dolphins could rest easy again.
To the victor goes the spoils, and that meant the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy went to the Super Bowl XLII Champion New York Giants. It was the franchise’s third trophy, and their first since the days of Bill Parcels and Lawrence Taylor. The design came about during a 1966 lunch meeting between NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle and Tiffany & Co. vice president Oscar Riedner when the latter sketched a raw version on a cocktail napkin. The original trophy was produced by Tiffany & Co. in Newark, NJ for the inaugural 1967 Super Bowl I and others have since been handcrafted by the company in Parsippany, NJ. The 22” tall trophy is made entirely of sterling silver and weighs 7 pounds. When transporting an award of such magnitude, security is of the utmost importance. It’s no wonder that the bulky trunk offered here was employed for such a task. Measuring 31” by 21” by 16” and weighing a stout 58 pounds, the black and silver metallic trunk comes with a thick foam interior shaped to perfectly safeguard the Lombardi Trophy during transport. The two metal opening latches are labeled “penn fabrication – WASHINGTON UK” and “NIELSON SESSIONS” is stamped just below the key hole.
Understandably, Brinks was chosen to ship the trunk and remnants of Brinks packing tape remain on the exterior. The packing and shipping slips are still stuck to the top, indicating the weight (65 lbs.) and value ($25K) given for the trophy. According to the shipping information, the trunk was shipped from Tiffany & Co.’s manufacturing center in Parsippany, NJ to the company’s Vice President Jonathan Bruckner, whose market territory at the time included Arizona. The trunk comes courtesy of a private collector with close ties to Tiffany's executives.
NOTE: Due to the size and weight of this item, excessive shipping or freight charges are required and may be substantial. Local pick-up recommended.