The World’s Most Coveted Trophies
Monday, 2/13/2017 10:03
Blood, sweat and tears are shed to win these fabulous trophies, but what history, facts and figures lie behind them...
AWARDS SEASON is in full swing with actors, musicians and sports people battling it out to get their hands on coveted trophies in their fields. Many of these trophies, such as the Oscar, BAFTA and Grammy, will be imprinted on your mind due to their distinctive designs. However, have you ever wondered what these trophies are made from, or how much they weigh? Our latest infographic uncovers all this, and much more, such as the value of the trophy if its weight related to solid gold or silver, as well as surprising facts about each trophy.
As you can see from the infographic below, The Stanley Cup, awarded to the winner of the National Hockey League in Canada, is by far the largest of all the trophies, coming in at 15.5kg, which would give it a of value of £6,707 if made of solid silver. At the other end of the scale we have the Palme D’Or, given to the best film at Cannes Film Festival, which is only 0.12 kg, equating to a value of £3,604 if its weight corresponded to solid gold.
We also uncover little-known facts about each award, such as the recent revelation that Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor bought a Filmfare Award for Best Actor in 1974, which set him back the equivalent of £7,400. There have also been instances of famous trophies being stolen, as was the case with the Jules Rimet Cup which was given to Brazil after their third World Cup win, only to be stolen and never seen again. While the Oscars in 2000 narrowly escaped a similar fate when 55 of the famous statuettes were stolen before the ceremony, however 52 of the trophies were found days later, dumped by a rubbish bin.
Discover more about these world-famous trophies below – who do you think deserves to be picking up some of the biggest gongs this year?
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Golden Globes
Meryl Streep holds the record for both the most Golden Globe nominations and wins, with a total of 7 wins from 28 nominations. Her most recent success was in 2011 for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.
Filmfare Awards
Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor was at the centre of a media storm recently when he revealed in his autobiography that in 1974 he bought a Filmfare Award for Best Actor. The actor paid the equivalent of £7,400 ($9,000) to be given the honour for his role in Bobby. At this year's awards Kapoor won Best Supporting Male Actor, however he puts this down to merit.
BAFTAs
The BAFTA mask was designed in 1955 by the late US sculptor Mitzi Cunliffe who sought inspiration in the theatrical tragicomic mask. On the reverse of the mask winners will find an electronic symbol around one eye and a screen symbol around the other, linking dramatic production and television technology. The oldest BAFTA nominee ever is John Gielgud, who was 92 when he was nominated for his role in Shine.
The Academy Awards
In 2000, 55 Oscars were stolen from the loading bay of trucking company just 8 days before the Academy Awards. 52 of the statuettes were found in a dumpster days later by a junk scavenger who was rewarded with $50,000 and tickets to the Academy Awards ceremony.
Cannes Film Festival
The winner of the Palme D'Or is decided by a jury comprising film, culture and art personalities. In recent years, Steven Spielberg, Willem Dafoe, Sofia Coppola and Kirsten Dunst have been some of the famous names appointed judicial roles at the event.
Super Bowl
Crafted by Tiffany & Co., the trophy was given its current name in 1970 in memory of the Green Bay Packers' head coach Vince Lombardi who passed away from cancer that year. A new trophy is made every year so that the winning team can keep it permanently. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the proud owners the most trophies after winning the Super Bowl 6 times.
National Hockey League Play Off Winner
There are in fact three Stanley Cups, with the original purchased in London by Lord Stanley and costing 10 guineas (about $50 at the time). In 1963 this trophy was retired and put on display in the Hockey Hall of Fame, and the Presentation Cup was created. A replica third cup was created in 1993 for use in the Hockey Hall of Fame when the Presentation Cup isn't available.
Wimbledon
Officially known as "The All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Championship of the World", many people are surprised to see a golden pineapple adorning the top of this trophy, with the reason behind it remaining a mystery. However, one explanation could date back to the tradition of British naval captains placing a pineapple on their gateposts when returning from sea.
Ryder Cup
There is much curiosity surrounding the golfing figure on top of the trophy commissioned by Samuel Ryder. However, it is widely believed to be a depiction of Abe Mitchell, who was Ryder's personal instructor, and it is said to bear a close resemblance to him.
FIFA World Cup
The original trophy, known as the Jules Rimet cup in honour of the former FIFA president, was permanently given to Brazil in 1970 after they won the tournament for a third time. However, in 1983 the trophy was stolen from its display case. In 1997, FIFA, possibly thinking it was the real deal, paid £250,000 for what transpired to be a replica of the Jules Rimet trophy; the real trophy has never been found.
The Grammys
Handcrafted by a team of 3 to 4 men in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado, it takes around 15 hours to create just one Grammy. As such, the team spend the best part of a year creating approximately 580 trophies which are given to winners of the Grammys and Latin Grammys.
Academy of Country Music Awards
Recipients of the 50th Anniversary Milestone Award were presented with a trophy edged with 4.16 carats of black diamonds and an 18 karat gold band designed by famed American jeweller David Yuman.
MTV VMAs
The iconic Moonman trophy was borne from Apollo 11 footage which was used to launch the MTV channel. The moon landing-themed "top of the hour" promo ran hourly for five years before it was used as the inspiration for the VMA trophy.
