It’s been more than two decades since Ricky Williams graced a college football field, but the former Texas running back is still setting records. Or, at least, a piece of paraphernalia connected to Williams is.
Williams claimed the 1998 Heisman Trophy as a member of the Longhorns, with his 714 first-place votes marking what is currently the seventh-most in the history of the most prestigious award in college football. As we noted earlier this month, Williams sold his trophy to a private collector for an unspecified amount in 2014; this year, that private collector, Brian Hobbs, decided to sell the trophy as part of the annual Heritage Auctions’ Fall Sports Memorabilia Collectibles event.
Friday night, it was confirmed that what was Williams’ Heisman had been sold for a record $504,000 at the auction earlier in the day. It broke the record for the sale of a Heisman Trophy set by the $435,763 coughed up for Tim Brown‘s 1987 award in December of last year.
Earlier that year, the Heisman Trophy of the late Colorado running back Rashaan Salaam sold for nearly $400,000, a record number for such an award at the time.
The family of Yale running back Clint Frank sold his 1937 trophy in October of last year for $317,000. O.J. Simpson’s 1968 Trophy sold for $255,000 in 1999, while another former USC running back, Charles White, sold his Heisman for $184,000 in 2000.
Beginning in 1999, winners of the Heisman Trophy have been barred from selling their trophies by the trust that oversees the honor. The fact that Williams’ trophy is the last one awarded prior to that restriction being implemented very likely added to its value.
In addition to the Heisman, Williams’ Doak Walker Award sold in the same auction for $49,200, with his Walter Camp Award netting $12,000.
