To whoever successfully bids on the 1964 NFL title ring awarded to Jim Brown, buyer beware.
According to the Associated Press, Brown has filed suit in a Manhattan federal court, claiming that the ring was stolen from Brown. The complaint seeks to stop the online auction, which is scheduled to end on Friday.
Joshua Evans, the founder of Lelands Collectibles, says the lawsuit is “without merit.” (Will someone who is sued ever declare in response, “Well, we thought we’d get away with it.”)
Brown immediately claimed via comments to the St. Paul Pioneer Press that the ring was stolen after word of the auction first emerged earlier this month. Lelands claims that a clear and proper chain of title and authenticity exists, with Brown giving the ring to a family member who sold it to Lelands. The company sold the ring in 1998, and it has since bought the ring back.
The current high bid on the ring is $58,948.68.