The Super Bowl ring once belonging to the New England Patriots video assistant involved in the infamous Spygate scandal was sold Saturday via auction.
Matt Estrella -- whose camera was confiscated by the NFL after the Patriots were accused of filming the New York Jets' sideline signals in 2007 -- no longer owns his Super Bowl XXXIX championship ring, which went for $15,810 after 21 total bids, according to Goldin Auctions. The Baltimore Sun first reported the news.
An affidavit signed by Estrella stated that the video assistant sold the ring in May 2012 to the person who subsequently consigned it to the New Jersey-based auction house, per ESPN.com. The Goldin Auctions website describes the 48.64-gram ring as being neither the same style nor size that the players received. In addition, it contains cubic zirconia crystals rather than authentic diamonds.
Following an investigation of the Patriots' role in Spygate, the league fined coach Bill Belichick $500,000, the team $250,000 and rescinded New England's first-round draft pick in 2008. After winning Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005, the Patriots completed an undefeated regular season in 2007 and returned to the big game but fell short to the New York Giants.
Estrella's hardware wasn't the only piece of championship jewelry on the market. It took one season for former Baltimore Ravens running back Damien Berry's Super Bowl XLVII ring to hit the auction block; it went for $43,008.
Initially, Berry disputed that he sold the ring, which was put up for consignment through a third party. However, Goldin Auctions produced evidence of a sales agreement and check that was made out to the running back, who has rescinded his complaint per The Sun.
Charm City was well-represented in the auction. Retired Ravens linebacker Jamie Sharper's Super Bowl XXXV ring drew a final bid of $36,883.25. Meanwhile, the ring of Leonard Lyles, a defensive back and kick returner on the Baltimore Colts' 1958 NFL championship team that edged the Giants in what has been dubbed by many as The Greatest Game Ever Played, was auctioned off for $14,372.
Follow Ryan Maquinana on Twitter @RMaq28.