NFL legend selling Super Bowl ring

That big shiny ring you see above contains 18 diamonds, including the big two in the middle, which total more than 1.5 carats. It was earned as the crowning achievement of a life spent being a revolutionary defensive force in the National Football League.

And today, any clod with enough disposable income can own it.

It belongs (soon to be past tense) to Lawrence Taylor. Why he's selling is unclear, but Taylor is not known for his wise post-career decisions. If it's on the auction block, it's probably safe to assume he needs the money. From Bloomberg News:

Neither the auction website nor the release makes any mention about Taylor's motives for selling. Mike Senyo, a spokesman for SCP Auctions, said in an e-mail that the linebacker is "just ready to sell."

Taylor earned two Super Bowl rings in his career, in XXI and XXV. Who knows, maybe this one doesn't mean that much to him. Maybe the first one is a treasured memento and this one's an afterthought.

Click on through for more details on the ring.

From SCP Auctions:

Presented here is arguably the most significant Superbowl player ring ever offered publicly. Lawrence Taylor's own 1991 Superbowl XXV ring feature two football shaped diamonds on the face surrounded by worn blue enameling framed by seventeen smaller diamonds. Design elements include the name "TAYLOR" on the left shank above a Giants helmet and his number "56". Engraved on the interior band in the full name "LAWRENCE TAYLOR". The ring shows considerable wear, that in some eyes, only enhances it aura. A phenomenally important memento from one of the greatest football players of all-time. Size: 12.

Includes a notarized LOA from Lawrence Taylor.

If the ring has considerable wear, it means it's spent a lot of time on LT's finger, and if it's spent a lot of time on LT's finger, this ring has probably led a more interesting life than just about any person alive. Not always a clean life, perhaps, but interesting. LT's fingers have probably been in places most of us only read about. And then wish we hadn't.

The bidding is over $67,000 (and climbing quickly). The auction ends on Saturday night.

                                                     Lawrence Taylor