The Premier League Trophy: Design, Weight and Why There Are Two
The Premier League trophy weighs 10kg, stands 76cm with its malachite plinth and was designed by Asprey. Here is how it was made, why two exist, and who keeps it.
The Premier League trophy weighs 10kg on its own and stands 76cm tall once the plinth is attached. The plinth adds another 15kg, so the thing a captain lifts above his head is carrying about 25kg between him and whoever is holding the other handle.
It was designed by Asprey of London, the royal jewellers, for the league’s launch in 1992. And there are two of them.
The trophy at a glance
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Weight (trophy) | 10kg |
| Weight (plinth) | 15kg |
| Height with plinth | 76cm |
| Width | 43cm |
| Depth | 25cm |
| Designer | Asprey of London |
| First presented | 1993 |
| Number in existence | Two |
What it is made of
The body is solid sterling silver, finished with silver gilt. The crown on top is gold. The base is malachite — a green semi-precious stone, chosen because its colour reads as a football pitch without anyone having to say so.
The two lions on the handles are the part most people miss. They belong to the coat of arms of the Football League, and the captain lifting the trophy becomes the third lion in the group. That is the intended reading: three lions, the England motif, completed by whoever won.
Why there are two
The Premier League keeps two identical trophies, and the reason is scheduling rather than sentiment.
The title can be mathematically settled on the final day at two different grounds at once, or settled early while the real trophy is still engraved with last season’s name. Having a second means the league can send one to each of the two possible venues on the last afternoon and present it within minutes of the final whistle, wherever it happens.
The champions keep one for the season. The other stays with the league.
The ribbons
Before every presentation the trophy is dressed with ribbons in the champions’ colours. Both sets are tied in advance when the title is still undecided on the final day, and the losing set is quietly removed before the cameras get close.
It has gone wrong. Ribbons in the wrong colours have been photographed more than once, and the images circulate for years afterwards.
Arsenal’s gold trophy
In 2004 Arsenal went through a 38-game league season unbeaten — 26 wins, 12 draws. No side has repeated it.
The league marked it by presenting them with a special gold version of the trophy, made to the same design. It is the only one of its kind, and it sits at the Emirates rather than in the league’s possession. Our breakdown of Arsenal’s wage structure covers what that squad’s successors cost today.
Who has lifted it most
The trophy has changed hands less often than the 30-odd seasons suggest. Manchester United dominated the first two decades; Manchester City the most recent one. The full count, season by season, is in our guide to the most successful club in England.
For the individual records set while chasing it — appearances, assists, the youngest scorers — see most Premier League appearances and the all-time assist record.
What happens between seasons
The champions get the trophy for the year, but not unconditionally. It travels for open-top parades and sponsor events, and it returns to the league in time to be re-engraved before the following May.
Engraving is done on a silver band around the base. Each champion is added in sequence, which means the band is a physical list of every winner since 1993 — and it is running out of room, a problem the league will eventually have to solve the way the Football League did before it.
Is it insured, and what is it worth?
The league does not publish a valuation and the trophy is not for sale, so any figure you see is guesswork. The materials — sterling silver, gold, malachite — come to a few tens of thousands of pounds. The object is worth immeasurably more than that and less than nothing, depending on who is counting: it cannot be sold, and its whole value is what it represents.
Licensed replicas are a different matter. The league sells miniature and display-size versions, and full-size licensed replicas exist in the collectors’ market. If you are buying one, check the licensing and the seller before the dimensions — unlicensed copies of this trophy are common.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Premier League trophy weigh? The trophy weighs 10kg. With its malachite plinth the total is around 25kg.
How tall is the Premier League trophy? 76cm including the plinth, 43cm wide and 25cm deep.
Who designed the Premier League trophy? Asprey of London, the royal jewellers, for the league’s launch in 1992.
What is the Premier League trophy made of? Solid sterling silver with silver gilt, a gold crown, and a base of malachite.
Why are there two Premier League trophies? So the league can have one at each ground where the title might be decided on the final day. They are identical.
Who has the gold Premier League trophy? Arsenal. It was made to mark the unbeaten 2003-04 season and is the only one.
Do champions keep the trophy? For the season. It returns to the league to be engraved before the next campaign.
