Iconic WWE championship belt up for auction as seller chases world record
The Intercontinental Championship has the WWF logo and was used between 1985 and 1988, including at WrestleMania III.
An iconic WWE championship belt is up on track to sell for a huge six figure sum at auction.
Podcaster and collector Conrad Thompson, 45, is selling off the official Intercontinental Championship, which was used in the then-WWF from 1985 to 1988 and held by the likes of Tito Santana, Honky Tonk Man, 'Macho Man' Randy Savage and Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat.
The precious item is being sold via Heritage Auctions, with bidding - which runs through October 24 - currently at $125k.
Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz, Conrad said: "I know I'm going to regret not having it as a part of my collection. It represents Randy Savage and the Golden Era, but I want to set a record, man. I'm competitive."
The decision to sell the title came after Conrad helped wrestling legend Gerald Briscoe sell a pair of Hulk Hogan's boots for over $160k.
A subsequent paid of photo-matched Hulk Hogan boots from WrestleMania one later sold for $1,037,000.
Conrad admitted: "When I heard it was a million dollars, I did a double take.
"Those boots, in particular, I actually passed on two years prior for $66,000, and another collector got them at auction."
"Now, at the time, none of us knew that these were the very first WrestleMania boots. Respectfully, they just looked like Hulk Hogan yellow ring used boots. I mean, how would we ever know?"
This sparked Conrad's curiosity, and he set an all-time record of $162,000 for the sale of his WCW United States Title belt, which was broken two months later when Hulk Hogan's WrestleMania II WWF World Heavyweight Championship sold for $414,800.
He said: "I kind of liked having the record as the most expensive belt sale in history, and wait a minute!
"They sold something from WrestleMania I, and then now they've sold something and set another record with WrestleMania II.
"Respectfully, neither one of those WrestleManias are as big or as important or as historical as WrestleMania III."
Conrad got hold of this version of the IC Title belt, which was used most famously at WrestleMania III as Savage and Steamboat battled over the title, after a simple swap with WWE founder Vince McMahon in 2020, two years after the collector bought the original Intercontinental Championship.
The title was held by Pat Patterson, who passed away in 2020, and Vince wanted to buy the piece of history.
Conrad recalled: "I wasn't interested in selling it, but I did offer to trade it for the WrestleMania III Intercontinental. And to my surprise, WWE didn't hesitate to make that deal."
However, there is one item from Conrad's collection he can't see himself ever parting with - the original Big Gold Belt, which was created for Ric Flair as the NWA World Heavyweight Champion in 1986.
He smiled: "The Big Gold Belt is my number one collectible, and it's not close. I mean, it would be really hard for me to imagine letting that one go."
He admitted you can "never say never" in the wrestling world, and it would take a ridiculous price to make him give up that version of the World Heavyweight Championship.
He said: "The plan is never. But if someone were to say, 'Hey, what about 5 million?' Well, I'd be silly not to listen to that.
"Now, do I think someone's going to offer 5 million for that belt? No, but if they ever were going to allow wrestling collectibles to get that expensive, what would be on the list-the short list of the most expensive and collectible ring-used items?
"I got to think, Big Gold Belt's probably number one."
For more information on the 1985 to 1988 WWF Intercontinental Championship belt, visit: www.WrestleManiaBelt.com.
Bidding is still open via Heritage Auctions.
