Tom Brady-Authorized Super Bowl LI Ring Up for Auction

A Super Bowl LI ring authorized by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady officially went up for auction Friday.

According to ESPN.com's Darren Rovell, Ken Goldin of Goldin Auctions said the ring will be auctioned by an anonymous owner.

Rovell added that while the team pays for the players' Super Bowl rings, players can authorize the making of nearly identical rings and purchase them for friends and family.

Goldin told Rovell that it is highly unusual for something of that magnitude related to Brady to become publicly available: "This is the first Brady award that has ever come to market. He never lets things go, and nobody from his inner circle has ever given up something like this."

Per Rovell, the authorized ring differs slightly from the rings that the players were given. It has 260 diamonds as opposed to 283, and it is also 10 percent smaller.

The ring is valued at $29,700, and the auction is set to end Feb. 17, which is just 13 days after Super Bowl LII.

Brady helped orchestrate the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history last year, as New England overcame a 28-3 deficit to beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in overtime.

The future Pro Football Hall of Famer was named Super Bowl MVP for the fourth time after throwing for 466 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Brady is a five-time Super Bowl champion, and if he can lead New England past the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, he will go for No. 6 on Feb. 4.