As a kid, I can remember all I wanted for Christmas since I was 6 was Minnesota Vikings stuff.  The biggest thing I ever asked for was a Fran Tarkenton jersey.  I would get Vikings pajamas and bulletin boards and even sweatshirts from time to time, but never that jersey.

As I got older and started my own life, that unresolved issue surfaced again as my fandom revived itself.  I finally got that Fran Tarkenton jersey...along with a few other Vikings items that I am very proud of.

My collection was featured in Beckett Football Card Monthly in November of 2001.  The biggest irony of that is that the cover featured none other than Packer QB Brett Favre.  Makes you want to laugh and cry all at once doesn't it?

Anyway, here are a few of my more precious and special pieces that I have on display in my Vikings room  (You can check out a wider angle of that room under the My Pictures link):

This 1969 NFL Championship ring came to me from an estate sale.  It is obviously a salesman's sample 10K ring, but beautiful just the same.  With my birth year being 1969 I could not pass up the opportunity to acquire this ring.  I had it for a few years and then money got tight.  I was able to get it sold to another Vikings Fanatic (I wanted to be sure it made it to a good home).  I hope I can acquire another one in my lifetime, but if I don't I had the pleasure of owning and wearing it for a little while.

This "labor of love" helmet is the pride of my room.  The signatures collected on this helmet truly depict a myriad of years of great Vikings tradition. It is one of my favorite pieces because it reminds me of my personal Vikings Fanatic tradition.  This helmet also brings to mind the many great players that have proudly worn the Vikings purple, and that there will be many more in the future.  This is just a great piece of Vikings history and memorabilia.