The new guy, fresh fish

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Nature Boy Mike K
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2020 5:49 pm
3
United States of America

The new guy, fresh fish

Post by Nature Boy Mike K »

Hello everyone,

My name is Mike and if you couldn't tell from my profile name I am a Nature Boy Ric Flair fan, BUT this is about belts so I will tell you I am just as much a fan, if not more of Big Gold. I just recently retired from military and federal service after about 23 total years. Unfortunately the retirement wasn't my choice but do to medical reasons, fortunately everything is good health wise and I am starting a new chapter.

I first fell in love with championships probably like everyone else, as a kid watching wrestling. I grew up in the Northern part of Ohio in a very rural area. The only wrestling programing to be seen was the WWF on Saturday mornings and on the rare occasion the "Saturday Night's Main Event." We couldn't get cable or pay per view so I had to wait and get some of the results of big events from the Saturday shows or, believe it or not, wait for the event to come out on VHS. I always took a liking to the belts. The way they looked and the massive amount of importance that the wrestlers and the fans put into them. Even though I had watched many years before 1988, it was then that I had my first belt love. Of course that was the legendary Winged Eagle. As time progressed I had a shocking thing happen to me. I watched this NWA / WCW thing. What I saw made me an unfaithful man. Big Gold came across my eyes. It seemed like all of the glory of every championship belt ever made was put into this one belt. I was and still am hooked for life on that belt. Recently I got direct message with the private owner of Big Gold and I can tell you I am still smiling. I have told so many people that you don't really need to like wrestling to enjoy the legendary story of the unbranded World Heavyweight Championship belt.

For many years and a little later on in life I still couldn't get past my love of Big Gold so I had to have a replica. Now the first one I ever purchased was a mass produced belt from WCW. Where I came from though, and had none of the knowledge that I have now, those were as close as you could get to the real thing. I cherished that belt. Eventually I would come to find out that an entire different level or world of belts existed. I saved my money up and in-between combat deployments I found a belt maker that made a Big Gold replica. I ordered it and went through the longest, what felt like the night before Christmas, an adult could go through waiting on the belt to be made. When I get it I am not sure how many hours I spent just starring at it. It was amazing! Unfortunately the belt, even though it was cared for, fell apart after a couple of years. The plating discolored and the cast pieces were falling off. I don't want to name the maker because if I recall correctly it was new to them at the time and now they are a fairly well known maker. That belt cost a lot of money, it's sad to say that it sits in a storage unit because I can't bare seeing it. Never the less I have begun a new search for a better made Big Gold that is as close as I can get to the original. After a lot of time, and not asking for help, I think I found it but I'll save that for later. I wold love to hear what others think though. I haven't looked at belts in awhile and recently ordered two that I wanted to have in my new pursuit of a collection. Now I must say the belts look and feel good (6mm plates with 24k plating), but I had no idea how many were made outside the US and I am going to guess without the proper trademark rights. I can be very impulsive so I didn't think about all that until after I placed my order. I purchased a "WWF" winged eagle and NWA domed globe. Although I would like to purchase the proper belts sometime they will have to wait. Im Big Gold hunting right now.

One other note, I was retire about the time we all got locked down for the virus pandemic. I found that I had a little bit of talent in painting. One day just for something to try and paint I took a section of Big Gold from a picture and painted it. Built up the texture a bit and actually turned out a neat painting of about a quarter section of the main plate. It went well enough I thought Id like to paint the whole belt. My thought being that "Big Gold" is much more than a belt but a pop culture icon in itself that has crossed out of wrestling. In some form or copy the Big Gold Belt is still relevant to this day. I shared my pic with the owner of Big Gold on Twitter and his response along with others has encouraged me to make the full size painting. Problem is Big Gold means go Big. So I have just got all of the supplies to make a more detailed painting that will be on a 24"X48" canvas. Talking with a few people I wold like to have it signed when I am done by people who held the original belt. Then, god willing my work is good enough, donate it to a charity of some sort that can perhaps auction it off. Hopefully a pic of my practice painting will be attached. I will also attach a pic of my two recent belts purchased without thinking. Any advice or questions please feel free to ask. Woooooooo!!!
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