The Buckeye sticker is more than just a symbol of Ohio State’s athletic success; it represents hard work, determination, and team pride. But how did this iconic tradition begin, and why is the Buckeye so meaningful?
A Little History
In 1968 (just 57 years ago!), Ernie Briggs, Ohio State’s Basketball/Football head trainer, came up with an idea to keep his team motivated through the end of the season and championship. He would give players small, round stickers with Buckeye leaves printed on them. The idea stuck, and just a year later, Coach Woody Hayes was handing out Buckeyes (because everyone loves a good sticker!). Players would stick their Buckeyes to their helmets as a show of their accomplishments—from catching fumbles to sportsmanship. These stickers became a huge deal, and the practice was soon adopted by other teams across the U.S.—Clemson's paw prints, UGA's bones, etc.
However, the coveted Buckeyes are not just earned for any good play or touchdown; it's completely up to the coach's discretion, and currently, Coach Ryan Day has a little system:
-Touchdown: 1 sticker
-Win: 1 Sticker
-Big 10 Win: 2 Stickers
-Win over long-time rivals, "Michigan": 3 Stickers
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Each sticker is applied in a pyramid formation starting at the bottom back of the helmet, moving up. Each player's helmet is retired after the season, so all the stickers you see are from just a single season!
But why a Buckeye?
The Ohio Buckeye Tree is native to (you guessed it!) Ohio and is the state tree. Way back in the 1700s, European immigrants coined the term to describe indigenous people due to their large dark eyes, like those of a male deer. The term continued to be used to describe Ohio locals, and the name just stuck.
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By the 1950s, it was the official nickname for Ohio State fans and students. It also inspired the university's first and only school mascot, Brutus Buckeye—literally a Buckeye nut. He was originally constructed out of papier-mâché by two Phi Beta Phi students (Ray and Sally).
The 2024 National Champions Collection
Our goal was to design a piece of jewelry that could convey the same pride and honor that a Buckeye sticker could, but make it last forever (not an easy feat!). We got to work and created an entire collection to celebrate Ohio State's epic 2024 National Championship win. After many drafts and approvals from Ohio State themselves, we settled on a replica of the Buckeye sticker with a custom 2024 National Champions engraving. 
The Ohio State 2024 National Champions Collection feat. The Buckeye is truly one-of-a-kind and is the way to carry your Ohio State pride (and stickers!) everywhere you go—from the field to your career and beyond.
