I am wondering do this have anything to do with sports, like a trophy. But also gold was popular back then , all that glitter isn't "gold", so maybe a gold medal or medallion. I believe USA won the gold medal in the olympics in '47, that's where Jesse Owen was born in Alabama, also in '79, well, that's all I could come up with. And maybe a gold trophy from school.
You went deep, but I will put you in