Well, one learns something new every day 🙂
When I purchased the new Vikings white alternate, I noticed the Vikings had changed helmet colors over the years. It hasn’t always been a regular purple. In fact, there have been four different shades (in addition to four facemask colors and two different horns, not including the white alternate).
I also discovered a revolution style helmet I didn’t know existed. It is for the 2002-05 Vikings helmet. Considering Riddell started the Revolution helmets around 2005, this one must have just snuck in.
Here is a photo of all the factory Vikings pocket helmets. The Vikings are one of the rare teams with a factory helmet for all the years and styles. There are no gaps. The revised checklist is available on the Vikings pocket helmet page.
Row 2: 1980-84 (dark purple, classic horn, grey facemask), 1985-2001 (dark purple, classic horn, purple facemask)
Row 3: 2002-05 (fade purple, classic horn, purple facemask)
Row 4: 2006-12 (fade purple, modern horn, purple facemask), 2006-12 (medium purple, modern horn, black facemask)
Row 5: 2019-present (light purple, modern horn, black facemask), 2023-present white alternate
Riddell NFL Pocket Pro Helmets 
That 2002-2005 Vikings helmet with the old style horn was part of the entire set of 32 Revolution Helmets that I bought in 2005. You’re right, that would’ve been short-lived in production as the Vikings updated the horn, along with their uniforms, the following year. I replaced my Viking helmet in the case with the new one in 2006, along with the Browns helmet in that set since they switched from the white face mask to gray that same year. Eventually, I had to buy updated helmets for 12 of the Revolution style set, including a second Vikings and Browns update in 2013 and 2015 respectively.
In addition to the slight change in color, I’ve noticed a small subtle difference in the logo in the 2016 and 2019 Speed helmets and it’s in the gold crescent in front of the horn. On the first speed helmet, the crescent looks like it begins closer to the top of the horn, but on the 2019 model, the top point of the crescent appears to be a little lower. I’ve looked at photos of both of their official helmets and ,the horns on both appear identical. I think the subtle difference on the Pocket Helmets is simply just a production quirk.
I don’t have the 2016-2018 Speed helmet and didn’t know it existed until I saw another post you made about the different shades of purple. I’ve been searching ebay for it ever since. I bought one from a seller in the UK, whom I got many other “retired” helmets from like the Jets, Chargers, and Lions, but it turned out to be a duplicate of the 2019 model that I already had. I might have better luck at finding the holy grail at this point – lol – but I’ll keep looking.
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There are some speed 2019 helmets on eBay, but it’s difficult to know if it’s before or after 2019. I usually ask the seller to check the date stamp. If it’s a speed helmet on or before 2018, you’re all good.
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