Historic 1896 Olympic Medal Heads to Auction in Denmark
A remarkable piece of sporting history is set to go under the hammer next month as an ultra-rare winners' medal from the inaugural modern Olympic Games in Athens 1896 is offered for sale at auction in Denmark. This silver medal, which predates the introduction of gold medals by eight years, represents what is believed to be the world's oldest Olympic medal in existence.
A Crown Jewel for Collectors
Christian Grundtvig of auction house Bruun Rasmussen described the item as "nothing short of a crown jewel" for collectors of Olympic memorabilia. "This is the first time we have ever offered a medal from the very first modern Olympic Games," Grundtvig explained, emphasising the exceptional rarity of such artefacts. The medal carries an estimated value of 200,000–300,000 Danish kroner, equivalent to approximately £23,200–£35,000.
The beautifully crafted piece was engraved by renowned French artist Jules-Clement Chaplain and features intricate designs on both sides. One side depicts the Greek deities Zeus and Nike, while the reverse shows the iconic Acropolis and Parthenon. Despite this detailed craftsmanship, the identity of the athlete who originally won this medal at the 1896 Games remains unknown. Those historic Games featured 241 athletes from 14 nations competing across nine sports and 43 events.
Olympic Medal Market Context
The expected auction price represents just a fraction of the record sums achieved by medals belonging to some of history's most celebrated sportspeople. The current record was established in 2013 when a gold medal won by American sprinter Jesse Owens at the controversial 1936 Berlin Olympics sold for an impressive $1.47 million.
This year's significant spike in gold prices has also driven up the value of solid gold medals used between 1904 and 1912. Since the Stockholm Games of 1912, Olympic "gold" medals have featured only a coating of the precious metal rather than being solid throughout.
Contemporary Medal Concerns
Recent Olympic Games have seen growing concerns among athletes regarding the quality and durability of their hard-earned medals. Following the Paris 2024 Summer Games, numerous medallists complained about their prizes showing signs of flaking and rusting. Similarly, organisers of the current Milan-Cortina Winter Games have been forced to investigate claims that medals are already showing signs of deterioration despite the event being ongoing.
Online bidding for this historic 1896 Athens Olympic medal has already commenced, with the live auction scheduled to take place on 1 March. This represents a unique opportunity for collectors to acquire what many consider to be the ultimate piece of Olympic memorabilia, connecting directly to the very origins of the modern Games movement that has since become a global phenomenon.
