The medal, one of only 71 issued in Innsbruck as some 1,123 athletes competed at those Games, was sold with its original red and white ribbon and original leather presentation box.

In the same auction, from the collection of Raleigh DeGeer Amyx, an "incredibly rare" Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936 Winter Olympics bronze medal, one of only 36 made, fetched $22,500 (£13,700/€17,500), while the Lake Placid 1980 bronze medal presented to Sweden's Bo Berglund in the ice hockey competition sold for $16,250 (£9,940/€12,650).

Elsewhere, the London 1908 silver medal awarded to British men's singles rackets player Henry Leaf sold for $11,250 (£6,870/€8,760), with a St Moritz 1928 bronze medal, and the Paris 1924 silver and bronze athletics medals won by Earl Johnson, the first nationally-known African-American runner, going for the same price.

Bobby Livingston, vice-president of RR Auction, which held the sale, was impressed by the outcome of the auction.

An "incredibly rare" Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936 Winter Olympics bronze medal made $22,500 at the auction ©RR Auction


"RR Auction is thrilled with the results as we have never offered Olympic medals previously," he told insidethegames.

"Obviously we have buyers for such material and we plan on putting together another Olympic themed sale in the near future."

Amyx was equally pleased.

"All in all the auction, as hosted by RR Auction, featuring the Olympic Games was an impressive result," he said.

"Bidders seemed to be cognisant of what truly was the most desirable of featured Olympiad pieces.

"Auction results indicate that bidders seemed informed."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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