From a medal from the 1896 Games to one of Jesse Owens’ gold medals, these are some of the most expensive Olympic medals that have been auctioned off.
Being an Olympic athlete is no doubt an achievement in and of itself. To represent one’s country on the world stage amongst other athletes means you’re the best of the best, and just to take part in the Games is already a huge honour. But as great as it is to be an Olympian, the ultimate goal is to get on the coveted podium to get a medal, perhaps even gold, a testament to the athlete’s achievement. Over the years, there are medals that have been auctioned off for various reasons. This list lists five of the most expensive Olympic medals ever to be sold, four being gold and one silver.
Cuban long jumper Iván Pedroso has a very impressive track record. The Havana native has almost consistently won gold in every competition he’s ever been in. He was also supposed to break a world record though the results weren’t ratified due to an issue. Unsurprisingly, Pedroso copped gold when he represented Cuba in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. What is surprising though is the fact that this was his only Olympic podium finish. His medal, which bears his name and his sport, was auctioned off in 2021.
Leuris Pupo is a Cuban shooter whose first appearance in the Olympics was Syndey 2000. Pupo competed in the men’s 25-metre rapid-fire competition and finished in ninth place. He would go on to compete in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 but sadly still failed to make the podium. It was in London in 2012 when Pupo finally broke the streak. Not only did he finally get to stand on the podium but he placed first and finally got himself an Olympic medal—and gold, nonetheless. Pupo’s medal went on auction in 2021 and was for the aforementioned price.
A truly rare item, this silver medal was one of the many handed out in the very first modern Olympic Games held in Athens in 1896. The medal is emblazoned with a picture of Zeus holding the goddess Nike while the opposite side bears the view of the Acropolis of Athens and the Parthenon. But why silver? There were no gold medals handed out in the 1896 Olympics. First place got silver and second got bronze. Third placers, unfortunately, went away empty-handed. The medal was sold for the exorbitant amount mentioned above, but considering its history, it’s well worth it.
Ukrainian heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko gained global recognition when he represented his country in super heavyweight boxing in the 1996 Olympics held in Atlanta. Klitschko bested Tongan boxer Paea Wolfgramm and won the gold medal. Sixteen years later, he and his brother held a charity auction for their foundation and put up the medal as one of the items. The medal was bought for USD 1 million but the buyer returned the medal back to Klitschko so that it would remain in his possession.
Perhaps the most famous medal ever to be auctioned off belonged to arguably one of the most famous Olympians who won in possibly the most infamous Olympics. Berlin was the host city of the 1936 Olympics. If you know your history, you’ll know that Germany was still under Nazi rule. In fact, Adolf Hitler wanted the Olympics to be a showcase of Aryan superiority. It would be undeniable proof that his racist rhetoric was true.
That, of course, was deliciously and satisfyingly demolished by Jesse Owens, the iconic African American athlete who won four gold medals during the competition, the most of any athlete during that year. Despite Hitler’s hopes that this Olympics would prove white supremacy, Owens’ four podium finishes shattered that. It’s one of those four medals that was auctioned off, and considering its history, it may have been bought at a pretty cheap price.
(Main and Featured image: Franck Fife / AFP)
This article was first published in Prestige Singapore
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