Rare 1904 Olympic Gold Medal Sells for $545,371 at Auction

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Boston, MA — A rare and exceptional artifact from the dawn of the modern Olympics has taken center stage at RR Auction’s Olympic sale. Among nearly 400 lots of memorabilia spanning decades of Olympic history, a first-place gold medal from the 1904 Games in St. Louis sold for an impressive $545,371, according to Boston-based RR Auction.

Awarded to a champion hurdler during the first Olympics hosted on American soil, the medal is one of the rarest of its kind. Featuring the inscription “Olympiad, 1904,” the obverse showcases a victorious athlete holding a wreath, while the reverse highlights Nike, the goddess of victory, alongside Zeus, the king of gods. The engraved event name, “110 Meter Hurdle,” adds to its historical significance. Remarkably, the medal retains its original ribbon and is housed in a timeworn leather case.

“This medal is a cornerstone for any serious collector of Olympic history,” said Bobby Eaton, Olympic specialist at RR Auction. “Collectors often strive to assemble complete sets of Olympic medals from every Games, and you simply can’t complete a set without a 1904 gold medal. Within our vast network of collectors , there are no others in private hands from a sanctioned 1904 event. That level of rarity—combined with its condition and provenance—explains why collectors were so determined to acquire it. It’s equivalent to a Button Gwinnett signature or a Honus Wagner card when completing a collection, and the final price of $545,371 reflects that unparalleled significance.”

The 1904 Games marked a pivotal moment in Olympic tradition by introducing the now-familiar gold, silver, and bronze medal system. This historic medal not only commemorates the athletic achievements of its time but also symbolizes the enduring legacy of the Olympic Games.

RR Auction’s Winter Olympic sale opened on December 12 and concluded on January 16, 2025, offering a diverse array of treasures from Olympic history.

Among other highlights from the sale, which totaled $1,582,060:

• Nagano 1998 Winter Olympics gold winner’s medal for ski jumping sold for $160,773.
• Stockholm 1956 Summer Olympics gold winner’s medal with case for equestrian events sold for $99,831.
• London 2012 Summer Olympics gold winner’s medal sold for $80,526.
• St. Louis 1904 Olympics silver association football championship winner’s medal sold for $67,149.
• Nagano 1998 Winter Olympics silver winner’s medal for ski jumping sold for $50,000.
• Lillehammer 1994 Winter Olympics torch sold for $46,585.
• Paris 2024 Summer Olympics bronze medal for wrestling sold for $34,769.

For more information or to explore future auctions, visit www.rrauction.com.