Bronze Olympic Medals: Prices Realized & How to Sell
To auction, sell or consign your bronze Olympic medal, please email your description and photos to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (NateDSanders.com).
Bronze Olympic Medal Sales at Nate D. Sanders Auctions
The bronze Olympic medals we’ve sold at Nate D. Sanders Auctions span several decades and occurred following major world events. Many of these medals consist of Giuseppe Cassioli’s design or an iteration of it on the medal’s obverse. The tradition of awarding a medal for third place, didn’t occur until the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis.
Some Highlights of Our Bronze Olympic Medal Sales:
1920 Antwerp Summer Olympics — Sold for $14,743
The 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium were the first Games following World War I. For the first time an athletes’ oath was pledged as well as the release of doves during the opening ceremony. Several winners this year include inductees of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame Eddie Eagan and Charley Paddock. We sold a bronze medal award to British light-heavyweight boxer Harold Franks for $14,743.
1948 London Summer Olympics — Sold for $12,500
The 1948 Summer Olympics were the first games to be held following World War II and were also the first games to be aired on home television. A notable gold medalist this year was American Bob Mathias, who won the decathlon after taking up the sport just four short months before the Olympics. We sold a bronze medal from these Games for $12,500.
1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics — Sold for $12,500
The 1956 Summer Olympics were hosted in Melbourne Australia, the first ever Olympics to take place in Oceania. Participation this year was quite low, about 1,300 fewer athletes compared to Summer Games of 1952, due to the remoteness of Melbourne. A standout this year was Australian Betty Cuthbert, known as Australia’s “Golden Girl”, who took home three gold medals in the 100 m, 200 m and 4 x 100 m relay events. We realized $12,500 for a bronze medal and winner’s badge won by a member of the Bulgarian football team at the Melbourne Games.
1952 Helsinki Summer Olympics — Sold for $12,500
The Summer Olympics hosted in Helsinki, Finland were the first Games that Israel and the Soviet Union participated in. The women’s Soviet Union gymnastics would dominate the team competition for the next forty years when the Soviet Union broke into separate entities. We sold a bronze medal from these Games won by a member of the Finnish men’s gymnastics team for $12,500.
1912 Stockholm Summer Olympics — Sold for $12,500
Bronze medal from the V Olympiad, won at the Olympic games in Stockholm, Sweden in 1912. Obverse of medal bears a relief of two female figures, placing a crown atop an athlete; the reverse is a relief of a herald proclaiming ”Ling”, the founder of the Swedish gym system, with ”Olympiska / Spelen / Stockholm 1912” written around edge. Housed in original green box, with ”III Pris” and the Olympic logo stamped in gold to lid. Medal measures 1.4” in diameter. Near fine. Sold for $12,500.
2004 Athens Summer Olympics — Sold for $10,000
Bronze medal from the XXVIII Olympiad for Women’s Judo, won at the Olympic games in Athens, Greece in 2004. Medal features design of the winged Goddess Nike flying over Panathinaikon Stadium, with the Acropolis in the background. Verso features the ”Athens 2004” logo and relief of an Olympic flame with the opening lines of Pindar’s Eighth Olympic Ode written in Greek. Medal is affixed to its multicolor ”Athens 2004” ribbon, also accompanied by its wooden box, which features a gray composite slot where the medal rests, as well as a removable metal cover with the ”Athens 2004” logo. Medal weighs 116.6 kg or 4.12 oz, and measures 60 mm. Light wear to bottom of the medal. Very good plus condition. Sold for $10,000.
1928 Amsterdam Summer Olympics — Sold for $6,500
Bronze medal from the IX Olympiad, won at the games in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1928. Medal bears relief of the traditional goddess of victory, as she holds a palm in her left hand and a winner’s crown in her right, with an Olympic champion carried in triumph by the crowd. This was the first Olympics bearing this medal design by Giuseppe Cassioli, which remained until the 1972 games. Measures 2″ or 55 mm in diameter and weighs 77 grams or 2.75 oz. Near fine condition. Sold for $6,500.
1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics — Sold for $5,125
Bronze medal from the XXV Olympiad, won at the Olympic games in Barcelona, Spain in 1992. Medal, designed by the sculptor Xavier Corbero, features a smaller medal slightly off-center upon the larger portion of the medal. Medal features an image of the goddess of victory with “XXV Olimpiada Barcelona 1992″ on obverse, and the official logo of the 1992 games borne to verso. Measures 70 mm or 2.75” in diameter. Weighs 228 grams or 8 oz. Near fine. Sold for $5,125.
1936 Berlin Summer Olympics — Sold for $5,000
Bronze medal from the XI Olympiad, won at the 1936 Berlin Olympic games by American sprint canoeist Ernest Riedel, and accompanied by four other medals given to Riedel as provenance. Olympic medal was won in the K-1 10,000 meter event, and bears relief of the goddess Victory to obverse, as she holds a winner’s crown in her right hand and a palm leaf in her left, accompanied by the inscription, ”XI / Olympiade / Berlin 1936”. Verso bears relief of an Olympian carried through a crowd, with the Olympic stadium in the background. With manufacturer’s mark of ”B.H. Mayer Pforzheim” on rim. Medal measures 55 mm and weighs 2.7 oz. Light wear, else near fine. Lot also includes four other medals won by Riedel: his 1936 Berlin Olympics participation medal, 1948 London Olympics participation medal, A.A.U. Olympic Development Program medal with ribbon, and a medal with Riedel’s name engraved commemorating his achievement as a 1936 Olympian. Sold for $5,000.
1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics — Sold for $3,252
Bronze medal from the XXIII Olympic games in Los Angeles in 1984 for the exhibition sport Wind Surfing. Medal bears a wind surfer in high relief and contains the words, “CITIUS ALTIUS FORTIUS”, which translates to “Faster, Higher, Stronger”. Verso features the logo of Los Angeles stars in motion, and Olympic rings. Medal is attached to tricolor ribbon measuring 16″ and housed in blue felt box with white satin lining. Medal measures 60mm in diameter and weighs 122 grams, or 4.3 oz. Some discoloration to front, otherwise near fine condition. Sold for $3,252.
This wraps up our bronze Olympic medal sales. Please reach out if there are any questions or if you’d like a free appraisal for your Olympic memorabilia. Learn how to sell your Olympic medals and torches.
FAQs
Prior to the 1904 Olympics, what was awarded for third place finishers?
At the first modern Olympic games of 1896, only first and second place finishers were awarded a medal. First place received silver and second place received bronze/copper.
View some of our silver Olympic medal sales.
What is the bronze medal comprised of today?
The bronze medal is made from about 95% copper and 5% zinc.
What elements determine the value of an Olympic medal?
The value of your bronze Olympic medal depend on the year it’s from, condition and the event it’s associated with.