London 2012 gold winners medal top auction lot

By Paul Gilkes

Published: Aug 1, 2016, 11 AM

One of the first winning gold medals to appear at public auction from the 2012 London Summer Olympics realized $55,831 in a July 21 sale by RR Auction.

Original images courtesy of RR Auction.

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The sport for which the gold medal was awarded was being disclosed only to the high bidder, a collector from the United Kingdom who wishes to remain anonymous.

Images courtesy of RR Auction.

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The London 2012 gold medal is suspended from its original purple ribbon that is detached at the seam.

Image courtesy of RR Auction.

An anonymous collector from the United Kingdom paid $55,831 to acquire a winning gold medal from the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games that was offered by RR Auction.

The gold medal was among 296 lots of Olympic memorabilia, including 44 participation medals, 19 winners’ medals and 31 torches offered in the online sale, which opened July 14 and closed July 21.

The sale brought total prices realized of $302,250, which includes the 22.5 percent buyer’s fee added to the final closing hammer price of each lot won.

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The auction company did not disclose the incuse edge inscription identifying the sport for which the gold medal was presented, as doing so would also help identify the recipient of the medal. The auction company said the edge inscription would be disclosed only to the winning bidder.

The medal is gilt silver, 85 millimeters in diameter, and was designed by British artist David Watkins. The obverse of the medal features XXX OLYMPIAD LONDON 2012 inscribed along the top border, above the winged Nike over Panathinaikon Stadium with the Acropolis in the background.

The reverse features the emblem of the London Games against an abstract linear background.

Other auction results include:

??Innsbruck 1976 Winter Olympics torch, $22,826.

??London 1908 Summer Olympics gold winner’s medal, $19,232.

??Tokyo 1964 Summer Olympics torch and original box holder, $15,784.

??London 1908 Summer Olympics gilt silver participation medal, $12,426.

??Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics set of gold, silver, and bronze winner’s medals, $11,026.

??Cortina 1956 Winter Olympics silver winner’s medal, $9,432

The Olympic Memorabilia auction from RR Auction began on July 14 and concluded on July 21. More details, including results can be found online at www.rrauction.com.