World’s First Olympic Medal to Be Auctioned at Bruun Rasmussen
A rare 1896 Olympic winner’s medal, the first of the modern Games, is poised to make auction history.
A remarkable piece of Olympic history is set to go under the hammer at the Danish auction house Bruun Rasmussen. On 1 March, collectors will have the rare opportunity to bid on what is considered the world’s first Olympic medal, dating back to the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. The medal carries an estimate of EUR 26,000–40,000.
The auction coincides with the Olympic Winter Games currently taking place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, adding further relevance to this exceptional offering. Medals from the earliest Olympic Games are extremely rare, and examples of this significance rarely appear on the market.
“This is the first time we have ever offered a medal from the very first modern Olympic Games,” says Christian Grundtvig, Head of the Coins and Medals Department at Bruun Rasmussen. “Such medals are exceptionally rare, and for collectors of Olympic memorabilia, this is nothing short of a crown jewel.”
The medal is a winner’s medal from the 1896 Games, when silver medals were awarded to first-place finishers and bronze medals to runners-up. The now-familiar gold medal was introduced only at later Olympic Games.
Engraved by renowned French artist Jules-Clément Chaplain, the medal is rich in classical symbolism. The obverse features a laurel-crowned portrait of the Greek god Zeus, holding a globe topped by Nike, the goddess of victory, carrying an olive branch. The reverse depicts the Acropolis with the Parthenon, accompanied by the Greek inscription “Διεθνείς Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες – Αθήναι 1896” (International Olympic Games – Athens 1896).
The first modern Olympic Games were held from 6 to 15 April 1896 and brought together 241 athletes from 14 nations, competing in nine sports and 43 events. Denmark was among the participating nations, and Danish weightlifter Viggo Jensen claimed victory, becoming Denmark’s first-ever Olympic champion. It remains unknown whether the medal now offered for sale originally belonged to Jensen.
The medal will be offered at Bruun Rasmussen’s Online Auction on 1 March. Bidding is already open via the auction house’s website.
Since 1948, Bruun Rasmussen has sold art, design, jewellery, wristwatches, antiques, and collectibles such as wine, books, coins, and stamps. As Denmark's leading auction house, we sell over 75,000 items every year through our Online Auctions at bruun-rasmussen.dk and our Live Auctions at our auction house in Lyngby.
