Numismatic Guaranty Company® (NGC®) is proud to have certified a rare first place Olympic medal from the 1924 Summer Olympics, held in Paris a century ago. The medal was submitted to NGC for certification during this year’s Summer Olympics, also being held in Paris.
The medal will be on display at Fanatics Fest NYC, taking place August 16-18, 2024 at the Javits Center in New York City. It will be presented in booth #2225, operated by the Certified Guaranty Company® (CGC®), an NGC partner that grades sports cards and other pop culture collectibles.
NGC authenticated the first place medal, graded it NGC MS 65, and packaged it in an NGC Oversize Holder that matches its impressive 55mm diameter. The medal is made of silver with a gold coating, like the current Olympic first place medals, which are commonly referred to as “gold.” This particular medal realized $46,279 when it was sold without a certificate at an RR auction in January 2024.
Designed by André Rivaud, the obverse of the medal depicts a victorious athlete extending his hand to a fallen competitor. The scene is placed above the now-famous Olympic rings, which had been in use for about a decade and were first depicted on Olympic medals in 1924. The reverse features sports equipment and a harp, reflecting the hope for peace after the devastation of Europe by World War I.
“NGC is always excited about the opportunity to grade an Olympic medal,” said Ben Wengel, senior vice president of World Coin Grading. “Elite collectors can feel the thrill of victory knowing their rare numismatic collectibles are certified with NGC’s expert authenticity and grading, backed by the NGC Guarantee.”
NGC’s team of experts has certified some of the most valuable medals ever, including a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, a Congressional Gold Medal awarded to President Harrison, and a gold Robbins Medal that Neil Armstrong took with him on the historic Apollo 11 moon mission and which fetched more than $2 million at a 2019 Heritage Auctions sale.
NGC has graded other rare Olympic medals, including:
- an 1870 Greek Zappas Olympics Gold Victor’s Award coin graded NGC SP 63 that realized $150,000 at a Heritage Auctions sale in May 2022
- a Greek silver medal from the 1st Modern Olympic Games in 1896, graded NGC UNC Details, which fetched €40,000 (approx. $48,400) at a sale presented by A. Karamitsos in April 2021
- a German gold-plated silver medal for the 1st prize of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, graded NGC MS 61, certified by NGC after achieving $44,400 at a Heritage Auctions sale in February 2020
About Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC®)
NGC is the world’s largest and most trusted independent grading service of coins, tokens and medals. More than 60 million collectibles are certified, including a 1787 Brasher Doubloon that sold for a record $9.36 million. Founded in 1987, NGC provides accurate, consistent and unbiased evaluation of authenticity and grading, backed by the comprehensive NGC Guarantee, giving collectors greater confidence. For more information, visit NGCcoin.com.
NGC is part of the Certified Collectibles Group® (CCG®), whose mission is to support collectors with services that ignite passion, create value and build community. With more than 90 million certified collectibles in a wide range of categories, CCG’s four brands – NGC, Paper Money Guaranty® (PMG®), Certified Guaranty Company® (CGC®) and Authenticated Stamp Guaranty® (ASG®) – stand for trust and expertise in their hobbies.
