ST. LOUIS – A rare and historic piece of St. Louis history is currently up for auction: A well-preserved gold medal from the 1904 Olympic Games.
The gold medal was originally awarded to American Frederick Schule, the champion of the 110-meter hurdles competition in 1904.
RR Auction, a Boston-based auction house leading the auction, says the medal has several qualities that make it “one of the rarest Olympic prizes in existence.” The medal will fetch at least six figures, with the current leading bid at $168,000 as of Friday afternoon.
The medal features the inscription “Olympiad, 1904,” along with a design that celebrates athletic triumph. On the front, a victorious athlete holds a wreath. On the back, the medal depicts Nike (the goddess of victory) alongside Zeus (the king of gods). The event name “110 Meter Hurdle” and “St. Louis USA” are also engraved on the back.
Adding to its allure, the medal comes with its original ribbon and a waorn leather hinged case, making it an exceptional artifact from the first Olympic games on U.S. soil.
According to Olympics.com, the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis were the first during which gold, silver, and bronze medals were awarded to the top three places for many events.
Bidding for the 1904 Gold Medal is scheduled to end on Jan. 16. There have been 14 bids since the auction began, with the next one expected to reach at least $185,000, according to the RR Auction listing.
The St. Louis gold medal is the centerpiece of RR Auction’s ongoing Olympic-themed collection up for sale, which also includes medals from 1932, 1964, 1998, and 2012, as well as Olympic torches from multiple years.