Historic Olympic memorabilia representing more than a century of competition is heading for the block with RR Auction next week.
The most valuable medal up for grabs is a Garmisch 1936 Winter Olympics Bronze Winner’s Medal.
Just 755 athletes competed in these games, and winner’s medals were minted in extremely limited numbers. As one of only 36 bronze medals produced, the highly rare example comes with an estimate of $30,000+.
Further winner’s medals include a St. Moritz 1948 Winter Olympics Silver Winner’s Medal, valued at $8,000+; a Chamonix 1924 Winter Olympics Third Place Bronze Winner’s medal, priced at $12,000+; and a Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics Silver Winner’s Medal for Baseball, estimated at $8,000+.
Also on offer is a complete set of gold, silver, and bronze winner’s medals from the Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics. Created as a manufacturer sample by Reed and Barton, the presentation set comes in a wooden display case and has an estimate of $8,000+.
The sale also features a strong offering of highly collectible Olympic relay torches, with examples spanning from the 1940s to the present day.
Amongst the rarest is a 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics torch, designed by the National Research Council of Canada to resemble the iconic Calgary Tower.
The torches were shared by 6,500 torchbearers as the flame travelled 18,000 km through Canada, and this example – one of only 150 ever made for the event – is expected to sell for more than $40,000.
Another notable torch dates from the 1956 Cortina Winter Games, which marked just the second torch relay in the history of the Winter Olympics and the first time the event had been televised to an international audience.
Base on the design of those used at the 1948 London Olympics and the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, the torch retains its original wooden burner charred by the Olympic flame, and is valued at $20,000+.
Further highlights include a Tokyo 1964 Summer Olympics Torch estimated at $10,000+, and a London 1948 Summer Olympics Torch estimated at $6,000+.
Bidding in the RR Auction Olympic Memorabilia sale ends on January 19.
