A significant piece of sporting history, a medal from the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, has sold for approximately €100,000 at Bruun Rasmussen Arts Auctioneers in Denmark. Winners of the 1896 Games received silver medals, while runners-up were awarded bronze. Gold medals were introduced later.
The medal, engraved by French artist Jules-Clément Chaplain, features classical symbolism. Christian Grundtvig of Bruun Rasmussen described it as a "crown jewel" for collectors due to its extreme rarity.
The obverse displays a portrait of Zeus crowned with a laurel, holding a globe with Nike, the goddess of victory. The reverse depicts the Acropolis with the Parthenon and the inscription "International Olympic Games - Athens 1896."
The 1896 Athens Olympics included 241 athletes from 14 nations competing across nine sports. The identity of the original recipient of this particular medal remains unknown.