olympic gold medal

"Miracle On Ice" Gold Medal Brings In Over $310,000

Last month we wrote about the planned auction of the first "Miracle on Ice" 1980 Olympic hockey gold medal ever offered in a public auction. It was estimated to sell for $100,000 as part of a sports memorabilia auction to be conducted by Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas and online on November 5, 2010. and it greatly exceeded that goal, selling for $310,700. Spirited bidding by 16 collectors who vied online and by telephone for the prize boosted the price. Part of the lure had to be that it was the first one to hit the market and also the sentiment attached, a connection to a time when the U.S. was transfixed by the accomplishments of an underdog team taking on the world and, against the odds, achieving the dream.

"The winning bidder is a Western United States rancher who enjoys many categories of collectibles, but this was his first purchase from our sports department. He is very excited to own this iconic piece of American sporting history," said Greg Rohan, President of Heritage Auctions.

The gold medal was awarded to Mark Wells, then 21 years old and a center for the U.S. team," said Chris Ivy, Director of Heritage Sports Collectibles. It was created by Tiffany & Co. The obverse shows a raised torch framed between the words "XIII Olympic Winter Games" and the Olympic rings. The reverse shown above has a tree with the raised text "Lake Placid 1980" and the engraved lettering "Ice Hockey, Mark Wells." The medal hangs from its original powder blue and white ribbon. Wells privately sold the medal earlier this year to an anonymous collector who consigned it to the Heritage auction.

Tags: heritage auctions, hockey medal, lake placid, mark wells, miracle on ice, olympic gold medal

"Miracle On Ice" Gold Medal Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Sports

For the second time in just a week we are seeing another of the world's most prized trophies, an Olympic gold medal, go up for auction. The first 1980 "Miracle on Ice" Olympic hockey gold medal ever offered in a public auction is estimated to sell for $100,000 or more next month. It is being offered in a sports memorabilia auction to be conducted by Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas and online on November 5, 2010.

"It is the first time any of the Olympic gold medals awarded to the 20 players of the 1980 'Miracle on Ice' U.S. hockey team that defeated the Soviet Union has ever been offered in a public auction, and it should bring six figures. This gold medal was awarded to Mark Wells, then 21 years old and a center for the U.S. team," said Chris Ivy, Director of Heritage Sports Collectibles.

Tags: gold medal, gold medal for sale, heritage auctions, mike wells, olympic gold medal

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Olympic Sprinter Tommie Smith's Gold Medal Up For Sale

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Sports

Olympic sprinter Tommie Smith's decision to auction off his 1968 Olympic gold medal for the 200 meter dash has caused quite a stir. Smith is no stranger to controversy, when he received the metal in Mexico City he raised his fist in protest while on the victory stand. Smith later wrote a book "Silent Gesture" about that moment and his experiences afterward. Smith's co-author on that book, David Steele, mentioned on our sibling blog FanHouse that Smith put the medal up for auction once before, in 1999.

This time it's for sale through Moments in Time Memorabilia along with his Puma spikes and a signed and notarized letter from Smith. The opening bid is $250,000. SF Weekly reports that so far there hasn't been a bid on the lot. The auction will end November 4. Gary Zimet, a representative of Moments in Time Memorabilia has said that Smith needs the money but "is not desperate."

Tags: gold medal, olympic gold medal, sports memorabilia, tommie smith