A 120-Year-Old Olympic Gold Medal Just Sold For Half A Million Dollars

Somewhat recently, a bronze medal from the 2024 Paris Olympics hit the auction block, but if you were in the market for something of the gold variety, I'm afraid you just missed out because a pretty cool medal just sold for a cool half a million dollars.

According to the Associated Press, a gold medal from the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis — the first on US soil — went up for auction in Boston and sold for $545,371.

The medal was won by American Fred Schule in the 110-meter hurdles, and the medal stayed in his family's collection until it was sold at auction as part of a lot with a bunch of other Olympic memorabilia.

Now that is something that would look mighty fine hanging in my office (read: extra bedroom that my fiancée lets me keep a desk in).

Those games — which as I mentioned were the first in the US — were dominated by the Americans. It was also the first Games at which gold medals were awarded, and according to the Associated Press, the US won 78 of the 96 that were given out. 

I would sure hope so. Remember, this was 1904 and there was no air travel to speak of, so most of the competitors would have had to complete a trans-Atlantic voyage to get to the games.

Then on top of that, once they got to New York or whatever port city on the east coast, they had at least a day of train travelin' to do before they got to St. Louis.

Good luck trying to win a medal in hurdles after all of that nonsense. Hell, I think if you dropped me back in 1904 and had me compete against some fella from the Austro-Hungarian Empire who had just spent two weeks on a boat and another two days on a train I think I could win.

Anyway, what a cool piece of history that someone has added to their collection.