This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/11/2022
Offered here is an extremely well-preserved bronze winner's medal issued for the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. It was not presented to an athlete, but rather Mr. Siegfried Perrey, an important executive of the Oympic Organizing Committee at the '72 Munich Games.
The obverse has “XX. Olympiade Munchen 1972” with Nike, goddess of victory, seated before the Colosseum. The reverse depicts mythological twins Castor and Pollux, the patrons of competitive sport and friendship, with the artist's monogram below. This was the first winner's medal since 1928 to feature a new design on the reverse, replacing the traditional rendition of a victorious athlete carried by a jubilant crowd. The bottom edge is blank unlike a winner's medal awarded to an athlete (which would have the event and athlete's name engraved). Made of bronze, 66 mm in diameter, 130 grams (without chain) or 184 g (with chain); designed by Gerhard Marcks and struck by the Bavarian Mint. Aside from some light scratches on the surface, the medal appears in VF/EF condition. Complete with its brass chain, the medal comes in its original white hinged presentation case with a velvet-lined interior and the '72 Munich Games logo on the exterior.
A longtime sports official in Germany known as "Mister Olympia," Siegfied Perrey was the OOC's head of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at the '72 Munich Olympics. He and other prominent OOC and IOC members were presented with unawarded winner's medals like this. Most of the awarded examples, it seems, are missing their white cases. Our consignor acquired the late Mr. Perrey's medal directly from his estate.