This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/11/2022
The 1928 Winter Games held in St. Moritz, Switzerland, were in fact the first true Winter Olympics. The prior 1924 Winter Games in Chamonix, France, were retroactively renamed the inaugural Winter Olympics, yet in reality they were part of the 1924 Summer Olympics held in Paris. All preceding Winter Olympic events were essentially just part of the Summer Games event schedule and not held as separate Winter Games. The 1928 St. Moritz Winter Games also replaced the now redundant Nordic Games held every four years since the early 20th century.
Featured here is an extremely scarce 1928 St. Moritz Winter Olympics third place winner's bronze medal. Minted by Huguenin Freres of Locle and designed by Arnold Hunerwadel, these medals weigh 62 grams and measure 50 mm in diameter and 3.5 mm thick. The obverse depicts a female figure skater, with her arms outstretched, surrounded by ice crystals. The reverse features the five Olympic rings and five lines of raised letters, flanked by two palm branches, that reads in French: "II. Jeux Olympiques D’ Hiver, St. Moritz 1928." Only 495 athletes participated in the 2nd official (1st unofficial) Winter Olympics. This was one of only 25 bronze medals issued to 3rd place winners, and one of only 80 total winner's medals presented during the entire proceedings. A rare Olympic artifact indeed, this medal is cleanly struck and well-preserved for its near-century age appearing in VF condition with moderate wear and very little tarnishing. It should be noted that the most recent auction result of a 1928 St. Moritz bronze was $16,000 in 2020.