The 30 Minute Rule begins July 23 at 7:00 PM EDT. An Initial Bid Must Be Placed By July 23 at 6:00 PM EDT To Participate After 6:00 PM EDT
Winner's medal awarded to Norwegian sailor Alf Jacobsen at the Antwerp 1920 Olympics. Gilt silver, 60 mm, 89 gm, by Josue Dupon. The front shows a victorious athlete holding a laurel wreath and palm branch, with a statue of Renommee in the background, inscribed "VII Olympiade"; the reverse depicts the Brabo fountain above the Antwerp shield, with the Cathedral of Our Lady and city looming in the background, inscribed above, "Anvers MCMXX." Bottom edge is stamped “A” for Argent. Includes its original maroon Hoosemans presentation case, the top of which is marked in gilt, “1st Prix, VII Olympiade, Anvers 1920.”
Accompanied by four period photographs, 3.25 x 2.25 to 2.75 x 4.25, three of which appear to show the recipient, Jacobsen, working on his sailboat, and a typed Olympic qualification letter from the secretary of the Royal Norwegian Yacht Club, dated from Kristiania (Oslo) on June 5, 1920, in full (translated): “This is hereby to certify that Mr. Alf Bruun Jacobsen is approved as an amateur sailor and that he has been selected to represent Norway during the Olympic sailing competitions.” Norwegian sailor Alf Jacobsen (1885–1948) was a crew member of the Norwegian boat Irene, which won the gold medal in the 8 metre class (1907 rating) at the 1920 Summer Olympics.
Hosting the Olympics in 1920 was a challenging endeavor, so close to the end of the war. Because of financing problems for the Games, many shortcuts had to be taken; one of them was reducing the amount of gold plating on the first-place winner’s medals. For many, most of the gilding wore off almost immediately, and, as is often the case, many of the medals appear almost silver. This example, however, has retained a beautiful golden sheen not commonly seen on these rare and coveted medals.
A total of 29 nations attended the VII Olympiad in Antwerp, Belgium, with Hungary, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire all banned from competing due to their involvement in World War I and the cancellation of the 1916 Games. Despite such political unrest, the return of the Games debuted a trinity of enduring Olympic traditions: the voicing of the Olympic Oath, the symbolic release of doves, and the initial flying of the Olympic flag. An exceptional first-place medal of the utmost historical interest and rarity.
