Sold For $46,506
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UPDATE: This lot's description has been updated to note an anomaly — this medal was struck in solid gold despite being awarded for a team event, which would typically have received a gilt silver medal per standard 1912 Olympic protocol. This makes the medal a rare and notable exception. Bidders who placed bids prior to this update are encouraged to review the revised description in full.
Solid gold medals – the last to be awarded at any Olympiad – were awarded to the first-place winners of individual events and a select few team/doubles/equestrian competitions, while gilt silver examples were given to the winners of team events. Notably, the men's team trap (clay pigeons) event does not appear among the team competitions typically cited as exceptions warranting solid gold issuance, making this medal a compelling anomaly. We have been unable to identify a documented explanation for why Hall's medal was struck in solid gold rather than the expected gilt silver. Regardless of the reason behind this deviation, the medal stands as an extraordinary and highly desirable example of Olympic history — a solid gold winner's medal from the final Games to award them in that form, and a rare survival from one of the sport's most storied early competitions.
The Fred Raymon Collection
