The association of medals with sporting events has a long history. Among the precursors of modern Olympic medals are the gold “victory medals” awarded as prizes at the universal games of Olympia Alexandria in Veria in the 3rd century AD. They have been found in hoards in Abukir, Egypt, and Tarsus, Cilicia. A “medal” of this type exhibited in the Hall of Medals of the Numismatic Museum depicts Victory carving an inscription on a shield (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1: Gold “medal”, c. 230-250 AD (reverse), NM 1/1963

In the first modern Olympic Games (from 1896 to 1904), medals were awarded only to the first two winners. The first winner’s medal was silver and the second winner’s bronze. This choice was made intentionally because it was considered that a gold medal would not be in keeping with the spirit of the games, which did not focus on monetary rewards.

Fig. 2: The silver medal of the first winner in the events of the first International Olympic Games, Athens 1896 (obverse), NM 1895/6 ΝΤ΄ 1

The medal of the winners of the first International Olympic Games in Athens in 1896 was designed by the French engraver Jules-Clément Chaplain. It depicts Zeus holding a globe on which stands a Victory holding an olive branch (Fig.2). The representation was inspired by the cult statue that Phidias created for the temple of Olympia. Victory – the personification of Greece or the Revival of the ancient Olympic Games according to other versions – is also depicted on the gold commemorative medal of the first Olympic Games (Fig. 3), which was created by the painter Nikephoros Lytras. The representation is accompanied by the mythical bird Phoenix, a symbol of rebirth.

Fig. 3 Gold-plated commemorative medal of the first International Olympic Games, Athens 1896 (obverse), NM 1895/6 ΝΜΑ 5

 

Bibliography

Glytsi, E. 2004. Victory in the medals of the Olympic Games, in Niki-Victoria, Coins and Medals, 12-23. Athens: Ministry of Culture, Numismatic Museum.

Stogias, G. and Ralli, E. 2008. “The world of the medal”. In E. Apostolou and G. Nikolaou (eds.), The History of the Coin, 122-129. Athens: Numismatic Museum, Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

Triantafyllidou, Z.-M. 1993. Medals and Plaques. Views from the work of well-known Greek sculptors and metalworkers 1850-1986/7, within the context of the contemporary international Renaissance of the genre, Volume 1. Athens: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Sofia N. Saripolou Library.