AUCTION BLOCK:
CASHING IN ON OLYMPIC HISTORY

Getty Images

Beijing post card options may be limited.

Historians tell us that the first Olympiad took place in ancient Greece, circa 786 BC. The only event was a 190-meter footrace, and the competitors ran it in the nude.

As such, memorabilia from the time is pretty scarce. Even Uni Watch must remain mum on the subject. Sadly.

When the modern Olympic movement revved up in 1894, collectors immediately recognized the historical value of the various stamps, stationery, programs, posters, and dinner menus generated by the nascent International Olympic Committee. The original organizing commission actually printed and sold its own stamps as a way to balance the budget. In 1939, a stamp was issued to honor the founder of the IOC, Baron Pierre de Coubertin.

Mike Pagomenos first began collecting Olympic memorabilia in the 1970s. Years later, frustrated by the slow-moving catalog auctions that were the norm for Games-related items, he took his brother's advice and started a website, Coubertin.com, where he has auctioned off everything from winner's medals to an official torch from the 1948 London Games over the years.

But it's not always the most obviously glamorous items that draw a crowd. "I saw one Olympic postcard from the 1906 Athens Olympic Games sell for $4,800", he says "The most popular items are postcards, stamps (and postal history), lapel pins, tickets, and programs."

Monetary value is only a part of the appeal. Some items take Pagomenos back to his personal favorite Olympic moments. "Mark Spitz and his amazing seven gold medals in Munich. David Hemery's superlative Mexico 1968 hurdles," he says. "Muhammad Ali carrying the Olympic torch at the opening ceremony for Atlanta 1996 was moving, and of course the nail-biting, heart-stopping, Lake Placid 1980 ice-hockey 'Do you believe in miracles?' final."

For him, sometimes a scrap of paper is all it takes to bring back those goose-bumps of yesteryear.

Mike also steered Auction Block toward the most interesting items currently available on Coubertin.com:

1925 Prague International Olympic Committee (IOC) Congress Badge: "This was the event where the IOC decided that the 1924 Chamonix Winter Olympic Games was good enough to be recognized as the first official Winter Olympic Games and to continue organizing more winter games. This serially numbered badge was worn by a member of the IOC who was present at that Congress."

Page from The Illustrated London News of November 20, 1858: "(Features) an article about the restoration of the Olympic Games. The event that it refers to is the first modern international Olympic Games that was held in Athens in 1859."

National Olympic Committee lapel pin: "Mounted on a wooden shield. Given, in appreciation, to the coach of the British boxing team for his efforts at the Mexico 1968 Olympic Games."

A postcard of gymnast Cesare Tifi: "Leader of the Italian gymnastics squad who competed at the Athens 1906 Olympic Games. He was also the captain and goalkeeper of the first football team to be founded in Rome in 1896 and a gymnastics judge at the Stockholm 1912 Olympic Games. He was the Secretary of the Italian National Olympic Committee 1929/30, and Secretary of the Italian Basketball Federation 1930/1. The postcard is signed by him and was given to an Italian pentathlete, who also competed at those games, as a momento."

Other historical memorabilia, available on eBay:

1972 Munich Olympiad Beer Stein: For some reason, I imagine Mark Spitz quaffing deeply and wiping suds off his glorious mustache.

1936 Berlin Olympiad Folding Manicure Set: While Der Fuhrer was sculpting his nails, Jesse Owens was blowing holes in his "master race" theory by winning four individual gold medals.

1980 Moscow Olympiad Misha the Bear Gearshift Knob: See what we missed by boycotting? This would have looked awesome in my LeBaron.

1912 Stockholm Stick Pin: The muscular figure on the pin appears to be having some difficulties with fly-fishing. Those Swedes are always so inscrutable. And symbolic.

1960 Rome Olympiad Torch: In case you have a spare $4,000 lying around. Light your date's cigarette with this, and you're a shoo-in.

Not for sale, but great to look at, is this gallery of Olympic posters, going back to 1896.

Not Olympic, but very cool: Kerry Wood is auctioning off an actual on-deck circle, signed by the Cubbies, for charity. Count yourselves very lucky.

The star of the 2007 auction was a signed clubhouse urinal. Bidding ends August 6th.

That's it for our look at historical Olympic memorabilia. Check back next Tuesday as we dive headfirst into the kitschy avalanche of stuff made to commemorate the Beijing Olympiad.

As always, if you have a great find you want to share, let Auction Block know at collectespn@gmail.com.

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