Scarce winner’s medal issued for the Paris 1900 Summer Olympics. Silver, 40 mm x 58 mm, 55 gm, by Frederic Vernon, Paris. The front, inscribed “Republique Francaise, Exposition Universelle, Paris 1900,” features a winged goddess scattering laurels over the grounds of the Exposition; the reverse identifies the sport as automobile contest, “Concours D'automobiles,” and depicts a victorious athlete upon a podium with a stadium and the Acropolis in the background. Stamped “Argent” on an edge. Alongside other sports like angling, fire fighting, and life saving, motor racing was one of the many unusual Olympic events held in conjunction with the Paris Exposition. The roar of engines attracted throngs of curious spectators to the sport’s fourteen events, which included divisions like two-seater car, four-seater car, seven-seater car, taxi, and even delivery van. Although the majority of races consisted of only French drivers, a few international entries from nations like Germany and the United States were included. A highly uncommon winner’s medal from a sport that added a unique mechanical touch to the Summer Games and the 1900 World’s Fair.
