Excessively rare 1924 Chamonix Winter Olympics official’s badge with original light blue ribbon, the badge measuring 1.5″ in diameter and ribbon measuring 3″ long. The badge features a depiction of a flower and is engraved with the text, “Sports D’Hiver, Chamonix, Mont Blanc, 1924,” with “Officiel” against a blue enameled background, and “C.O.F.” below. Reverse of the badge is stamped, “1540.” The ribbon features gilt lettering identifying it as a figure skating judge’s badge, “Patinage Figures, Jury.”
The first Winter Olympics ever held, the 1924 Chamonix Games were of enormous significance. Even without the ribbon, the official’s badge for a figure skating jury member is rare; those with the ribbon are exceedingly rare, and even more so in such fine condition. There were only thirteen judges on the jury for figure skating at the 1924 Olympics, a competition which was historic as Sonja Henie’s first appearance in an Olympic figure skating competition; the juror wearing this badge would have judged her performance. Only eleven years old at the time, Henie finished in last place but would go on to take the Olympic gold in 1928, 1932, and 1936.
Chamonix badges are the rarest of all Winter Olympic badges and represent a ‘holy grail’ for Olympic badge collectors—very few of even the most seasoned collectors have an example with the original ribbon within their collection. Photographs of the Chamonix officials wearing these badges can be seen in the 1924 Official Report. An enormously desirable, exemplary piece of Olympic history.
