Winner’s medal awarded to a member of the Argentinean men’s football team at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics. Gilt silver with inlaid jade, 70 mm x 82 mm, 190 gm, by Medal Design Group, China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Elena Votsi. Created from ancient Chinese jade patterns, the medal consists of silver and jade, which symbolize nobility and virtue. Jade has been regarded as a virtue since ancient times, and the embodiment of Chinese traditional values of ethics and honor. The front depicts the standing goddess of Victory against panoramic imagery of the Panathinaikos Arena, with text above reading: “XXIX Olympiad Beijing 2008”; and the reverse features the Beijing Games emblem surrounded by inlaid jade and the outer circle engraved with the sport, “Football, Men.” The design inspiration of the medal hook derives from jade ‘huang,’ a ceremonial jade piece decorated with a double dragon pattern and ‘Pu,’ the reed mat pattern. The medal's ribbon is not present. Accompanied by a letter of provenance from the widow of Argentine men's soccer coach Jose Luis Brown, stating that she received the medal as a gift in 2011.
At the Beijing Games, Argentina's men's football team continued their dominance at the Olympic level by going 6-0 and extending their record streak of 12 consecutive wins in Summer Olympics football competitions (six wins in 2004, six wins in 2008). In the gold medal match, Argentina edged Nigeria 1-0, with the game’s lone goal from Angel Di Maria enough to reclaim their second straight Olympic gold.
