Rare winner's medal issued to American featherweight boxer Jackie Fields at the Paris 1924 Summer Olympics. Gilt silver, 55 mm, 78 gm, by Andre Rivaud, Paris. The front depicts a triumphant athlete extending his hand to a fallen opponent, with the designer's name "A. Rivaud" etched below his foot, and the Olympic rings at the bottom; the reverse, inscribed, "VIIIeme Olympiade, Paris 1924," depicts a harp and various pieces of sporting equipment. Stamped "Argent" on the edge. The winner's medals for this Olympics were the first to incorporate the Olympic rings into the design. Accompanied by myriad newspaper clippings related to the career of Jackie Fields.
First-place winner’s medals from the Paris 1924 Olympiad are exceedingly rare, with this stunning example representing just the second that we have ever offered. Further augmenting its desirability is the medal’s recipient, Jackie Fields, one of the greatest welterweight boxers of all time. Born Jacob Finkelstein, Fields began his training at an early age, studying with legendary trainers Jack Blackburn and George Blake and sparring with future champs like Fidel LaBarba. He excelled as an amateur fighter, winning over 50 fights, and joined the American national team for the 1924 Paris Olympics. Fields went 5 and 0 against his international opponents and secured a gold medal in the featherweight division, becoming the youngest boxer to ever receive such an honor. The Olympic prize ignited the young boxer, who returned to the States to begin his career as a professional. Fields retired at the age of 25 with a record of 72 wins and nine losses, which included NBA, NYSAC, and The Ring welterweight titles. Fields was elected to the United Savings-Helms Hall of Boxing Fame in 1972, the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1979, the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1987, and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.
