Participation medal, 1896

All participants in the first modern Olympics received a bronze medal designed by Belgian sculptor Godefroid Devreese (1861–1940). First-place winners were awarded silver medals and olive wreaths, while the second-place finishers received copper medals and laurel crowns. At the 1904 St. Louis Olympics, gold, silver, and bronze medals were awarded for the first time.
Gift of Stack’s Rare Coins

Courtesy National Museum of American History