The fifth Summer Olympic Games were held in Stockholm, Sweden, and brought together 28 nations, with Japan making their first appearance. The events open to women were expanded in 1912 to include swimming and diving, and boxing was excluded at the request of the host nation. Surfing pioneer Duke Kahanamoku won a Gold in the 100-meter freestyle and Silver in the 200-meter relay. For the third time, the United States won the most Golds, collecting 25 including Jim Thorpe’s two Gold Medals in the pentathlon and decathlon. Thorpe’s incredible victory in the Game’s two most rigorous events prompted Sweden’s King Gustaf V to declare the American “The greatest athlete in the world,” to which the athlete replied, “Thanks, King.” Weighting in at 19.3 grams, it is believed that this is the medal awarded to Gold medal winners in team events. The medal is gold-plated silver, the first year the Gold medals were not of solid gold construction. The front of the medal was designed by Bertram Mackennal and depicts a victorious athlete being crowned by two women. The reverse was sculpted by Erik Lindberg and features a herald opening the 1912 games with a bust of Swedish gymnastics pioneer Pehr Henrik Ling and “Olympiska  Spelen  Stockholm  1912” around the edge. Only 200 of these Gold Medals were awarded at the 1912 games, making this a tremendously rare example of the ultimate amateur athletics award.

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