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This Olympic torch, which was carried on a 4,350-mile odyssey from Olympia, Greece to Grenoble, France for the 1968 Winter Olympic Games, sold for $187,500 on July 20. Image courtesy of RR Auction

Torch from 1968 Grenoble Winter Olympics commands six-figure price at auction

Sheila Gibson Stoodley
Sheila Gibson Stoodley
This Olympic torch, which was carried on a 4,350-mile odyssey from Olympia, Greece to Grenoble, France for the 1968 Winter Olympic Games, sold for $187,500 on July 20. Image courtesy of RR Auction
This Olympic torch, which was carried on a 4,350-mile journey from Olympia, Greece to Grenoble, France for the 1968 Winter Olympic Games, sold for $187,500 on July 20. Image courtesy of RR Auction

BOSTON, Mass. – A torch from the 1968 Grenoble Winter Olympics sold for $187,500 at RR Auction on July 20.

The journey of the Olympic flame for the 1968 winter games was a momentous spectacle, symbolizing the unity and spirit of the global athletic community. The flame’s expedition began on December 16, 1967 with a lighting ceremony in Olympia, Greece. From there, it passed over Mount Olympus and traveled to Athens before being flown to the Paris-Orly airport. In France, the flame was entrusted to its first torchbearer, Alain Mimoun, a distance runner who won gold at the 1956 Melbourne games and was a three-time Olympic silver medalist. The final torchbearer was Alain Calmat, a figure skater who had previously secured a silver medal in Innsbruck in 1964. In addition to these two athletes, more than 5,000 torchbearers carried the flame more than 7,000 kilometers (almost 4,350 miles) on a path spanning the Jura and Vosges mountains, the Massif Central, the Pyrenees and the Alps. The flame even made a symbolic stop at Chamonix, the French town that hosted the first-ever Olympic Winter Games in 1924.

Fashioned from a rose gold bronze alloy, the Olympic torch was the work of the Societe Technique d'Equipement et de Fournitures Industrielle (STEFI). Image courtesy of RR Auction
Fashioned from a rose gold bronze alloy, the Olympic torch was the work of the Societe Technique d’Equipement et de Fournitures Industrielle (STEFI). Courtesy RR Auction

“The Grenoble 1968 torch’s provenance is truly exceptional, with its original owner having played a crucial role in the lighting of the Olympic flame during the momentous opening ceremony,” said RR Auction Executive VP Bobby Livingston. “These historical connections make it not just a valuable collectible, but also a unique artifact that carries the spirit of the games with it.”

Produced by the Societe Technique d’Equipement et de Fournitures Industrielle (STEFI), the 1968 Grenoble Winter Olympics torch is a true masterpiece of design and craftsmanship. Made from a rose gold bronze alloy with a red felt-wrapped grip, its design features a long, narrow combustion chamber with a crenelated upper section symbolizing the eternal flame. The sides of the burner head are adorned with three silver plaques showcasing the Grenoble emblem, a creation by artist Roger Excoffon.

The online bidding for the RR Auction Olympic Memorabilia commenced on June 22 and concluded on July 20.

Olympic torch