The bronze medal won by American basketball player Carmelo Anthony at the 2004 Athens Olympics has been auctioned off for $14,080, Inside the Games reports. A family member of Anthony’s listed the medal at auction house Julien’s Auctions. The buyer’s identity was not revealed.
The U.S. men’s basketball team beat Lithuania 104-96 to win bronze, while Argentina took gold and Italy won silver. It was the only time the American men didn’t win a basketball gold medal since professionals were permitted to compete in the Olympics.
Four years later in Beijing, the “Redeem Team,” which Anthony was also a member of, succeeded in their goal of winning back the gold. The 2012 London Games also saw a gold medal win for Anthony and the American men. At that Olympics, Anthony scored 37 points against Nigeria, breaking the record for most points in a single game by an American man at an Olympic basketball game.
According to Julien’s Auctions, Anthony was unhappy with his team’s performance in Athens and “no longer cared to have [the medal] in his possession.” He then gave the bronze medal to a family member as a gift. The medal was put up for auction in May, with bids starting at $4,500.
Anthony has been a member of the New York Knicks since 2011 but is currently a free agent.
