Previously, the highest paid for a Nobel medal was in 2014, when James Watson, whose co-discovery of the structure of DNA won him the Nobel Prize in 1962, sold his medal for $ 4.76 million. Three years later, the family of his co-recipient, Francis Crick, received $ 2.27 million in a bid from Heritage Auctions, the same company that auctioned Muratov’s medal on Monday, World Refugee Day. Muratov, who was awarded the gold medal in October 2021, helped found the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta and was its editor-in-chief when it closed in March amid Kremlin-suppressed journalists and a public outcry over its aftermath. Russian invasion. of Ukraine. Muratov’s idea was to auction off his prize, having already announced that he would donate the accompanying $ 500,000 cash prize to charity. The idea of the donation, he said, “is to give refugee children a chance for a future.” Muratov said the proceeds would go directly to Unicef in its efforts to help children displaced by the war in Ukraine. Once melted, the 175 grams of 23-carat gold contained in Muratov’s medal would be worth about $ 10,000. In an interview with the Associated Press before the auction, Muratov said he was particularly concerned about children orphaned by the conflict in Ukraine. “We want to return to their future,” he said. He added that it was important that international sanctions against Russia did not prevent humanitarian aid, such as medicines for rare diseases and bone marrow transplants, from reaching those in need. “The beginning of a flashmob should be set as an example for people to auction off their valuables to help Ukrainians,” Muratov said in a video released by Heritage Auctions, which managed the sale but did not receive any. revenue share. Muratov shared the Nobel Peace Prize last year with journalist Maria Resa from the Philippines. The two journalists, each receiving their own medals, were honored for their struggles to maintain freedom of speech in their respective countries, despite being attacked by harassment, their governments and even death threats. Muratov sharply criticized Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the war that broke out in February, forcing nearly 5 million Ukrainians to flee to other countries for security, creating the biggest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II. Freelance journalists in Russia have been brought under control by the Kremlin unless there were clear goals for the government. Since Putin came to power more than two decades ago, nearly two dozen journalists have been killed, including at least four who worked for Muratov’s newspaper. In April, Muratov said he was attacked with red paint while riding a Russian train. Muratov left Russia for Western Europe on Thursday to begin his trip to New York, where live bidding began Monday afternoon. The online promotions started on June 1st to coincide with the celebration of International Children’s Day. As of early Monday, the high bid was $ 550,000. The purchase price was expected to move up, but perhaps not more than $ 100 million. “It’s a very personalized deal,” said Joshua Benesh, head of strategy at Heritage Auctions. “Not everyone in the world has a Nobel Prize at auction and not every day of the week there is a Nobel Prize that goes beyond the auction block.” Since its inception in 1901, there have been nearly 1,000 Nobel Prize winners for achievements in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and the advancement of peace.
