Nobel Prize medal

Nobel Prize medal
source
Name	Nobel Prize medal
Awarded for	Achievement in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, Peace, Economic Sciences
Presenter	Nobel Foundation
Country	Sweden / Norway
Year	1901

Nobel Prize medal is the principal insignia presented to laureates of the Nobel Prize and the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. First awarded in 1901, the medal embodies the legacy of Alfred Nobel and serves as a tangible symbol linking laureates such as Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr., François Mauriac, and Mother Teresa to institutions like the Karolinska Institutet, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee. The medals have featured in ceremonies at venues including the Stockholm Concert Hall and Oslo City Hall.

History and design

From the inaugural awards administered by the Nobel Foundation in 1901, medal design involved collaboration with sculptors and mints tied to the Swedish and Norwegian crowns. The obverse portrait of Alfred Nobel was sculpted by Erik Lindberg for the Royal Swedish Mint. Design decisions referenced earlier European medallic traditions embodied by artists such as Bertel Thorvaldsen and institutions like the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (Sweden). Early discussions over iconography involved representatives from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Academy, and the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institutet for each prize field. During the 20th century, events like World War I, World War II, and national material shortages influenced production, with occasional temporary collaborations with the Prussian State Mint and later the Riksbank for adjustments.

Description and composition

Each medal bears an obverse with a likeness of Alfred Nobel and differing reverse motifs reflecting the awarding institution: the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences medals for Physics and Chemistry, the Karolinska Institutet medal for Physiology or Medicine, and the Swedish Academy medal for Literature. The Peace Medal is struck under the auspices of the Norwegian Nobel Committee and bears a reverse designed to reflect peace iconography endorsed by the committee. The Economic Sciences medal, instituted by the Sveriges Riksbank in 1968, features a reverse commemorating Alfred Nobel’s portrait theme while acknowledging the Sveriges Riksbank. Medal composition has historically been 23 carat gold, later standardized to 18 carat green gold plated with 24 carat gold; earlier examples included gold alloys struck by the Almgren Medal Workshop and the Hannover Mint for certain replacements. Edge inscriptions occasionally record laureate names and award year as administered by the Nobel Foundation and engraved by contracted artisans.

Awarding and protocol

Laureates receive medals during formal ceremonies presided over by royal and governmental figures: the Swedish monarch at the Stockholm Concert Hall for most prizes, and the Norwegian monarch at Oslo City Hall for Peace. Protocol established by the Nobel Foundation and codified through tradition includes presentation alongside diplomas and monetary awards administered by Stiftelsen Nobelpriset. The medal is often presented by representatives of selecting bodies—the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Academy, the Karolinska Institutet, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee—and accompanied by speeches referencing laureates such as Niels Bohr, Erwin Schrödinger, Pearl S. Buck, and Lech Wałęsa. In exceptional circumstances, medals have been accepted by proxies such as family members, institutional delegates, or state representatives when laureates like Boris Pasternak or Lê Đức Thọ could not attend.

Notable variations and special medals

Occasional special issues include presentation versions, reserves, and commemorative struck variants produced for anniversaries of the Nobel Prize or national jubilees observed by institutions like the Royal Swedish Mint or private medallic firms such as the Lausanne Mint. Laureates have received duplicates or replicas, for example in the wake of thefts involving figures like Alexander Solzhenitsyn or Anna Politkovskaya in contexts involving state pressure. The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences medals carry distinctive inscriptions acknowledging the Sveriges Riksbank endowment. Commemorative medals and medallic medallions have been created by museums and archives including the Nobel Museum to mark centennials and exhibitions featuring laureates like Svante Arrhenius and Rita Levi-Montalcini.

Security, thefts, and recoveries

Security measures for storage and transit involve collaboration between the Nobel Foundation, national police forces such as the Swedish Police Authority, and private security contractors. High-profile incidents include thefts and attempted sales on black markets monitored by agencies collaborating with international institutions like Interpol. Recovery operations have involved diplomatic inquiries and law enforcement coordination when medals belonging to laureates such as Liu Xiaobo or other politically targeted recipients have been seized, extorted, or otherwise diverted. Provenance research conducted by institutions like the Nobel Museum and archives has aided recoveries and repatriations.

Cultural significance and market value

Beyond emblematic recognition connecting laureates to milestones like the Manhattan Project, the United Nations Charter debates, and landmark works such as On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies, medals function as cultural artifacts presented in museums including the Nobel Museum, the Science Museum (London), and the Smithsonian Institution. Market values for Nobel medals vary: while official policy discourages commercial sale, notable auctions and private transactions involving medals of historical figures such as James Watson or Frederick Sanger have attracted attention from collectors, institutions, and legal scholars. Economic appraisals conducted by auction houses and forensic assay laboratories often consider provenance, juried exhibitions, and the associated laureate’s legacy when estimating value.

Category:Nobel Prize Category:Medals