The Nobel Peace Prize that Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov was auctioning off to raise money for Ukrainian refugee children has sold for $ 103.5 million (£ 84.5 million), breaking a Nobel record.
Previously, the highest paid medal ever for a Nobel Prize medal was in 2014, when James Watson, the co-discovery of the structure of DNA earned him a Nobel Prize in 1962, sold his medal. for $ 4.76 million.
Three years later, the family of its co-recipient, Francis Crick, received $ 2.27 million in a bid from Heritage Auctions, the same company that auctioned off the Muratov Medal on Monday, World Refugee Day.
Muratov, who received the gold medal in October 2021, helped found the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta and was the editor-in-chief of the publication when it closed in March amid Kremlin crackdown on journalists and public dissent following the invasion of Russia. of Ukraine.
It was Muratov’s idea to auction off his prize, as he had already announced that he was giving away the $ 500,000 cash prize that accompanies him to a charity. The idea of the donation, he said, “is to give refugee children a chance at a future.”
Muratov said the proceeds would go directly to Unicef in its efforts to help war-displaced children in Ukraine. Basically, 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 especially concerned about children who have been orphaned due to the conflict in Ukraine. “We want to give back their future,” he said.
He added that it is important that international sanctions imposed on Russia do not prevent humanitarian aid, such as medicine for rare diseases and bone marrow transplants, from reaching people in need.
“It should become the start of a flashmob as an example to follow because people are auctioning off their valuable possessions to help the Ukrainians,” Muratov said in a video posted by Heritage Auctions, which handled the sale but no part of the income is taken away.
Muratov shared the Nobel Peace Prize last year with Filipino journalist Maria Ressa. The two journalists, who each received their own medals, were honored for their battles to preserve freedom of expression in their respective countries, despite being attacked by harassment, their governments and even death threats. .
Muratov has been highly critical of Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the war that began in February, prompting nearly 5 million Ukrainians to flee to other countries for security, creating the biggest humanitarian crisis in Russia. Europe since World War II.
Independent journalists in Russia have been scrutinized by the Kremlin, if not directly targeted by the government. Since Putin came to power more than two decades ago, nearly two dozen journalists have been killed, including at least four who had worked for Muratov’s newspaper.
In April, Muratov said he was attacked with red paint while aboard a Russian train. Muratov left Russia for Western Europe on Thursday to begin his trip to New York City, where the live bidding began on Monday afternoon. Online offerings began on June 1, coinciding with the celebration of International Children’s Day.
Earlier Monday, the high bid was $ 550,000. The purchase price was expected to spiral up, but may not exceed $ 100 million.
“It’s a very tailor-made deal,” said Joshua Benesh, director of strategy at Heritage Auctions. “Not everyone in the world has a Nobel Prize for auctioning and not every day of the week there is a Nobel Prize going through the auction block.”
Since its inception in 1901, there have been nearly 1,000 Nobel Prize winners in honor of achievements in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace progress.