Offered here is one of the true Holy Grails of the golf collecting world - an original golf trophy from the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis.

This trophy was awarded to 1904 Olympic Games Semi-Finalist Burt McKinnie. McKinnie is now considered an Olympic bronze medalist in the official records, but this was his trophy at the time. Though the Olympics has become famous for its gold, silver, and bronze medals, most of the awards for Golf in the 1904 Olympics were trophies. In fact, we uncovered a picture showing the table of trophies about to be presented to the winners of the various golf events in 1904.

Of those trophies, 7 are known to exist.

1. Champion George Lyon’s trophy [size: 18"] Owned by Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, Toronto

2. The Burt McKinnie trophy [10"] (Semi-Finalist) **Offered in this Auction

3. The “Warren Wood” trophy [10"] (Consolation Event) Private Collection **SOLD for $493,000 in our Summer 2021 Auction

4. The “Lee Jones” trophy [10"]  (Special Handicap) Private Collection

5. The “Chandler Egan” trophy [approx 14"] (Finalist) LA84 (1984 Olympics) Museum, Los Angeles

6. The “Newton” trophy [10"] Owned by the USGA museum

7. The  Putting Contest trophy [10"] (Putting Contest) - Owned by the Family 

That’s it. 7 trophies, 3 of which are in museums, and 2 more are owned by the Olympian's Heirs - one of which will find a new home at the conclusion of this auction.

Both aesthetically and historically, this 1904 Olympic Games trophy is among the finest golf trophies ever to reach the auction block.

We last located and sold a 1904 Olympics trophy in our Summer 2021 Auction, and it brought $493,000. After that historic sale, how many other trophies surfaced? None. Until Now...

The front of the trophy is adorned with raised lettering that reads:

OLYMPIC GAMES
SEPTEMBER 1904
GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
SEMI-FINALST
PRESENTED BY
MR.W.L. KLINE
WON BY
BURT P. McKINNIE

The reverse is adorned with an image of Glen Echo’s clubhouse, and has raised letters that read:

GLEN ECHO COUNTRY CLUB
ST. LOUIS, USA

The trophy itself stands a little over 10” tall and weighs 43.1 troy ounces of sterling silver.

Letter of Provenance from 1904 Olympic Games Golf Semi-Finalist Burt McKinnie's Heir