First-Ever Auction of Olympic Double Gold Medals
MELBOURNE, Oct. 20/Medianet International-AsiaNet/ --
They were the toast of the 1956 Australian Olympics after unexpectedly winning gold in the 2000m
Tandem cycling event. After 50 years of enduring mateship they are offering their gold medals, and
selected Olympic and sporting memorabilia, for sale in what is believed to be a world first.
Ian ‘Joey’ Browne and Tony ‘Tippy’ Marchant were eliminated after losing their first two races but
earned a reprieve when the Soviet Union pair were hospitalised following a crash. The success that
followed was unexpected, mostly by them!
Among the lots for sale are Olympic participation medals, Commonwealth Games memorabilia, and
various items of clothing.
The dual Olympic gold medals are being offered for sale by Leski Auctions on Thursday, November
6th at 5.30pm. Each gold medal has a pre-sale estimate of $40,000 - $50,000.
“This is an inspiring story of two friends who effectively made a pact to sell their significant
collection of Olympic and sporting memorabilia,” says Charles Leski. “This is Australian mateship
writ large.”
NB: Both Browne and Marchant in a rare show of solidarity are putting up a total of 62 lots with a
pre-sale estimate of between $120,000 and $150,000. Their tandem bike from the 1956 Melbourne
Olympics is on permanent display at the National Sports Museum, Melbourne.
About Leski Auctions
It was the first auction house in Australia to introduce an on-line, real-time bidding system ‘Live Bid
Online’™, which allows participation from anywhere in the world. It currently runs 22 auctions per
year.
Leski Auctions has previously sold many significant collections, including those of Shirley
Strickland, Ron Clarke, Sir Reginald Ansett and former RSL President, Bruce Ruxton. It has sold
more ‘baggy green’ caps than any other auction house in the world, and is one of the largest
auctioneers of cricket memorabilia by value and volume. Leski Auctions recently sold the newly-
discovered Phar Lap horse tonic recipe book. It recently achieved a world record price for a
Bradman bat.
The company is located at 13 Cato Street, Hawthorn East 3123 Australia. Telephone +61-3-864
CONTACT: Charles Leski,
Leski Auctions
Tel: +61-3-9864 9999
charles@leski.com.au
Michael Krape
Michael Krape Consulting
Tel: +61-403-135-880
michaelkrape@krape.com.au
SOURCE: Charles Leski Auctions
NEWS 
