1973-P Bronze Medal D1973-3e, 76mm Jim Thorpe

Coin Details

Description

Swoger catalog number D1973-3e. This 76mm bronze medal was struck at the United States Mint in Philadelphia as a memorial to Jim Thorpe. Thorpe's athletic achievements were extraordinary across multiple sports — he averaged 5.2 yards per carry in professional football, batted .252 over six major league baseball seasons, and set Olympic records in the decathlon that stood for decades. The inscription "Jim Thorpe" distinguishes this from the "Jim Thorpe Memorial" version at the same PCGS listing. Thorpe's story is also one of injustice — his Olympic medals were taken away because he had earned small amounts playing semi-professional baseball before the 1912 Games, a practice common among college athletes of his era. The Swoger catalog (D-series), compiled by Tom Swoger, documents modern U.S. Mint commemorative medals from 1956 onward. This 76mm bronze is the large-format base-metal Jim Thorpe issue.

Rarity Notes

Large-format 76mm bronze Jim Thorpe medal. Standard base-metal issue for public sale. Exact mintage not separately reported.

Cross References

PCGS #76136; Swoger D1973-3e