The medal, awarded after Manchester United’s landmark European Cup victory in 1968, was sold for £305,200 at a Bonhams auction. The final bid comfortably surpassed the auction house’s pre-sale estimate of £150,000 to £250,000.
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Bonhams declined to disclose the identity of the buyer. The medal had been offered by a private UK collector and was sold through an online auction held between June 15 and June 24.
A symbol of Manchester United history
Best played a pivotal role in United’s 4-1 extra-time victory over Benfica at Wembley, scoring the crucial second goal after weaving past the Portuguese side’s goalkeeper. The win made Manchester United the first English club to lift the European Cup, now known as the UEFA Champions League.
The triumph also carried deep emotional significance, coming just a decade after the Munich Air Disaster of 1958, which claimed the lives of 23 people, including eight members of Matt Busby’s celebrated “Busby Babes” squad.
One of football’s most treasured medals
Speaking previously, George Best’s sister Barbara McNarry described the medal as the most important item among the Northern Ireland star’s many footballing honours.
Simon Roberts, Bonhams’ head of sale, said the medal represented the defining achievement of one of Britain’s greatest footballers. He noted that the victory over favourites Benfica and Best’s decisive contribution symbolised Manchester United’s remarkable resurgence under Sir Matt Busby following the Munich tragedy.
Not the highest-priced football medal
While the sale attracted considerable attention, it fell short of the record for a football medal. According to Bonhams, Brazilian legend Pele’s 1970 World Cup winners’ medal was sold by another auction house for £346,000 in 2016.
The all-time record for a sporting medal is believed to be one of American sprinter Jesse Owens’ gold medals from the 1936 Berlin Olympics, which sold for approximately £942,000 in 2013.
Best’s enduring legacy
Widely regarded as one of football’s most gifted players, Best enjoyed a career spanning more than two decades, playing across the UK, the United States, Hong Kong and South Africa. However, he remains most closely associated with Manchester United, where he starred between 1963 and 1974, and with Northern Ireland’s national team.
The auction came shortly after what would have been Best’s 80th birthday on May 22. The football icon died in 2005 at the age of 59.
Another football collectible draws bids
The same Bonhams sale also saw the shirt worn by British referee Jack Taylor during the 1974 FIFA World Cup final sell for £28,160.
Taylor famously awarded two penalties in the final between West Germany and the Netherlands in Berlin. West Germany went on to secure a 2-1 victory over the Dutch side, renowned for its revolutionary “Total Football” style led by Johan Cruyff.
