Nobel Prize given to the man who saved the lives of 200 million people has gone on sale for £1.6m ($1.95m).
Dr. Ernst Chain co-won the 1945 Nobel Prize in Medicine for the ground-breaking discovery of penicillin.
The doctor’s work was responsible for bringing the antibiotic to the world, and since its introduction in 1944 penicillin’s indispensable contribution during World War II alone was believed to have preserved approximately two million lives.
The genesis of penicillin’s discovery can be traced back to 1929 when Sir Alexander Fleming serendipitously observed its antibacterial potential.
However, his findings went largely unpursued until 1939 when Dr. Chain, in collaboration with Howard Florey, discerned the active antimicrobial component of the substance.
By 1940, Chain had devised a method to purify and amplify penicillin, setting the stage for its global impact. By 1944, this miraculous drug was being disseminated to the Allied forces.
The Nobel Prize in Medicine for 1945 was awarded jointly to Fleming, Florey and Chain.
New Orleans-based antiquity company M.S. Rau explain: “Dr. Chain’s Nobel Prize is more than a mere accolade; it epitomizes the zenith of scientific achievement and stands as an astonishing piece of global history.
“This antibiotic marked a transformative moment in medical history, significantly curtailing deaths from bacterial afflictions like pneumonia, gonorrhea and strep.
The medal itself is made of 23-karat gold with a purity of 95.83%, weighing a substantial 200 grams. Encased in its original protective box, one face of the medal showcases the distinguished visage of Alfred Nobel.
The 1962 Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded to American molecular biologist Dr. James Watson, for proposing the double helix structure of the DNA molecule, sold for £4.4m ($5.3 million) in 2014.
“Dr. Chain’s Nobel Prize is more than a mere accolade; it epitomizes the zenith of scientific achievement and stands as an astonishing piece of global history,” add M.S. Rau.
Produced in association with SWNS Talker
