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17 NYC Marathon Medals Selling on eBay May Have Been Stolen: Race Officials

By Gustavo Solis | November 6, 2015 7:52am | Updated on November 8, 2015 7:10pm
 New York City Road Runners is investigating the unauthorized sale of 17 2015 New York City Marathon medals being sold on eBay for $89.99 a piece.
New York City Road Runners is investigating the unauthorized sale of 17 2015 New York City Marathon medals being sold on eBay for $89.99 a piece.
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MANHATTAN — New York City Marathon organizers are investigating the possible theft of 17 finisher medals after they appeared on eBay for $90 a piece.

The New York Road Runners did not authorize the sale of the medals and are trying to determine how someone was able to get so many, a spokesman said.

“Absolutely not, the medals are for finishers only,” spokesman Chris Weiller said  when asked if NYRR approved the sale. “We are looking into how these medals could be made available and where they came from.”

More than a dozen 2015 New York City Marathon Finisher Medals were being sold on eBay for $89.99 a piece.[DNAinfo/eBay]

As of Thursday evening, eBay user library419 sold 7 medals for $90 and $100. There are ten “100% authentic NYC 2015 New York City Marathon Finishers Medals” left. Photos of the back of the medal show the NYRR logo with a blank space for a runner's name and time.

The same user also sold four finisher medals from the New York City half marathon for $25 in October, according to the account.

NYRR distributes one medal to each runner that completes the race. Volunteers working on the race do not receive finisher medals, Weiller said.

It is not uncommon for people to sell their own earned medal after a marathon but the fact that the seller has 17 of them is suspicious, said running coach Jonathan Cane who reached out to NYRR after seeing the eBay page.

“My first reaction was who the hell would buy this,” he said. “If you didn’t race it and you are buying one to show off to your friends that is kind of pathetic but if you’re a runner and you lost it and you want to have a replacement that is fine.”

NYRR could not say what one of the medals is worth. 

“I think the value is priceless to those who finished,” Weiller said.