Times are tough for Vin Baker apparently. The former NBA big man and Olympian made about $100M in his career even though he was inconsistent, had weight problems and admitted a problem with alcohol. Now he is auctioning off his gold medal from the 2000 Olympics. Here are the details from Gray Flannel Auctions:
The gold-plated silver medal weighs 6.85 oz, is 5mm thick and measures 68mm across. It is attached to a 39” turquoise-blue ribbon embroidered with “SYDNEY 2000” in silver. The medal features a design by Australian designer Wojciech Pietranik; it depicts Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, seated above the stadium and chariot along with “XXVII OLYMPIAD SYDNEY 2000”. This translates to “Games of the 27th Olympiad Sydney 2000”. The artist’s initials “WP” appear at the bottom of the design in relief. The verso of the medal features the Olympic rings along with an image of the Sydney Opera House and an Olympic torch. “BASKETBALL” and “MEN” have been engraved along the perimeter. The medal is in MINT condition and comes in a white leather case.
Back in 2012 it was reported that Baker was having financial problems so I am sure it is related to that. The bidding starts at $35,000 and runs through August 20th.