Beijing Olympic Torch Sells for More than $37,000

One of the torches used during the Beijing Olympic Torch relay sold for 260,000 yuan ($37,843) this week at auction. The auction was part of Olympex, an expo of Olympic memorabilia being held in Beijing.

According to the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) the torches were gifts to the individual torch bearers. They said that they do not encourage such sales, but that they were not going to ban the practice.

The Beijing Games are unique in giving the torches to the bearers. In previous Olympic torch relays, the bearers had the option to purchase the torches.

^{(photo © BOCOG)}