Best’s European Cup medal nets €177,000 at auction
The Manchester United and Northern Ireland star, who died in 2005 following a long battle with alcoholism, won the medal with the Old Trafford club in their 1968 4-1 win over Portuguese club Benfica.
The medal was among 13 awards presented to Best during his illustrious career which were all sold yesterday by the executors of his estate at Bonhams in Chester.
The total, £200,000 (€226,750), goes to the legend’s sister, Barbara McNally.
A replica of the European Cup Winner’s medal, which was made for Best by the Professional Footballers’ Association when he misplaced the original medal, fetched £9,000 (€10,200).
The BBC Lifetime Achievement Award the recovering alcoholic won in 2002 sold for £7,800, while the 2000 Belfast Telegraph Hall of Fame award raised £4,800.
Other important lots sold included the 2000 International Hall of Champions award, which made £3,960 and the Freedom of Castlereagh award, which fetched £4,560.
From private collectors, a limited edition George Best Faberge egg commemorating his part in the 1968 cup final sold for £25,200.
The last shirt worn by Best for Northern Ireland while a Manchester United player on November 14, 1973, sold for £6,000.
The sale also featured the shirt worn by Pele in his final international appearance for Brazil versus Yugoslavia on July 18 1971, which made £8,640; and a collection of Muhammad Ali memorabilia, signed and donated by the celebrated former boxer to Parkinson’s UK, which raised over £3,000 for the Parkinson’s disease charity.
The prices include buyers’ premium.
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