The 2024 Golden Goggles Awards auction is live with exactly 500 items up for bidding at the sport’s annual award show. The money earned from the auction helps to cover the cost of the annual gala, with leftover money going to the USA Swimming Foundation.
This year’s batch lacks some of the “you can only get this experience here” that the auction has had in the last few seasons like cooking with an athlete or being a “broadcaster for a day” with the NBC crew, but there are still a lot of great items up for grabs
I’ve picked out some of my favorites below. When I think of silent auctions, my favorite items are things that have an intrinsic value that outweigh their actual cost – an experience that can’t just be easily purchased via a few clicks of a mouse. Things that are rare or finite or hard-to-find elsewhere.
Here we go with my favorites list
Olympic Trials Backstroke Flags Signed By Team USA (#97)
These backstroke flags are signed by the entire U.S. Olympic Swim Team, and the bid starts at $250. That’s less than the Team USA flag ($1000) and the postcard ($2000) and honestly, I think is the one of the three I’d prefer the most because it is the most swim-coded of the three items.
Autographed Casey Converse Book (#37) – $20 starting
At a starting bid of only $20, this is one of the lowest-priced items in the bid (along with a book autographed by Debbie Phelps). But with Converse passing away in August, the sport losing a barrier-breaker and honestly one of the truly good folks on deck, this one has some strong sentimental value. I’m sure one of his former swimmers will love this.
The book details the era of women’s swimming in the 1970s that were marred by scandal, including doping accusations.
Converse was the former head coach at the U.S. Air Force Academy , a U.S. Olympian, and the first swimmer in history to break 15 minutes in the 1650 yard freestyle.
Indianapolis Street Signs (#35, #76, #171) – $150/$300 starting
These are the street signs that adorned the posts in Indianapolis in June during the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials. There are three bundles: one of legends from the 1980s (Mary T, Janet Evans, and Matt Biondi); one of legends from the 1960s and 19702 (John Naber, Don Schollander); and one of legends from the 1990s and 2000s (Lenny Krayzelburg, Jenny Thompson, and Amy Van Dyken).
Named athletes got to keep their street signs, and these 8 decided to donate them to the auction – one of the really unique pieces of memorabilia from the Trials.
(There’s also a Cody Miller street banner up for bids for only $100).
Chats/Meet & Greets With Olympians (#34, #61, #99, #115 – $250/$200 Starting
Ever wanted to meet and chat with Kate Douglass, Regan Smith, Kaitlin Sandeno, or Shaine Casas?
I think this could be fun for a lot of folks. For a young swimmer with big dreams, it is a chance to learn and be inspired. For a grown up swim fan, it’s a chance to ask the big questions (like asking Kate what she thinks she could go in a 1650 free).
Golf With Charlie Swanson at Army/Navy Country Club – Starting $650 (#73)
The lone in-person Olympian experience I saw on the docket this year, the winner will get to golf at the prestigious Army/Navy Country Club in Alexandria, Virginia with Berry and USA Swimming Foundation Board of Directors Vice Chair Anne Berry.
Swanson made his Olympic debut in Paris, winning gold as a prelims leg of the American mixed 400 medley relay and silver as a member of the American men’s 400 medley relay.
Guided Fishing Trip Anywhere in the United States – Starting $1,400 (#45)
Michael Polsky of Polsky Consignment donated a lot of things to this auction, including this guided fishing trip anywhere in the US, including a guide, boat, bait, fishing gear, taxes, etc (no airfare or hotel).
I don’t know why, but just something about the freedom to choose anywhere in the U.S. and say “I want to fish there” appeals to me.
Hali Flickinger (#100) and Jordan Wilimovsky (#152) Signed Naming Plaques – 2020 US Olympic Trials – Starting $125
The plaques that commemorate both elite swimmers’ naming to the U.S. Olympic Team in 2021 in Tokyo, another only-one-of-these on earth. If you’re a fan of 200 butterfliers or open water, or Georgia or Northwestern, these might be the perfect items for you.
Pete Rose Autographed Banishment Document (#124) – Starting $400
Another gem from Polsky, this is a replica of the legal document from Major League Baseball that banned Pete Rose from the league for life. It includes both Pete Rose and the commissioner’s signatures.
Rose, who died in September, is the MLB all-time leader in hits, games played, at bats, singles, and outs, and was banned from baseball in 1989 for betting on the game, including his own team the Cincinnati Reds while he was a manager.
There’s a lot of baseball stuff on the auction block this year, but this quirky item might be my favorite.
