By the 1920s Olympic posters were true works of art. One example at the 1920 Games featured athletes in impressionistic styles with a backdrop of Antwerp, Belgium. Both the date of the Olympics and the name of the city were presented in German and French languages.

Olympics collectibles could be a basic as a tin box issue during the 1936 Summer Olympics. The box with the Olympic seal on the lid bore images of athletes and the inscription, "Olympische Spiele", 1936, Berlin. A surviving example of the eight by 12 inch box, with dents and some chipping, auctioned in recent years at $235.

For the harder to please Olympics collector there is always one of the original torches which was once used to carry the flame from Mount Olympus in Greece to the site of the 'new' Olympics Games. In 1999 Leland's sold a silver torch which had actually been carried during the 1936 Summer Olympics where  America's Jesse Owens challenged Hitler's 'super race' theory in Berlin, Germany. The torch, with its Olympic symbol markings and map of the flame's journey through Eastern Europe engraved  on its side, brought more than $4,000.

Earlier at the 1936 Olympic Winter Games an ice skater from Norway was making her third appearance as a medalist. Skating in 1936, Sonja Henie won not only another gold medal but worldwide fame. A few years later the Madam Alexander doll company produced the first all-composition Sonja Henie doll. Various versions of the doll were produced well into the 1940s.

Over the years numerous objects have decorated with Olympic Games symbols and issued in conjunction with event. They have ranged from silvered metal cigarette lighters to a vast assortment of media buttons and pins.

A star of the 1976 Olympic Games was Dorothy Hamill. Like Sonja Henie before her, she was a wonderful skater who was a clear gold metal winner. This time it was the Ideal Toy Company that crafted a doll in an Olympic champion's image. The Hamill doll wore a skating outfit, had skates, and wore an Olympic gold metal around her neck.

In preparation for the 1980 Summer Olympic Games in Moscow, the Dakin Company issued a delightful stuff bear as the mascot Misha. The bear was attractive with an official Olympic symbol belt, but was ill fated. Since the United States did not participate in the world event that summer, the doll never received the appreciation it well deserved.

Eagle Same strutted his stuff in 1984 for the Summer Olympic Games held in Los Angeles. As it was earlier with mascot Misha, Eagle Same came in different sizes. But unlike Misha, the more unique Sam appeared in entirely different outfits.

Applause issued a basic all-cloth Sam wearing a multicolored top hat, bow tie, and vest which declared, "I Love The Olympics." In addition Sam also appeared in a weight-lifting outfit, and also as a baseball player. The baseball Same was probably the most elaborate of the issues and came with a vinyl bat. As a baseball player Sam maintained his cloth body but had a vinyl head.

A real Olympic charmer came along in 1986 in the form of a plush white mascot bear from the United States Ski Team. The doll, named B'ar, was produced by the Commonwealth Toy and Novelty Company and used as a part of fund raising and promotional efforts that year.

The following year another mascot star took center stage. Amigo was the name for the mascot of the Pan American Games held in the United States in 1987. Amigo was a bright green plush PAX/Indianapolis bird that came in various sizes but always wore a striking purple vest.

Olympic fans were give still another mascot figure choice in 1996 in the image of Izzy. This Olympic doll was all cloth and wore over-sized red shoes to denote a rather goofy look. Equit Marketing offered Izzy in various sizes but in all the same assortment of colors.

There were other Olympic-related dolls which never achieved official mascot status, but did have supporting roles. Among them were the Homer D. Poe doll from Office Depot. The plush doll were an apron promoting the USA Olympics. Also in the 1990s, Cabbage Patch marketed their OlympiKid dolls which were various Olympic Games costumes.

Of all the Olympic Games medals ever sold on the secondary market, one of the most unique was the bronze medal from the hockey games conducted during the 1980 Winter Olympics held at Lake Placid in New York. The Russian hockey was heavily favored to capture the gold medal but were upset by the United States team. The Russians were instead awarded bronze medals which many on the teamed viewed as a symbol of failure. As a result such Russian-connected bronze medals are sometimes seen on the collector market.

Such an example, with original ribbon and Tiffany and Company case, brought well over $2,000 at a New York auction in 1999.

Generally the modern Olympic Games which have spanned well over 100 years have generated, both directly or in directly, enough fine collectibles to fit any budget.