The Academy Awards 2013 took place this evening, a night the top actors of 2012 have been preparing for all year. There’s nothing more prestigious within the acting community than winning the coveted Oscar trophy — which Daniel Day-Lewis has just won again — but the award is worth more than just bragging rights and may turn out to be a solid investment as well.
Many people admire the golden award without knowing how much it actually costs. Actor Daniel Day-Lewis, Best Actor winner at this year’s Academy Awards, now holds another one in his hands. Do you think he would be surprised to learn how much his award is worth?
Daniel Day-Lewis Best Actor Oscar Winner
Daniel Day-Lewis is an English actor who has a long history of success. Known for roles in the Last of the Mohicans, The Age of Innocence and The Crucible, Day-Lewis one the Academy Award for best actor as “Christy Brown” in Jim Sheridan’s My Left Foot in 1989.
Since his win, he scored more nominations, including best actor nods for In the Name of the Father and Gangs of New York. Then the actor gained another win in 2007 thanks to his superb performance in There Will Be Blood.
Six years later, Day-Lewis wins the important Oscar statue for his work in the highly successful, Steve Spielberg-directed historical drama, Lincoln.
How Much is an Oscar Worth?
The Academy Award of Merit, more commonly known as the “Oscar” statue, is the most recognized trophy in the world, presented to top actors and actresses since 1929. The awards ceremony and trophy were created “to honor outstanding moviemaking achievements and thereby encourage excellence in all facets of motion picture production,” according to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences website.
The statuette of a knight standing on a reel of film, holding a crusader’s sword was meant to represent majestic achievement. Since the initial awards banquet was held over 80 years ago, more than 2,800 statuettes have been presented, according to the Academy.
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In 2011, CBS estimated that the award was worth around $400. Of course, gold prices were closer to $1,400 per ounce at the beginning of that year. With prices up to around $1,650 today, one could guess that the 13.5-inch, eight-pound award could be worth closer to $500 — a bit less than an Olympic gold medal.
This doesn’t mean that the awards don’t gain greater value at a later date. For instance, Joan Crawford’s Oscar award for her performance in “Mildred Pierce” was auctioned off in 2012 for $426,732.
However, well before awards are ever auctioned off, the greatest benefit Academy Award winners receive is the recognition behind their win.
Talent agents have estimated that clients average a 20-percent jump in pay with their next film after winning the award for Best Actor/Actress. That type of payoff is exactly what makes the Oscar award more than valuable — it’s priceless!
Image: film-central.blogspot.com
