Nobel Prize medals aren't just shiny keepsakes—they've dodged Nazis, funded wars, and fetched eye-watering auction prices. Recent headlines spotlight how these ultimate honors have been surrendered, dissolved, or sold off in moments of crisis and conscience, turning symbols of genius into tools for survival and charity.

In the dark days of World War II, two German Nobel winners took extreme measures. Physicists James Franck and Max von Laue smuggled their medals to Niels Bohr in neutral Denmark. But as Nazi forces rolled in, chemist George de Hevesy pulled off a stroke of brilliance: he melted the 23-karat gold into a solution using aqua regia acid, stashing it as ordinary lab liquid. The Germans ransacked the institute but overlooked the jars. Post-war, de Hevesy re-extracted the gold, and Sweden recast fresh medals for the duo in 1952. This tale proves science can literally dissolve threats to human progress.

Selling Nobels for good has a history too. In 2022, Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov's Peace Prize medal smashed records at $103.5 million, all donated to UNICEF for Ukraine's war refugees—a lifeline amid invasion horrors. Others paved the way: Niels Bohr and August Krogh auctioned theirs in the 1940s to support Finland against the Soviets, with the medals now in museums. DNA pioneer James Watson's 2014 sale attempt for science causes was thwarted when a buyer returned it, preserving his legacy intact.

Handing over medals stirs debate. One Norwegian laureate gifted his directly to Nazi chief Joseph Goebbels, a stain the Nobel Committee won't erase. Just days ago, 2025 Peace Prize recipient María Corina Machado offered hers to President Donald Trump at the White House, blending accolade with diplomacy. From acid baths to auction blocks, these stories show Nobel medals evolve with the times—resilient emblems of intellect turned to real-world action.