Nobel Prize For DNA Discovery Fetches $4.7 M In NYC

James Watson’s 1962 Nobel Prize medal for his role in the discovery of the structure of DNA. On Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014, the medal sold at auction by Christie's for $4.7 million - a world auction record for any Nobel Prize.

NEW YORK (AP) — A 1962 Nobel prize for the discovery of the structure of DNA has sold at auction for $4.7 million, a world auction record for any Nobel prize.

Christie's says the gold medal won by James Watson was purchased Thursday by a buyer who wished to remain anonymous. The New York City auction house says it's the first Nobel medal to be offered at auction by a living recipient.

Watson made the 1953 discovery with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins. He says part of the proceeds will go to the University of Chicago, Clare College Cambridge, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Long Island Land Trust and other charities.

Crick's Nobel prize sold last year at Heritage Auctions for $2.2 million. He died in 2004.