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1968 Summer Olympic Bronze Medal

pruebaspruebas Posts: 4,568 ✭✭✭✭✭
in World & Ancient Coins Forum

Here's something cool I just bought in Mexico. A bronze medal in Swimming from the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. I know it's for swimming because the loop where the sash attaches has a decoration with the swimming icon. The medal comes with the original sash, but not the plastic box it was issued with.

Since I haven't received it yet, I don't know if there is any edge inscription as to the name of the winner. However, if the winner is Mexican (and I may never be able to know for sure), there was only one bronze medal winner for swimming in the 1968 Summer Olympics, a woman named Maria Teresa Ramirez. Mexico, the host country, won 3 each of gold, silver, and bronze in 1968.

Clearly the medal has been "handled," and that's so cool. The winner obviously was very proud of it and held it up to show the world.

I feel rather guilty owning it knowing that the family sold it off for some reason. Or could it have been stolen at some point?

Comments

  • TomBTomB Posts: 21,350 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I wouldn't feel any guilt at all in owning the medal. It's obviously very cool and few, if any, of us will ever own one; but unless it was stolen or acquired by some other, underhanded manner, then it means that the people who have owned it over time have valued something else more than the medal. Enjoy it.

    Thomas Bush Numismatics & Numismatic Photography

    In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson

    image
  • SwampboySwampboy Posts: 12,999 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Cool pick up.

    I hope you will enjoy it guiltlessly.

    FWIW I know of a family that sold a Nobel Prize medal in order to do something very worthwhile with the proceeds.

    "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso

  • pruebaspruebas Posts: 4,568 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'm bumping this thread because in case anyone is interested, Olympian Olga Korbut's collection of Olympic medals are up for auction next Saturday at Heritage. Even if you don't have any interest in owning the medals, the lot descriptions are an interesting read.

    Link to the first lot.

  • carabonnaircarabonnair Posts: 1,423 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @pruebas said:

    Since I haven't received it yet, I don't know if there is any edge inscription as to the name of the winner.

    Did you discover the name of the recipient?

    Gawain

    Pacific Northwest Numismatic Association
  • pruebaspruebas Posts: 4,568 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @carabonnair said:

    @pruebas said:

    Since I haven't received it yet, I don't know if there is any edge inscription as to the name of the winner.

    Did you discover the name of the recipient?

    Not yet. The seller is holding the medal in Mexico for me until I go down there in mid-March to pick it up.

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