XXXIII Olympic Games - Paris 2024
Last week the Summer Olympics started in the French capital with a spectacular opening ceremony. Until August, the best athletes from around the world will be competing against each other for the coveted gold, silver and bronze medals.
The Olympic Games of antiquity from around 776 BC, which were held in the Greek city of Olympia in the north-west of the Peloponnese peninsula, are regarded as historical precursors. Competitions were held in honour of the sanctuaries of the gods there, including the important temples to Hera and Zeus. Archaeological excavations on the site of Olympia at the end of the 19th century led to the revival of the games for men in modern times. The French educationalist and sports official Pierre de Coubertins (1863-1937) in particular played a key role in the revival of the games. He was also the initiator and first president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The first competitions were finally held in Athens in 1896. Since then, the Summer and Winter Games (from 1924) have been held regularly every four years (Olympiad).
Originally, only male athletes took part, but in 2024, for the first time, an equal number of men and women will be competing, meaning that a total of 10,500 athletes will be competing for a total of 329 decisions in 32 sports. While the winners of the ancient games were presented with wreaths tied from the leaves of the wild olive tree, medals were awarded in different metals in modern times. Initially, they were only made of silver and bronze, and only from 1904 (St. Louis, USA) were they also made of gold. The motifs on the medals can be freely chosen by each venue. In addition, all team members and officials received commemorative medals for the event.
In addition to the competitions, the ceremonial programme has always played a major role: the lighting of the Olympic flame and the torch relay, the entry of the teams and the ceremonial presentation of medals to the winners.
The Summer Olympic Games are followed by the Summer Paralympic Games in Paris. Here too, medals are awarded in gold, silver and bronze.
Two medals were also minted in 1896 to mark the reintroduction of the Olympic Games and were sent to the Coin Cabinet by the Imperial and Royal Legation in Athens. Legation in Athens:
The first medal was intended for the participating athletes and for official representatives. The obverse depicts Athena seated on a gloriole with a rising phoenix, with the Acropolis in the background. On the reverse is the 5-line legend in Greek * ΔΙΕΘΝΕΙΣ / ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΟΙ / ΑΓΩΝΕΣ / ΑΘΗΝΑΙΣ / 1896 framed by a laurel wreath. The medal was made by N. Lystras (Athens) and W. Pittner (Vienna).
The second medal is a commemorative medal for the organisation of the games with a handle and ring (12h). On one side, it shows the architectural reconstruction of the Panathinaikos Stadium in Athens, the central venue of the Games, and the legend ΠΑΝΑΘΗΝΑΙΚΟΝ ΣΤΑΔΙΟΝ / ΗΡΩΔΗΣ - ΑΒΕΡΩΦ / ΕΝ ΑΘΗΝΑΙΣ. On the other side it shows a laurel wreath with the legend ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΟΙ ΑΓΩΝΕΣ / 776π X.1896. It was minted by W. Pittner (Vienna).
Incidentally, the medals from this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games also contain a piece of metal from the Eiffel Tower, which will be celebrating its 135th anniversary in 2024. More on this in August!
Image: Wilhelm Pittner, N. Lystras, Medal, Olympic Games Athens, Greece, bronze, 1896, MK 140418.
