665 athletes (including 144 female ones) of 31 national Olympic committees (30 teams – the FRG and GDR athletes made up a United Team of Germany) competed at these Games. Totally 27 sets of medals had been played for in 4 sports.
Soviet athletes competed almost in all disciplines, and won 7 gold, 5 silver and 9 bronze medals. They were the best in biathlon, speed skating and women’s cross-country skiing.
The VIII Olympic Winter Games were officially opened by US Vice-President Richard Nixon.
WINNER MEDALS
OBVERSE: profiles of Olympic athletes, a young woman and young man, surrounded by the inscription in English “VIII Olympic Winter Games”.
REVERSE: the Olympic rings, with the motto “Citius, Altius, Fortius’ engraved around the top rim over the rings, and the name of the sport concerned – below the rings.
The mint name “H. J. Co. Sterling” is engraved on the medal ridge.
COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL
OBVERSE: a hand holding a lit torch surrounded by the inscription in English: “Squaw Valley, California, 1960”.
REVERSE: a composition of geometric figures crowned with the Olympic rings. A legend in English around the rim reads: ”VIII Olympic Winter Games”.
GOLD WINNER MEDAL (FIRST PRIZE)
Metal
|
silver-gilt
|
Diameter
|
55 mm
|
Thickness
|
4,3 mm
|
Weight
|
97,4 g
|
Designer
|
-
|
Mint
|
Herff Jones Co. (Indianapolis. Ind., USA)
|
SILVER WINNER MEDAL (SECOND PRIZE)
Metal
|
silver
|
Diameter
|
55 mm
|
Thickness
|
4,3 mm
|
Weight
|
104 g
|
Designer
|
-
|
Mint
|
Herff Jones Co. (Indianapolis. Ind., USA)
|
BRONZE WINNER MEDAL (THIRD PRIZE)
Metal
|
bronze
|
Diameter
|
55 mm
|
Thickness
|
4 mm
|
Weight
|
81 g
|
Designer
|
-
|
Mint
|
Herff Jones Co. (Indianapolis. Ind., USA)
|
COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL
Metal
|
bronze
|
Diameter
|
50 mm
|
Thickness
|
6 mm
|
Weight
|
77 g
|
Designer
|
-
|
Mint
|
Herff Jones Co. (Indianapolis. Ind., USA)
|