Highly sought-after winner's medal issued to Tatyana Samusenko for a fencing event (Team Foil) at the Munich 1972 Summer Olympics. Gilt silver, 66 mm, 157 gm (without chain) or 210 gm (with chain), by Gerhard Marcks; manufactured by the Bavarian Mint. The front is inscribed, “XX. Olympiade Munchen 1972,” and depicts the 'Seated Victory' with the Colosseum in the background; the reverse portrays the mythological twins Castor and Pollux, the patrons of competitive sport and friendship, with the artist's monogram below. The edge is engraved with the winner's event, "Fencing—Women's Team," and name, "Samusenko Tatjana.” Complete with its original golden chain and winner’s pin, marked on the reverse, “4615,” with accompanying black vinyl presentation pouch made by Bertoni of Milan.
This was the first winner's medal since 1928 to feature a new design on the reverse, replacing the traditional depiction of a victorious athlete carried by a jubilant crowd. A total of 364 gold medals were produced by Munich's Bavarian Mint, making these rather scarce, with this particular example deriving from the collection of a member of the dominant Soviet fencing teams of the 1960s and 1970s—Samusenko won gold medals in the team foil event at the 1960 Rome, 1968 Mexico City, and 1972 Munich Summer Olympic Games.
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