Official 1988 Calgary Olympics torch, comprised of aluminum with a maple handle, measuring 23.5″ in length, emblazoned on the handle with pictograms of ten Winter Olympic sports. The top is inscribed, “XV Olympic Winter Games Calgary Alberta Canada 1988,” and the ball at the bottom is engraved with the Olympic motto, “Citius, Altius, Fortius.” This unused torch, which is missing its fuel canister with wicks, bears trivial hints of tarnishing. The torch was designed to resemble the Calgary Tower, an iconic landmark in the Canadian city. The torch relay was an enormous event, with approximately 6,500 torchbearers drawn from an application pool of over six million. After the lighting ceremony in Olympia, the flame was flown to Newfoundland. The torch traveled 18,000 km through Canada over 88 days. Unlike many relays, the torches were shared and thus only about one hundred were manufactured. An exceptional example of what is one of the most sought-after modern Olympic torches.
