Sought-after winner’s medal issued for the Grenoble 1968 Winter Olympics. Gilt silver, 60 mm, 124 gm, designed by Roger Excoffon and manufactured by the Paris Mint. The front, inscribed, “Xemes Jeux Olympiques D’Hiver, Grenoble 1968,” features the symbol of Grenoble, a snow crystal and three roses, and the Olympic rings; the reverse identifies the sport as ice hockey, “Hockey sur Glace,” and depicts a stylized silhouette of a hockey player. Complete with original colorful ribbon and attractive black leather presentation case by Monnaie de Paris. The medal's ribbon is creased and stained, and the case exhibits some staining to the interior and rubbing to the exterior.
Winner's medals for the Grenoble 1968 Winter Olympics were produced for the first time with a unique design for each sport. The Soviet Union dominated the Olympic ice hockey competition, which counted as the Olympic Championship, World Championship, and European Championship. The USSR went 7-1 in tournament play, dropping the penultimate match to the rival Czechoslovakian team. In the final match, the Soviets triumphed over Canada to win gold, solidifying their position as a powerhouse in international ice hockey during the era.
