Official 1968 Mexico Olympics ‘Type 1’ torch, constructed of silver-white cast metal, measuring 18″ in length and 4.25″ at its widest point. The cast metal body is fully grooved down the length of the torch, and the top features “Mexico 68” carved and traced twice around the rim. The interior of the torch exhibits some corrosion. Complete with its original pink-and-green tube, which has rusted end caps (one cap with a large portion rusted through). The torch relay recreated the route taken by Christopher Columbus to the New World, beginning on August 23, 1968, in Olympia, Greece. It notably traveled through Columbus's birthplace in Genoa, where he set sail from Palos in Spain, and the first land he reached in San Salvador. In all, there were 2,778 torchbearers on the 13,546 km route.
