A limited edition commemorative medal, "Jews in the Olympics," has been struck for the Southern California Jewish Historical Society’s exhibition of the same name. The medal marking the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles was designed by Alex Shagin.
Shagin has designed other Olympic medals. While working for the Lenigrad mint as an engraver he gained fame while in his 20’s for designing the geographic series on Moscow Olypic coins in 1980.
He has since emigrated to the United States where he has won fame. He was selected as an American artist to display at the Federation Internationale des Editeurs de Medailles in Florence, Italy. Shagin’s work was selected to be the resentative medal sold for the First Exhibition of the Medallic and Bas Relief Sculpture at the American Numismatic Society Museum in New York. His medals have also been displayed at the Olympics exhibit at the American Numismatic Association museum in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Crown Mint of Woodland Hills has struck the medal in one-ounce silver and bright bronze. The silver medal will sell for $29.95 and the bronze for $7.95 plus $3 each for shipping and handling.
In its exhibit the Southern California Jewish Historical Society will depict the role of Jews in the Olympic Games since 1896 when Jews won nine gold and five bronze medals. Memorabilia has been collected for the exhibit for the past several years from all parts of the world.
The exhibit is open July 1 to September 30, Sunday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 6505 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. Orders for coins may be sent to the society at the same address. The zip code is 90048.
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