London 1948

Olympic Games London 1948 Medals

Front: Seated Nike, goddess of victory holding laurel wreath and palm branch. Colosseum in background.

Back: Victorious athlete with palm branch carried in triumph by jubliant athletes, stadium in background.

Designer: Giuseppe Cassioli
Mint: John Pinches Ltd., London, England

Seventeen-year-old schoolboy Bob Mathias, not thought to be old enough to win the decathlon, prevailed and won gold despite begin third after the first day. Through 12 hours of competition on the second day, much of it in a downpour, only Mathias was able to maintain a high level of performance. In the next few years he would prove it not to be a fluke. Mathias would win again in 1952 at Helsinki and was never defeated in his decathlon career.

King of the United Kingdom, George VI, opened the London 1948 Games and in spite of years of difficulties caused by rationing of food, clothes and other essential materials due to World War II, the Olympic Games were a rousing success.

For the first time, the Olympic Games were televised, albeit to small local audiences, since television sets were still quite rare.