Coins of Finland 500 Markkaa Silver Coin 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games
Obverse: A wreath surrounding 500 and the legend: "Suomi Finland Markkaa"
Reverse: The Olympic Rings and the legend: “XV Olympia, Helsinki” and the date 1952
Edge: Symbols of 18 pairs and hands
Artist: A. Altonen and M. Visanti
Diameter: 32 mm
Weight: 12 grams
Thickness: 2 mm
Composition: .500 silver, .400 copper, and .100 nickel
Mintage: 18,500 (1951) and 586,500 (1952)
Mint Mark: H (for Director Helle)
Struck by Suomen Rahapaja (Finnish Mint)
Issue Price: 500 Markkaa (approximately $2.25 US)
Helsinki 1952 Olympic Games
The 1952 Summer Olympics (Finnish: Kesäolympialaiset 1952) (Swedish: Olympiska sommarspelen 1952), officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland, in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier selected to host the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II. It is the northernmost city at which a summer Olympic Games have been held.
The 1952 Winter Games were the first Olympics in which the Soviet Union participated (a Russian team had last competed in the 1912 Games), and the international tension caused by the Cold War initially prevailed. Prior to the Games, the U.S. Olympic Committee used the rivalry between East and West to raise funds for the U.S. team. The Soviet Union announced plans to house its athletes in Leningrad and fly into Helsinki each day; these plans were dropped, but a separate Olympic Village for Eastern bloc countries was created in Otaniemi. The Games themselves, however, were friendly, and by the end of the competition Soviet officials had opened their village to all athletes. The Helsinki Games marked the return of German and Japanese teams to Olympic competition. East Germany had applied for participation in the Games but was denied, and the German team consisted of athletes from West Germany only.
Nearly 5000 athletes competed, representing 69 countries. The track-and-field competition starred Emil Zátopek of Czechoslovakia, who won the gold medal in the 5,000- and 10,000-metre runs. He also won the gold medal in the marathon, in his first attempt ever at that event. The American men, led by pole vaulter Bob Richards and 800-metre specialist Mal Whitfield, won 14 of the 23 events. The women’s track competition featured the sprinting of Marjorie Jackson and the hurdling of Shirley Strickland de la Hunty, both of Australia. Soviet women, led by Galina Zybina, made a strong showing in the field events.
The 1952 Olympics also saw the debut of the Soviet gymnast Viktor Chukarin, who won the first of his two individual gold medals in the combined exercises. American diver Pat McCormick won two gold medals. Swedish equestrian Henri St. Cyr won a gold medal in both the individual and team dressage competitions. See also Sidebar: Lis Hartel: Beating Polio.