Summer Olympic coins

The first Olympic coin can be traced back to 480 BC. The modern Olympics did not see its first commemoratives until 1951. The original concept of Olympic coins was that the Greeks believed that coins brought the general public closer to the Olympic games.^[1] The premise was that those who could not attend the games could at least have a tangible souvenir of the event.^[1]

In 1951 the government of Finland authorized the striking of the first modern Olympic coin, a 500 Markkaa. At first the coins circulated as currency in the issuing country and the mintages were high. The coins were a memento of the 1951 Games, and a coin that numismatists could collect. With the exception of Canada's Lucky Loonie program and its 2007 25-cent pieces to commemorate the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, it is rare that Olympic coins are minted for circulation. Traditionally, Olympic coins are numismatic coins.^[1]