Italy: New three-coin gold Proof set remembers the history of the Olympic Games in Italy

The Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato Italiano (IPZS) has launched a new three-coin gold collector set which remembers the history of the modern Olympic Games in Italy. The coins are also in honour of the city of Cortina, which will once again host the Winter Olympic Games in 2026, having been chosen on the 24th June by the International Olympic Committee and competing against Stockholm, Sweden. Italy has hosted the modern Olympic Games a total of three times, once in 1960 for the XVII Summer Olympiad in Rome and twice for the Winter Games. The first of the Winter Games was hosted in the city of Cortina in 1956 and, more recently, in the city of Turin in 2006.

The VII Winter Olympic Games, hosted in Cortina, had originally been awarded the 1944 Winter Olympics, which were cancelled due to the Second World War. They were chosen over Montreal, Canada, Colorado Springs, and Lake Placid. The Cortina Games were unique in that many of the venues were within walking distance of each other.

The XVII Olympic Games of 1960 is considered by many as pivotal of the modern era. Taking place at the height of Cold War, tensions between the U.S. and the former USSR were at their most provocative, with the West and communist East competing on the world stage for dominance. The Games still managed to entertain and impress, establishing the Olympics as a valued fixture of post-WWII world society.

The XX Winter Olympic Games hosted in Turin was formally chosen in June 1999 by the IOC, competing against candidate cities such as Helsinki, Finland, Poprad-Tatry, Slovakia, Zakopane, Poland, and Klagenfurt, Austria. A record 80 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) entered athletes at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games, which was the first appearance for the countries of Albania, Ethiopia, and Madagascar. The 2006 Winter Olympics also featured 84 medal events over 15 disciplines in seven sports, the greatest number of events to date.

1956 Winter Olympic Games: Designed by Silvia Petrassi, the obverse side depicts a representation of the distinctive emblem, which also served as the official logo of the VII Winter Olympic Games of 1956 hosted in the city of Cortina. The legend around the primary design reads REPUBBLICA ITALIANA. Below the motif is the name of the designer, PETRASSI. The reverse side depicts the Olympic torch from the 1956 Winter Olympics, along with an image of the mountains of Cortina d’Ampezzo and the year of issue, 2023. The denomination 20 EURO is placed to the right of the torch, and the commemorative inscription shown in English CORTINA D’AMPEZZO 1956 – OLYMPIC HERITAGE, surrounds the primary design.

1960 Summer Olympic Games: Designed by Valerio De Seta, the obverse side features the official logo of the XVII Games 1960 Olympic Games hosted in Rome. The legend around the primary design reads REPUBBLICA ITALIANA. Featured on the reverse side is a depiction of the Olympic torch, which appears alongside the Coliseum. Above the coliseum is the year of release, 2023, and the denomination, 20 EURO. Surrounding the primary design is the inscription in English ROMA 1960 – OLYMPIC HERITAGE.

2006 Winter Olympic Games: Designed by Silvia Petrassi, the obverse side depicts a representation of the official logo of the XX Winter Olympic Games of 2006, which took place in Turin. Surrounding the primary design is the inscription REPUBBLICA ITALIANA. The name of the designer, PETRASSI, is shown below and along the lower edge. The reverse side includes a composition of the Olympic torch featured at the 2006 Olympics, together with a depiction of the Mole Antonelliana, a major landmark building in Turin surrounded by the stylized mountain profile of the city of Turin. Surrounding the primary design is the inscription in English TORINO 2006 – OLYMPIC HERITAGE. To the upper left of the Mole Antonelliana is the denomination 20 EURO, and to the lower left is the year of release, 2023.

Denom.	Metal	Weight	Diameter	Quality	Mintage Limit
20 euro x 3	.900 Gold	6.45 g	21 mm	Proof	1,000 (each)

Each coin is available as a separate purchase or as a three-coin set with a limited presentation of 500 sets out of the mintage of 1,000 pieces for each design. For additional information, please click here.

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