Coins - 1984 Prestige
Set
The US Mint continued the Prestige Set in 1984 with another Olympic coin honoring the American
athletes and the Olympic games held in Los Angeles, California in the summer of 1984.
The 1984 Prestige set held six coins with a face value of $1.91, and the initial issue price was $59.
Using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Inflation Calculator, it would take $123.58 in 2010 money to equal
the purchase in 1984.
The 1984 Prestige Set continued the same size and style of package as the first Prestige Set in 1983. The
physical size of the package measures 4 1/2 inches by 6 1/2 inches by 1 3/8 inches. The simple,
burgundy outer box contains no labels or identifying marks.
The simple box holds and protects a book holding the coins and a Certificate of Authenticity
card. Burgundy leather bounds the book with a leather snap tab closure. The outside leather covers a
padded core with the metallic heraldic eagle spotlighting the center front of the Prestige Set.
Open the book and inside the front cover, the logo of the 1984 Olympics of stars
over the five Olympic rings is printed in silver on a cream fabric. At the
bottom "United States Mint" glides across the fabric in silver. The padded fabric protects the plastic and
acrylic holding the coins.
The facing page holds the six proof coins. Five of the coins are proof versions of coinage in
circulation and included at the top is the silver dollar commemorating the Olympic games. A pale
burgundy plastic holds the coins with clear acrylic protecting the obverse and reverse from scratches.
Inside the back cover, "1984 Prestige Set" shows at the bottom in silver script with the reverse of the
coins visible on the facing page through their clear acrylic covering.
As noted in the Certificate
of Authenticity, the Olympic commemorative dollar is only the second to be struck by the US Mint. The coin
was designed by Robert Graham who also created the sculpture shown on the coin for the entrance to the Olympic
Coliseum.
"LIBERTY" is inscribed around the top of the coin with "LOS ANGELES," "1984" and "XXIII OLYMPIAD"
around the bottom. "IN GOD WE TRUST" sits across the middle of the coin.
The sculpture shows male and female headless figures atop a gateway to the coliseum and was appropriately named
" Olympic Gateway." As noted
about his work, "The torsos of a male and a female figure were modeled from a water polo-player and a sprinter,
who both took part in the Games."
Mr. Graham died in 2008, but his work remains in cities around the country. He made many large public
sculptures around the country including a memorial to Joe Louis in Detroit, a monument to Duke Ellington in New York and a sculptural remembrance of Charlie “Bird” Parker in Kansas
City, Mo. Some say, however, that his proudest achievement was the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
in Washington, D.C.
As a silver dollar, the 1984 commemorative Olympic dollar contained 0.76 troy ounce of silver with the remainder
copper.
This particular silver dollar coin shows toning along the rim to the right of the statue.
The reverse of the commemorative silver dollar shows an eagle perched on a high rock with an
olive branch. The rock shows an engraved area with the inscription "E PLURIBUS UNUM."
"UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "ONE DOLLAR" are inscribed along the top of the coin above the eagle.
The eagle watches peacefully but alertly from his pose on the rock.
This particular coin's reverse also shows toning along the rim of the coin and to the left of the eagle.
Following the format of the first Prestige Set, the spine of this set
shows "1984."
For the history buffs, here are some highlights of the XXIII Olympiad (See
the 1983 Prestige Set for more highlights.):
President Ronald Reagan officially opened the games on July 28, 1984 in his home state of California in the city
of Los Angeles.
140 nations participated, however in response to the US boycott of the 1980 Olympics, many Eastern Bloc
countries did not take part in the games.
6829 athletes joined in the games with 5263 men and 1566 women.
The 1984 Olympic Torch was continuously carried by runners on foot, 3616 in all. The relay began in New York
City and ended in Los Angeles covering more than 9320 miles in 33 states and the District of
Columbia.
Rafer Johnson, winner of the decathlon at the 1960 Summer Olympics, was the final runner prior to the lighting
of the coliseum's flame during the games.
Americans turned out in record numbers to watch the Olympic soccer games. This interest, not only in person but
watching on television around the nation, led to the first World Cup being held in
the US in 1994.
Though not the Dream Team Olympics, future members of the team (Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and Chris
Mullin) helped the US Olympic basketball team win gold in 1984.
Due to the Eastern Bloc boycott, many of the top ranked weightlifting athletes missed the games
including 94 of the world's top 100 ranked lifters, 29 of the 30 world championship medalists and all 10 of
the defending world champions in the 10 weight categories.
The US won 174 medals: 83 gold, 61 silver and 30 bronze.
The Games of the XXIII Olympiad closed on August 12, 1984.
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