This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/15/2019
This torch was used in the 1968 Summer Olympics relay that brought the flame to Mexico City. There were five different variations, and this 'Type D' version is not nearly as common as Types A and B. The relay began on August 23, 1968, in Olympia, Greece, and retraced the route taken by Christopher Columbus to discover the New World, traveling through his birthplace in Genoa as well as where he initially set sail from Palos in Spain to the first land he reached in San Salvador. Type D is the style used by the final torchbearer who transported the flame into Olympic Stadium after the 13,620 km relay that lasted 25 days. Norma Enriqueta Basilio de Sotelo of Mexico was the first woman to ever light the Olympic cauldron.
The silver white-cast metal base has a black leather handle and an artistic top feature with "MEXICO 68 MEXICO 1968" creatively crafted into the metal. The torch is a compact size of 17 1/2" (44 cm) long, 4" (10 cm) in diameter at the flame opening, and weighs approximately 3 lbs. The interior holder/burner shows signs of combustion, but the exterior shaft is relatively smooth with light wear. The leather handle is in outstanding shape. Overall it presents in EX condition. An iconic memento from the Games that gave us the most important Civil Rights moments in sports history: the famous Black Power Salute from Tommie Smith and John Carlos.