Obverse. Photo © Igor Knyazev
  • 1 Crown 1984, KM# 117, Isle of Man, Elizabeth II, Sarajevo 1984 Winter Olympics, Figure Skating
  • 1 Crown 1984, KM# 117, Isle of Man, Elizabeth II, Sarajevo 1984 Winter Olympics, Figure Skating
Description

The XIV Olympic Winter Games, commonly known as Sarajevo '84, took place from February 8 to 19, 1984, in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. It marked the first Winter Olympics held in a Slavic-speaking country and the only one in a communist nation until the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. Despite initial weather disruptions, the event brought together 1272 athletes from 49 countries, showcasing six sports across thirty-nine official events. Notable achievements included Finland's Marja-Liisa Hämäläinen winning three individual cross-country skiing races, and Yugoslavia earning its first Winter Games medal. East Germany dominated the medal table, particularly in women's speed skating and bobsleigh, with twenty-four medals, including nine golds. Despite the Games' success, the subsequent Yugoslav War devastated the city and Olympic facilities, leaving some sites abandoned, like the former bobsleigh/luge track.

Obverse

Depicts the second crowned portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara, the country name above, and the date below.

The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara was a wedding present in 1947 from her grandmother, Queen Mary, who received it as a gift from the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland in 1893 on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of York, later George V. Made by E. Wolfe & Co., it was purchased from Garrard & Co. by a committee organised by Lady Eve Greville. In 1914, Mary adapted the tiara to take 13 diamonds in place of the large oriental pearls surmounting the tiara. At first, Elizabeth wore the tiara without its base and pearls but the base was reattached in 1969. The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara is one of Elizabeth's most recognisable pieces of jewellery due to its widespread use on British banknotes and coinage.

Mint mark: PM (Pobjoy Mint)
Engraver: Arnold Machin

ISLE OF MAN ELIZABETH II
PM
1984

Reverse

Depicts a pair of figure skaters, the denomination below.

Pair skating constitutes a distinct discipline within figure skating, as defined by the International Skating Union (ISU), requiring teams to consist of "one lady and one man." Differentiated from ice dancing and single skating, pair skating involves specific elements like overhead lifts, twist lifts, death spirals, and throw jumps, alongside synchronized execution of single skating elements. Precision, timing, and trust between partners are crucial, aiming to convey the impression of seamless unity. Pair skating made its debut at the World Championships in February 1908 and at the Olympics in October of the same year, with teams from Germany, the United Kingdom, and Russia competing. Notably, Canada, China, and Russia have dominated the discipline, particularly the latter, which secured every pairs Olympic gold medal from 1964 to 2006.

Engraver: Leslie Lindsay

WINTER OLYMPICS • SARAJEVO
• ONE CROWN •

Edge
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Cupronickel
Weight 28.28 g
Diameter 38.61 mm
Thickness 3.17 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Pobjoy Mint (PM)

Related coins

People's Republic, Cross Country Skiers

Sarajevo 1984 Winter Olympics

Silver, 28 g, ⌀ 40 mm