Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 5 Pounds 1984, KM# 558, Egypt, Los Angeles 1984 Summer Olympics
  • 5 Pounds 1984, KM# 558, Egypt, Los Angeles 1984 Summer Olympics
Description

The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad and commonly known as Los Angeles 1984) was an international multi-sport event held from July 28 to August 12, 1984, mainly in Los Angeles, California, United States. It marked the second time that Los Angeles had hosted the Games, the first being in 1932. California was the home state of the incumbent U.S. President, Ronald Reagan, who officially opened the Games.

The 1984 Games were boycotted by a total of fourteen Eastern Bloc countries, including the Soviet Union and East Germany, in response to the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan; Romania was the only Eastern Bloc state that opted to attend the Games. Iran and Libya also chose to boycott the Games for unrelated reasons. Despite the field being depleted in certain sports due to the boycott, 140 National Olympic Committees took part, a record number at the time. The United States won the most gold and overall medals, followed by West Germany and Romania.

The 1984 Summer Olympics are widely considered to be the most financially successful modern Olympic Games, serving as an example on how to run a model Olympic games. As a result of low construction costs, coupled with a reliance on private corporate funding, the 1984 Games generated a profit of over $250 million.

Obverse

Depicts ancient sports scenes (2 swordsmen left of 2 wrestlers) between the Los Angeles 1984 Summer Olympics emblem above and hieroglyphic letters below. Denomination in Arabic and English.

The emblem of the 1984 Games, known as "Stars in Motion", featured red, white and blue stars arranged horizontally and struck through with alternating streaks.

1984
٥ ج
5 L.E

Reverse

Calligraphic art state name "Arab Republic of Egypt" in the centre with a torch (above) and Olympic emblem (below), the inscription "The 25th Olympic Games in Los Angeles". Dates (Hegira and Gregorian) below with abbreviation of state name "A R E".

دورة الالعاب الأولمبية الثالثة و عشرون بلوس انجيلوس
جمهورية
مصر العربية
١٤٠٤ ١٩٨٤
ARE

Edge
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Silver
Fineness 0.720
Weight 17.5 g
Diameter 37 mm
Thickness 2 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Cairo Mint

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