Medals

Among the 285 medals minted for the XIV Winter Olympic Games, the Sarajevo 1984 prize remains distinctive for its departure from circular tradition. Designed by Serbian sculptor Nebojša Mitrić, the object encapsulates the visual identity of the first Winter Games held in a socialist state through its uniquely squared form and localized iconography.

Fast Facts

  • Designer: Nebojša Mitrić (Belgrade)
  • Production: Minted in Belgrade
  • Shape: Uniquely squared design
  • Obverse: Stylized snowflake with Olympic rings and inscription
  • Quantity Minted: 285 medals
  • Quantity Awarded: 222 medals
  • Accompanying Object: Paper diploma

Sculpting the Snowflake: Design and Iconography

The visual language of the 1984 Sarajevo Games was characterized by a synthesis of Olympic universality and local craft tradition. While the official emblem—a stylized snowflake—was created by designer Miroslav Antonić, the medals themselves were the work of Belgrade sculptor Nebojša Mitrić. Mitrić’s design is immediately recognizable for its silhouette: rather than a perfect circle, the medal features a "uniquely squared" shape, enclosing the circular motifs within a rectangular heavy-metal plaque.

The principal face of the medal is dominated by the official symbol of the Sarajevo Games: a stylized snowflake surmounted by the Olympic rings. According to Olympic documentation, this snowflake was not merely a meteorological reference but a deliberate nod to the "traditional form of embroidery" specific to the Sarajevo region [3]. This design choice grounded the international event in the specific material culture of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The central motif is encircled by the inscription in Serbo-Croatian: XIV ZIMSKE OLIMPIJSKE IGRE - SARAJEVO 1984.

The Reverse The reverse of the medal shifts focus from the event identity to the athlete. It features a stylized head of a competitor, crowned with a laurel wreath. This classical allusion to the ancient roots of the Games creates a dialogue between the modern, squared industrial aesthetic of the medal’s form and the timeless iconography of athletic victory.

Production and Protocol

The physical production of the medals was a domestic operation, reinforcing the Yugoslav host's capacity to deliver high-specification industrial design. The medals were manufactured at a specialist mint in Belgrade. Strict production controls resulted in a total mintage of 285 medals. Of these, exactly 222 were awarded to athletes during the Games, leaving a small number of unawarded surplus pieces that have since become significant collector's items.

The Ceremony System The presentation of these objects followed a centralized protocol that differed from the venue-based flower ceremonies often seen in later Games. In February 1984, the official medal presentations took place at the Main Press-Centre in Skenderija. This venue, a hub of cultural and sporting unity during the Games, allowed the medals to be presented in the presence of both Yugoslav and foreign journalists, maximizing the media impact of the squared design.

Alongside the heavy metal object, athletes received a paper diploma. These diplomas were fully integrated into the Games' graphic standard, featuring the orange and linear branding elements that defined the print materials of the 1984 Olympiad. The diplomas, like the medals, were part of a "consistent and qualitative" visual identity system that extended from the winners' podiums to the commemorative participation medals given to volunteers and officials.