WORLD CUP GOLD MEDAL PAWNED IN PANAMA

The Newman Portal can be used to locate numismatic items of most any genre, and the news of the day, from Moscow, is the World Cup finals championship. This gold medal (from the NASCA July 1979 sale, lot 1350), weighing in at a hefty three ounces, was struck in commemoration of the Brazil World Cup victory in 1970. The catalog description tells the story:

"Presented on the occasion of becoming the first - and thus far only - nation to win the World Cup three times. As such, probably as important a sports medal as has yet been struck. Of additional interest, several countries have now struck commemorative coins with soccer themes. Although perhaps 20 such medals would have been issued, it is unlikely that most of the players and coaches will ever part with their medals (Brazilian soccer superstars are well-paid). We were told that the player who received this piece "blew a wad in Panama", and pawned it for bullion. We don't expect additional examples to appear soon on the market. Indeed, the sale of this piece may strain Brazilian-Panamanian relationships!"

We suspect there is much more to the story here, perhaps a Brazilian soccer historian can fill us in. The Newman Portal acknowledges John Herzog and Robin Majlak of Herzog & Co. for their assistance with auction sale catalogs of NASCA and R. M. Smythe.

Link to the NASCA July 1979 catalog:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/auctionlots?AucCoId=511370&AuctionId=521427

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