Four small souvenir medals from Montreal 1976 Olympics

These souvenir medals from the 1976 Montreal Olympics were worn with a gold bathing suit as part of a “Mark Spitz” costume worn by Ric Weiland (1953-2006). Weiland was one of the first employees of Microsoft, working in Albuquerque with Bill Gates and Paul Allen who he knew from Lakeside School. Weiland retired from Microsoft at age 35 in 1988. As the value of his stock holdings grew, Weiland increasingly devoted himself to philanthropy, donating nearly $200 million to support HIV research, LGBTQ legal rights, and the presence of gay-straight alliances and anti-bullying policies in schools. Mark Spitz was an Olympic swimmer who won a record-setting 7 Gold Medals at the 1972 games. A poster of him, wearing only a small pair of swimming briefs and the seven medals, was a bestseller particularly in the gay community.
ID Number: 2016.10.5.2
Date: 1976
Physical Description: 4 Medal, Prize; metal; 1.5 in.H x 1.25 in.W (medals only, chain lengths vary)
Credit: MOHAI, 2016.10.5.2
Subjects: LGBTQIA, Sports