Collector’s Note
Dated Year XVII of the Fascist Era, this 1938 medal intentionally replaces the ‘U’ in rugby with a classical Roman ‘V’. This striking typographic choice serves as a deliberate homage to the Roman Empire, demonstrating how sport was visually reimagined to align with state ideology.
Design & Craftsmanship
The reverse of the medal features the word “RVGBY” spelled with a classic Roman “V,” accompanied by a royal crown, five Olympic-style rings, and the fasces—the principal symbol of Fascism. The obverse displays four rugby players, with three striding forward together and one lying on the ground, creating a visual composition that closely resembles soldiers marching in formation past a fallen comrade.
“Promoted in universities and youth groups by regime figures like Achille Starace, rugby was officially framed as a ‘combat sport’ designed to cultivate discipline, sacrifice, and physical toughness.”
Specifications & Context
Issued in 1938 for a student rugby tournament in Genoa, Italy, this bronze artifact is dated Anno XVII in accordance with the fascist calendar system that began in 1922 with the March on Rome. Although earlier efforts by the regime to formally rename the sport palla ovale (“oval ball”) never fully caught on with the public, state ideology continued to permeate the design of commemorative medals and institutional sports culture.
