WEIRD COASTERS? PUT YOUR GLASSES ON, MAN.

On Monday night, comedian Jimmy Fallon joked that the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic medals were "weird looking ... like coasters from Cost Plus Imports".

Hmmm.  A clunk on the head for Jimmy.

Unlike another late night talk show host, Jay Leno, who had been fondling US skier Lindsey Vonn's gold and bronze versions during his comeback debut just an hour earlier, Fallon could not have seen the medals up close or he surely would have spoken differently. It's difficult to imagine how one could view the artistry and workmanship that has gone into the magnificent pieces and not be impressed.

Obviously, despite his trip to Vancouver, Fallon had not been among the up to 6-hour lineups during the Olympics that had snaked out the door of the Royal Canadian Mint Pavilion and coiled around the intersection of Pender and Granville Streets -- often in drizzling rain -- to see the Olympic Medals exhibit. No flip put downs had come from that crowd. After all, outside of giving a bear hug to an Olympic champion (and a fair amount of that must have been going on too), where were they going to get a better opportunity to get up close to the gold? 

Inside the heritage bank building, the small viewing room, which restricted admittance to approximately 20 people at a time, gave access to samples of the Olympic medals and the Paralympic medals. There were also mounted illustrations of the minting process, as well as the original black and white First Nations artwork from which the design of each medal was derived. But before getting the hands on experience, each visitor was required to don one white glove, Michael Jackson style, in order to touch the medals. To capture that celebrity self-portrait, the amateur photographers snapped photos of themselves and friends while twisting and contorting to get faces down to the same level as the waist-high, open display cases. No permission was going to be granted for shots of medals slung around necks a la podium style. That privilege being strictly reserved for those who have earned it.

See photos and explanations of the medal making process below.  Or log on to the mint's official history page here.

If each medal's $500 melt down value wasn't enough to impress the Goldfingers in the group, they could then proceed to one of the adjoining rooms to witness Canada's largest gold coin - a 100 kilo, pizza size, 3 and 1/2 million dollar value currency minted from solid gold. That on could NOT be touched. Like King Tutankamun's mask, it was safely contained under a spotlight in the centre of the room within an acrylic viewing box. As an alternative, visitors could have their photos taken while hoisting a solid gold bar, but there was no running around with that object either. It was tethered to the floor at one end by a serious looking bicycle chain.

We're not sure if the mega coin will be on view, but there is definitely good news about the Olympic medals. If you missed the show the first time, the Mint Pavilion and its medals exhibit will be open again during the Paralympic Games (March 12 to 21, 2010), and with smaller expected lineups to get in. Only this time, the location will be different.

Rumours say the new venue will be the Central Vancouver Library.

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