This is a beautiful antique, gold coloured metal pin badge advertising the (Zlata Prilba in Czech) race in Pardubice, in former Czechoslovakia. The badge face is 1.8cm high with a long stick pin fastener to the rear.
Featuring the helmet and the text Zlata Prilba along the lower edge.
Historical Background
The Golden Helmet was first held in 1929 the race took its name from the fact that the 'cup' was in fact a large golden speedway helmet that the victor wears on the podium. There have been breaks in the race calendar, particularly over World War 2 and also after 1951 when the communists took control of the country. You can see a full list
Each year lists the eventual winner of which there have been many nationalities, the Germans dominated the 1930's, Czechoslovakia and Russia in the 1960's and the Danish in the 1970's.
The competition is actually held in the small town of Svitkov which is part of Pardubice, in Eastern Bohemia. The race is regarded by experts as one of the fairest speedway venues in the world.
A recent legend of the Pardubice speedway is the Australian Leigh Adams who has put the trophy, which takes the form of a golden helmet, on his head four times.
