1948 Vintage Coin Gift Set (Retro 76th Birthday Birth Year / Wedding Anniversary

• On 20 January, Mahatma Gandhi is assassinated by a Hindu fanatic • In February, the Soviet-dominated Eastern Bloc in Europe condemns the independent Communist regime of Tito in Yugoslavia • On 14 May, the state of Israel is formed. It is attacked by forces from Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Syria soon after • On 26 May, the Nationalists and the Afrikaner Party win elections in South Africa. They begins passing apartheid laws that severely restrict the rights of black people • British colonial troops fight Communist rebels during the Malayan 'emergency', which is declared on 16 June • On 24 July, the Soviet Union stops road and rail travel between Berlin and western Germany, forcing the Western powers to organise a massive airlift that continues until 30 September 1949, with a total of 277,264 flights. The blockade greatly heightens Cold War tensions • On 9 September, the Democratic People's Republic of [North] Korea is proclaimed, with Kim Il Sung as prime minister • On 17 September, Zionist terrorists assassinate Count Folke Bernadotte, the United Nations mediator in Palestine • On 2 November, following the presidential election, US president Harry Truman retains office, thus confounding public opinion polls • American sexologist Alfred Kinsey publishes Sexual Behavior in the Human Male , one of the earliest books based on research into people's sex lives • South African novelist Alan Paton publishes Cry, the Beloved Country , a classic example of anti-apartheid literature • English academic F R Leavis publishes The Great Tradition , an influential analysis of the importance of the English novel • Italian film-maker Vittorio de Sica makes Ladri di biciclette (The Bicycle Thief), an example of post war neo-realist cinema •

Sporting 1948...

• Football League Champions were Arsenal, the Gooners leaving Manchester United in the runners up spot • The Red Devils did however defeat Blackpool, 4-2 in the FA Cup Final • The Grand National winning horse was ‘Sheila’s Cottage’ • The Cheltenham Gold Cup winning horse was ‘Cottage Rake’ • The Epsom Derby winning horse was ‘My Love’ • Golf's British Open was won by Henry Cotton • Cambridge won the Boat Race by five lengths over Oxford • Snooker’s World Championship Final ended Fred Davis (England) 84-61 Walter Donaldson (Scotland) • The Wimbledon tennis singles tournament saw victories for Bob Falkenburg of USA (mens) and Louise Brough of USA (ladies) • American Sport – The first Super Bowl did not take place until 1967 - NBA Championship: Baltimore Bullets 4-2 Philadelphia Warriors – Major League Baseball World Series: Cleveland 4-2 Boston Braves •