Harper Lin
Olympic medals have enormous historical and sentimental value, making them priceless to the athletes who receive them. However, the medals are not entirely made of solid gold. The gold medals at the 1904, 1908, and 1912 Olympic Games were the last series to be crafted from solid gold. Following World War I, the composition changed, and now, Olympic gold medals are primarily made of silver, with approximately 6 grams of gold plating. This shift occurred due to the high value and softness of pure gold, which could make the medals vulnerable to theft or incentivize athletes to sell them.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Composition | 92.5% silver, 6 grams of gold |
| Size | 70mm in diameter, 3mm thick |
| Historical composition | Solid gold |
| Last solid gold medals | 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden |
| Reason for change | Gold is soft, expensive, and athletes might be tempted to sell them |
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What You'll Learn
Olympic gold medals are mostly made of silver
Olympic gold medals are not solid gold, but they are mostly made of silver. The medals are around 92.5% silver and are plated with about 6 grams of gold.
The custom of awarding gold, silver, and bronze medals to the top three highest achievers dates back to at least the 19th century. This standard was adopted for Olympic competition at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis. The gold medals at the 1904, 1908, and 1912 Olympic Games were made of solid gold. However, the use of gold decreased with the onset of the First and Second World Wars. The last series of Olympic medals to be made of solid gold were awarded at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden.
Gold in its purest form is extremely soft, and real gold would be very expensive for the host nation to produce. The medals are not meant to be a huge monetary prize for athletes to melt down for cash. Instead, they are a symbol of honour and achievement. The monetary reward for winning a medal typically comes from the cash prizes awarded by most national Olympic committees.
The Paris 2024 Olympic medals will feature a special extra material: metal from the Eiffel Tower. The medals will have a hexagonal centre forged out of iron from refurbishments to the tower.
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Gold medals were solid gold until after World War I
Gold medals have been awarded for the highest achievement in a non-military field since the eighteenth century. The custom of awarding gold, silver, and bronze medals for the first three highest achievers dates back to at least the 19th century. This standard was adopted for Olympic competition at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri.
The first Olympic medals in 1896 were designed by French sculptor Jules-Clément Chaplain and depicted Zeus holding Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, on one side and the Acropolis on the other. However, these medals were not made of gold, as there wasn't enough money to mint them, and gold was considered too precious to be awarded at a sporting event. Instead, winners received a silver medal and an olive branch, while runners-up received a laurel branch and a copper or bronze medal.
The 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris was unique in that it featured rectangular medals, with gilt silver medals awarded for first place in certain sports and silver medals for second place. The 1904 Games in St. Louis were the first to award solid-gold medals to the winners, with silver and bronze medals for second and third place, respectively. This continued for the next three Olympics in 1908, 1912, and 1924, after which the practice of awarding solid gold medals was discontinued.
The last series of Olympic medals to be made of solid gold were awarded at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. Thereafter, the medals were cast in silver and coated with a small amount of gold, usually around 6 grams. The use of solid gold declined with the onset of World War I, as the price of gold increased and it became more challenging to source. Additionally, solid gold medals would be extremely expensive for the host nation to produce and could incentivize athletes to sell their medals. Today, Olympic gold medals are required to be made of at least 92.5% silver and must contain a minimum of 6 grams of gold, with a diameter of at least 70mm and a thickness of 3mm.
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Olympic gold medals are required to contain at least 6 grams of gold
Olympic gold medals are not made of solid gold. In fact, they are mostly made of silver. According to International Olympic Committee regulations, Olympic gold medals must be made of at least 92.5% silver and contain a minimum of 6 grams of gold. The last series of Olympic medals to be made of solid gold were awarded at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden.
The custom of awarding gold, silver, and bronze medals for the top three highest achievers dates back to at least the 19th century. This standard was adopted for Olympic competition at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis. The gold medals at the 1904, 1908, and 1912 Olympic Games were all made of solid gold.
There are several reasons why Olympic gold medals are no longer made of solid gold. One reason is the cost of gold, which would make the medals extremely expensive for the host nation to produce. Another reason is that gold in its purest form is very soft, making it impractical for use in medals. Finally, solid gold medals might incentivize athletes to sell them for cash, rather than keeping them as a symbol of their achievement.
While Olympic gold medals are not solid gold, they still hold enormous historical and sentimental value for the athletes who receive them.
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Olympic medals are designed by the host country
Olympic medals are not made of solid gold. Gold in its purest form is soft, and solid gold medals would be too expensive for the host country to produce. The last series of Olympic medals to be made of solid gold were awarded at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden.
Today, Olympic gold medals are required to be made from at least 92.5% silver and must contain a minimum of 6 grams of gold. All Olympic medals must be at least 70mm in diameter and 3mm thick. The responsibility of minting the medals lies with the Olympic host.
The design of the medals is also the responsibility of the host city's organizing committee and varies with each edition of the Games. The obverse side of the medal usually features a generic design of the Greek goddess Nike with the Roman Colosseum in the background, along with text naming the host city. The reverse side often showcases a custom design by the host country.
For example, the medals for the 1960 Games in Rome featured an inverted design, with a crowd of people carrying a triumphant athlete on the obverse and the Greek goddess Nike on the reverse. The medals for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, were worth about $800 at then-current prices.
The tradition of giving the host city responsibility for minting and designing the medals began with the 1896 Olympics in Paris, where French sculptor Jules-Clément Chaplain designed the medals, depicting Zeus holding Nike on the obverse and the Acropolis on the reverse.
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Gold is a soft metal that can be marked by teeth
Gold medals were last awarded at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. Since then, Olympic gold medals have been made from at least 92.5% silver and must contain a minimum of 6 grams of gold. This is because gold in its purest form is extremely soft and expensive. If the medals were made of solid gold, athletes would be incentivized to sell them, and they would also be quite heavy.
Gold is a soft metal that can be moulded at room temperature. Its softness is the reason why people used to bite down on gold coins to verify their authenticity. However, it is important to note that gold is much denser than most metals. While teeth marks can be left on pure gold, it is unlikely that teeth marks would be present on other metals that are softer than gold, such as lead.
Historically, false teeth were made from mercurial gold, an alloy of mercury and gold, which is significantly harder than pure gold. When mercury and gold are mixed at room temperature, the gold dissolves into the mercury, creating a stable and very hard alloy. This practice was eventually discontinued due to the risk it posed to dentists mixing the alloys rather than to the patients wearing them.
Therefore, while gold is a soft metal that can be marked by teeth, its softness is relative to other metals, and it is still denser and harder than certain metals such as lead.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Olympic gold medals are not made of solid gold. They are, in fact, almost solid silver. Gold medals at the Olympics are required to be made from at least 92.5% silver and must contain a minimum of 6 grams of gold.
There are a few reasons why Olympic gold medals are not made of solid gold. Firstly, gold in its purest form is extremely soft and malleable. Solid gold medals would be quite heavy, and real gold would be extremely expensive for the host nation. There is also a risk that athletes would be tempted to sell their medals if they were made of solid gold.
The last series of Olympic medals to be made of solid gold were awarded at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. The gold medals at the 1904, 1908, and 1912 Olympic Games were all made of solid gold.
