Becoming an Olympic gold medalist is one of the most outstanding athletic achievements anyone can accomplish. Of course, that’s why the biggest prize is an Olympic medal, specifically gold.
However, many would be surprised that gold medals are more than solid gold. In fact, an Olympic gold medal is at least 92.5% silver and then plated with six grams of gold.
🇫🇷 This is what the gold medal for the Paris Olympics looks like up close:
– Made of 92.5% silver with other metals.
– Coated with only 6 grams of gold.
– Weighs a total of 529 grams.
– Estimated to be worth $1,027. pic.twitter.com/aBJ9PFWWl6— Total Randomness (@Totalrandome) August 10, 2024
The last time the Olympics handed out solid gold medals was in 1912, meaning it’s been over 100 years since gold medals were really gold.
However, many online believe that the contents of the medal don’t matter as much as the achievement.
“It’s fascinating how the true value of the Olympic gold medal transcends its material worth. It symbolizes years of dedication, sacrifice, and the pursuit of excellence,” someone commented.
“But the symbolic value of winning gold remains as strong as ever,” another added.
“It is not about the % of gold and the value of the medal. It is about competing with the world’s best and coming out as the greatest of all time,” a third said.
Most athletes likely agree with that sentiment, as you rarely see them selling off these prized possessions.
Olympics Catches Heat For Having Porr Quality Medals
Recently, there has been much talk about the medals’ poor quality after American skateboarder Nyjah Hutson showed his bronze medal quickly deteriorating.
However, the Olympics have maintained that all medals are of high quality and will even replace them if they are damaged.
“Paris 2024 is working closely with the Monnaie de Paris, the institution tasked with the production and quality control of the medals, and together with the National Olympic Committee of the athlete concerned, in order to appraise the medal to understand the circumstances and cause of the damage,” an Olympic spokesperson told Mail Sport.
