Sports

Paris Olympics 2024: Is a gold medal actually made of gold?

Image credits: Pixabay

Paris Olympics

For Paris Olympics, the medals awarded to winners contain pieces of iron from the Eiffel Tower, specifically the parts preserved from renovation in the 20th century.
 

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Olympic medals

Each medal includes a hexagon-shaped element made from approximately 18 grams of this iron.
 

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Paris Olympics

The ribbons for the Paris Olympics medals feature a distinctive design, showcasing an illustration of the Eiffel Tower.
 

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Olympics

At the Stockholm Olympics in 1912, gold medals were made of 90% gold and 10% other metals. However, starting from the 1920 Antwerp Olympics, this composition was changed.
 

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Olympic gold medals

Since the 1920 Antwerp Olympics, Olympic gold medals have been primarily composed of silver, with only a thin layer of gold plating. 
 

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How much gold?

The gold medals from that time onward contain about 92% silver and are coated with approximately 6 grams of gold.
 

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Silver and bronze medals

Olympic silver medals are composed of 92% silver, with the remaining percentage made up of other metals. Bronze medals are made from a mix of bronze, copper, and zinc.
 

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1904 Olympic Games

Gold medals were first awarded at the 1904 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Then, only first-place winners received gold medals, while silver & bronze medals were introduced later.

Image credits: Pixabay
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