Composition of Olympic Medals
Gold Medals
Contrary to popular belief, Olympic gold medals are not made entirely of gold. They are primarily composed of silver, with a minimum purity of 92.5%.
Each gold medal is plated with at least 6 grams of pure gold. This means that while they carry the name “gold,” their core material is silver, making them less valuable in terms of gold content alone.
Silver Medals
Silver medals are the only ones that are made from their namesake metal. They are composed of at least 92.5% silver, making them essentially pure silver.
This high purity level is significant as it gives the silver medal a distinct value and utility compared to its counterparts.
Bronze Medals
Bronze medals are primarily made of copper, typically consisting of around 95% copper and 5% zinc. This alloy gives bronze its characteristic color and durability.
The exact composition can vary, but the use of copper and zinc is standard in the production of bronze medals.
Incorporation of metal from the Eiffel tower in the Paris 2024 Olympics medals
The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic medals will feature a unique and historic element – iron from the Eiffel Tower.
This marks the first time in Olympic history that medals will contain a piece of one of the host city’s iconic landmarks.
The iron used in the medals was carefully preserved from renovations and repairs to the Eiffel Tower in the 20th century.
The metal was cleaned of its distinctive brown paint and cut into hexagonal shapes, referencing France’s nickname “Hexagone”.
Each medal will contain 18 grams (0.04 pounds) of the Eiffel Tower iron. The iron hexagon is placed in the center of the medal and embossed with the Paris 2024 logo.
It is held in place by a “claw” setting, mimicking the design of the tower’s rivets.
The incorporation of the Eiffel Tower iron is intended to make the medals unique and give athletes “veritable pieces of the history of Paris” to take home.
It represents a fusion of the precious metals (gold, silver, bronze) with the most precious metal from France’s iconic landmark.
The reverse of the Olympic medals features the Greek goddess of victory Nike, the Acropolis of Athens, and the Eiffel Tower.
The Paralympic medals have a view of the Eiffel Tower from underneath and include “Paris 2024” written in Braille as a tribute to Louis Braille, the inventor of the reading and writing system for the visually impaired.
