Are the Olympic Gold Medals Real Gold? Facts about Olympic Medal Composition

The Olympics Games are the world’s foremost sports competition and winning an Olympic medal is a dream for every passionate sportsperson. The Olympic medal has been categorized into three classes: gold, silver, and bronze. The gold, silver, and bronze are awarded to the top three places in every Olympic event. During the winning ceremony, the medal is given to the winners by playing the national anthem of the winner’s country. This is not only a great pride for the athletes but also their entire nation. But wait, Are the Olympic gold medals real gold? If yes, who makes the Olympic gold medals? Read on to find out 

What Are the Olympic Gold Medals Made Of?

The world’s famous sports competition gold medals are not made up of 100% gold. The Olympic gold medals are 92.5% silver. But the Olympic gold medal has real gold, the shiny exterior parts of the Olympic gold medal are made up of real gold. All Olympic medals must contain at least six grams of 24-carat gold and they must also be 60mm in diameter and three millimeters thick. The gold and silver medals are made of silver and the bronze medals are made up of zinc, tin, copper, and a very small amount of silver. 

Tokyo Olympic Medal Composition

Every nation which holds the Olympics or Paralympics puts its own stamp on its medals. There is some flexibility for the host countries on the designs of their medals however there are some aspects that must remain the same for all Olympic games. According to the Olympic Committee, the medals must include the Olympic five-ring symbols, the Greek goddess of victory Nike in the front of the Panathinaikos Stadium in Athens, and the Official name of the respective game. For instance, the 2021 Olympic games are officially called the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020.

Who Makes the Olympic Medals?

The host country organizing committee is responsible for designing the medals. The Tokyo 2021 Medal is unique and it was designed by Junichi Kawanishi, director of the Japan Sign Design Association and the Osaka Design Society. The organizers allowed the public to choose the design. Kawanishi won from 400 other professional designers and students. The theme of the Tokyo Olympics 2021 medal is light and brilliance. The Tokyo medal project organizers collected mobile phone and electronic devices across Japan from April 2017 to March 2019. Nearly 71 tons of devices were collected and they were recycled to make the medals. This is the first time in Olympics history that the public participated by donating their gadgets. Many people came forward and donated their gadgets to encourage this eco-friendly act and also it’s like a direct association with the games. The Tokyo 2021 medals signify Japanese culture and the medal ribbon is designed to depict emotions of success. The medal also promotes the Tokyo 2021 brand vision Innovation of Harmony. The surface of the ribbon is applied with silicone convex lines so anyone can recognize the type of medal (gold, silver, or bronze).