Summer Olympic games of 2028 is going to start in Los Angeles on July. Now every sports enthusiast is curious about the gamee, the athletes, the winners, and of course the medals. These medals get a different design at each Olympic games. And with it their size, shape, and weight also changes. But how much do they change? A lot or little? What are these medals even made of? Are gold medals made of pure gold? Want answers now? Then let's dive in!
Quick Summary
- This guide covers how heavy Olympic medals are, how their design changed over time, and what materials are used to make them.
- The weight of Olympic medals is not fixed and varies by year and host city, typically ranging from about 500 to 800 grams (17.64 to 28.22 ounces).
- Winter Olympic medals are generally thicker, larger, and heavier than Summer Olympic medals.
- Olympic gold medals are not solid gold and contain only about 6 grams of pure gold, with most of the medal made of silver.
- In recent times, countries have designed different types of medals based on environmental, cultural, or technological causes, such as using recycled materials or local minerals like jade.
What are the medals made of? Are the gold medals real gold?
Photo Courtesy: Olympics
Let's answer the most asked question first. Are the gold medals real gold? Most of us, at least once, have wondered this. Well, yes, but not fully.
The Olympic gold medals are made of gold, but only partially. They only contain approximately 6 grams of pure gold and at least 92.5% silver. The only pure gold medals given in the Olympics were back in 1912.
Unlike the gold medals, silver ones are actually made of 100% silver. But as per the rules, these must have at least 92.5% silver. Meanwhile, bronze medals are also the mixed ones as bronze is an alloy (made up by combining other metals with copper). It may have as much as 95% copper and 5% zinc. Like gold ones bronze medals can have silver in them but it happens rarely and the amount may be only about 1%.
Apart from these, there are also trends of adding other materials to the medals. And it's done by the hosts. In 2008 Summer Olympics (held in Beijing), China used jade for the medals.
Another example is the medals for the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2020. Japan used metals extracted from recycled electronic devices (like old phones and laptops).
How heavy is one Olympic Medal?
Photo Courtesy: Olympics
Olympic medals weight depends on their sizes and materials. We have just talked about the materials composition. Here are the medal sizes over the years. Now let's talk about their weight. It'll give you a clear idea about how heavy an Olympic medal can be.
Just like the size, Olympic medals haven't had any fixed weight over the years. The weight of the medals at Olympics varies from 500 to 800 grams. It is equivalent to 17.64 to 28.22 ounces. Use our weight converter to convert and see for yourself.
An Olympic gold medal weighs just slightly heavier than a silver medal. However, a bronze medal can weigh quite less.
For example, during the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2020, the gold medals were 556 grams in weight. Silver medals were 550 grams, and the third prize, bronze medals, were 450 grams.
Medals of Summer Olympic and Winter Olympic Games
Summer and winter olympic games hosts different sports games and attracts different athletes. These also differe in terms of medals too.
The medals are generally thicker, larger, and heavier for the Winter Games than the ones for the Summer Games.
Recent Summer Olympic Medal Weight Chart
Year | Host City | Host Country | Gold Medal Weight (grams) | Silver Medal Weight (grams) | Bronze Medal Weight (grams) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | Sydney | Australia | 188 | 185 | 170 |
2004 | Athens | Greece | 148 | 139 | 118 |
2008 | Beijing | China | 188 | 185 | 170 |
2012 | London | UK | 412 | 412 | 357 |
2016 | Rio | Brazil | 500 | 500 | 500 |
2020 | Tokyo | Japan | 556 | 550 | 450 |
2024 | Paris | France | 529 | 525 | 455 |
Recent Winter Olympic Medals Weight Chart
Year | Host City | Host Country | Gold Medal Weight (grams) | Silver Medal Weight (grams) | Bronze Medal Weight (grams) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | Salt Lake | USA | 567 | 567 | 454 |
2006 | Turin | Italy | 469 | 469 | 469 |
2010 | Vancouver | Canada | 576 | 576 | 500 |
2014 | Sochi | Russia | 531 | 525 | 460 |
2018 | Pyeongchang | South Korea | 586 | 580 | 493 |
2022 | Beijing | China | 556 | 550 | 450 |
2026 | Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo | Italy | 506 | 500 | 420 |
Outro
So now you know that the gold medals hold some amount of gold in it, however the weight may be. The weight has been lighter in early years of 2000s and has been increasing in recent times for Summer Olympics. However, the medals for the Winter games has been in the same weight range.
Header Cover photo courtesy: Olympics
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are Olympic medals 100% gold?
No, Olympic gold medals are mostly silver (92.5%) and coated with about 6 grams of pure gold.
2. What's the difference between the Winter and Summer Olympics?
Summer Olympics are larger with more countries participating, while Winter Olympics are smaller. Winter Olympics feature snow and ice sports, while Summer Olympics focus on warm-weather sports.
3. How much is an Olympic medal worth?
Gold medals are worth around $2,300, silver about $1,400, and bronze roughly $5–$6, based on current metal prices.
