DID YOU KNOW…
Olympic Gold Medals Aren't Solid Gold (Mostly Silver!)
Despite their prestigious name, modern Olympic gold medals are not made of solid gold. They are predominantly composed of silver, with only a small amount of gold plating.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) mandates that gold medals must be made from at least 92.5% silver, then plated with a minimum of 6 grams of pure gold. This standard has been in place for over a century; the last time solid gold medals were awarded was at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. This practical requirement helps manage the immense cost and material logistics for host cities, ensuring the tradition can continue without being prohibitively expensive.
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