Turns out, the last time an Olympic gold medal was made of solid gold was back in 1912. That’s over a century ago. Since then, the International Olympic Committee decided to save a few bucks—or, you know, a few nations’ worth of treasury.
Think of it like your favorite coffee shop’s “premium” latte. It looks fancy, costs a fortune, but really, it’s just milk with a hint of espresso. The gold medal is the same: mostly silver with a thin, glamorous gold coating.
The Recipe for a “Gold” Medal
Here’s the secret recipe straight from the Olympic rulebook: a gold medal must contain at least 92.5% silver. Then, they slather on a layer of pure gold that’s at least six grams thick. That’s it. Your grandma’s good china might have more actual gold in the trim.
To put it in everyday terms, imagine you bought a “solid wood” dining table. You get it home, and it’s actually particleboard with a wafer-thin veneer of oak. That’s your Olympic gold medal—a silver medal that went to the spa and got a gold facial.
