Top News

New Delhi. Indian athletes have brought glory to the country with their impressive performances at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. India has already won 13 gold medals, sparking celebrations across the country. But seeing athletes wearing glittering gold medals on the podium often raises the question: are these medals made of 100% pure gold? Or, how many grams of gold are used in them? Let’s find out the full truth behind the gold medal according to international standards.

How much gold and silver is there in a ‘gold medal’?

If you think that the medal given to the winning player is made entirely of pure gold, then the reality is quite different.

• Net Weight: According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and international standards, the net weight of a typical gold medal is approximately 500 to 550 grams .

• Silver content: The main body of the medal (approximately 92.5%) is made of the finest quality pure silver , meaning the medal contains approximately 500 grams of silver.

• Gold Plating: The medal is plated with at least 6 grams of pure gold (24 carat).

When were 100% pure gold medals last awarded?

According to history, silver was not always plated with gold.

• The last time athletes were awarded 100% solid gold medals was at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics .

• Following this, global gold prices began to rise rapidly. To address the ever-increasing financial burden and the increasing number of medals, the organizers changed the medals’ manufacturing rules, requiring a 6-gram gold plating on the silver base.

What is the economic value of a gold medal?

The market value of a gold medal is determined based on current metal prices, including the 6 grams of gold and approximately 500 grams of silver it contains. However, for an athlete, the financial value of a medal is beyond price—years of hard work, sacrifice, and the pride of raising the national flag make it “priceless.”