The Paris 2024 Olympic Games only ended on Sunday, but there is a topic that continues to generate conversation on social networks these days, the quality and purity of the medals awarded to the winners, I wanted to return to it, but first, a little information and context about the Olympic Medals.
Olympic medals have been a symbol of athletic excellence since the inception of the modern Olympic Games in 1896. However, what many people don't know is that the coveted gold medals haven't always been what they seem. The last time solid gold medals were awarded was at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. Since then, gold medals have been primarily made of silver and plated with a thin layer of gold.
Today, gold medals are composed of 95% silver and must have at least 6 grams of gold on their surface. This change was not only an economic decision but also reflected the evolution of the medals as artistic pieces beyond their material value.
The first designers of Olympic medals included prominent sculptors like Jules-Clément Chaplain, who designed the medals for the 1900 Paris Games. Another important figure is Giuseppe Cassioli, whose design for the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics was adopted as the standard model for Olympic medals, remaining in use until the 2000 Sydney Games. Cassioli's design endured the longest, marking an era of stability in the appearance of the medals.
Over the decades, the design of the medals has been standardized in certain aspects. For instance, the obverse of the medal must always depict the Greek goddess of victory, Nike, along with the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, the site of the first modern Olympic Games. However, despite these rules, each edition of the Games has allowed the host nation to leave its artistic mark on the reverse side of the medal, creating a canvas for prominent sculptors and artists to express their unique vision.
A notable example is the medals from the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, where the overall design, including that of the medals, was celebrated for its innovation and beauty. The 1968 medals were designed by sculptor Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, who was also the architect responsible for many of the iconic Olympic venues. Ramírez Vázquez incorporated elements of pre-Hispanic Mexican culture, creating a design that captured the essence and spirit of Mexico. The obverse of the medal features Nike and the Athens Stadium, while the reverse showcases the Olympic flame surrounded by the inscription "Mexico 1968" in a distinctive typographic style that became a visual symbol of those Games.
Another example is the medals from the 1972 Munich Olympics, where the reverse was designed by German artist Gerhard Marcks, a graduate of the renowned Bauhaus design school. Marcks, known for his minimalist approach and ability to capture the essence of forms, created a design that reflected not only the spirit of the Games but also the style and innovation characteristic of the Bauhaus movement.
The main reason behind the switch from solid gold to gold-plated silver in Olympic medals really boils down to economics. Gold is not just a precious metal; it's also a commodity with a price that goes up and down, often spiking due to financial speculation, political crises, or even health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. As gold prices kept climbing, it became way too expensive to keep making medals out of solid gold.
So, to keep costs in check without losing the prestige of the gold medal, the decision was made to use silver coated with a thin layer of gold. This change helped balance the budget while still preserving the tradition and symbolic value of the medals. By making this shift, the Olympics found a smart way to keep the iconic gold medal while adapting to the financial realities of our times.
Recently, the medals for the 2024 Paris Olympics have been the subject of discussion due to images showing black or red stains on the bronze medals, raising concerns about their quality. However, these stains are actually the natural patina from oxidation, a common process in metals that does not affect the integrity of the medal. The patina, which forms over time due to exposure to air and other elements, is a reminder of the living nature of metals and can be seen as a feature that adds character to the medals.
Olympic medals have a fascinating history that often goes unnoticed. For example, in the early modern Olympics, medals weren't worn around the neck like they are today. Instead, they were pins, small brooches you could wear on your lapel. It wasn't until the 1920 Antwerp Games that medals were designed to hang from ribbons, making them more ceremonial and eye-catching.
You've probably noticed the winged goddess of victory, Nike, on the medals. However, she wasn't always part of the design. Nike made her debut in the 1928 Amsterdam Games and has since become an iconic symbol of the Olympics.
Another interesting tidbit is how the design has evolved. For many years, the medals depicted the Roman Colosseum as the birthplace of the Olympic Games, which was a bit of a historical mix-up since the Games originated in Greece. This was finally corrected in 2004 when the design was updated to feature the Temple of Hera in Olympia, Greece, honoring the true origin of the Games.
So, the next time you see an Olympic medal, remember that behind that small trophy lies over a century of history, evolution, and intriguing details that make it even more special. From pins to necklaces, from historical mistakes to iconic symbols, Olympic medals are more than just pieces of metal; they are true time capsules that tell the story of the Games and humanity. And who knows, maybe in the future, they'll continue to evolve, adding new stories to their legacy.
This connection between art and sport has allowed Olympic medals to be not just symbols of victory but also genuine works of art, representing both the cultural heritage and modernity of each host country. Even though gold medals are no longer made of pure gold, their value and significance remain priceless, just like the dedication and effort they represent.
If you’re interested in exploring all the medal designs that have been awarded throughout the modern Olympic Games, I highly recommend checking out this page. And if, like me, you're a design enthusiast, here are two of my favorite pages: one dedicated to the brilliant design by Lance Wyman for the 1968 Mexico Olympics, and another on collecting, featuring many charming designs from the 1972 Munich Olympics.
And if you want to know more about what a patina is and why it does not mean damage to metals, take a look at my post.
Do you have a favorite design? Do you think medals should still be made of solid gold, even if it would mean astronomical costs for the host countries? Do you know how to clean the patina from metals? Leave me your questions and comments! 😉
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