The Last Time an Olympic Gold Medal Was 100% Gold

The composition of Olympic medals has changed over the years, with the last 100% gold medal awarded in 1912.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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According to Olympics.com, the last time an Olympic gold medal was made of 100% pure gold was at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. The current Olympic gold medals are made of 500 grams of silver and 6 grams of gold. The silver medals are made entirely of silver, and the bronze medals are made of copper. The "melt value" of an Olympic gold medal today is around $2,500, but the historical significance and collectability can make them worth much more, with some medals fetching over $1 million at auction.

Why it matters

The composition of Olympic medals has evolved over the years, reflecting changes in metal prices and the desire to make the medals more sustainable. The transition away from pure gold medals is a symbolic shift, as the Olympics aim to balance tradition with modern considerations.

The details

The design and composition of Olympic medals is determined by the host city's organizing committee for each edition of the Games. The tradition of awarding medals began at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis. While gold medals were once made of pure gold, the last time this occurred was at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. Today's gold medals are made of 500 grams of silver and 6 grams of gold, with the silver medals being all silver and the bronze medals being all copper.

  • The last time a pure gold medal was awarded at the Olympics was in 1912 during the Stockholm, Sweden Summer Games.
  • The tradition of awarding medals began at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis.

The players

Olympics.com

The official website of the International Olympic Committee, which provided information about the composition of current Olympic medals.

Jesse Owens

A U.S. Track and Field athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. One of his gold medals was auctioned for a record $1.47 million in 2013.

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The takeaway

The evolution of Olympic medal composition reflects the changing times, with a shift away from pure gold medals to more sustainable and cost-effective designs. However, the historical significance and collectability of these medals means they can still be worth far more than their material value, as evidenced by the record-setting auction price for one of Jesse Owens' 1936 gold medals.