What Is An Olympic Gold Medal Actually Worth?

Benzinga

What is an Olympic Gold Medal actually worth?  Like the one that Team USA Hockey's Jack Hughes just won?  Despite the name, Olympic gold medals haven’t been solid gold since 1912. Modern medals are primarily silver, weighing around 500 grams, coated in approximately 6 grams of 24k gold.  At current record-high metal prices, the melt value comes out to roughly $2,400.  But the real value isn’t in the metal.  Historic medals have sold for far more. Jesse Owens’ 1936 Olympic gold medal — won in Berlin in front of Adolf Hitler — sold at auction for $1.47 million. Most standard Olympic gold medals typically fetch between $50,000 and $80,000 at auction.  The difference isn’t chemistry. It’s story.  Because when collectors bid, they’re not buying metal. They’re buying history, legacy, and human achievement.

Transcript

00:00You just won Olympic gold in Milano, but how much is that metal actually worth?

00:04If you took it to a furnace today and melted it down, the answer might sting a little.

00:09You see, Olympic gold hasn't been solid gold since 1912.

00:13It's actually 500 grams of silver wrapped in a thin 6-gram shell of 24-karat gold.

00:20At today's record-high metal prices, the melt value is roughly $2,400.

00:25That's it.

00:26A nice vacation worth, but not exactly wealthy for life.

00:30But don't sell it for scrap just yet, because the story is where the millions are.

00:35Jesse Owens' 1936 gold medal, the one he won in front of a furious Hitler, sold at auction for $1

00:42.47 million.

00:44Most standard golds fetch between $50,000 and $80,000, proving you aren't buying the metal.

00:49You're buying the blood, the sweat, and the human spirit.

00:53So would you sell your metal for a million, or is the glory worth more?

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