Core Insights - The surge in gold and silver prices has led to the 2026 Winter Olympics medals being the most expensive in history [1][2] - The spot price of gold has increased over 70% in the last year, reaching approximately $4,950 per ounce, while silver prices have surged 143% to around $76 per ounce [2] - The medals for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are produced using recycled metals and have specific dimensions and compositions [4][7] Medal Composition and Value - Gold medals contain 6 grams of gold and 500 grams of silver, valued at approximately $955 and $1,221 respectively at current market prices [7] - Silver medals are made entirely of silver and weigh 500 grams, valued at around $1,221 [7] - Bronze medals are composed of copper, weighing 420 grams, with a current market value of about $5.45 [8] Auction Value of Medals - Olympic medals can fetch significantly higher prices at auction than their intrinsic metal value due to their novelty and scarcity [11] - Notable examples include Greg Louganis, who auctioned three medals for over $430,000, and Ryan Lochte, who sold three gold medals for $385,520 [12][15]
Why medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics are worth more than ever
Fox Business·2026-02-07 01:03