Winning the Olympics is priceless. But if you had to put a price on it...

Answer: $2,170

The 2026 Gold medal is 500 grams total, containing 6 grams of gold and 494 grams of silver.

Questions:

• The "gold" medal is about 99% silver. Why do you think Olympic organizers chose this mix of metals? 
• Do you think an Olympic Gold Medal is worth more than just the scrap metal value? Why?
• Will this scrap metal value change over time? 

Here are the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use in your classroom.

Behind the Numbers (Forbes): 

"To the athletes who earn them, those medals are priceless—the culmination of years of dedication, sacrifice and singular focus. Yet beyond their emotional and symbolic importance, the medals also carry real intrinsic value, often called “podium value.” And thanks to the dramatic rise in precious metal prices over the past year, that value has never been higher.

Over the last 12 months, the price of gold has climbed 67.02%, while silver has surged an extraordinary 109.07% as of February 5. Those gains have pushed the material value of the Milano Cortina medals to record levels...

As precious metal prices fluctuate, so does the value of the medals. Based on market prices on February 5—approximately $4,815 per troy ounce for gold and $77.25 per troy ounce for silver—the intrinsic value of a Milano Cortina gold medal is currently about $2,170."

About the Author

Kathryn Dawson

Kathryn (she/her) is excited to join the NGPF team after 9 years of experience in education as a mentor, tutor, and special education teacher. She is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in policy analysis and management and has a master's degree in education from Brooklyn College. Kathryn is looking forward to bringing her passion for accessibility and educational justice into curriculum design at NGPF. During her free time, Kathryn loves embarking on cooking projects, walking around her Seattle neighborhood with her dog, or lounging in a hammock with a book.

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