Latest Olympic medals will have pieces of the Eiffel Tower

Paris: The upcoming Paris Olympics and Paralympics will feature medals embedded with fragments of the Eiffel Tower, adding a historic touch to the awards.

Each gold, silver, and bronze medal will contain a polished piece of iron from the iconic landmark. This innovative design was unveiled by Games organizers, promising athletes a truly unique prize.

Previous Olympic medalists like Simone Biles and LeBron James have never received medals quite like these. The inclusion of Eiffel Tower fragments connects Paris medalists to France’s rich history.

The iron pieces, weighing 18 grams each, were carefully prepared by stripping paint, polishing, and varnishing them for their new purpose. Stamped with “Paris 2024” and the Games logo, they symbolize the fusion of history and modernity.

Paris jewelry house Chaumet designed the medals, incorporating six clasps representing the Eiffel Tower’s rivets. The disks surrounding the iron pieces are crinkled to enhance their shine, and all the metal used is recycled.

Paris’ medals stand out as the first to feature fragments of a famous monument. Alongside the traditional representation of Nike, the goddess of victory, they also include a small Eiffel Tower motif.

The Paris Mint is producing 5,084 medals for both the Olympics and Paralympics. These medals vary in weight and composition, with gold medals plated in gold and the others made of silver or a bronze alloy.

Each medal will be presented in a dark-blue box from Chaumet, accompanied by a certificate confirming the origin of the Eiffel Tower fragment. While their monetary value remains unspecified, these medals are sure to become cherished mementos for athletes competing in the Paris Games.

The Paris Mint is manufacturing 5,084 medals — about 2,600 for the Olympics and 2,400 for the Paralympics. That is likely more than will be required. Some will be stored in case that medals need to reassigned after the Games, which can happen when medal-winners are subsequently stripped of the prizes for doping. Some go to museums. Any other spares could be destroyed.

Specs of the medals:

• The gold medals weigh 529 grams and are not pure gold. They are made of silver and plated with 6 grams of gold.
• The silvers weigh 525 grams.
• The bronzes weigh 455 grams and are a copper, tin and zinc alloy.
• The medals are 85 millimeters across and 9.2 millimeters thick.

Also read: Lihyanite statue from Saudi Arabia’s AlUla now on display at Louvre in Paris

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