Most of all the Olympic Gold Medals are not Solid Gold, They are Silver, with Gold Plating (Silver-gilt, with six grams of Fine Gold). Only a few Solid Gold Medals are in existance and they were special awards given out in the ealry few Games and last given in 1912.

In 1896, winners' medals were in fact silver. The custom of gold-silver-bronze for the first three places dates from the 1904 games and has been copied for many other sporting events. Minting the medals is the responsibility of the host city.

The gold and silver Olympic medals must be made out of 92.5 percent silver, with the gold medal covered in six grams of gold.