From the very first medal used in 1896, to the latest edition embedded with an authentic piece of iron from the Eiffel Tower, the Olympics medal has been reimagined in some incredible avatars over the years. Below, a timeline of its many transformations across different parts of the world.
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1896, Athens
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Back in the 1800s, first place winners were awarded a silver medal, an olive branch and a diploma. While one side of the Athens medal featured Zeus’ face, the other showed the Acropolis site.
1900, Paris
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For the Paris Olympics in 1900, the medal depicted a winged goddess holding laurel branches in both hands. Behind her, one can see a full view of the city of Paris, and the monuments of the Universal Exhibition. The flip side of the medal showcases an athlete standing at the podium in front of the Acropolis of Athens.
1904, St, Louis
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The Goddess Nike made an appearance in the 1904 medal, standing alongside a crown that could be inscribed with the name of the winner. The main side of the medal showcases an athlete holding a laurel crown, the symbol of victory, in front of a Greek temple.
1908, London
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At the London Olympics, the medal featured two women placing a crown on the head of an athlete, with the words “Olympic Games London 1908″ written under them. On the reverse side, we see St. George, often referred to as the fighting saint who slew a dragon to free a princess.
1912, Stockholm
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Very similar to the 1908 medal, the 1912 Olympics awarded athletes with a medal showing two women crowning a male athlete. The back of the medal is what differed from the last edition, showing a herald announcing the opening of the Games.
1920, Antwerp
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Holding a palm leaf and a laurel crown, a victorious athlete stands in front of Renommée playing the trumpet. The back of the 1920 medal tells the story of Silvius Brabo, the Roman soldier who cut off a giant’s hand and threw it into a river to protect his people. Fun fact: The name Antwerp means “thrown hand” in honor of this legend.
1924, Paris
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Celebrating true sportsmanship, this medal shows a victorious athlete helping his rival up from the ground. Under the duo, one can see the iconic Olympic rings.
1928, Amsterdam; 1932, Los Angeles; 1936, Berlin; 1948, London; 1952, Helsinki; 1956, Melbourne
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The first Amsterdam Olympics medal showed the traditional goddess of victory, holding a palm in her left hand and a winner’s crown in her right. The design was chosen after a competition hosted by the International Olympic Committee in 1921 and was used for years after selection.
1960, Rome
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After having the same medal from 1928 to 1968, the 1960 medals served as a refreshing change with their reversed design, showing the goddess on the back, and an Olympian champion carried by a crowd on the front. Set in bronze, these medals featured a laurel wreath with a matching chain designed to look like a sequence of bronze laurel leaves.
1964, Tokyo
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By the next Olympics, the medal design was back to Florentine artist Giuseppe Cassioli’s work, showcasing the goddess on the front and the Olympian at the back.
1968, Mexico City
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While the 1968 medal followed the much favored design of past years, one interesting element set it apart: each medal came with a pendant attachment carved with a swimmers arm surrounded by waves.
1972, Munich
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Seen on the back of the medals, Castor and Pollux, the twin sons of Zeus and Léda (the patrons of sports competitions and friendship), took centerstage at the 1972 Games.
1976, Montreal
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The back of the Montreal medal was intentionally designed to create a bare effect. The simple carving depicts a stylized laurel crown, symbol of victory since the Games of Antiquity, and the emblem of the 1976 Games in Montréal.
1980, Moscow
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A stylized Olympic Bowl with a burning flame in front of the Olympics stadium marked the 1980 medal. On the upper right corner, one can see the emblem of the Moscow Games. The name of the sport was carved into the rim of each piece.
1984, Los Angeles
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Keeping it classic, the 1984 medal showed the goddess on the front, and an Olympic champion being carried by the crowd on the back, with the Olympic stadium in the background.
1988, Seoul
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A dove, the symbol of peace, featured on this medal – flying upwards with a laurel branch in its mouth. The Games emblem for Seoul showed three Taegeuk patterns from the Korean national flag and the five Olympic rings.
1992, Barcelona
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Designed by sculptor Xavier Corberóm, the backside of this medal showed the official emblem of the 1992 Games in Barcelona.
1996, Atlanta
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The 1996 Games medal saw the “Quilt of Leaves” stylized olive branch design. Fun fact: Each of the total of 1,929 medals was minted with a pictogram of the relevant sport that an athlete had won in.
2000, Sydney
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Come 2000, the Olympics medal depicted the Sydney Opera House, the Olympic torch, and the Olympic rings. The designers were Australia’s Woljciech Pietranik and Brian Thompson.
2004, Athens
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A new norm was set with the 2004 medals, which featured Greek lettering on both sides. The medal also showcases Goddess Nike flying into the stadium to bring victory to the best athlete.
2008, Beijing
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Taking inspiration from “bi”, China’s ancient jade piece inscribed with a dragon pattern, the 2008 medal was the very first to use the gemstone in its design, seen inlaid on the reverse side. The design of the medal hooks was inspired by the jade “huang”.
2012, London
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Perhaps one of the most intricate Olympics medals in history, these came engraved with the traditional goddess of victory flies into the Panathinaikos stadium, and on the reverse, an abstract design with the 2012 Games emblem, serving as a metaphor for London’s modernity.
2016, Rio
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Featuring the same artwork of Goddess Nike at the front and the iconic wreath on the back, the Rio Olympics medals were crafted keeping sustainability in mind. While the silver and bronze medals were made using 30% recycled materials, the gold medals were completely free of mercury. The gold medals also met strict environmental and labor laws, and were made from recycled raw silver from leftover mirrors, waste solders and X-ray plates.
2020, Tokyo
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The Tokyo Games medal design was selected after a nationwide competition open to both professional designers and design students. Aiming to be as eco-friendly as possible, these medals were made using a total of 78,985 tons of discarded electronic devices — donated by residents across Japan — as part of the Tokyo 2020 Medal Project. The metal from the devices was then extracted and moulded into the final designs.
2024, Paris
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Crafted by Chaumet, the Olympics 2024 medals tell an interesting story. Giving each winner a chance to keep a part of Paris with themselves forever, each medal includes a hexagon center, cut from an authentic piece of iron from the Eiffel Tower. The medals were presented at the opening ceremony in meticulously crafted Louis Vuitton trunks and trays featuring the Maison’s iconic Damier canvas.
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