Rio 2016The Medals

On the obverse, Nike, goddess of victory, flies into the Panathinaikos stadium bringing triumph to the best athlete. For these Games, her figure is accompanied by the specific inscription: “XXXI Olympiada Rio 2016”. The reverse features laurel leaves—a symbol of victory in the ancient Greece—in the form of the wreaths awarded to competition winners. They are surrounding the Rio 2016 Olympics logo.

Bearing a design that celebrates the relationship between the strengths of Olympic heroes and the forces of nature, the 500g gold, silver and bronze medals were made with sustainability at their heart. The silver and bronze medals were produced using 30 per cent recycled materials while the ribbons were made from 50 per cent recycled PET. Meanwhile, the gold medals were completely free of mercury.

The gold medals were purer than ever, meeting sustainability criteria from extraction to refining, as well as meeting strict environmental and labour laws. They made use of recycled raw silver at 92.5 per cent purity, coming from leftover mirrors, waste solders and X-ray plates. And 40 per cent of the copper used in the bronze medals came from waste at the mint itself. The substance was melted and decontaminated to provide material for the medals.

Number of medals: 812 gold, 812 silver and 864 bronze.

Weight: 500g

Mint: Brazilian Mint