The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games will be here before we know it – who’s excited?
Picture this: your favorite swimmer just won a gold medal for taking first place in an event at the Olympics. You’re shouting at the TV screen when they climb out of the pool, put the medal around their neck, pose for the camera and bite down on that glorious gold medal… and you can’t help but wonder: what’s up with the biting – why do they do that?
Originally, medal-biting was a way for Olympians to confirm that their medals were made of real gold. But that started over a century ago. These days, the biting is purely symbolic – athletes are just honoring the tradition. Here’s the backstory on how it all started.
The Bite Test: Is it Real Gold?
During the California Gold Rush in the 1800s, gold traders didn’t have the advanced technology that we have today for assessing gold purity. They often “tested” gold pieces by biting them – money handlers were notorious for biting gold coins. The logic goes like this: pure gold is soft – soft enough that if you bite it, your teeth will leave a bite mark. So, if a gold item has a high purity level, biting it will create an indent. If it’s a low-grade alloy or just fake gold altogether, the bite won’t leave a mark.
However, it’s not that simple. The bite test had a good run in the 19th century, but it’s really not an accurate way to test gold. While it’s certainly true that pure gold is naturally soft and malleable (which is why it’s rarely used alone in jewelry or coins), many non-gold metals (like brass, for example) are also soft enough to show bite marks. Gold-plated or fake items can be dented when bitten as well.
There are other more reliable methods for DIY gold testing – but ultimately, a professional assay conducted at a precious metals refinery will provide the most accurate results.
But Wait, Are Olympic Medals Made of Real Gold?
Modern Olympic medals are still made with real gold, but they’re not fully solid gold anymore. Nearly-pure, solid gold first-place medals were given out from 1904 to 1912, but those were discontinued after the 1912 Stockholm Games. Today’s Olympic medals are made of a silver base that’s coated with about 6 grams of 24k gold. Olympians know this, but they still bite the medals for fun.
Bite For the Camera
Photographers love that iconic shot of a champion biting a gold medal. Though we’re not sure which athlete first started the trend, it presumably originated when the solid gold medals were awarded in the early 1900s. Since then, photographers have jumped on every opportunity to capture athletes biting their shiny awards. Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt and other famous athletes have been captured in this classic pose!
Come to think of it, Olympic athletes aren’t the only people biting down on gold – gold dental crowns have been around since ancient times.
Beyond the Bite Test: A Reliable Way to Assess Gold
The bite test may be a popular myth, but it’s far from a reliable way to determine the value of your gold. That’s where Garfield Refining comes in. As an experienced precious metals refinery, we use precise melt and assay procedures to deliver accurate, transparent breakdowns of your metal’s true composition.
Whether you have gold jewelry, silver flatware, or another form of precious metal scrap, our expert team works to ensure you receive the highest possible payout. Known as an industry leader in exceptional service, Garfield has been named Best Refiner by Dentaltown Magazine for 15 years straight!
Ready to sell your precious metals? Get started today with a free shipping label!