Paris Olympics: 2024 medals to include piece of Eiffel Tower
Paris 2024 medals PARIS, FRANCE - FEBRUARY 08: Olympic medals are displayed during the unveiling of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games Medals At Paris 2024 Headquarters on February 08, 2024 in Paris, France. Paris will host the Summer Olympics from July 26 till August 11, 2024. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
By Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
The Olympians who earn a medal during the 2024 Summer Olympics will take home not just a piece of Olympic history, but also a piece of Paris history.
The medals for the Paris Olympics were unveiled on Thursday, with organizers announcing that a piece of metal from the Eiffel Tower will be embedded in them.
The medals will still be made from gold, silver or bronze, but each will be “adorned with a small piece of Paris and a symbol of the country of France: the Eiffel Tower.”
“There was a huge amount done to try to bring together these precious metals - gold, silver and bronze - with the most precious metal in the Eiffel Tower, the jewel in the French crown. So what’s specific about the 2024 medals is that meshing together, that fusion, that alloy…,” said Tony Estanguet, president of the games’ organizing committee.
“What’s impactful for this year will be having a part of the original Eiffel Tower metal, the iron, in these various medals, and so this is what we wanted to do, to infuse all these 2024 athletes with that metal.”
The piece of the tower is cut into a hexagon and is not painted the “Eiffel Tower brown,” but will remain its natural iron color. It will be in the center of the medal, mounted like a gem, and embossed with the Paris 2024 Games’ emblem. The medals have struck rays surrounding the piece of the tower, which “embodies both France’s radiance in the world and the athletes’ radiant performances at the Games.”
The side of the medal with the Eiffel Tower on it will be the same for both the Olympic and Paralympic games. On the other side, the name of the sport, discipline and event will be engraved on the edge of the medal, with the Olympic Games engraved in French and the Paralympic Games engraved in English for each of the organizations’ official languages, officials said.
There will be 5,084 medals made, with each being 85 mm (3.46 inches) in diameter and 9.2 mm (.36 inches) thick. The medals will include 18 grams of iron from the Eiffel Tower.
The weights of the medals, however, will differ slightly:
529g for gold.
525g for silver.
455g for bronze.
Olympic organizers said that since the first modern Olympic Games started in Athens in 1896, there have been about 36,600 medals awarded.
Olympic medals Athens 1896 Olympic medal. One of Ellery Clark's Olympic medals from 1896.(Photo by JOEY MCLEISTER/Star Tribune via Getty Images) (Star Tribune via Getty Images/Star Tribune via Getty Images)
Olympic medals Paris 1900 - Medal from the 1900 Olympics (Paris) - Exhibition 'Olympic Games: Sport, Culture and Art' - Collection of the IOC Olympic Museum, Olympics medal 1900, Paris, Exhibition Olympics, Sport, Culture and Art, Collection COI, Olympic Museum, Cultural Center Fiesp, Capital, Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by: AGB Photo Library/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (AGB Photo Library/AGB Photo Library/Universal Imag)
Olympic medals St. Louis 1904 - Medal from the 1904 Olympics (Saint Louis) - Exhibition 'Olympic Games: Sport, Culture and Art' - Collection of the IOC Olympic Museum, Olympics medal 1904, Saint Louis, Exhibition Olympics, Sport, Culture and Art, Collection COI, Olympic Museum , Cultural Center Fiesp, Capital, Sao Paulo, Brazil.(Photo by: AGB Photo Library/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (AGB Photo Library/AGB Photo Library/Universal Imag)
Olympic medals Stockholm 1912 - The obverse and reverse of the Prize Medal which will be accompanied by a diploma. In team events a diploma will also be awarded to the winning team. Cups and prizes are being given by the King of Sweden, the Emperor of Russia, the Crown Prince of Greece and the British Football Association, etc. (Photo by PA Images via Getty Images) (PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)
Olympic medals Paris 1924 - Picture of a gold medal received by a Uruguayan football player in the 1924 Paris Olympic Games, taken in Montevideo on March 19, 2019. (Photo by MIGUEL ROJO / AFP) (MIGUEL ROJO/AFP via Getty Images)
Olympic medals Amsterdam 1928 - A gold medal from the 1928 Amsterdam Olympic Games won by Australian sculler Bobby Pearce in Bonhams auction house on April 5, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
Olympic medals Los Angeles 1932 - Medal from the 1932 Olympics (Los Angeles) - Exhibition Los Angeles 1932 - 'Olympic Games: Sport, Culture and Art' - Collection of the IOC Olympic Museum, Medal 1932 Olympics, Los Angeles, Exhibition Olympic Games, Sport, Culture and Art, Collection COI Olympic Museum , Fiesp Cultural Center, Capital, Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by: AGB Photo Library/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (AGB Photo Library/AGB Photo Library/Universal Imag)
Olympic medals Berlin 1936 - Medal from the 1936 Olympics (Berlin) - Exhibition 'Olympic Games: Sport, Culture and Art' - Collection of the IOC Olympic Museum, Medal 1936 Olympics Berlin, Exhibition, Olympic Games, Sport, Culture and Art, Collection COI Olympic Museum, Fiesp Cultural Center, Capital, Sao Paulo, Brazil.(Photo by: AGB Photo Library/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (AGB Photo Library/AGB Photo Library/Universal Imag)
Olympic medals London 1948 - This photograph taken on January 30, 2024 shows Charles Coste's Olympic medal that he won during the 1948 London's Olympic Games during a photo session at his home in Bois-Colombes, northwestern of Paris. Charles Coste is the oldest living French Olympic champion. (Photo by JOEL SAGET / AFP) (Photo by JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images) (JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images)
Olympic medals London 1948 - An athlete's medal is displayed at an exhibition of memorabilia celebrating the Olympic Games since 1908 at the British Library on July 24, 2012 in London, England. The piece makes up part of an exhibition of memorabilia including photographs, stamps and postcards celebrating the Olympic Games since 1896. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Olympic medals Helsinki 1952 - Medal from the 1952 Olympics (Helsinki) - Exhibition 'Olympic Games: Sport, Culture and Art' - Collection of the IOC Olympic Museum, Medal 1952 Olympics, Helsinki, Exhibition, Olympic Games, Sport, Culture and Art, Collection COI Olympic Museum, Fiesp Cultural Center, Capital, Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by: AGB Photo Library/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (AGB Photo Library/AGB Photo Library/Universal Imag)
Olympic medals Melbourne 1956 - Medal from the 1956 Olympics (Melbourne) - Exhibition 'Olympic Games: Sport, Culture and Art' - Collection of the IOC Olympic Museum, Medal 1956 Olympics, Melbourne, Exhibition, Olympic Games, Sport, Culture and Art, Collection COI Olympic Museum, Fiesp Cultural Center, Capital, Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by: AGB Photo Library/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (AGB Photo Library/AGB Photo Library/Universal Imag)
Olympic medals Rome 1960 - Medal from the 1960 Olympics (Rome) - Exhibition 'Olympic Games: Sport, Culture and Art' - Collection of the IOC Olympic Museum, Medal 1960 Olympics Rome, Exhibition, Olympic Games, Sport, Culture and Art, Collection COI Olympic Museum, Fiesp Cultural Center, Capital, Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by: AGB Photo Library/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (AGB Photo Library/AGB Photo Library/Universal Imag)
Olympic medals Tokyo 1964 - In this photograph taken on December 19, 2019 Japanese Yoshikatsu Yoshida, gold medallist in freestyle wrestling in the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games, shows his medal at his residence in Tokyo. (Photo by Behrouz MEHRI / AFP) (Photo by BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP via Getty Images) (BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP via Getty Images)
Olympic medals Mexico City 1968 - The Olympic gold medal presented to Bob Beamon for the men's long jump at the Games in Mexico City in 1968 is on display at Christie's in New York on January 29, 2024. It was long the long jump of the century and it's still an Olympic record, but Beamon is going to part with the gold medal he won at the Mexico-1968 Olympics, after a historic leap of 8.90 m. The madel will be auctioned on February 1, 2024, in New York at Christie's, which estimates its value at between $400,000 and $600,000. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
Olympic medals Montreal 1976 - Famous RDA swimmer champion Kornelia Ender shows her four Olympic gold medals, 20 July 1976 in Montreal where she captured four swimming gold medals (100m and 200m free style,100m Butterfly style and 4x100m medley). During her career, Kornelia Ender established 23 world records between 1973 and 1976. (Photo by STAFF / EPU / AFP) (Photo by STAFF/EPU/AFP via Getty Images) (STAFF/EPU/AFP via Getty Images)
Olympic medals Los Angeles 1984 - PALO ALTO, CA - APRIL 1988: A closeup view of an Olympic Gold Medal awarded during the 1984 Olympic Games held in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images) (David Madison/Getty Images)
Olympic medals Seoul 1988 - A closeup view of an Olympic Gold Medal awarded during the 1988 Olympic Games held in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images) (David Madison/Getty Images)
Olympic medals Seoul 1988 - A closeup view of an Olympic Gold Medal awarded during the 1988 Olympic Games held in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images) (David Madison/Getty Images)
Olympic medals Barcelona 1992 - Medal of the 1992 Olympics (Barcelona) - Exhibition Barcelona 1992 - 'Olympic Games: Sport, Culture and Art' - Collection of the IOC Olympic Museum, Medal of the 1992 Olympics (Barcelona) Exhibition 'Olympic Games: Sport, Culture and Art', Collection of the IOC Olympic Museum, Fiesp Cultural Center, Capital, Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by: AGB Photo Library/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (AGB Photo Library/AGB Photo Library/Universal Imag)
Olympic medals Atlanta 1996 - Closeup of the two Olympic Gold medals Justin Huish won for archery. (Photo by Carlos Chavez/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) (Carlos Chavez/Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag)
Olympic medals Sydney 2000 - Medal of the 2000 Olympics (Sydney) - Exhibition 'Olympic Games: Sport, Culture and Art' - Collection of the IOC Olympic Museum, Medal of the 2000 Olympics (Sydney) Exhibition 'Olympic Games: Sport, Culture and Art', Collection of the IOC Olympic Museum, Fiesp Cultural Center, Capital, Sao Paulo, Brazil.(Photo by: AGB Photo Library/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (AGB Photo Library/AGB Photo Library/Universal Imag)
Olympic medals Athens 2004 - Medal of the 2004 Olympics (Athens) - Exhibition 'Olympic Games: Sport, Culture and Art' - Collection of the IOC Olympic Museum, Medal of the 2004 Olympics (Athens) Exhibition 'Olympic Games: Sport, Culture and Art', Collection of the IOC Olympic Museum, Fiesp Cultural Center, Capital, Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by: AGB Photo Library/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (AGB Photo Library/AGB Photo Library/Universal Imag)
Olympic medals Beijing 2008 - British Double Olympic Gold Medalist Rebecca Adlington shows her medals at the The Grand at Trafalgar Square on October 16, 2008 in London, England. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images) (Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Olympic medals London 2012 - The Olympic Medals During The' London 2012 One Year To Go' Ceremony In Trafalgar Square. London. (Photo by John Phillips/UK Press via Getty Images) (John Phillips/UK Press via Getty Images)
Olympic medals Rio de Janeiro 2016 - In the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, September 29, 2016, a closeup of English Gardner's Olympic gold medal she received from this year's Games in Rio. (Photo by Cheriss May/NurPhoto via Getty Images) (NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Olympic medals Tokyo 2020 - Medals for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are unveiled during a ceremony marking one year before the start of the games in Tokyo on July 24, 2019. - Tokyo entered the final leg of its marathon Olympic preparations, marking a year until the 2020 Games open with officials promising a high-tech but eco-friendly event. (Photo by Behrouz MEHRI / AFP) (Photo credit should read BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP via Getty Images) (BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP via Getty Images)
Olympic medals Paris 2024 - Olympic medals are displayed during the unveiling of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games Medals At Paris 2024 Headquarters on February 08, 2024 in Paris, France. Paris will host the Summer Olympics from July 26 till August 11, 2024. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)