When the solid gold medals were last given in the Olympic ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is (2):
The year 1912 marks the definitive end of the era when solid gold medals were presented to Olympic champions. This happened at the Summer Olympics hosted in Stockholm, Sweden. The decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to change the medal composition after the 1912 Games was driven by a combination of factors, including the increasing cost of gold and a desire for the medals to symbolize honor and achievement rather than extreme monetary value. From the 1920 Games onward, the established standard requires the gold medal to be composed of at least 92.5% silver, which is then plated with a minimum of 6 grams of pure gold. Therefore, the 1912 Stockholm medal holds a unique historical status as the last truly solid gold medal in the modern Olympic tradition.

The incorrect option is (1):
The 1908 London Olympics, like the 1912 Stockholm Games, did award medals made of solid gold. The practice of presenting pure gold to the champions was fully in effect at the London Games. However, the question specifically asks for the *last* time this practice occurred. Since solid gold medals were also given in 1912, the 1908 Games cannot be chronologically correct as the final instance of the tradition.

The incorrect option is (3):
The year 1916 is not the correct answer because the Olympic Games were not held in 1916. The Games of the VI Olympiad, which were scheduled to take place in Berlin, were officially canceled due to the ongoing turmoil of World War I. There was no competition in 1916, and thus no medals of any kind, solid gold or otherwise, were awarded that year. This cancellation represents one of the only times the modern Olympics were not celebrated.

The incorrect option is (4):
The 1920 Antwerp Games actually marked the first time the newly established standard for gold medals was implemented. By the 1920 Olympics, the rule mandating that the gold medal be silver with a gold plating had already taken effect. Therefore, the medals presented at the Antwerp Games were not solid gold, making 1920 the start of the new practice, not the end of the old one.