Gold and Silver Prices Soar, Making 2026 Olympics Medals the Priciest in History
American Hartford President Max Baecker analyzes the hot gold and silver market on ‘Varney & Co.’
The recent surge in gold and silver prices has led to a remarkable milestone: the medals awarded at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics will be the most expensive in history.
Set to kick off on Friday, the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina will see the value of gold and silver medals soar alongside the rising prices of these precious metals. The spot price of gold has skyrocketed over 70% in the past year, trading at approximately $4,950 per ounce. Meanwhile, silver has experienced an even more dramatic increase of 143%, currently trading around $76 per ounce.
While the sentimental value of Olympic medals is immeasurable for athletes who dedicate years of training to achieve their dreams, the recent price surge significantly enhances the intrinsic value of these awards.
Samples of the silver, gold, and bronze medals of the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics are displayed at the Italian Mint in Rome, Italy, on Dec. 5, 2025. (Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters)
2026 MILAN CORTINA OLYMPICS: EVERYTHING TO KNOW ABOUT THIS YEAR’S WINTER GAMES
The medals for the Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games are crafted by the Italian State Mint and Polygraphic Institute, utilizing metal recycled from its own production waste. Each medal measures 80 mm in diameter and 10 mm in thickness, though the gold, silver, and bronze medals have distinct compositions.
TEAM USA STARS TO KNOW AS THE 2026 WINTER OLYMPICS BEGIN
Tenor Andrea Bocelli performs during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. (Mike Segar/Reuters)
Gold medals awarded at the 2026 Winter Games will contain just 6 grams of gold, with the total weight of the medal being 506 grams, the remainder being silver. Silver medals consist entirely of silver and weigh 500 grams. At the current price of $4,950 per Troy ounce, the gold in a gold medal is valued at approximately $955, while the silver content is worth about $1,221.
Bronze medals, made of copper, weigh 420 grams (about 0.93 lbs). At a market rate of $5.89 per pound, a bronze medal is valued at roughly $5.45.
US SKI STAR LINDSEY VONN STUNS IN OLYMPIC TRAINING RUN ONE WEEK AFTER ACL TEAR
Flagbearer Erin Jackson of the United States in the athletes parade during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. (Yara Nardi/Reuters)
Interestingly, Olympians sometimes opt to sell their medals, often fetching prices at auction that far exceed the intrinsic value of the metals due to their novelty and rarity. Four-time Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis, regarded as one of the greatest divers in history, auctioned three of his medals—two golds from the 1984 and 1988 Games and a silver from the 1976 Montreal Olympics—to fund a move to Panama. Reports indicate that the auction netted Louganis over $430,000.
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Swimmer Ryan Lochte in action during the Men’s 200M Individual Medley Final at Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia in 2015. (Thomas Lovelock /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
Ryan Lochte, a swimmer with an impressive tally of six gold medals, three silver, and three bronze from four Olympic appearances, recently sold three of his gold medals at auction for $385,520.
Fox News Digital’s Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
American Hartford President Max Baecker analyzes the hot gold and silver market on ‘Varney & Co.’
The recent surge in gold and silver prices has led to a remarkable milestone: the medals awarded at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics will be the most expensive in history.
Set to kick off on Friday, the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina will see the value of gold and silver medals soar alongside the rising prices of these precious metals. The spot price of gold has skyrocketed over 70% in the past year, trading at approximately $4,950 per ounce. Meanwhile, silver has experienced an even more dramatic increase of 143%, currently trading around $76 per ounce.
While the sentimental value of Olympic medals is immeasurable for athletes who dedicate years of training to achieve their dreams, the recent price surge significantly enhances the intrinsic value of these awards.
Samples of the silver, gold, and bronze medals of the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics are displayed at the Italian Mint in Rome, Italy, on Dec. 5, 2025. (Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters)
2026 MILAN CORTINA OLYMPICS: EVERYTHING TO KNOW ABOUT THIS YEAR’S WINTER GAMES
The medals for the Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games are crafted by the Italian State Mint and Polygraphic Institute, utilizing metal recycled from its own production waste. Each medal measures 80 mm in diameter and 10 mm in thickness, though the gold, silver, and bronze medals have distinct compositions.
TEAM USA STARS TO KNOW AS THE 2026 WINTER OLYMPICS BEGIN
Tenor Andrea Bocelli performs during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. (Mike Segar/Reuters)
Gold medals awarded at the 2026 Winter Games will contain just 6 grams of gold, with the total weight of the medal being 506 grams, the remainder being silver. Silver medals consist entirely of silver and weigh 500 grams. At the current price of $4,950 per Troy ounce, the gold in a gold medal is valued at approximately $955, while the silver content is worth about $1,221.
Bronze medals, made of copper, weigh 420 grams (about 0.93 lbs). At a market rate of $5.89 per pound, a bronze medal is valued at roughly $5.45.
US SKI STAR LINDSEY VONN STUNS IN OLYMPIC TRAINING RUN ONE WEEK AFTER ACL TEAR
Flagbearer Erin Jackson of the United States in the athletes parade during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. (Yara Nardi/Reuters)
Interestingly, Olympians sometimes opt to sell their medals, often fetching prices at auction that far exceed the intrinsic value of the metals due to their novelty and rarity. Four-time Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis, regarded as one of the greatest divers in history, auctioned three of his medals—two golds from the 1984 and 1988 Games and a silver from the 1976 Montreal Olympics—to fund a move to Panama. Reports indicate that the auction netted Louganis over $430,000.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
Swimmer Ryan Lochte in action during the Men’s 200M Individual Medley Final at Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia in 2015. (Thomas Lovelock /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
Ryan Lochte, a swimmer with an impressive tally of six gold medals, three silver, and three bronze from four Olympic appearances, recently sold three of his gold medals at auction for $385,520.
Fox News Digital’s Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
