India, Oct. 11 -- An Olympic gold medal is the ultimate symbol of sporting excellence, representing years of training and sacrifice. However, there is a surprising detail about the prize that athletes work towards for years. Despite its name, the medal is not made entirely of gold.

According to the International Olympic Committee's medal regulations, gold medals must be made of silver containing at least 92.5% pure silver and coated with at least six grams of pure gold. This means that the precious metal gives the medal its golden finish, while silver makes up most of its structure.

The rules also specify that Olympic medals must measure at least 60 millimetres in diameter and three millimetres in thickness. However, their exact weight,...