First place winners were awarded a silver medal, an olive
branch and a diploma. Those in second place were given
a copper medal, a branch of laurel and a diploma. The obverse
side of the medal has Zeus' face along with his hand holding
a globe with the winged victory on it and the caption in
Greek "Olympia". The reverse side had the Acropolis
site with the caption in Greek "International Olympic
Games in Athens in 1896."
1900
Paris
On the obverse, a winged goddess holding laurel branches
in both hands, arms raised. In the background, underneath,
a view of the city of Paris and the monuments of the Universal
Exhibition. On the reverse, a victorious athlete standing
on a podium holding a laurel branch in his right hand,
arm raised. In the background, a stadium and the Acropolis
of Athens.
1904
Saint Louis
On the obverse, an athlete standing on some steps, holding
a laurel crown in his right hand, symbol of victory, and
raising his left arm. In the background, a bas relief illustrating
the sports disciplines from Antiquity. Behind, a Greek
temple. Above the figure of the athlete, the inscription
"Olympiad" and on the rock bottom right
"1904". On the reverse, Nike, goddess of victory,
standing on a globe. She is holding a laurel crown in her
left hand and a palm leaf in her right hand. In front of
her, a great crown, with in the centre a space for the
name of the sports discipline. Behind Nike, the bust of
Zeus on a plinth. The inscription "Universal Exposition
St.-Louis USA". The design of these two sides was
inspired by the medal of the 1896 Athens Games and 1900
Paris Games.
1908
London
On the obverse, two female figures placing a laurel crown
on the head of a young victorious athlete, with, in the
bottom half, the inscription "OLYMPIC GAMES LONDON
1908". On the reverse, the figure of St.-George, patron
saint of England. Legend says that he was a fighting saint
who slew a dragon to free a princess.
1912
Stockholm
On the obverse, two female figures placing a laurel crown
on the head of young victorious athlete. On the reverse,
a herald proclaiming the opening of the Games with, on
the left, the statue of Ling, the founder of the institutions
and the Swedish gym system. All around, the inscription "OLYMPISKA
SPELEN STOCKHOLM 1912".
1920
Antwerp
On the obverse, a tall, naked athlete, holding a palm leaf
and a laurel crown, symbols of victory, in his left hand.
Behind him, the figure of the Renomm?e playing the trumpet.
In the background, a frieze with a Greek motif with the
inscription
"VII OLYMPIADE" underneath. On the reverse, the
Antwerp monument, commemorating the legend of Brabo throwing
the hand of the giant Druoon Antigoon, who had been terrorizing
the river, into the Schelde. The legend sais that in Antiquity,
this cruel giant forced all vessels on the river to pay
a toll. If the captain refused to pay, he cut off his hand.
The giant spread terror amongst the sailors for many long
years, until the day he met Silvius Brabo. This courageous
Roman soldier dared to take on the giant and succeeded
in killing him. As revenge for his victims, he cut off
the giant's hand and threw it into the river. This is where
the name of the city comes from. "Antwerp" means "thrown
hand". In the background the cathedral and port of
Antwerp. In the top half, the inscription "ANVERS
MCMXX". A total of 1.250 copies were made: 450 gold
medals, 400 silver medals and the same number in bronze.
1924
Paris
On the obverse, a naked victorious athlete, taking the
hand of his rival, seated on the ground, to help him to
get up. Underneath, the Olympic rings. On the reverse,
a harp as a symbol of the cultural program of the Games
and the different sports equipment, winter as well as summer,
forming an arch. In the centre, the inscription "VIIIe
OLYMPIADE PARIS 1924". A total of 912 copies were
made: 304 gold medals and the same number of silver medals,
as well as 306 bronze medals.
1928
Amsterdam
On the obverse, the traditional goddess of victory, holding
a palm in her left hand and a winner’s crown in her
right. A design used since the 1928 Games in Amsterdam,
created by Florentine artist Giuseppe Cassioli and chosen
after a competition organized by the International Olympic
Committee. For these Games, the picture of victory is accompanied
by the specific inscription: "IXe OLYMPIADE AMSTERDAM
1928". On the reverse, an Olympic champion carried
in triumph by the crowd with the Olympic stadium in the
background.
(from 1928 to 1968, the medals for the Summer Games were
identical. The Organizing Committee for the Games in Munich
in 1972 broke new ground by having a different reverse
which was designed by Gerhard Marcks.)
1932
Los Angeles
On the obverse, the traditional goddess of victory, holding
a palm in her left hand and a winner’s crown in her
right. A design used since the 1928 Games in Amsterdam,
created by Florentine artist Giuseppe Cassioli and chosen
after a competition organized by the International Olympic
Committee. For these Games, the picture of victory is accompanied
by the specific inscription: "Xth OLYMPIAD LOS ANGELES
1932". On the reverse, an Olympic champion carried
in triumph by the crowd, with the Olympic stadium in the
background.
(From 1928 to 1968, the medals for the Summer Games were
identical. The Organising Committee for the Games in Munich
in 1972 broke new ground by having a different reverse
which was designed by Gerhard Marcks.)
1936
Berlin
On the obverse, the traditional goddess of victory, holding
a palm in her left hand and a winner’s crown in her
right. A design used since the 1928 Games in Amsterdam,
created by Florentine artist Giuseppe Cassioli and chosen
after a competition organized by the International Olympic
Committee in 1921. On the reverse, an Olympic champion
carried in triumph by the crowd, with the Olympic stadium
in the background. (from 1928 to 1968, the medals for the
Summer Games were identical. The Organising Committee for
the Games in Munich in 1972 broke new ground by having
a different reverse which was designed by Gerhard Marcks.)
1948
London
On the obverse, the traditional goddess of victory, holding
a palm in her left hand and a winner’s crown in her
right. A design used since the 1928 Games in Amsterdam,
created by Florentine artist Giuseppe Cassioli and chosen
after a competition organized by the International Olympic
Committee. For these Games, the picture of victory is accompanied
by the specific inscription: "XIV OLYMPIAD LONDON
1948". On the reverse, an Olympic champion carried
in triumph by the crowd, with the Olympic stadium in the
background. (from 1928 to 1968, the medals for the Summer
Games were identical. The Organising Committee for the
Games in Munich in 1972 broke new ground by having a different
reverse which was designed by Gerhard Marcks.)
1952
Helsinki
On the obverse, the traditional goddess of victory, holding
a palm in her left hand and a winner’s crown in her
right. A design used since the 1928 Games in Amsterdam,
created by Florentine artist Giuseppe Cassioli and chosen
after a competition organized by the International Olympic
Committee. For these Games, the picture of victory is accompanied
by the specific inscription: "XV OLYMPIA HELSINKI
1952". On the reverse, an Olympic champion carried
in triumph by the crowd, with the Olympic stadium in the
background. (from 1928 to 1968, the medals for the Summer
Games were identical. The Organising Committee for the
Games in Munich in 1972 broke new ground by having a different
reverse which was designed by Gerhard Marcks.)
1956
Melbourne/Stockholm
On the obverse, the traditional goddess of victory, holding
a palm in her left hand and a winner’s crown in her
right. A design used since the 1928 Games in Amsterdam,
created by Florentine artist Giuseppe Cassioli and chosen
after a competition organized by the International Olympic
Committee. For these Games, the picture of victory is accompanied
by the specific inscription: "XVIth OLYMPIAD MELBOURNE
1956". On the reverse, an Olympic champion carried
in triumph by the crowd, with the Olympic stadium in the
background. (from 1928 to 1968, the medals for the Summer
Games were identical. The Organising Committee for the
Games in Munich in 1972 broke new ground by having a different
reverse which was designed by Gerhard Marcks.)
1960
Rome
On the obverse, the traditional goddess of victory, holding
a palm in her left hand and a winner’s crown in her
right. A design used since the 1928 Games in Amsterdam,
created by Florentine artist Giuseppe Cassioli and chosen
after a competition organized by the International Olympic
Committee in 1921. For these Games, the picture of victory
is accompanied by the specific inscription: "GIOCCHI
DELLA XVII OLIMPIADE ROMA MCMLX". The medals in Rome
were set in a circle of bronze featuring a laurel wreath
matched with a chain also designed like a sequence of bronze
laurel leaves. On the reverse, an Olympic champion carried
in triumph by the crowd, with the Olympic stadium in the
background. (from 1928 to 1968, the medals for the Summer
Games were identical. The Organising Committee for the
Games in Munich in 1972 broke new ground by having a different
reverse which was designed by Gerhard Marcks.)
1964
Tokyo
On the obverse, the traditional goddess of victory, holding
a palm in her left hand and a winner’s crown in her
right. A design used since the 1928 Games in Amsterdam,
created by Florentine artist Giuseppe Cassioli and chosen
after a competition organized by the International Olympic
Committee in 1921. On the reverse, an Olympic champion
carried in triumph by the crowd, with the Olympic stadium
in the background. (from 1928 to 1968, the medals for the
Summer Games were identical. The Organising Committee for
the Games in Munich in 1972 broke new ground by having
a different reverse which was designed by Gerhard Marcks.)
1968
Mexico
On the obverse, the traditional goddess of victory, holding
a palm in her left hand and a winner’s crown in her
right. A design used since the 1928 Games in Amsterdam,
created by Florentine artist Giuseppe Cassioli and chosen
after a competition organized by the International Olympic
Committee in 1921.
For these Games, the picture of victory is accompanied
by the specific inscription:
“XIX OLIMPIADA MEXICO 1968”. On the reverse,
an Olympic champion carried in triumph by the crowd, with
the Olympic stadium in the background. (from 1928 to 1968,
the medals for the Summer Games were identical. The Organising
Committee for the Games in Munich in 1972 broke new ground
by having a different reverse which was designed by Gerhard
Marcks.)
1972
Munich
On the obverse, the traditional goddess of victory, a design
used since the 1928 Amsterdam Games, accompanied by the
specific inscription "XX Olympiade Munchen 1972".
On the reverse, Castor and Pollux, the twin sons of Zeus
and Leda, the patrons of sports competitions and friendship,
represented by two naked youths. This design was created
by Gerhard Marcks, one of the last representatives of the
Bauhaus.
1976
Montreal
On the obverse, the design of Guiseppe Cassioli, created
for the Amsterdam Games in 1928. The principal symbols
are Victory, Fraternity and Universality. The reverse was
designed as intentionally bare. It comprises a stylized
laurel crown, symbol of victory since the Games of Antiquity,
and the emblem of the Montreal Games.
1980
Moscow
On the obverse, the traditional Olympic symbol of victory:
the goddess Nike holding a laurel wreath; in the lower
right-hand corner, a fragment of the colisseum and above
it, the inscription in Cyrillic XXII Olimpiady Moskva 1980
(Games of the XXII Olympiad Moscow 1980). On the reverse,
a stylized Olympic Bowl with a burning flame against the
background of a stadium arena. The upper right-hand segment
carries the insignia of the Moscow Olympics. The name of
the sport appears on the rim.
1984
Los Angeles
The medals for 1984 were an adaptation of the original
design by Florentine artist Giuseppe Cassioli created for
the 1928 Games in Amsterdam. The obverse of the medal features
the ancient coliseum and the goddess of victory holding
a winner's crown. The reverse of the medal features a victorious
athlete, a palm branch carried by jubilant athletes and
a stadium in the background.
1988
Seoul
On the obverse, the ancient coliseum and the goddess of
victory holding the laurel crowns and the caption: "XXIV
Olympiad Seoul 1988". On the reverse, a dove, the
symbol of peace, soaring up, holding a laurel branch in
its mouth and the Seoul Olympic sash composed of three
Taeguk patterns from the Korean national flag and the five
Olympic rings.
1992
Barcelona
On the obverse, a medallion 56mm in diameter, superimposed
on the medal and slightly off-centre, on which the image
of the goddess of victory appeared, drawn in a Modernist
style, together with the words
"XXV Olimpiada Barcelona 1992".On the reverse
the official emblem of the Barcelona Games. The medal was
designed by the sculptor Xavier Corbeo.
1996
Atlanta
On the obverse, a drawing that has been in use since the
Amsterdam Games of 1928, representing Nike, the goddess
of victory, holding palms in her left hand, and, in her
right hand, held over her head, a winner's crown.
On the reverse, the logo of the 1996 Games and a stylized
olive branch. In total, 633 gold medals, 635 silver, and
661 bronze medals were cast for these Games.
2000
Sydney
The customary symbols, including the Victory Goddess holding
a winner's crown, are engraved on the obverse face. The
Sydney Opera House, the Olympic torch and the Olympic rings
are represented on the reverse. The designers are Australian:
Woljciech Pietranik and Brian Thompson.
2004
Athens
The main feature of the medals is the Greek character shown
on both sides since their basic side has been changed for
the first time since the Amsterdam Olympic Games in 1928.
This is of particular importance as from now on all Olympic
medals will reflect the Greek character of the Games as
regards both their origin and their revival. On the medals
awarded to Olympic athletes from 1928 until the Sydney
Games, goddess Nike was seated, holding an ear of corn
in one hand and a wreath in the other. Here, she flies
into the stadium bringing victory to the best athlete.
The Organizsing Committee has chosen to show the Panathenaic
stadium, where the Games were first renewed in 1896. On
the obverse, the athlete’s discipline is also engraved.
The reverse side of the medal is composed of three elements:
- the eternal flame that was lit in Olympia and traveled
through the five continents by way of the 2004 Torch
Relay
- the opening lines of Pindar's Eighth Olympic Ode
composed in 460 BC to honor the victory of Alkimedon
of Aegina in wrestling
- the Athens 2004 Olympic Games emblem.
The design of the Medal was created by Elena Votsi.