Milano Cortina 2026 Medal Design, Materials and Meaning
The Milano Cortina medals joined a polished half representing ice with a granular half representing snow. The two-part form symbolized the two host cities and the relationship between athletes and supporters, while recycled production metal and renewable-powered casting supported the sustainability concept.
Timeline
- 2025-07-15: Organizers unveiled the Olympic and Paralympic medals in Venice.
- 2026-02-06 to 2026-02-22: Olympic medals were presented during the Winter Games.
- 2026-03-06 to 2026-03-15: The related accessible Paralympic medals were presented during the Winter Paralympics.
The Milano Cortina 2026 medals were designed as two visually distinct halves brought together at the center. One half had a polished, reflective surface associated with ice, while the other used a granular texture associated with snow. On the Olympic medal, the rings joined the halves on the face. Organizers said the dual form represented both the union of Milan and Cortina and the relationship between an athlete and the coaches, family, teammates and fans supporting the achievement. [1][2][3]
The reverse continued the split composition. One side carried the Milano Cortina 2026 identity and Olympic rings, while the other identified the discipline and event. The rim included the formal Games inscription. This restrained geometry was intended to express difference and complementarity rather than depict a specific landmark, mountain or athlete, making the symbolism dependent on texture and the meeting of the two parts. [1][3]
The Italian State Mint and Polygraphic Institute, IPZS, produced the medals with the organizing committee. Each medal measured 80 millimetres in diameter and 10 millimetres thick. The gold version weighed about 506 grams, silver 500 grams and bronze 420 grams. The substantial difference in bronze weight reflects its material, while gold and silver shared the same underlying silver-based size and nearly the same mass. [2][3]
An Olympic gold medal was not solid gold. The official technical record gives it a composition of 999 silver with six grams of 999.9 gold. The silver medal used 999 silver, and the bronze medal was copper. This follows the modern Olympic convention of a silver core with gold plating for first place. Descriptions should distinguish composition from color and should not calculate metal value without current commodity prices and exact recovery assumptions. [3]
Sustainability choices were part of the production story. IPZS used recycled metal recovered from its own manufacturing waste, and the induction furnaces used to cast the medals were powered entirely by renewable energy. The protective finish was described as non-toxic, recyclable and environmentally friendly. Medal boxes used Forest Stewardship Council-certified materials and minimized plastic, according to the Olympic Studies Centre record. [3]
The Paralympic medals used the same central concept but replaced the Olympic rings with the Paralympic agitos and added accessible features, including Braille wording. Olympic ribbons were blue and Paralympic ribbons red, using colors and patterns from the Games’ visual identity. The shared form linked the two editions while the symbols, ribbon color and tactile treatment made the medal sets distinct. [1][2]
Organizers produced 1,146 medals in total: 735 for the Olympic Games and 411 for the Paralympic Games. That manufacturing total is larger than the number of medal events because team events award a physical medal to each eligible athlete and because the two Games had separate programs. The durable summary is a two-texture Italian design made with recycled production metal, with symbolism centered on paired host cities and collective support behind an athlete’s result. [2][3]
Sources
- Milano Cortina 2026: Medal Unveiling Press Release
- IOC Olympic Studies Centre: Milano Cortina 2026 Medal Technical Details
- IOC Olympic Studies Centre: Winter Games Medals From Chamonix 1924 to Milano Cortina 2026