Buzz
If you've watched the Olympics, you've likely seen medalists gnawing on their gold or silver awards, resembling an old-time prospector. But what’s going on here? Do they think the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is going to shortchange them? Or are they expecting to sink their teeth into chocolate?
It turns out they may just be following the photographer’s direction. When Olympic champions pose for victory shots, a swarm of photographers surround them, encouraging athletes to do more than just stand and smile. Without any other props around, athletes often adopt the habit of nibbling their medals to comply with the demand for a more lively photo.
Wondering if anyone has ever chipped a tooth during this? The answer is yes. In 2010, German luger David Moeller broke a piece off his tooth while biting his silver medal.
Biting gold used to be a common method to test its authenticity, as real gold would show faint bite marks. However, most Olympians probably know by now that their "gold" medals are primarily composed of silver and copper. If they were made of pure gold, the IOC would be paying about $25,000 for each one.
