this post was submitted on 06 Aug 2024
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me_irl

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me_irl (lemmy.world)
submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 82 points 2 months ago (5 children)

It's some weird tradition they've started doing that I either never noticed before or it's new. People used to bite gold coins to prove they were real gold since gold is soft enough to leave a tooth mark, but I don't know if that's related to this or what. You couldn't do that with silver or bronze.

[–] [email protected] 52 points 2 months ago (3 children)
[–] [email protected] 20 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Huh. I totally don't remember seeing it before now, but I've certainly watched my share of Oylmpics since the 90s.

Memory is a weird thing.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I always associated it with Underdog (the superhero) as he bites the coins he's tipped as a shoe shine to test their authenticity, quite often with disappointing results.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

I do too.

"Thank you, Shoe Shine Boy, you're humble and lovable."
"Bless you, sir."

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago

David Wallechinsky, President of the International Society of Olympic Historians told CNN in 2012, “It’s become an obsession with the photographers. I think they look at it as an iconic shot, as something that you can probably sell. I don’t think it’s something the athletes would probably do on their own.”

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

That's crazy, I thought it was from the meme.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Olympic gold medals are also all silver with a thin gold coating.

[–] [email protected] 39 points 2 months ago (2 children)

holds the most prestigious sporting events in the world

fanfare and advertising galore

too cheap to award actual gold medals

mfw 🙄

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It's not like you're gonna trade them for their material value.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 months ago (2 children)

That was my whole plan, though! I was gonna get good enough at something to go get a gold medal, and then hock it for that sweet sweet cash

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Best I can do is $20 and a Chipotle burrito

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

DEAL!

(Man this chump doesn't know food prices huh?!)

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

Sponsor deals you get for winning gold are much much much more though.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago

Way back in the day they used to be real gold, but, you know, real gold isn't the most sturdy thing in the world.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You could if you had a titanium grill and the enlarged jaw of someone who abuses stimulants.

[–] [email protected] 48 points 2 months ago

Sadly, Richard Kiel is no longer with us.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

i know china does this with gold tender, i'm not sure if this is just chinese, or if this is more global, but when doing transactions it's customary to take a nips to the gold to make sure it's solid gold all the way through so eventually it ends up with a number of little bite marks in it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

Yeah I don't know it was a tradition and though "are they making sure the IOC didn't cheap out on the gold medals?"