Why do sportspersons bite their medals ??
By beachdune
@beachdune (907)
India
3 responses
@inu1711 (5285)
• Romania
15 Oct 10
The custom of biting a gold medal may come from an ancient method of testing the value of golden coins with one's teeth. The purer the gold, the softer the coin. But it's only a custom, as the gold medals are actually made of silver, and they are only plated with gold.
@picjim (3002)
• India
15 Oct 10
Your answer is very logical and makes sense.I was at a session wherein the persons were discussing how to verify the purity of silver.The explanation there was we rub it against a rough surface and it makes a particular colored mark.Pure gold or 24 carat gold is said to be soft as you have described and the athletes in the initial days were probably checking its purity which later has become a tradition.
@beachdune (907)
• India
15 Oct 10
This commomwealth games , I saw many players doing so . But why did in initial days , players checked the purity ? It is a pride to win the 1st prize and not the medal . So did the earlier sports persons care more about gold that winning ?
@inu1711 (5285)
• Romania
15 Oct 10
I know about verifying the silver coins.
When I was a child, there were some old houses being demolished and we found a lot of old coins on the site of the ruined houses. We tried all of them on the walls, to see if they leave a mark or not. I remember my brother tryed some of those coins on our apartment walls, and my mother was so angry with him for doing that!
When I was a child, there were some old houses being demolished and we found a lot of old coins on the site of the ruined houses. We tried all of them on the walls, to see if they leave a mark or not. I remember my brother tryed some of those coins on our apartment walls, and my mother was so angry with him for doing that!
@komal123456 (70)
• India
15 Oct 10
Medal are very great thing as a sportpersons
Sportsperson getting a catch very high level medals.
@komal123456 (70)
• India
15 Oct 10
If then a sportsmam suddenly any problem and his on money. Then sportman a face to probelm. sportman has nothing a cut of medals his to face a problem any nothing. If Problem a very big to any time is on cut ot medal. sportpersons has medal a great liablites
@ngty69 (971)
• India
15 Oct 10
Well, don't know who started it. But might be possible that they bite their medals in order to check that they are not dreaming. They really won the medal. By biting the medal their teeth will hurt and ultimately prove them that they are not dreams and also helps them to know whether the medal is genuine or not. Just kidding.
