Sometimes, when watching sports, random questions pop into our heads. Most of the time in any other situation, these questions would be rather daft. But when at the moment, with our mates, anything is possible.
And this brings us to the important question: is the World Cup made of solid gold? How much does the bleeding thing weigh and how much do England players get paid?
Is the World Cup Trophy Solid Gold?
The World Cup Trophy is not made of solid gold. The original trophy was gold plated sterling. The current FIFA World Cup Trophy that was introduced in 1974 is made of 18-carat gold with a band of malachite on its base. Weighing 6.2 kilograms, it is approximately 75% gold.
How Much Does the World Cup Trophy Cost?
The World Cup Trophy is not for sale. But if one wanted to liquefy the asset in case of emergency, one could melt the trophy down and sell the gold. The nearly 6.2 kilos of 18-carat gold would fetch a price of approximately £200,000.
The price of gold fluctuates with supply and demand. In 2018, the trophy was said to be worth less than £120,000. One thing is for sure, the cost of gold looks like it will rise in perpetuity.
Do World Cup Winners Keep the Trophy?
The winners do not keep the World Cup Trophy. Instead, they effectively hold onto it for roughly four years until the next tournament comes around. At that point, the previous World Cup winners are given a gold-plated bronze replica.
Is a New FIFA World Cup Trophy Made Every 4 Years?
A new World Cup Trophy is not made every 4 years. It merely travels from the competition to the current winners and then back when the next tournament begins. However, every 4 years the trophy is restored and a bronze replica is made for the previous World Cup winners.
How Old is the World Cup Trophy?
The current FIFA World Cup Trophy was made in 1974. So in 2024, it will be 50 years old. However, this is the second World Cup trophy that has been awarded to World Cup winners. The World Cup started in 1930 and a different trophy was used at the time.
The original trophy of the World Cup made its debut in the first tournament in Uruguay in 1930. It was named after the FIFA president at the time, Jules Rimet. As it would happen, the host country would be the first to hoist the trophy.
The Jules Rimet trophy was made of gold plated sterling silver and lapis lazuli. It depicted the Greek goddess of victory, Nike.
Four months after ‘Engerland’ won its first and only World Cup in 1966, the Jules Rimet Trophy was stolen after an exhibition at Westminster Central Hall. Fortunately, it turned up about a week later wrapped in a newspaper in Beulah Hill in South London.
Thanks to the Queen’s stars! We wouldn’t have wanted to inherit some sort of curse or hex that would prevent us from winning another World Cup, would we?
Conclusion
There have been two different World Cup trophies awarded to the tournament winners since 1930. The first one was made of arguably cheap materials, whilst the second one is made of 18-carat gold. Either way, the intrinsic value of the metal contained therein is orders of magnitude below what it represents.
Its true value lies within what it is to be human. The feeling of rising above the global competition is priceless beyond any prize money for the winners, and their supporters too.
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