Is the Ballon d‘Or Trophy Made of Pure Gold?
The Ballon d‘Or trophy awarded each year to the world‘s best football player is instantly recognizable globally as one of the most iconic and coveted prizes in sport. But is football‘s top individual honor actually made of pure gold?
The Short Answer
No, the Ballon d‘Or trophy is not made of pure solid gold all the way through. But it is lavishly plated in 24 karat gold.
The Design
The current Ballon d‘Or trophy was first introduced in 2013. It depicts a globe sitting on a blue malachite base. The globe itself is made of two brass hemispheres that are soldered together. It stands about 12 inches tall and weighs approximately 15 pounds.
The trophy is then plated in 24 karat gold – the highest purity of gold available. This gold plating contains around 5 kilograms of 18 karat gold in total.
The Production
Each new Ballon d‘Or trophy is handmade in Paris by the prestigious Mellerio jewellers. It takes their master craftsmen around 3 months to manufacture a brand new Ballon d‘Or trophy.
The intricate process involves casting the solid brass globe, soldering the two halves together, polishing it to a shine, and finally electroplating the orb meticulously with layer upon layer of 24 karat gold.
The Value
At current gold prices, the 5kg of 18k gold used to plate the trophy is worth approximately $300,000.
However the manufacturing cost of the trophy is estimated to be around €50,000.
Of course, the real value of the Ballon d‘Or trophy is symbolic. The history and prestige associated with winning football‘s highest individual honor make it truly priceless.
The Rules and Restrictions
Due to its extremely high value and status, the original Ballon d‘Or trophy is subject to strict rules and supervision. It is kept in highly secure storage for most of the year, only being transported under guard to the annual award ceremony.
The winning player does get to keep the trophy temporarily to display it and take photos. However it must be returned within a short period.
Instead, the winner gets to keep a miniature replica Ballon d‘Or as a permanent memento, while their name is engraved on the full-sized original.
The Most Wins
Argentinian Lionel Messi currently holds the record for most Ballon d‘Or wins, having collected the trophy an incredible seven times so far during his career.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward will be eager to win an eighth Ballon d‘Or in 2022 after narrowly missing out last year.
So in summary, while the Ballon d‘Or is not made completely of gold all the way through, the lavish use of 24 karat gold plating on its surface gives the iconic trophy its immediately recognizable golden sheen and high value – befitting football‘s highest individual honor.