Stolen World Championship Gold Medal Has Little Monetary Value, Expert Says

The individual who stole Finnish ice hockey player Jesse Puljujärvi's World Championship gold medal is unlikely to profit from the theft, as the medal holds little to no monetary value.

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There is a vanishingly small amount of gold in it. Usually, only the surface is gilded.

Kalle Rantala, a museum manager at the Finnish Sports Museum, explained that most gold medals awarded in sports are predominantly made of silver, with only a thin layer of gold plating. "There is a vanishingly small amount of gold in it. Usually, only the surface is gilded," Rantala stated. He noted that even Olympic gold medals are at least 92.5% silver and contain only about six grams of gold. The exact composition of the IIHF medals is unknown, but Rantala estimates they contain minimal gold, possibly just leaf gold on the surface.

Melting down the medal for scrap metal would likely cost more than the recovered metal's worth. Furthermore, selling it at auction is impossible without the thief being identified. "A stolen medal has no value [at auction] in itself, because its value cannot be realized except to another criminal," Rantala commented, suggesting the only potential buyer would be someone involved in illicit trade.

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A stolen medal has no value [at auction] in itself, because its value cannot be realized except to another criminal.

While the medal's financial worth is negligible, its sentimental and historical value to Puljujärvi is immense. Rantala added that the story behind an object can significantly increase its perceived value, though this is not always measurable in monetary terms. He recalled a similar instance where a legendary Finnish championship medal sold for 7,500 euros at auction. Rantala also offered a way for the medal to be returned, suggesting the thief could anonymously deposit it at the Sports Museum for discreet handover to Puljujärvi.

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Clearly Jesse is missing his own. If the thief doesn't dare to return it directly to Jesse, it can be brought to the Sports Museum, and we can forward it to him.