Olympic medals through the ages - in pictures

These are the medals that will be adorning the necks of the best athletes in the world next year when the Olympics come to town. The medals have been designed by British artist David Watkins. The front of the medal depicts the imagery of the Greek Goddess Nike while the back features the logo of the London Olympic Games 2012 Photograph: LOCOG HANDOUT/EPA

An Olympic medal from the 1896 Games in Athens, the first Games of the modern era. Things were done a bit different then, the winners received a silver medal and the second place finisher received a bronze medal. Things were even more different in 1900, most winners received cups or trophies instead of medals Photograph: Getty Images

These are the medals that were awarded to the winners at the 1912 Stockholm Games, in addition to this, the winner was awarded a diploma. Since 1912 all the medals issued have been gilded silver and the gold medal only contains about six grams of gold Photograph: PA Archive

Here's Kennedy MacArthur of South Africa receiving his gold medal at the award ceremony for winning the 1912 marathon Photograph: IOC Olympic Museum/Getty Images

The gold medal awarded to José Nasazzi after Uruguay won the football event at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris Photograph: Bob Thomas/Popperfoto/Getty Images

Another gold medal winner at the 1924 Games was Johnny Weissmuller, who went on to find fame as an actor playing Tarzan in the 1930s and 40s. He won five gold medals in total - the 100m and 400m freestyle and 4x200m freestyle relay in 1924 and the 100m and 4x200m freestyle relay in 1928 Photograph: Bettmann/Corbis

The front, left, and back, right, of the medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. On the front, the traditional goddess of victory, holding a palm in her left hand and the victor's wreath in her right hand. On the back, an Olympic winner is carried in triumph with an Olympic stadium in the background. The medal was designed by the Florentine artist Giuseppe Cassioli Photograph: Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

Jesse Owens achieved international fame after winning four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics. He won the 100m, the 200m, the long jump and was part of the 4x100 relay team Photograph: CORR/AFP/Getty Images

The Olympic Games returned to London after the war and in 1948 the Great Britain pair of Jack Wilson and Ran Laurie won the rowing coxless pairs gold medals Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images

A close-up detail of the medal they won Photograph: Hulton Archive

The British flyweight boxer Terry Spinks holds his gold medal at his home in London, after arriving back from Melbourne having competed in the 1956 Olympics Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images

The winners of the 1960 Olympic medals for light heavyweight boxing on the winners' podium at Rome: Cassius Clay, centre, won gold; Zbigniew Pietrzykowski, right, won silver; and Giulio Saraudi and Anthony Madigan, shared bronze Photograph: Central Press/Getty Images

One of the most iconic moments at the Olympics came in Mexico City in 1968 when 200m gold medallist Tommie Smith and bronze medallist John Carlos raised a gloved hand skyward in a black power salute Photograph: AP

This is what their medals looked like Photograph: Keystone/Getty Images

At the 1976 Games in Montreal, 14-year-old Nadia Comaneci won three golds in the all-around event, uneven bars and the balance beam Photograph: Sipa Press/Rex Features

With a performance like this on the beam, it's no wonder she won gold. During the team portion of the competition her routine on the uneven bars scored a 10, the first time in modern Olympic gymnastics history that the score had ever been awarded Photograph: Bettmann/Corbis

Sebastian Coe holds up his 1,500m gold medal in front of neighbours at his Sheffield home Photograph: Mike Forster/Daily Mail/Rex Features

A gold medal from the 1984 Olympics held in Los Angeles Photograph: Getty Images

A close-up of a gold medal from the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images

Bradley Wiggins holds his full set of medals. He won gold in the individual pursuit, silver in the team pursuit and bronze in the madison at the 2004 Olympics in Athens Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

The medals for the 2008 Beijing Games had a diameter of 70mm and were 6mm thick, with the front displaying a winged figure of victory and the back showed the Beijing Olympics symbol surrounded by an inset jade circle Photograph: AP

Chris Hoy shows off his three gold medals. He became the first British Olympian for 100 years to claim three golds during an Olympics - they were for triumphing in the keirin, the men's team sprint and also the men's individual sprint Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian