Rare winner's medal awarded to Cuban wrestler Yasmany Lugo for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. Silver, 85 mm, 495 gm, produced by the Brazilian Mint. The front features stylized laurel leaves—an ancient Greek symbol of victory—surrounding the Rio 2016 Olympic logo; the reverse features a traditional portrait of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, over Panathenaic Stadium with the Acropolis in the background, inscribed above, "XXXI Olimpiada Rio 2016." The bottom edge is engraved with the name of the event: "Wrestling / Men's Greco-Roman 98kg." Complete with its colorful original ribbon, and housed in an official wooden presentation case, engraved on the lid with the logo of the Rio Games. The medal exhibits a few minor scuffs and a substantial ding to the lower edge. Accompanied by a glossy 6 x 4 photo of Lugo wrestling, signed in black felt tip.
As the first Olympiad to take place in South America, the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics sought to emphasize sustainability as a key element of its platform. The medals awarded to winning athletes embodied this goal, and were constructed using sustainable and recycled materials: the gold was certified as being mercury-free; about 30% of the silver for the medals was derived from leftover mirrors, solder, and X-ray plates; and the ribbons have a composition of 50% recycled plastic bottles. The Brazilian Mint produced 2,488 medals in total—812 golds, 812 silvers, and 864 bronzes.
