How much is it going to cost Michael Phelps to bring his gold medals into the USA?

[Telemark]

@Spiny Norman

Goes with the Olympic ideal - the ancient Greeks competed for a crown of olive leaves.

Not quite.

Tainted Gold – Olympic scandals and triumphs at Fiona Veitch Smith

Olympic victors were set for life. They were given free meals at public expense, front-row seats at the theatre and public festivals, tax breaks and guaranteed appointments to the public service. They even received ‘appearance fees’ at lesser athletic events and prizes such as tripods, cauldrons, precious metal, oxen and women. (Homer, ‘The Iliad’, Bk 23).

[Cartooniverse]

I agree that the value is in the iconography, not the metallurgy. However, the IRS and Customs Dept really doesn’t care. If it were solid gold, there’d be some serious squawkin’ about Duties.

The Academy Award statue ( the “Oscar” ) is gold-plated. The value is almost incalculable in terms of career impact.