NFPA 780 is the North American standard for lightning protection systems. It contains “Simplified Risk Assessment” calculations to determine if a lightning protection system is recommended for a specific building.
The "Shattered" Dream: Why the 2026 Olympic Medals Are Falling Apart
—can be solved through settings adjustments rather than risky cracks. Often, what we think is a "broken" system is just one that needs a simple repair or a hardware acceleration tweak. medal crack
Gold Medals (Modern): Ironically, these are the least likely to crack. Since 1912, Olympic gold medals have been made primarily of silver (at least 92.5%) with a thin plating of 6 grams of gold. Silver is ductile (it stretches). A silver-based medal will bend or scratch before it cracks.
Silver Medals: High risk of cracking if impure. .999 fine silver is soft; but .925 sterling silver (mixed with copper) can become brittle over time.
Bronze Medals: The king of the medal crack. Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin. Tin makes bronze incredibly hard, but also brittle. A bronze medal dropped from waist height onto concrete has a 30% chance of cracking or chipping. Most third-place finishes in the Olympics use bronze, making them the most fragile awards on the podium.
If you’ve been on Military TikTok or Challenge Coin forums, you’ve seen it. Two service members or first responders hold a single medal. They pull. It cracks clean in two. The "Shattered" Dream: Why the 2026 Olympic Medals
Increased availability: The sudden surge in medal production can make it easier for collectors to acquire the medals they want.
Decreased value: The increased supply of medals can lead to a decrease in their value, making them less desirable for collectors.
Changes in collector behavior: The medal crack can influence collector behavior, with some collectors seeking to acquire medals quickly before they become less valuable.
