Old gold

This article is about the color. For other meanings see Old gold (disambiguation).

Old gold is a dark yellow, which varies from light olive or olive brown to deep or strong yellow. The widely-accepted color "Old gold" is on the darker rather than the lighter side of this range.

The first recorded use of old gold as a color name in English was in the early 19th century (exact year uncertain).^[1]

Old gold in human culture

Academics

• The academic dress regulations and colors for graduation ceremonies require that the distinctive official costume of each person be worn. An old gold cap, gown, hood, or tassel can represent a particular degree or diploma.
• In the U.S., old gold is widely used as one of the two color symbols for colleges and universities (notably Georgia Tech, Johns Hopkins University, Texas State University, Purdue University, The University of Iowa, East Tennessee State University, Vanderbilt University, the University of Tulsa, Wake Forest University, East Carolina University, Oakland University, Wofford College, West Virginia University, the University of Central Florida, and University of Wisconsin–Superior).
• Old gold is also used as one of the official colors of college fraternal organizations such as Alpha Kappa Psi, Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Gamma Rho, Alpha Zeta, Acacia, Alpha Tau Omega, Delta Upsilon, Kappa Alpha Order, Omega Psi Phi, Omega Tau Zeta, Phi Kappa Sigma, Phi Kappa Tau, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Rho Eta, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Sigma Chi.

Sports

• Old gold is used for some NFL teams: the New Orleans Saints, the St. Louis Rams, and the San Francisco 49ers. The reason for its use by the Saints is that New Orleans is an old city with the heritage and architecture of regal Europe. The reason for its use by the 49ers is because the identification of San Francisco (indeed the very choice of the mascot name) with the California Gold Rush of 1849. The reason for its use by the Rams is because old gold is used in conjunction with navy blue; both colors are a darkened version of the team's traditional blue and gold scheme dating back to when the team was in Los Angeles.
• The home shirts worn by English football club Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. are traditionally old gold in color. The club is also well known as 'The Old Gold'.

See also

• List of colors

References

1. ^ Maerz and Paul, A Dictionary of Color (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1930), page 200, Color Sample of Old Gold, Page 51, Plate 14, Color Sample K5

External links

• Academic Dress