two examples of custom medals on colorful ribbons

Medallions & Medals

Celebrate Achievements and Milestones with Elegance!

Similar to the revered challenge coin, medals are symbols of recognition, crafted to honor individuals, events, or milestones. Our custom medals, available in various shapes, sizes, and finishes, are paired with elegant ribbons or brooches. These tokens, often seen at events like The Olympics, are a testament to excellence and bravery.

Seize the opportunity to create your own legacy with our custom medals. Using the same precise techniques as for challenge coins, we cater to all occasions. Click below to begin crafting medals that not only reflect your vision but also stand as lasting emblems of achievement. Start now and soon, showcase these symbols of excellence with pride.

Where did medallions get their start?

military challenge coin, front and back, Roman style design

The modern commemorative medal is said to have been invented by the Italian artist Antonio Pisano (c. 1395–1455), more famously known as Pisanello. His first medal was struck around 1438 and featured the Byzantine emperor John VIII Palaeologus. Pisanello's medals provided a portrait relief of his subjects, reproducible by casting in lead or bronze and small enough to be held in one's hand. He would place a profile portrait on the obverse, followed by an allegorical or pictorial scene on the reverse. Many manufacturers still practice this classic formula for the medal today, although it's evolved in many ways beyond its intended design.

Italian artisans refined and produced custom medals for influential statesmen, wealthy families, and Papal authorities throughout the 15th and 16th centuries as it became a popular status symbol. Around the same time in France, custom medallions were struck from gold and silver as heraldry to commemorate special events like King Charles VIII's visit to Lyon in 1494. Many other European artists and artisans experimented with custom medals, with historic designs presented to dignitaries and royalty from the Habsburgs to Louis XIV. Rulers and monarchs began employing court medalists full-time, commissioning complete lines to commemorate their reign or used as propaganda.

Modern-day medals

Medals continued to dominate the rich and royal social spheres for centuries, crafted by acolytes of the original masters. Pieces have been found designed in every subsequent school of artistic thought since their inception, ranging from baroque to rococo to expressionist to art nouveau. One of the most important developments in the production of custom metalcraft came from the Industrial Revolution with the invention of the reducing machine. This allowed sculptors to translate their large-scale reliefs into smaller, reusable dies. Combined with the use of steam-powered presses, custom medals and coins could now be mass-produced, removing a critical barrier that prevented many from ever seeing or holding a medal, thus transferring the power from renowned court artisans to the everyday industrial worker. This caused them to become more commonplace and used for a variety of other purposes, like the crowning of the world's best athletes starting at the 1904 St. Louis Olympics. With medals becoming easier to design and produce, their popularity and functionality have continued to grow right through to the modern day.

Where can I get custom medals?

Right here, of course! Our team has been helping customers design and manufacture custom medallions for fifteen years. Our knowledge and expertise have helped thousands of event coordinators, chairpeople, commanders, and even real-life African royalty produce the perfect wearable award. We can even customize your design down to the color, material, and length of the ribbon, not to mention capturing every detail in perfect 3D relief! You've probably already seen our work adorning the winners of your local 10k benefit or given as a lifetime achievement award to the best teacher you ever had; now it's time to own your own! Give us a call or shoot us an email with your custom medal needs, and we'll help turn those dreams into a classy, timeless reality!

Medals and Medallions Price Guide

Pricing for Die Struck Medals
Coin Size 50 Quantity 100 Quantity 200 Quantity 300 Quantity 500 Quantity 1000 Quantity 2000 Quantity 3000 Quantity 5000 Quantity Mold Fee*
1.50 Inch $7.25 $4.46 $4.11 $3.83 $3.76 $3.66 $3.53 $3.36 $3.15 $100
1.75 Inch $8.21 $4.92 $4.48 $4.25 $4.16 $4.08 $3.98 $3.89 $3.82 $125
2.00 Inch $8.57 $5.37 $4.96 $4.65 $4.48 $4.45 $4.38 $4.26 $4.11 $150
2.25 Inch $10.07 $6.71 $5.82 $5.16 $5.08 $4.93 $4.82 $4.74 $4.48 $150
2.50 Inch $11.18 $7.46 $6.74 $5.96 $5.90 $5.68 $5.45 $5.12 $4.93 $200
2.75 Inch $14.54 $8.51 $8.13 $7.68 $7.34 $7.00 $6.42 $6.12 $5.71 $250
3.00 Inch $16.48 $9.55 $9.47 $9.37 $8.79 $8.32 $7.39 $7.07 $6.47 $300
Pricing for Medals with Color on One Side
Coin Size 50 Quantity 100 Quantity 200 Quantity 300 Quantity 500 Quantity 1000 Quantity 2000 Quantity 3000 Quantity 5000 Quantity Mold Fee*
1.50 Inch $7.83 $4.85 $4.45 $4.16 $4.08 $3.98 $3.86 $3.63 $3.53 $100
1.75 Inch $8.57 $5.37 $5.01 $4.74 $4.65 $4.58 $4.11 $3.97 $3.81 $125
2.00 Inch $9.47 $5.90 $5.67 $5.36 $5.25 $5.13 $4.65 $4.45 $4.24 $150
2.25 Inch $10.74 $7.11 $6.84 $6.60 $6.54 $6.14 $4.93 $4.56 $4.27 $150
2.50 Inch $12.91 $8.51 $8.21 $7.83 $7.08 $6.60 $5.60 $4.85 $4.48 $200
2.75 Inch $15.66 $9.17 $8.88 $8.69 $8.12 $7.75 $6.70 $6.05 $5.97 $250
3.00 Inch $17.31 $9.84 $9.68 $9.52 $9.14 $4.58 $7.79 $7.23 $6.87 $300
Pricing for Medals with Color on Both Sides
Coin Size 50 Quantity 100 Quantity 200 Quantity 300 Quantity 500 Quantity 1000 Quantity 2000 Quantity 3000 Quantity 5000 Quantity Mold Fee*
1.50 Inch $8.42 $5.06 $4.64 $4.48 $4.40 $4.26 $4.11 $3.96 $3.82 $100
1.75 Inch $9.32 $5.81 $5.53 $5.22 $5.13 $5.06 $4.92 $4.64 $4.34 $125
2.00 Inch $9.79 $6.41 $6.13 $5.96 $5.88 $5.81 $5.65 $5.39 $5.16 $150
2.25 Inch $11.18 $7.27 $7.04 $6.77 $6.68 $6.56 $6.12 $5.87 $5.45 $150
2.50 Inch $13.80 $8.60 $8.29 $8.11 $7.94 $7.87 $6.56 $6.39 $5.93 $200
2.75 Inch $16.03 $9.45 $9.17 $8.99 $8.63 $8.40 $7.51 $7.11 $6.69 $250
3.00 Inch $19.01 $10.29 $10.12 $9.85 $9.32 $8.93 $8.42 $7.83 $7.45 $300

Ribbon Colors

We offer a full range of colors for the ribbons of your custom medals and medallions. We use the Pantone® color system to ensure a perfect match with your ribbon color choice. Contact your sales representative for more information.

variety of colorful ribbons

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