Custom Medal Buying Guide
Find the Right Medal for Your Event
A great medal does more than recognize an accomplishment—it gives participants something tangible to remember the experience. Whether you're planning a championship tournament, school competition, horse show, dog show, county fair, 5K, academic event or recognition program, the right medal can make the award presentation even more meaningful.
At Hodges Badge Company, we offer a wide variety of custom award medals designed to fit different events, styles and budgets. From traditional metal medals to vibrant acrylic and distinctive birchwood awards, you can customize your medal with your organization's colors, logo, artwork and event information.
With more than 100 years of award-making experience, Hodges Badge combines American manufacturing with extensive customization options to help you create an award your recipients will be proud to wear.
Not sure where to start? Use this guide to find the medal style, size, finish and ribbon that's right for your event.
Step 1: Choose Your Medal Style
The first decision is the material and construction of your medal. Each style offers a different look and level of customization.
Spincast Medals
Best for: Signature events, major championships, races, prestigious competitions and organizations looking for a completely custom design. Spincast medals offer some of the greatest design flexibility available. Your medal can be created in virtually any shape, size or design, including decorative cutouts and enamel color fills.
Because the design is created specifically for your event, a spincast medal is an excellent choice when you want an award that is uniquely yours.
Consider spincast when you want:
- A completely custom shape
- Dimensional detail
- Decorative cutouts
- Enamel color
- A premium, substantial feel
- A signature medal that represents your event
Die Cast & Laser Cut Medals
Best for: Sports tournaments, school events, dog shows, equestrian competitions and events where a sculpted or specialty design adds impact.
Die cast medals offer a traditional award appearance with detailed designs and a variety of sport- and event-specific options. Laser cut medals provide another way to create distinctive shapes and designs.
These medals are a great choice when you want a classic medal presentation without starting with a completely custom shape.
Consider die cast or laser cut when you want:
- A traditional metal medal
- Detailed stock designs
- Sport- or event-specific imagery
- Gold, silver or bronze finishes
- A polished award presentation
Die Cast Medals
Laser Cut Medals
Printed Center Insert Medals
Best for: Schools, sports leagues, races, academic events, clubs and organizations that want their logo or artwork prominently displayed.
Printed center medals combine the traditional look of a metal medal with a full-color center design. Your logo, event artwork or organization branding can be printed directly in the medal center.
You can also choose from a wide selection of stock designs if you don't have custom artwork.
Consider printed center medals when you want:
- Full-color artwork
- Your logo prominently featured
- A traditional metal medal appearance
- Gold, silver or bronze finishes
- A cost-effective way to personalize a medal
LFL & GFL Medals
RSG Medals
RS14 Medals
GGM Medals
AS14 & MS14 Medals
Acrylic Medals
Best for: School events, participation awards, youth sports, colorful events and organizations looking for bold visual impact.
Acrylic medals provide a modern alternative to traditional metal awards. Their smooth surface is especially well suited to vibrant artwork, logos and event themes.
Acrylic is an excellent option when color is an important part of your award design.
Consider acrylic when you want:
- Vibrant full-color artwork
- A modern appearance
- A lightweight alternative to traditional metal
- Strong visual impact
Birchwood Medals
Best for: Equestrian events, nature-themed competitions, fairs and organizations looking for something different from a traditional metal medal.
Birchwood medals bring a natural look to award presentations. Custom shapes and designs allow you to create an award that feels distinctive and memorable.
Engraving is also available on the back of birchwood medals.Consider birchwood when you want:
- A natural wood appearance
- A distinctive alternative to metal
- Custom shapes
- A memorable keepsake
- An award that complements an outdoor or nature-themed event
Stock Shape
Custom Shape
Step 2: Choose Your Medal Size
Medal size can change the overall presence of your award.
Smaller Medals
Smaller medals are ideal for large participation programs, youth events or situations where you need to recognize many participants while keeping the award budget-friendly.
Medium Medals
Medium-sized medals provide a classic balance between visibility, cost and wearability. They are an excellent all-around choice for school sports, competitions, fairs and recognition programs.
Larger Medals
Larger medals make a stronger visual statement and are particularly effective for championships, major races, special achievements and signature events. Tip: Don't automatically assume that bigger is better. Consider the age of your participants, how the medal will be worn and displayed, your budget and the importance of the achievement. Photography recommendation: Create a scale comparison with three different medal sizes photographed together. Include a ruler or familiar object for scale.
Step 3: Choose Your Medal Finish
For traditional metal medals, the finish is an important part of the overall appearance.
Gold
A classic choice for first place, championships and top achievements.
Silver
A traditional option for second place or events looking for a bright, polished appearance.
Bronze
A natural choice for third place and a warm alternative to gold and silver.
Antique Finishes
Antique finishes can give a medal additional character and help highlight dimensional details in the design.
Bright Finishes
Bright finishes create a clean, polished appearance that works especially well for traditional award presentations.
Tip: Your medal finish doesn't have to dictate your event's entire color scheme. Think about how the finish will work with your logo, artwork and neck ribbon.
View Medal FinishesStep 4: Choose Your Neck Ribbon
The medal is only part of the award. The neck ribbon completes the presentation and provides another opportunity for customization.
Hodges Badge medals are available with attached neck ribbons in a variety of styles, including satin and grosgrain options. Specialty ribbon options can also create a more distinctive presentation.
Satin Neck Ribbons
Satin provides a smooth, polished appearance and is an excellent choice for formal awards and highly customized events.
Grosgrain Neck Ribbons
Grosgrain offers a classic textured appearance and is a popular choice for sports, schools and competitions.
Millennium Neck Ribbons
Millennium offers a smooth appearance and is a popular choice for sports and corporate recognition.
Your neck ribbon can coordinate with your organization colors, event branding or medal finish.
Step 5: Decide How Much Customization You Need
Not every event needs a completely custom medal. Think about how much personalization is important to your organization.
- Stock Design: A stock medal can be a great choice when you need a quality award quickly and don't require a unique design.
- Stock Design + Custom Ribbon: Add a custom neck ribbon to a stock medal for an easy way to personalize your award.
- Custom Printed Center: Feature your logo, event artwork or organization name in full color.
- Fully Custom Medal: For the ultimate personalized award, create a custom medal around your event, organization or logo.
Step 6: Consider Your Event
Different events often have different medal needs.
Sports & School
Medals are a classic way to recognize athletic and academic achievement. They work beautifully for swimming, track and field, gymnastics, soccer, baseball, softball, basketball, football, volleyball, wrestling, tennis, golf and countless other sports.
Schools can also use medals for graduation, honor roll, science fairs, spelling bees, debate competitions, music events and student recognition.
Equestrian Events
Custom medals are ideal for horse shows and equestrian competitions. Consider a custom neck ribbon that complements your event branding and provides enough length for presentation over a riding helmet.
Dog Shows & Canine Sports
Medals can recognize achievements at dog shows, agility trials, barn hunt, dock diving, rally, lure coursing and other canine competitions.
Fairs, Festivals & 4-H
Medals are perfect for livestock competitions, agricultural shows, crafts, baking, photography, art, floral competitions, science fairs and other fair and festival activities.
Races & Road Events
5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons and marathons are especially well suited to custom medals. A unique medal can become a keepsake participants look forward to receiving every year.
Recognition & Corporate Events
Medals aren't just for competitions. They can also recognize employee milestones, academic excellence, volunteer service, professional achievement, anniversaries and other accomplishments.
Step 7: Think About Your Quantity and Budget
Before selecting a medal, determine approximately how many you'll need.
Most medal styles have no minimum order, making them suitable for everything from small recognition programs to large competitions. Quantity can also affect pricing, with larger orders receiving price breaks.
If you are ordering for a large event, consider ordering your complete medal program together rather than placing multiple smaller orders.
Tip: When comparing medal prices, compare the complete award—not just the medal itself. Consider the medal material, size, finish, artwork, neck ribbon and any customization. Medals attached to neck ribbons vary in price depending on the options you choose. Let us know your budget and what you are looking for, and we will help you create a medal that is unique to your event while staying within your budget.
Step 8: Consider Your Timeline
Your event date should influence the medal style you select.
Some stock and Express medal options are designed for faster turnaround, while highly customized medals require additional production time.
If you have a firm event date, determine your deadline before choosing your medal.
Most custom medals ship within 7–12 working days. Spincast medals have a longer lead time of approximately 6 weeks from approval and payment.
Planning tip: Don't wait until the week before your event to order awards. Give yourself time for artwork, proof approval, production and shipping.
If you're working with a tight deadline, contact Hodges Badge before placing your order. Our team can help determine which options are best suited to your timeline.
Shop Quick Ship MedalsMedal Buying Checklist
Before placing your order, make sure you've considered:
- Event type
- Number of recipients
- Medal material
- Medal size
- Medal shape
- Gold, silver or bronze finish
- Artwork or stock design
- Neck ribbon style
- Neck ribbon color
- Ribbon printing
- Budget
- Event date
- Production timeline
- Shipping deadline
Which Medal Is Right for You?
| If you want... | Consider... |
|---|---|
| A completely unique design | Spincast Medal |
| A traditional metal award | Die Cast Medal |
| A budget-friendly colorful award | Acrylic Medal |
| Full-color artwork | Acrylic or Printed Center Medal |
| Your logo prominently displayed | Printed Center Medal |
| A natural, distinctive look | Birchwood Medal |
| A fast option | Stock & Quick Ship Medal |
| A competition-specific design | Die Cast or Stock Medal |
| A premium signature award | Custom Spincast Medal |
Still have questions?
Call us at 800-556-2440, Monday–Friday, or email us at
Why Choose Hodges Badge Company?
Since 1920, Hodges Badge Company has been creating awards that celebrate achievement. Today, our selection includes hundreds of medal styles and customization options for sports, schools, horse shows, dog shows, fairs, 4-H programs, races, organizations and recognition events.
We combine more than a century of award-making experience with modern customization options, helping you create medals that look professional, fit your budget and make your recipients proud.
Made in the USA. Made to celebrate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Need recommendations? Check out Hodges’ favorite medals.
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