Custom medals for associations turn an emblem, a cause or a shared milestone into an institutional piece. They work for anniversaries, tributes, members' gatherings and thank-yous that need an identity of their own.
When these custom medals for associations are a good fit
- Anniversaries and members' gatherings.
- Tributes to volunteers, presidents or long-standing members.
- Awards linked to a specific campaign or cause.
What to keep fixed and what to change in each edition
It is best to fix the emblem, the name of the organisation and, where relevant, its motto in the mould. It is better to leave the anniversary, the campaign, the name of the person being honoured or the date for later printing.
The association can keep one institutional piece and change only the reason for each award by printing. This works better than filling the relief with the details of a single anniversary and losing the mould for the next edition.
- Prioritise the emblem over long text that would lose legibility.
- Decide whether the back is left plain for variable dedications.
- Anticipate future tributes or campaigns before finalising the base design.
Zinc alloy metal and physical relief
The medal is made in a zinc alloy, technically known as zamak. The design is part of the piece's relief: it is not ink, vinyl or laser engraving applied afterwards. It can be modelled in 2D or 3D and keeps a good level of detail, although lines that are too fine, tiny text and complex photographs have to be adapted to the metal.
We offer gold, silver and bronzefinishes, aged or unaged. Additional colour is printed in full colour directly on the metal.
Front and back are decided together
The front carries the custom relief. The back can be left plain or also have relief. In that second case, two independent sides are not drawn: the raised parts on one side have to match the opposite side and are reviewed as a single piece. The mould can be prepared for one side or for two; customising only one is slightly cheaper.
Shape, ribbon and presentation
- Shape: circular, square or completely irregular around the symbol; there is no need to fit the design into a template.
- Generic ribbon: solid colours or the Spanish flag.
- Custom ribbon: it can carry logos, words, photographs or a complete design.
- Delivery: each medal arrives assembled and in an individual clear plastic bag. An individual cardboard box can also be quoted.
If the relief and the mould are the same, finishes or categories can be combined within the batch. The exact breakdown is confirmed in the quote.
Guide price and what changes it
As a guide, the base price can range from approximately €4 per unit with relief on one side and a generic ribbon up to €8 per unit with different reliefs on both sides, colour printing on both sides and a custom ribbon. Quantity, size and design complexity push the price down or up; the exact quotation is provided when you request a quote.
These figures do not include VAT or shipping. Shipping 100 medals usually costs approximately €10–15, so its impact per unit is small, but it is calculated separately.
Reference prices for 100 medals of 70 mm
For an order of 100 medals of 70 mm and 3 mm thick, with a custom colour neck ribbon, these are the approximate prices per unit:
| Configuration | Approximate price per unit |
|---|---|
| Custom double-sided 3D mould, with relief on both sides, and colour printing | €6.50 |
| No mould, colour printed on both sides | €5.00 |
| No mould, colour printed on one side | €4.50 |
These are approximate references: the quote confirms the amount for each order.
See the mould calculation and repeat orders for 60, 70 and 80 mm.
A mould that serves more than one edition
Casting needs a physical mould, but that mould is made only once. To reuse it, it is best to put into the relief what does not change: logo, name of the organisation, shape and permanent elements. The year, the category, the venue or a dedication can be reserved for an area printed in full colour afterwards.
A repeat order is quoted as a new order that reuses the same mould. There is another possibility when the organisation already keeps base medals from the first run: we can print the details of a later event from around 10 medals, at an approximate cost of close to €2 per medal. Ten new pieces are not made; stock that was already set aside for this is personalised.
From the initial file to delivery
- Quote. The offer is valid for 15 days and specifies size, quantity, sides, finish, colour, ribbon, packaging, VAT and shipping.
- Design preparation. We can work with a vector file or improve a low-quality original as far as the available information allows. A small or blurry file does not contain the missing detail and cannot always be reconstructed.
- Digital proof. Shape, relief, text, colour and ribbon are reviewed before the mould is made. A single physical sample costs around €300 because it requires running the mould and the production process; that is why approval is usually digital.
- Payment and production. The order is confirmed with 50% paid in advance, and the remaining 50% is paid at the time of dispatch. The approximate lead time is about three or four weeks from confirmation if the medals have to be produced, or around one week if we have stock. With regular customers we can agree other payment terms.
What to send so we can assess custom medals for associations
To prepare a useful proposal we need the emblem, essential text, reason for the award, quantity and date of use. You do not need to send a final production file in your first message; it is worth separating what is essential from what can be adapted to the relief.
Request a quote for your medal
State the emblem, essential text, reason for the award, quantity and date of use. Add whether you prefer one or two sides, approximate size, finish, ribbon and presentation. With that information we finalise the quote; usual orders are for 50 to 100 medals, and we also prepare large runs for events.
See also the complete catalogue of custom medals and the B2B catalogues.
Frequently asked questions
- How many medals can be ordered?
- Usual orders are for 50 to 100 medals, and also large runs of 1,000 or 2,000 for events.
- What do custom medals for associations need in order to be quoted?
- We need the emblem, essential text, reason for the award, quantity and date of use.
- What material are they made of?
- A zinc alloy with a metallic finish and personalisation made in relief.
- Can the back be left plain?
- Yes. It can also carry relief if both sides are designed with compatible volumes.
- What is worth including in the mould?
- It is worth keeping the relief for the emblem, the name of the organisation and, where relevant, its motto, and leaving the anniversary, campaign, name of the person being honoured or date for later printing.
- Is there volume pricing?
- Yes. The price per unit decreases with volume and is set out in a quote valid for 15 days.
- Does the price include VAT and shipping?
- No. Shipping for 100 medals is usually around €10–15 and VAT is added separately.
- What is the approximate lead time?
- About three or four weeks from payment and confirmation if the medals have to be produced; if we have the medal in stock, around one week.