Different Types of Medals and Their Purpose

January 17, 2026By Melissa Hermiston

If you are on the hunt for a custom medal for your event, it’s important to understand the different types of medals that are available and what each custom medal is best suited for.

There are many different types of medals to choose from, and understanding your options as well as the process to create each different type of custom designed medals will ensure your process of ordering medals will be smooth and easy.

What is a Medal?

A medal is a small, often round disc that is customized to represent achievement or recognition of some sort. They’re most often made of a base metal and can be finished in gold, silver, bronze or a custom colour. The purpose of custom medals varies depending on their type, but they are often meant for recognition, commemorating an event or a person’s involvement in a club or organization, or just for decoration. Custom enamel medals are worn around a recipient's neck on a ribbon, which can also be customized.

Historical Background of Medals

The history of custom medals as a token of achievement dates back to the Roman era, when metal plaques with portraits of emperors were gifted. In the Middle Ages, persoalized medals with the portraits of powerful figures were created and given as symbols of loyalty and wealth.

The creation of the die-struck process in the 15th Century - when a carefully designed mold is used to customize a piece of medal by pressure being struck on it - allowed for the creation of custom medals that were identical and beautifully detailed.

The rise of different types of medals for awards in the military took place over the past few centuries, with custom medals booming in population in the early 1900s when custom award medals were introduced at the Olympic Games.

Modern day use of custom award medals is far-reaching including for first responders, corporations, clubs and non-profits, virtual races and government bodies.

Types of Custom Medals

1. Military Medals:

Military Medals are official honours given to service members to recognize the commitment, achievement and sacrifice that have been made. These custom military medals can signify acts of bravery, years of service and are often worn as full medallions or sometimes a variety of ribbons.

Campaign medals are awarded when a service member has taken place in a particular war or an operation in a certain geographic area. Decorations - such as the Medal of Honor, or Purple Heart medal - are awarded to honour specific acts of heroism and bravery.

2. Sports Medals:

Sports Medals are awarded to represent achievement or victory in a specific sport. Many different sports utilize custom award medals to honor athletes - including track and field, hockey, soccer, martial arts, ski racing, gymnastics and many more. For a race or tournament in which a first, second and third place are awarded, it’s common for custom sports medals to be awarded in gold, silver and bronze.

For a sports event that is participation based, the custom enamel medals will often all be the same. Custom sports medals are a great way to recognize an athlete’s hard work and dedication. Virtual race medals are also a popular choice for online events.

3. Awards Medals:

Awards Medals can be used to honour a variety of achievements, depending on the club, organization or government body for which they’re used. Public servants, for example, often receive custom awards and custom medals to recognize their long-term commitment to their role. Many educational institutions create custom award medals for students to highlight academic excellence and top achievers. Even the scientific community will utilize personalized medals for awards of distinction to honour those at the top of the field.

4. Race Medals:

Race Medals are the perfect way to celebrate months of training, hard work, physical challenge and everything else that comes along with participating in a race. Whether it’s running, cycling, skiing or swimming, custom race medals will help forge an emotional and long-lasting connection to the race for the participant. Custom race medals are also a great way to incentivize participants to return for the next year - who doesn’t love a wall full of custom awards and medals to represent their hard work!

5. Other Custom Medals

Other Custom Medals could represent a huge assortment of honours, accomplishments and recognition. Non-profit organizations can create a custom enamel medal as a token of appreciation for donors and volunteers. For example, a plain metal (gold, silver, bronze) medallion, with a high-class designer finish is the perfect type of award medals for volunteer recognition.

Artists can buy custom medals in the design of their work to distribute to fans and supporters. These custom medals are often soft enamel - with raised/recessed areas that hold different colour paint - which helps bring an artist’s vision to life. Alternatively, for complex designs, UV print custom medals can recreate intricate art, gradient colouring and other very highly detailed designs into a beautiful custom medal. The sky's the limit when it comes to custom designed medals - if you can imagine it, Ultimate Promotions can help create it.

How to Choose the Right Custom Medal for the Occasion

It can be overwhelming when exploring all the different custom designed medal options for your special event, race or competition when there are so many different types of medals. Ordering medals can definitely be a challenge! An important factor to consider is what sort of overall style you want to convey with your custom designed medal. If your personalized medal is meant to represent a high honour - like a dignitary, service member or public official - you’ll want to focus on the high-class, stylish medal types.

These custom medals are best designed with gold, silver and bronze elements, perhaps even 3D engraved portions for an extra touch of class.

If your event is a little less formal - let’s say a fun run, or a fundraising event - consider going with a custom soft enamel medal, which can utilize coloured elements to make the final product pop and stand out from the rest.

A combination of metal finishes like gold, silver and bronze with some custom soft enamel elements is a great choice to incorporate a team logo, or corporate brand into your custom medal design while keeping the feel of a traditional custom medal design.

Caring for and Preserving Medals

There are a lot of important things to consider when it comes to caring for and preserving your personalised medals. For simple clearing, use a microfibre cloth or a similar non-abrasive material for wiping away dust. Be sure to never use an abrasive or acidic cleaner, as it could strip away some of the metal finish or engraved elements.

If your custom award medals need more than just a wipe down, follow these easy cleaning steps:

Make a mix of dish soap and warm water - if your medals have any tarnish, you can use a small amount of baking soda or vinegar
Use a soft-bristle brush, such as a toothbrush, to gently scrub the medal with the soap/water mixture
Give your custom medal a rinse under warm water to remove any residue
Use a clean, soft towel or cloth to fully dry the medal

To keep your custom medals in tip-top shape, store them in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight and away from other harsh elements. For particularly precious custom medals, consider a non-acidic plastic holder or cloth satchel to keep store the medal in when it’s not being displayed.

Conclusion

Custom awards and medals offer a unique and classy way to recognize achievement, hard work and dedication. Ordering custom designed medals can help to encourage continued excellence, motivate team members and enhance the prestige of your event or race. There are many things to consider if you plan to order custom medals online.

While there are a lot of considerations to be made when it comes to personalized medals, such as different medal types, event purpose and overall style, utilizing the help of professionals at Ultimate Promotions will ensure that your custom medal ordering process will go smoothly from start to finish.