Since 1971, Ultimate Promotions has been the trusted supplier of custom antique medals and polished, shiny medals to military organizations, corporations, schools, and event organizers across the USA and Canada. With over 50 years of production experience and millions of custom medals for awards delivered, and 1,000+ organizations served across North America, every order is handled to the same exacting quality standard, whether you need a small run for a corporate ceremony or several hundred for a national institutional program. Low minimum order with a higher per-unit cost on smaller quantities; orders of 50 pieces or more qualify for free shipping to the USA and Canada.
pieces or more qualify for free shipping to the USA and Canada. Who Orders Custom Antique and Shiny Medals?
Customization Options and Specifications
Packaging and Delivery
Ribbon Pricing
Die Struck Medals - Antique/Shiny
The mold fee is calculated based on the selected size. Molds are valid for 3 years. For repeat purchases within this period, select 'NO' unless the artwork has changed
Have a Custom Requirement? We got you!
Get Add-ons like UV Printing, Electroplating, Cufflinks, Epoxy Domes, etc. Click on the button below to share your unique requirements.
Share Your Creativity and we’ll handle the rest...
1. Place Your Order
2. Verify and confirm
3. Enjoy the product
What Are Die Struck Antique and Shiny Medals?
There are awards where color would get in the way. When a design calls for the weight of the metal itself to carry the look, antique medals and polished, shiny medals are the right choice. The finish does all the work: a darkened antique treatment draws out engraved detail and crests with remarkable clarity, while a hand-polished shiny finish produces a bright, mirror-like surface that reads as sharp and authoritative. Either way, these are custom medals built for settings where understated quality matters more than bright color.
Where This Medal Style Fits
Whether you are ordering custom medals for awards in a military or government context across the USA or Canada, recognizing long-service employees, or presenting trophies at a formal academic ceremony, this medal style fits without needing any adjustment. The die-striking process captures fine design detail with precision, and both antique and polished finishes make that detail visible in ways that enamel fill would cover rather than enhance. These antique medals are built for occasions where the metalwork itself is the message.
How They're Made
Die struck medals are made by pressing a hardened steel die into a metal base under high pressure. This stamps your design directly into the surface, creating raised areas and recessed detail in a single precise operation. There is no cutting or casting involved, which is why the process produces such sharp, consistent results at the fine-line level.
What Makes Them Different
What separates antique and shiny variants from enamel medals is that they carry no color fill at all. The entire visual result comes from the metalwork and the way the surface has been treated after striking.
Antique Finishes
Antique finishes like gold, silver, or bronze involve applying a controlled darkening agent to the recessed areas of the medal after striking. The raised surfaces remain bright while the low points go dark, creating a contrast that brings out engraved text, crests, and fine linework with real depth. It is a finish with strong associations in military, institutional, and long-service award contexts.
Shiny Finishes
Shiny finishes take the opposite approach. After striking, the medal surface is hand polished to produce a bright, reflective metal finish with no darkening. Polished gold, polished nickel, and bright copper all fall here. The result is cleaner and more contemporary, and it works well whenever a formal event needs a medal that feels current rather than historical.
Free Proof
Get a free proof within 24–48 hours; share your design and our team will show you exactly how it translates to antique or polished metal
What Makes These Medals Worth Considering?
Not every award program needs color. For organizations where the design itself is a crest, a seal, an emblem, or an institution’s name and is the centerpiece, antique medals and shiny finishes let that design speak clearly. Here is what makes this style a practical and lasting choice:
Hand-Polished Finish
Each medal is polished by hand after die striking, bringing out the full quality of the selected metallic finish.
Sharp Design Detail
The die-striking process captures precise lines, small text, and fine engraved features with a level of clarity that suits crests, seals, and institutional logos well.
No Color Fill Required
These custom medals work entirely through metalwork and surface treatment. Unlike custom enamel medals, the finish relies entirely on plating and surface treatment, making them inherently durable and low-maintenance.
Wide Range of Finishes
Antique gold, antique silver, antique bronze, polished gold, polished nickel, polished copper, and more. The range covers traditional, formal, and modern aesthetics.
Optional Surface Treatments
Sandblasting, glitter effects, transparent enamel, and silkscreening are available as additions for designs that need more visual contrast without committing to full color fill.
Laser Engraving Available
Recipient names, placement positions, event dates, or award titles can be engraved on the reverse, turning every standard production medal into a fully personalized medal for each individual recipient.
Repeat Order Efficiency
Custom made medals are produced from a steel die that stays valid for three years. Reorders of the same design within that window skip the mold fee entirely, making annual award programs and recurring recognition events significantly more cost-effective after the first run.
J-Hook Included
Every medal ships with a J-hook as standard, included in the price.
Die Struck Antique/Shiny vs. Die Struck Soft Enamel Medals
Not sure which finish is right for your event? Here is a direct side-by-side comparison to help you decide:
| Feature | Die Struck Antique/Shiny Medals | Die Struck Soft Enamel Medals |
|---|---|---|
| Finish / Surface | Bare metal; either aged (antique) or mirror-bright (polished) | Enamel paint fills recessed areas, sitting below raised metal lines |
| Color Options | No enamel; all visual impact comes from metalwork and plating | Up to 4 hand-filled enamel colors included |
| Visual Style | Refined, classic metallic look; heritage or high-polish | Colorful and dimensional with clear metal outlines |
| Epoxy Coating | Not applicable | Optional clear epoxy for enamel protection |
| Surface Technique | Hand polished after die striking; sandblasting and silkscreening available | Enamel hand-filled into recessed areas, kiln-fired |
| Best For | Military, government, corporate, and traditional formal ceremonies | Sports events, schools, colorful branding awards |
| Base Material | Iron base | Iron base |
| Plating Options | Antique gold/silver/bronze or polished gold/nickel/copper | Gold, silver, antique, black nickel, and more |
| Special Finishes | Sandblasting, glitter, transparent enamel, silkscreening available | Epoxy dome coating available |
| Ribbon Options | Blank, 1-color print, or dye-sublimated | Blank, 1-color print, or dye-sublimated |
| Laser Engraving | Available as add-on | Available as add-on |
| Minimum Order | Low minimum order with a higher per-unit cost on smaller quantities; orders of 50 pieces or more qualify for free shipping. | Low minimum order with a higher per-unit cost on smaller quantities; orders of 50 pieces or more qualify for free shipping. |
| Production Time | 12–15 business days | 12–15 business days |
Both options are produced to the same quality standards with the same lead times and free shipping on orders of 50 pieces or more to the USA and Canada."
If your design relies on metalwork and a traditional or polished finish, antique or shiny is the right pick. If your artwork includes multiple colors or your event calls for a more visually animated result, the soft enamel option is a better fit.
From Your Design to Delivery: How It Works
Ordering die struck medals from Ultimate Promotions is a straightforward process from start to finish:
Send Your Design
Share your artwork, logo, crest, or a description of what you have in mind. Our team handles the file preparation.
Receive Your Free Proof
Within 24 to 48 hours, you will receive a free digital proof showing how the design will appear on the medal, including the die-struck detail and selected finish, with up to 5 proofs included free and additional proofs beyond that at $5 each.
Request Revisions
Revisions are unlimited before production starts. We do not move forward until the design is exactly right.
Manufacturing
Your custom medals are die struck, hand polished, and finished to the plating you selected. Any additional surface treatments are applied at this stage.
Quality Inspection
Every medal is checked manually for finish consistency, detail accuracy, and structural integrity before packing.
Packed and Shipped
Medals are individually polybag packed and sent with full tracking to your address in the USA or Canada.
From proof approval to delivery, most orders of custom die struck antique and shiny medals are completed and in your hands within 15–20 business days across the USA and Canada.
Why Organizations Across North America Choose Ultimate Promotions
When searching for a reliable antique medals and shiny medals supplier, consistency and track record matter. Since 1971, Ultimate Promotions has been producing custom made medals, lapel pins, coins, and promotional products for organizations across the USA and Canada, from local school programs and club events to national sporting bodies and government institutions.
Over 50+ Years of Experience
We have been making metal award products longer than most suppliers have been operating
Government and Institutional Trust
Approved supplier status with a record of meeting the standards required by government and institutional clients
Manual Quality Control
No order ships without a full inspection for finish quality, detail accuracy, and structural integrity
Free Design Support
Our team converts your artwork into production-ready files, including vectorization if needed, with up to 5 proofs included free and additional proofs beyond that at $5 each.
Transparent Pricing
The quote you receive reflects the actual cost of your order, no hidden charges
Trusted Custom Medal Supplier
Recognized across the USA and Canada as a consistent and reliable supplier for custom award medals, from 50-piece club programs and academic ceremonies to multi-thousand-piece national recognition events.
Full North American Coverage
Reliable tracked shipping to the USA and Canada on all qualifying orders, with free shipping on orders of 50 pieces or more.
Pricing, Mold Fees, and Bulk Orders
The cost of custom made medals in this style depends on size, quantity, finish selection, ribbon type, and any add-ons such as laser engraving. Antique medals and polished shiny options are priced the same way: a one-time mold fee applies to all new designs, calculated based on the medal size you choose and valid for three years, so reorders within that window do not require a new mold charge.
Bulk pricing applies to all orders, with the per-unit cost decreasing as quantity increases. For organizations that run annual award programs or recurring events using the same design, the three-year mold validity makes repeat ordering significantly more affordable year over year.
Request your free bulk pricing breakdown for custom antique medals or polished, shiny medals today, a full cost breakdown for your specific size, quantity, and finish with no obligation. Free shipping included on all qualifying orders of 50 pieces or more to the USA and Canada.
Get a Quote for Your Custom Die Struck Antique and Shiny Medals
If your next award program calls for a finish that respects the formality of the occasion, antique medals and polished, shiny medals deliver that without compromise. The die-struck process captures fine design detail reliably, and both finish types make that detail visible in ways that hold up over time.
Whether you need 50 personalized award medals for a corporate recognition event or several hundred personalized medals for an annual institutional program across the USA or Canada, Ultimate Promotions handles every order with the same production care regardless of volume.
Get a quote for your die struck medal proof today; tell us about your design, your event, and the finish you have in mind, and our team will come back with accurate pricing within 24–48 hours. You can also explore our enamel medals range, including Die Struck Soft Enamel, if your design calls for color.
Get a quote for your die struck medal proof today
tell us about your design, your event, and the finish you have in mind, and our team will come back with accurate pricing within 24–48 hours.
Get a Free QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
An antique finish applies a controlled darkening agent to the recessed areas of the medal surface after die striking. The raised elements stay bright while the lower areas darken, creating contrast that highlights crests, text, and fine linework. A shiny finish is achieved through hand polishing after striking, producing a bright, reflective surface with no darkening. Both use the same die struck medals process; the difference is entirely in how the metal is treated after it leaves the press.
Not as standard. Die struck antique and shiny medals are all-metal by design, and the visual result comes from the metalwork and finish treatment alone. If you want a subtle color effect while keeping the metallic quality, transparent enamel is available as an optional add-on for this product. If your design needs full color fill, our custom enamel medals range, including Die Struck Soft enamel, would be a better fit.
Beyond standard antique and polished finishes, four additional surface treatments are available: Sandblasting creates a matte frosted background that contrasts with polished, raised elements; a glitter effect adds surface sparkle without paint. Transparent enamel provides a subtle color wash while keeping the metal visible underneath; and silkscreening adds printed detail to specific surface areas. These are all available as add-ons when placing your order for personalized medals. If you need full color rather than a surface wash, our custom enamel medals range is the better starting point.
Yes. Laser engraving can be added to the reverse of each medal as an add-on. It is commonly used for recipient names, placement results, event dates, or award titles. This option is available when ordering and turns a standard award into a fully personalized award medal. It is one of the most requested add-ons for personalized award medals across both corporate and athletic programs.
Antique finishes are available in antique gold, antique silver, and antique bronze. Polished options include polished gold, polished nickel, and polished copper. Additional plating options may be available depending on your design. Contact us or use the Get a Quote form if you have a specific finish in mind.
A one-time mold fee applies to all new designs. The fee is based on the medal size you select and covers the production of the steel die used to stamp your design. The mold remains valid for three years from the date of your first order. Reorders placed within that period using the same design do not incur a new mold charge, making custom award medals for recurring programs more affordable after the first run.
The minimum order is low, though smaller quantities carry a higher per-unit cost. Orders of 50 pieces or more qualify for free shipping to the USA and Canada.
Average production time is 12 to 15 business days from proof approval. Transit to the USA and Canada takes approximately 3 to 5 business days on top of that. Rush production is not available, so factor the full timeline into your planning if you have a fixed event date.
Yes, and this is one of the strongest use cases for antique medals specifically. The die-striking process captures fine lines, small text, and complex seal designs with precision. When the antique darkening treatment is applied, it naturally creates contrast in the recessed areas, which makes crests and engraved lettering stand out clearly. Organizations with detailed institutional emblems or coat-of-arms designs often find this style works better than enamel medals for that reason.
Yes. All orders of custom medals are priced on a tiered structure, meaning the per-unit cost decreases as quantity increases. The mold fee is a one-time charge valid for three years, so repeat orders within the three year window only pay for production, not a new mold. Contact our team or use the Get a Quote form to get accurate bulk pricing for your specific size and quantity requirements.