How to Design a Custom Medal for Your Event

Custom medals are a powerful way to celebrate achievement and create lasting memories. Whether for a sporting competition, corporate event, school program, or community celebration, a well-designed medal enhances the prestige of the occasion. Here's how to approach it.

Start with the event's purpose

The design should reflect who it's for and what it means. Sporting events suit dynamic designs with bold typography. Corporate events call for clean, professional aesthetics aligned with brand identity. School and community events can be more playful and inclusive. Charity events often benefit from a symbol that carries meaning beyond the event itself.

Choose the right material

Zinc alloy is the most common choice — excellent detail, durable, and cost-effective at volume. Brass or iron give a more traditional or premium feel. Acrylic or timber work well for events with an eco-conscious angle or a need for something genuinely distinctive. Gold, silver, and bronze finishes are the classic approach for tiered recognition.

Size and shape

Most medals fall between 50mm and 90mm in diameter, but the shape is where you can really differentiate. Standard rounds are timeless and work in almost any context. Custom shapes — cut to reflect your event logo or theme — create immediate visual impact. Layered or cut-out designs add depth and a premium feel.

Branding and content

Include the event name, year, and logo at minimum. Category or achievement can be added where relevant. Keep text tight — a crowded medal loses impact. The logo or emblem should dominate; supporting text should be legible but secondary.

Production method

Die striking produces sharp raised and recessed detail — the most premium result for high-volume runs. Soft enamel allows vibrant colour with a textured feel. Hard enamel gives a smooth, polished surface. UV printing works well for full-colour or photographic detail. Laser engraving is the go-to for individual personalisation like names or times.

Finish

Antique gold, silver, or bronze finishes are classic and read as prestigious. Polished bright finishes are modern and eye-catching. Matte or satin options are more subtle. Dual-tone plating adds contrast and visual depth. The finish should complement the design, not fight it.

The ribbon

Don't underestimate the ribbon — it's the first thing people see. Custom printed ribbons can carry event names, logos, or sponsor branding. Colour should align with your event theme or brand palette. Standard widths are 22mm or 25mm. The attachment style (loop or clip) is a small detail that affects how the medal sits and hangs.

Personalisation

Adding individual detail — a name, a finishing time, a sequential number — significantly increases the sentimental value of the medal. For events with multiple categories, interchangeable centre inserts let you use the same base design across divisions.

Budget and volume

A memorable medal doesn't require the highest budget — a distinctive shape or a well-chosen finish can achieve strong impact cost-effectively. Larger quantities bring the unit price down, so it's worth planning your numbers accurately upfront.

Ready to start?

We design and produce custom medals for events of all sizes across Australia. Get in touch and we'll guide you through material, finish, and artwork — and make sure the end result is something your recipients will keep.