What Are Custom Medals Made Of? A Complete Material Guide for Zinc Alloy, Brass, Iron, and Stainless Steel

When you ask what custom medals are made of, the useful answer is not simply “zinc alloy” or “iron.” The material has to work with the medal shape, relief, thickness, finish, quantity, and production method you actually need.

At KungFu Metals, this is one of the first things we review when a new medal project comes in. A deep 3D race medal with cut-outs has a very different production route from a flat engraved school medal. If the artwork is already available, our custom medal manufacturing page is a useful reference for comparing construction options.

For bulk orders, we normally confirm the material, structure, and forming process before tooling starts. Changing the material after tooling can affect the mold, weight, surface finish, and final quotation.

Key Takeaways

• Zinc alloy is a practical choice for custom medals with 3D relief, irregular outlines, cut-outs, and other die-cast structures.
• Brass and iron can be more suitable for flatter stamped or engraved designs where crisp lines and straightforward production matter more than deep relief.
• Stainless steel is worth considering for thin, clean, laser-cut, or engraved medal designs rather than deep cast relief.
• Material should be selected together with the forming process, size, thickness, finish, and quantity because each affects the final production cost.
• For repeat programs, keep the approved material, dimensions, finish, artwork, and production records together so the next order can be checked against the original specification.

Match the Material to the Production Method

We normally look at the artwork before confirming the material. Medal shape, relief, lettering, thickness, and quantity help us decide which production route is practical.

For example, a deep relief design may call for die casting, while a thin 2D design may be better suited to stamping, cutting, or engraving. We confirm these points before the tooling specification is finalized.

Choose Zinc Alloy for Complex Shapes and 3D Relief

Zinc alloy works particularly well with die casting. It gives you more flexibility when the medal has an irregular outline, internal cut-outs, layered areas, or several levels of relief.

That makes it practical for race medals, championship medals, mascot designs, and other awards where the physical shape is part of the artwork. A runner passing through an opening, a stadium-shaped border, or a sculpted mascot is generally easier to develop as a die-cast structure than as a flat stamped medal.

If your design needs this type of construction, our custom die-cast medals shows more examples of the production route.

Use Brass or Iron for Simpler Stamped Designs

Brass and iron are worth comparing when the medal is relatively flat and the design depends mainly on outlines, lettering, borders, or controlled 2D relief.

Iron can be practical for straightforward, high-volume designs that do not require deep sculpted relief. Brass is worth considering when the design calls for crisp metal detail, engraving, or a heavier metal feel.

If the artwork is already simple and flat, we normally compare stamped construction before adding a casting process.

Consider Stainless Steel for Thin or Engraved Construction

Stainless steel is useful for thin, clean designs with laser-cut contours, geometric shapes, or engraving. It is less suited to medals where deep rounded relief is the main feature, so we would normally compare that type of artwork with a die-cast zinc alloy construction.

For thin stainless steel medals, we also check the finished thickness, edge treatment, cut-out areas, and engraving depth before confirming the production method.

Compare Zinc Alloy, Brass, Iron, and Stainless Steel for Bulk Projects

The material comparison becomes much more useful when you connect it to the production decisions that affect your quotation. The table below is a practical starting point; the final construction should still be confirmed against the approved artwork.

Compare the Complete Production Cost

A lower raw-material price does not automatically produce the lower finished-medal cost.

For example, zinc alloy may require a mold, but one cast structure can produce the custom outline, relief, and openings together. A stainless-steel medal may avoid casting but require laser cutting and additional surface processing.

When we compare quotations, we look at:

material + forming process + tooling + finishing + decoration + assembly + quantity

This is how we compare a medal quotation at the factory, rather than comparing the raw metal price by itself.

Treat Weight as a Real Specification

Two medals with the same diameter can have very different weights because density, thickness, relief, and internal structure all affect the finished piece.

Brass and iron are denser than zinc alloy, while a thin stainless-steel construction can result in a lower finished weight depending on the medal size and thickness. For large orders, weight also affects carton weight and shipping.

If weight matters to your project, give us a target weight or a physical reference medal rather than asking for a “premium” feel.

What We Check in the Factory Before Bulk Production

The material decision should be checked against the physical artwork before tooling starts. A detail that looks clear on the screen may not reproduce the same way after casting, stamping, engraving, polishing, or plating.

We normally review the design, forming method, sample, finish, and final assembly against the same approved specification.

Review Artwork at the Actual Medal Size

We check the outline, relief depth, internal gaps, lettering, borders, engraving areas, and ribbon attachment.

A school seal or small lettering can look clear on a large computer drawing but become difficult to reproduce after the design is reduced to the final medal size. Narrow gaps can also close during casting, polishing, or finishing.

It is much easier to simplify a detail in the artwork before tooling than to change the mold afterward.

Check the Material Through Tooling and Finishing

For cast medals, the relief and surface structure need to remain workable through casting, polishing, and plating. Deep recesses, sharp transitions, and small isolated details should be checked before tooling is finalized.

For stamped and engraved medals, we check the metal thickness, available engraving area, surface condition, and finish before production.

Approve the Physical Sample Before Bulk Production

A digital rendering can show the shape, text, and color, but it cannot show the actual weight, relief, engraving depth, plating appearance, or ribbon proportion.

For projects where these details matter, a physical sample becomes the production reference. At KungFu Metals, we review tooling, finishing, engraving, enamel, ribbon, and assembly together, so the approved sample represents the complete medal rather than just the artwork.

Match the Material With Finish, Enamel, and Engraving

The finished appearance also depends heavily on plating, enamel, engraving, polishing, and antique treatment.

For that reason, the material should be specified together with the finish rather than quoted as “gold medal” or “silver medal.”

Separate Base Metal From Plating

Gold, silver, bronze, antique, and black nickel can describe the surface finish rather than the base metal.

A zinc alloy medal, for example, can receive different plating finishes without changing the underlying medal mold.

When you compare supplier quotations, specify both the base material and the surface finish. This prevents two quotations from looking comparable when they actually describe different constructions.

Use Zinc Alloy and Enamel When Color Is Part of the Structure

Zinc alloy works well with enamel when the medal combines a shaped metal body with clearly separated color areas.

This is common for sports logos, school colors, race branding, and award designs where the metal border forms part of the artwork.

If your design relies heavily on school colors, sports branding, or defined enamel areas, you can see more zinc alloy and enamel examples on our custom enamel medals page.

Use Engraving When Variable Information Is the Main Requirement

If the main requirement is names, dates, award titles, serial numbers, or other variable information, engraving can be more practical than changing the medal structure. Brass and iron are worth comparing for this type of design, depending on the thickness, surface, and engraving method.

The available engraving area should be decided before the final artwork is approved. This becomes particularly important when hundreds of individual names need to be processed in one order.
For projects where engraving is the main requirement, you can also review our custom engraved medals for engraving-focused production options.

Build Material Selection Into Your RFQ

A factory can give you a much more useful quotation when the material is discussed together with the complete product specification.

“Please quote 2,000 zinc alloy medals” is not enough to establish the actual production route. Size, thickness, relief, finish, personalization, ribbon, packaging, and quantity by version can all change the quotation.

Give the Factory the Information That Changes the Production Route

The quantity breakdown is especially important. If you tell us you need 5,000 medals, we still need to know whether that is one 5,000-piece design or several versions totaling 5,000 pieces.

Ask for a Material Recommendation Before the Artwork Is Locked

You do not have to choose the material alone.

If you have the basic design but are unsure whether it should be die cast, stamped, cut, or engraved, send the artwork and tell us what matters most—3D appearance, weight, engraving, tooling cost, production volume, or a thin construction.

We can review the artwork first and tell you which production routes are workable before the final drawing is released for tooling.

Plan the Material for Repeat Orders

If you expect the same medal to be reordered every year, the original material choice becomes part of the long-term production specification.

Changing the base material later can change the weight, surface appearance, finishing behavior, and overall feel of the award.

Keep the Approved Core Specification Stable

For repeat production, keep the approved material, dimensions, thickness, mold reference, plating, ribbon, attachment, and core artwork documented in one production record.

The next order may only change the year, event information, award category, or quantity. With the original specification available, we can check those changes against the approved version instead of rebuilding the project from the beginning.

For distributors handling several medal programs, keeping each product's material and artwork records separate also reduces the risk of mixing specifications between orders.

Separate Fixed and Variable Information

A repeat-order specification can be divided into two groups.

Keeping these separate makes the next reorder easier to quote and reproduce.

If your design uses a fixed metal body with a replaceable center graphic, also review our custom insert medals options because the insert material and metal frame need to be considered together.

FAQ About Custom Medal Materials

What is the best material for custom medals?

The material depends on the medal structure and production method. Zinc alloy is commonly used for die-cast 3D designs and custom shapes, while brass or iron can suit flatter stamped or engraved constructions. Stainless steel is another option for thin, cut, or engraved designs.

Are most custom medals made from zinc alloy?

Zinc alloy is a common choice for custom medals, particularly when the design requires die casting, irregular outlines, cut-outs, or 3D relief. It is not automatically the best choice when the design is flat and straightforward.

Is brass better than zinc alloy for custom medals?

Brass can provide a heavier feel and works well for selected stamped, die-struck, and engraved designs. Zinc alloy gives us more flexibility for cast 3D structures and irregular shapes.

Is iron suitable for large bulk medal orders?

Iron can be practical for high-volume medals when the design is relatively simple and does not require deep cast relief or complicated openwork.

When should I choose stainless steel for a custom medal?

Stainless steel is worth considering for thin, clean designs with laser-cut contours, geometric shapes, or engraving. If the medal depends on deep rounded relief, compare it with a die-cast zinc alloy construction before confirming the material.

What should I send a manufacturer for an accurate material recommendation?

Send the artwork, quantity, target size, desired appearance, finish, personalization requirements, ribbon specification, delivery date, and any reference medal you have. If you are unsure about the material, tell the factory whether 3D detail, weight, engraving, tooling cost, thin construction, or repeat production is the priority.

Review Your Medal Material Before Tooling

If you already have artwork for a race medal, school award, championship medal, corporate recognition piece, or distributor program, send it to KungFu Metals with your quantity and target size. We can review whether zinc alloy, brass, iron, or stainless steel fits the actual construction before you commit to a production route.

We provide Free Design, 5–7 Day Samples, and production from 12 days for suitable projects. Send us the artwork, quantity, target size, finish, and any reference medal you already have, and we can review the production route with you.

Related Articles:

What Is Enameling on Medals? Materials, Process, and Techniques Explained

What Are the Main Differences Between Soft Enamel and Hard Enamel Medals?

What Are the Typical Materials Used in Medal Die Casting?